Guitar Legend Juan Carlos Quintero releases new album “Desserts”

One of my earliest music-related assignments back when I was a contributing writer for The Orange County Register was covering rising guitar virtuoso Juan Carlos Quintero. I was excited to learn today that the Columbia native is back with a new album titled Desserts. Read the media release below on his new album Desserts. And at the bottom of this post, you can revisit my August 1990 article that was published in The Orange County Register about Quintero...Robert Kinsler 

Guitar Legend Juan Carlos Quintero Releases New Album “Desserts”

As with all good meals, the sweets are the most memorable!

It’s no wonder that guitar legend Juan Carlos Quintero’s critically acclaimed chart-topping 2022 release, “Table For Five,” segues so effortlessly to the sequel – the new album, “Desserts”…

Quintero’s new album expands the music menu producing tasty treats while skillfully blending authentic grooves – originating from South American & Caribbean regions – culminating in a thread of meaningful performances honoring the beauty and breadth of Latin-Jazz traditions! Enticing gems include “The Gift,” “All or Nothing At All,” “How Insensitive,” “Tangerine,” “A Night in Tunisia,” “Along Came Betty” & crowd favorite, Van Morrison’s “Moondance”!

Says Juan, “For me, the experience producing this music brought me closer to my parents in so many ways…It’s been 10 years since we lost dad and I think of him daily…looking back, I can remember him playing the piano and working out the hit melodies of the time…little did I know then I would be doing the same years later…the message is check out your parents, remember them and preserve their melodies…”

The album features music from the early 1960s and focuses on traditional Latin rhythms to serve as the foundation for all the arrangements performed. As with the last album, the music features Quintero’s electric jazz guitar along with the backing by his extraordinary band: Eddie Resto (upright bass), Aaron Serfaty (drums), Joey DeLeon (Percussion), Joe Rotondi (piano). The album was recorded and mixed by Talley Sherwood and mastered by Peter Doell.

This seasoned Quintet never disappoints as it navigates an array of well-crafted classics re-imagined with newly fine-tuned arrangements! Led by JCQ’s signature guitar voice, the music transcends protocols merging stylish overtures in company with traditions of romance, charm & melody.

This party is seated and sticking around for more! Now serving desserts… A seamless follow up that converts to a staggered double-album experience prompted by “Table For Five” – It’s the final course topping off a delicious five-star feast! Bon appétit!

Here’s what the press has said about Juan Carlos Quintero:

“A comfortable middle ground between authentic Latin roots, and contemporary, polished tones” – Jazz Times

“By virtue of imagination as well as style, Quintero clearly out classes many of his modern Latin guitar-strumming contemporaries… Quintero sets high standards with cross-cultural sound… One of the best” – Los Angeles Times

“By tracing his heritage back to Colombia, Quintero has forged ahead with personality and style.” – JAZZIZ Magazine

“JCQ’s brand of world beat, Latin flavored pop/jazz provides a highly rhythmic, passionate guitar voice that captures the energy and excitement of his live performances” – Latin Style Magazine

To Purchase: https://lnk.to/juancarlosquintero_desserts

For more information: www.juancarlosquintero.com

Duran Duran announce 'Danse Macabre' - New album and single; North American Tour Underway

Check out the breaking news item below to get details on Duran Duran's 16th studio album and to hear the bewitching new audio track "Danse Macabre" (the title track off the forthcoming album)...Robert Kinsler

DURAN DURAN ANNOUNCE SIXTEENTH STUDIO ALBUM,
DANSE MACABRE OUT OCTOBER 27, 2023 - IN TIME FOR HALLOWEEN PRE-ORDER/ADD/SAVE HERE
(TAPE MODERN / BMG)
 
FEATURING BRAND NEW SONGS AND DURAN DURAN COVERS OF BILLIE EILISH, TALKING HEADS, THE ROLLING STONES, SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES & MORE
 
WITH VERY SPECIAL GUESTS NILE RODGERS, VICTORIA DE ANGELIS (MÅNESKIN), MR. HUDSON, ANDY TAYLOR AND WARREN CUCCURULLO
 

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR UNDERWAY

LISTEN ‘DANSE MACABRE’   PRE-ORDER/ADD/SAVE ‘DANSE MACABRE’ (ALBUM) TRACKLIST Nightboat Black Moonlight Love Voudou Bury A Friend Supernature Danse Macabre Secret Oktober 31st Ghost Town Paint It Black Super Lonely Freak Spellbound Psycho Killer (feat. Victoria De Angelis) Confession in the Afterlife      Duran Duran have announced their 16th studio album: Danse Macabre, in time for this year’s Halloween.  The record is due for release on October 27 on Tape Modern via BMG and available to pre-order HERE.   Catalyzed by one special live performance that Duran Duran filmed in Las Vegas on October 31st of last year, Danse Macabre is the soundtrack to their ultimate Halloween party. Across 13 tracks the band unearth bright melodies from the darkness, threading together new songs, themed covers, and newly reimagined versions of their own ‘spooky’ classics.   Title track ‘Danse Macabre’ is released today as the first of three brand new songs. Anxious percussion sets the tempo against a distorted, growling synthesizer as Simon Le Bon’s swaggering verses give way to a handclap-laden and hypnotic hook. Teaming with producer Mr Hudson, channeling the chemistry they unlocked together on the Paper Gods album, the song also features former band-mate Warren Cuccurullo on guitar in his first collaboration with the band since 2001.  Listen to ‘Danse Macabre’ HERE.    Speaking about Danse Macabre, keyboardist Nick Rhodes said: “The song ‘Danse Macabre’ celebrates the joy and madness of Halloween. It is the title track of our forthcoming album, which gathers together an unusual mix of cover versions, reworked Duran Duran songs and several new compositions. The idea was born out of a show we played in Las Vegas on October 31st, 2022. We had decided to seize the moment to create a unique, special event…the temptation of using glorious gothic visuals set to a dark soundtrack of horror and humor was simply irresistible.  That evening inspired us to explore further and to make an album, using Halloween as the key theme. The record metamorphosed through a pure, organic process, and not only was it made faster than anything since our debut album, it has also resulted in something none of us could have ever predicted. Emotion, mood, style and attitude have always been at the heart of Duran Duran’s DNA, we search for light in the darkness and darkness in the light, and I feel we have somehow managed to capture the essence of all of that in this project.”   Simon Le Bon elaborates: “It’s about a crazy Halloween party. It’s supposed to be fun!”   John Taylor said: “After all these years, Danse Macabre offers an interesting insight into the personality of the band. The music packs a real punch.”   Roger Taylor adds: “I hope you take a journey with us through the darker side of our inspirations into where we’re at in 2023. Maybe, you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of how Duran Duran got to this moment in time.”   Fans can also look forward to Duran Duran’s Halloween covers of Billie Eilish’s ‘Bury A Friend’, Talking Heads’ ‘Psycho Killer’ (feat. Victoria De Angelis of Måneskin), The Rolling Stones’ ‘Paint It Black’, the Rick James-inspired ‘Super Lonely Freak’, Siouxsie and the Banshees’ ‘Spellbound’, Cerrone’s ‘Supernature’ and The Specials’ ‘Ghost Town’.   As well as Warren Cuccurullo, the album includes more special collaborations with former Duran Duran band member Andy Taylor, producer, guitarist and composer Nile Rodgers, Victoria De Angelis of Måneskin, and producers Josh Blair and Mr Hudson.   Andy Taylor originally joined Duran Duran in 1980, co-writing and playing guitar on their first three studio albums: Duran Duran (1981), Rio (1982), and Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983), before leaving the group to pursue a solo career.  16 years later he returned for 2004’s Astronaut (2004), before parting company once again with the other four original members in 2006.   With Andy’s departure, Warren Cuccurullo joined the band full time in 1989, contributing both song writing and guitars to the albums Big Thing (1988), Liberty (1990), The Wedding Album (1993), Thank You (1995), Medazzaland (1997) and Pop Trash (2000).   Fast forward to 2023 and Andy Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo’s presence on Danse Macabre captures the true spirit of the album - a celebration of the raw energy and sense of fun that comes when friends make music together in a room.   Danse Macabre is not just an album for Halloween. Elsewhere, ‘Black Moonlight’ sees the band’s timeless song writing break into dance-rock glamor with the addition of Nile Rodgers and Andy Taylor on guitar, where epic coda ‘Confession In The Afterlife’ finds Duran Duran reunited with producer Mr Hudson anew.   As well as a second collaboration with Warren Cuccurullo on ‘Love Voudou’, Danse Macabre will feature newly recorded versions of ‘Nightboat’ and fan favorite ‘Secret Oktober 31st’ (both featuring Andy Taylor on guitar). The song made its first appearance as b-side to the 7” single ‘Union of The Snake’ and is now, 40 years later, seeing its first ever physical release on a Duran Duran studio album.   The origin of Danse Macabre begins in Las Vegas, October 31st, 2022. Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor donned full fancy dress, cast a horde of ghouls on a stage complete with 20 foot high skeletons, tombstones, cobwebs and coffins. The set included a parade of rarities and special covers - Duran Duran’s first live performance of ‘Secret Oktober’ since 2011, their first of ‘Love Voodoo’ since 2017, and first of ‘Nightboat’ since 2005. Covers of Siouxsie and the Banshees’ ‘Spellbound’, Cerrone’s ‘Supernature’ and The Specials’ ‘Ghost Town’ were also debuted in what has gone down in Duran Duran history as a Halloween show for the ages. The band and their audience had so much fun that they decided to put the set to tape, creating a worldwide Halloween event for all Duran Duran fans to enjoy.   Danse Macabre arrives amidst a busy year of live activity that has already seen Duran Duran perform sold out arena shows across the UK and Ireland. The performances were rapturously received, described as “royalty status” by The Times, “decadent and bombastic” by The Telegraph, “a first class and commanding performance” by CLASH, “joyous” by The Sun, "national treasures" by The Spectatorwhilst the Mail On Sunday confirmed, “their charms haven’t changed”. The band continue the FUTURE PAST sold-out headline arena tour across North America through August and September, where the rave reviews continue to pour in with Dallas Voice praising the band for sounding “just as fresh as they were decades ago," observing the band having “the audience in their grip." Mercury Newsnoted by the end of their set they “left the thousands of passionate fans clamoring for more." Boca Raton Tribune noted “Duran Duran delivered, sounding better than ever,” While Tampa Bay Times exclaimed "Their live performance still feels like a music video you want to watch over and over again!"   Danse Macabre follows a wave of landmark achievements for Duran Duran. Their 2022 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Famemarked yet another career peak with the year already having seen the band headline London’s Hyde Park, perform at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace, close the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in their home town of Birmingham, and a headline tour across North America which included sold out shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden and three nights at the Hollywood Bowl.   Danse Macabre will be released on October 27 via Tape Modern for BMG with artwork featuring images adapted from a collection of authentic vintage séance photos sourced by Nick Rhodes at auction.  It will be available on Black 2LP and CD, with a limited-edition Translucent Galaxy 2LP. The album will also be available on high res blu-ray audio. Pre-order HERE.    Duran Duran’s 16th studio album, Danse Macabre is out October 27. Pre-order HERE.    The album’s title track and first single is available everywhere now.  Download high res images here 2023 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES 08/31 – Minnesota State Fair – St. Paul, MN* 09/01 – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island – Chicago, IL* 09/03 – CMAC – Canandaigua, NY* 09/06 – TD Garden – Boston, MA* 09/07 – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA* 09/09 – PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, PA* 09/10 – Blossom Music Center – Cuyahoga Falls, OH* 09/13 – Capital One Arena – Washington, DC* 09/16 – Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI* 09/19 – Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, ON* 09/20 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC+  09/22 – Forest Hills Stadium – Queens, NY** 09/23 – Ocean Casino Resort – Ovation Hall – Atlantic City, NJ  ** w/ Grace Jones, Nile Rodgers & Chic and Bastille * w/ Nile Rodgers & Chic and Bastille +w/ Nile Rodgers & Chic

Photo Credit: Stephanie Pistel

 

Steve Cropper’s 'With A Little Help From My Friends' gets Vinyl Reissue + Expanded CD from Omnivore Recordings

 Omnivore Recordings Announces Vinyl Reissue and Expanded CD For Steve Cropper’s Debut Solo Album With A Little Help From My Friends; reissue coming October 6

 

CD Includes 8 Previously Unissued Bonus Tracks Plus Liner Notes From Grammy Winner Robert Gordon

August 30, 2023: Omnivore Recordings has announced the release of Steve Cropper’s original solo debut album With A Little Help From My Friends on vinyl and on an expanded CD, which will include 8 previously unissued bonus tracks, out on October 6.

 

As a founding member of Stax house band Booker T. & The M.G.’s, Steve Cropper was involved in some of the most important music of the 1960s as a player, songwriter, and producer. The following decade introduced him to a new group of fans as guitarist for The Blues Brothers, appearing on both their records and film. A two-time Grammy® winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Cropper has been an integral thread in the cloth of American music, writing, playing and producing into the 21st century to this very day.

 

In 1969, Cropper released his first solo album, producing and arranging its eleven tracks himself. His backing band? While there is no actual record of who played on the album itself, Grammy® winner Robert Gordon’s liner notes point to his fellow M.G.’s, Buddy Miles, Jim Keltner, the Bar-Kay’s James Alexander, and more as candidates. From original tracks to its well-known covers (including The Beatles classic the release shares its name with), it is a tour de force of pure Memphis rock and soul.

 

The core eleven tracks now appear again on an all-analog cut, new pressing of the LP as With A Little Help From My Friends returns for a new generation to experience. The CD version contains a whopping eight bonus tracks, including four tracks not included on the original release and alternate versions of four that do. Add in Robert Gordon’s notes and this release is as much a history lesson as it is a timepiece of pure musical magic.

 

Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/0IJzpCEfTbU

 

Pre-order: https://omnivorerecordings.com/shop/with-a-little-help

 

With A Little Help From My Friends Tracklist:

1. Crop-Dustin’

2. Land Of 1000 Dances

3. 99-½

4. Boo-Ga-Loo Down Broadway

5. Funky Broadway

6. With A Little Help From My Friends

7. Oh, Pretty Woman

8. I’d Rather Drink Muddy Water

9. The Way I Feel Tonight

10. In The Midnight Hour

11. Rattlesnake

 

CD Only Bonus Tracks:

12. You Don’t Know 

13. I’m Going Home

14. Grazing In The Grass (Take 2)

15. Soulful Strut (Take 10)

16. Oh, Pretty Woman (Alternate Version)

17. The Way I Feel Tonight (Alternate Version)

18. Boo-Ga-Loo Down Broadway (Alternative Version)

19. Land Of 1000 Dances (Alternative Version)

The Cranberries reissues "To The Faithful Departed" as Remastered Deluxe Edition

One of the truly great albums released in the 1990s is set to be reissued via a deluxe edition this fall...Robert Kinsler

Island/UMe Reissues The Cranberries' 1996 album

To The Faithful Departed
 

As Remastered Deluxe Edition with A Bounty of Bonus Content
on October 13, 2023

AUGUST 29, 2023 (Los Angeles, CA) -- The Cranberries’ monumental third album To The Faithful Departed will be reissued as a deluxe edition on vinyl and CD on October 13, 2023 via Island/UMe. Selling more than six million copies worldwide and reaching Number One in six countries, it became the band’s highest-charting album on the U.S. Billboard Top 200. “I hadn't heard these tracks for a long time but have spent many days over the past year or so listening intently to these songs,” remembers drummer Fergal Lawler. With the tragic passing of powerhouse vocalist Dolores O’Riordan in 2018, his remembrance of the recording is bittersweet. “As difficult as it was to hear Dolores' voice, they brought back many fond memories. I was shocked at how powerful they sounded and the strong emotions that I felt as I listened." Originally released on April 30, 1996, the album yielded four singles including the U.S. Number One Modern Rock single “Salvation.” In this deluxe reissue, the original album has been remastered by John Dent at Metropolis. Available in its original configuration as 1LP, an expanded 2LP set, and a 3CD set (whose tracklisting the digital version mirrors), To The Faithful Departed deluxe editions contain an abundance of bonus tracks and material. The 2LP and 3CD configurations include three previously unreleased album demos recorded with Tim Palmer in Paris. The sleeve notes by Eoin Devereux includes contributions from the remaining band members as well as archived material which includes interviews with Dolores.

The Cranberries "Salvation" Link: https://youtu.be/KotlCEGNbh8?si=QybfzGWY0Cpmy-cs

"When we were on tour for our second album No Need to Argue, we began discussions about recording the next album,” recalls Lawler about the record’s origins. “We had spoken to Island Records about the possibility of trying a new producer and they suggested Tim Palmer who had worked with Tears for Fears. So we decided to demo some new songs with him. We had a few days off in Paris and we recorded 'When You're Gone', 'Free to Decide' and 'I Just Shot John Lennon.' Tim was a lovely guy and the recordings sounded great but we felt he was a little similar in style to Steven Street [who had produced the band’s previous two albums] and we wanted to try something different. We had been touring a lot and wanted more of a live sound.” Switching gears, they chose Bruce Fairbairn who was known for working with hard rock bands such as Aerosmith, AC/DC and Van Halen. “When the tour finished, we took a short break and met with Bruce and his genius engineer Mike Plotnikoff in Windmill Lane studio in Dublin,” he continues. “It was a very different experience for both ourselves and Bruce, he was used to working with heavy rock bands and we were used to working with Steven [Street], but it worked out really well. Bruce and Mike managed to capture that big, live sound we were looking for at that time, especially on songs like 'Salvation', 'Hollywood' and 'Electric Blue' but they also did a fantastic job on softer songs like 'When you're Gone', 'The Rebels' and 'Bosnia.'” The digital and 3CD set includes unreleased outtakes and early mixes of the studio album and twelve rare live tracks recorded on the band’s 1996 “Free to Decide.”

1LP LP1 - Side A 1.        Hollywood 2.        Salvation 3.        When You're Gone 4.        Free To Decide 5.        War Child 6.        Forever Yellow Skies 7.        The Rebels LP1 - Side B 1.        Just Shot John Lennon 2.         Electric Blue 3.        I'm Still Remembering 4.        Will You Remember? 5.        Joe 6.        Bosnia   2LP LP1 - Side A 1.        Hollywood 2.        Salvation 3.        When You're Gone 4.        Free To Decide 5.        War Child LP1 - Side B 1.        Forever Yellow Skies 2.        The Rebels 3.        Intermission 4.        Just Shot John Lennon 5.        Electric Blue LP2 - Side C 1.        I'm Still Remembering 2.        Will You Remember? 3.        Joe 4.        Bosnia 5.         Cordell LP2 - Side D 1.        The Picture I View 2.        Go Your Own Way 3.        When You're Gone (Paris demo) 4.        I Just Shot John Lennon (Paris demo 5.        Free To Decide (Paris demo)   3CD / DIGITAL Disc One – To The Faithful Departed – Deluxe Remaster 1.        Hollywood 2.        Salvation 3.        When You're Gone 4.        Free To Decide 5.        War Child 6.        Forever Yellow Skies 7.        The Rebels 8.        Intermission 9.        I Just Shot John Lennon 10.       Electric Blue 11.       I'm Still Remembering 12.       Will You Remember? 13.       Joe 14.       Cordell 15.       Bosnia 16.       The Picture I View 17.       Go Your Own Way   Disc Two – Unreleased Demos and Outtakes 1.        When You're Gone (Paris demo) 2.        I Just Shot John Lennon (Paris demo) 3.        Free To Decide (Paris demo) 4.        The Rebels (Outtake) 5.        Hollywood (Outtake) 6.        Cordell (Early mix) 7.        Bosnia (Early mix) 8.        Salvation (Early mix) 9.        When You're Gone (Early mix) 10.       Electric Blue (Early mix) 11.       Intermission (Early mix) 12.       Joe (Early mix) 13.       Free To Decide (Alternate mix)   Disc Three – 1996 Free To Decide tour 1.        Intermission + Forever Yellow Skies (Live in Toronto) 2.        Sunday (Live in Toronto) 3.        Linger (Live in Toronto) 4.        The Rebels (Live in Toronto) 5.        Waltzing Back (Live in Toronto) 6.        I Can't Be With You (Live in Toronto) 7.        Free To Decide (Live in Detroit) 8.        Dreams (Live in Detroit) 9.        Hollywood (Live in Detroit) 10.       Zombie (Live in Detroit) 11.       Dreaming My Dreams (Live in Detroit) 12.       The Icicle Melts (Live in Detroit) 13.       Salvation (Live at Milton Keynes Bowl) Website Facebook Instagram YouTube