Derek Trucks and Warren Hayes to Depart Allman Brothers Band

The Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman (slide guitar and lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, organ, songwriting), plus Dickey Betts (lead guitar, vocals, songwriting), Berry Oakley (bass guitar), Butch Trucks (drums), and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson (drums). While the band has been called the principal architects of Southern rock, they also incorporate elements of blues, jazz, and country music, and their live shows have jam band-style improvisation and instrumentals. Two of the groups members are leaving at the end of 2014. Read what each had to say recently regarding their move.

For 25 years and 15 years respectively, we've had the honor and pleasure of playing, living, learning, and traveling with the Allman Brothers Band, one of the truly legendary rock and roll bands. We will be forever grateful for the opportunity and the experience, and for the love, enthusiasm, and support of the incredible fans. We are both preparing to dig even deeper into our various creative and musical endeavors and, as a result, 2014 will be our final year as part of the band. We are looking forward to seeing our loyal ABB fans in March at the Beacon Theater in New York City as we celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the band.
- Warren Haynes & Derek Trucks

A statement from Derek Trucks:

Derek Trucks

I got the call to join the Allman Brothers while on tour with my own band at the age of 19. It was out of the blue and felt surreal. I leapt at the chance. This was the music that I had cut my teeth on and it was the distinctive sound of Duane's guitar that inspired me to pick up the instrument in the first place.

When I started with ABB I didn't know how long it would last, only that I would let the music lead me and teach me. Amazingly that led me past the band's 40th anniversary, to the band's 45th, and now my 15th year as a member of this incredible band. Five years ago the 45th seemed like a lofty goal but I thought if we could make it to that milestone it would be a logical time to move on.

While I've shared many magical moments on stage with the Allman Brothers Band in the last decade plus, I feel that my solo project and the Tedeschi Trucks Band is where my future and creative energy lies. The Tedeschi Trucks Band tour schedule keeps growing, and I feel the time has finally come to focus on a single project, which will allow me to spend that rare time off the road with my family and children. It's a difficult decision to make, and I don't make it lightly.

I'm proud to have made a small contribution to the masterful music they have created over the past forty years, and will continue to create. Now seems like a good time to go out on a high note with a great 45th anniversary in 2014, and the mutual respect and friendship of the other 6 members of ABB.

A Statement from Warren Haynes:

Warren Hayes

I joined the Allman Brothers Band in 1989, at age 28, for a reunion tour with no promise or expectations of it going any further. Based on the success of the tour and the uncanny chemistry between the original members and the new members, we decided to continue and see where it all led. Now, here we are, 25 years later, and it has been an amazing experience. I've always said that if I were to join a band that I grew up listening to the ABB would be at the top of that list. The original version of the band was a huge influence on me and I'm sure that the countless hours I spent listening to and studying that music helped shape me as a musician. As proud as I am of being a member of such a legendary band, I'm even more proud of the music that we've made together and of being a part of carrying their original vision into the future.

As someone who's been fortunate enough to juggle a lot of musical projects and opportunities I look forward to maintaining a vigorous schedule which will include many more years of touring and recording with Gov't Mule in addition to my solo projects and to enjoying more family time as well. Being part of the ABB has opened a lot of doors for me and that's something I don't take for granted nor do I take for granted the friendship and musical relationships I have with each of the members. The 45th Anniversary of the ABB is a milestone amidst too many highlights to count and I'm looking forward to an amazing year creating music that only the Allman Brothers Band can create.

TREY SONGZ, KELLY ROWLAND, MINT CONDITION, RACHELLE FARRELL AND BONEY JAMES ADDED TO 9TH ANNUAL JAZZ IN THE GARDENS LINEUP

Kelly Rowland

The City of Miami Gardens’ 9th annual Jazz in the Gardens music festival at Sun Life Stadium is proud to announce Grammy nominated international R&B superstar Trey Songz,  sexy global pop star and original Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland, popular R&B funk group Mint Condition, soulful six octave range jazz phenomenon Rachelle Farrell (who missed the 2013 festival due to illness) and national jazz recording artist Boney James as the first artists named to this year’s line-up.

“Jazz in the Gardens is one of the fastest growing shows in the U.S. right now. We’re booking the best talent in the business. We listen to the fans and who they want to see; and there isn’t a performer we don’t consider. We’re off to a great start with D.L. Hughley, Trey Songz, Kelly Rowland, Mint Condition, Rachelle Ferrell and Boney James. The fan feedback has been very positive and we have more A-list artists to add,” said Scott Gartner, producer, AEG Live. “If you like good food, soul, rhythm and blues and jazz, you’re going to love this show,” he added.

LL Cool J

The final line-up of national artists for the 2014 event includes Grammy Award winners LL Cool J, Jamie Foxx, Anthony Hamilton, bass guitar legend Stanley Clarke, and the beloved Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly.

The festival will kick off on Friday, March 14th with the Women’s Impact Conference & Luncheon at Shula’s Hotel & Golf Club. Later that evening, Jazz in the Gardens begins with the inaugural Friday night party at Calder Casino; the headlining performer will be named at a later date.

In 2013,  more than 63,000 fans attended the 8th Annual Jazz in the Gardens festival over the weekend to enjoy performances by Ne-Yo, Earth Wind & Fire, Charlie Wilson, New Edition, Monica, Fantasia, Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds, Najee, Nicole Henry (replaced an ill Rachelle Ferrell) and Mary Mary.

Mint Condition

Jazz in the Gardens owes its success to a simple formula: a star-studded line-up, great food, affordable ticket prices and amazing weather. For the past eight years the festival has enjoyed unprecedented growth, consistently delivering stunning increases in attendance while attracting both locals and thousands of out-of-towners to the beautiful City of Miami Gardens.

For more information about Jazz in the Gardens, visit www.jazzinthegardens.com, Like at www.facebook.com/jazzinthegardens, Follow twitter.com/jazzgardens and instagram.com/jitg9 #JITG9.

About City of Miami Gardens
The City of Miami Gardens celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2013, it was incorporated on May 13, 2003,  and is the 33rd city in Miami-Dade County. With a population of approximately 110,000, it is the third largest city in Miami-Dade County. Miami Gardens is a solid, working and middle class community of unique diversity. It is the largest predominantly African-American municipality in Florida and boasts many Caribbean and Hispanic residents. The City hosted the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl, the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl™, Super Bowl XLIV™, 2013 Orange Bowl and 2013 BCS National Championship game. The City has demonstrated steady growth in the areas of community and economic development, and has gained a reputation for being a hot destination in South Florida. www.miamigardens-fl.gov

Miami's Own International Star!

Nicole Henry

Publishers Note: Several years ago I met a young woman who told me she was a singer looking to start a career in music. Determined and full of youthful ambition, she told me in detail the things she wanted to accomplish within the music industry. On top of everything else, I recall that this young vocalist had a warm and engaging personality, one that ensured I would not forget her name. Throughout the years I followed the young woman’s rise to the top of the industry. Today, she performs all around the world. Yes, that young woman is now the great jazz vocalist Nicole Henry. Please enjoy her story.

Edward Reid

Since her debut in 2004, jazz/soul vocalist Nicole Henry has captivated audiences worldwide with her exquisite voice and beguiling live performances that have earned her three top 10 albums, international media accolades and sold-out shows from Miami to Moscow to Madrid.  

Henry demonstrates her diversity and skills as a performer and refined interpreter on her 2013 release, So  Good, So Right: Nicole Henry Live. The 13-track live album, which was recorded at Henry’s sold-out performances at Feinstein’s in NYC in May 2012, showcases her soulful, inspired renditions of some of her favorite classic hits of the ‘70s from iconic artists including Bill Withers, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, The Commodores and Gladys Knight.  

Henry’s 2004 debut CD release, The Nearness of You, won considerable attention from audiences and critics in the U.S. and in Japan, where they named Nicole Best New Jazz Artist of 2004. The following year, Nicole's Teach Me Tonight reached #1 in Japan and was named HMV Japan's Best Vocal Jazz Album of 2005. In 2008, The Very Thought of You substantially expanded her American audience, reaching #7 on Billboard's jazz chart. Henry’s 2011 release, Embraceable, was a slight departure from her prior recordings, and reached the top 20 on jazz and smooth U.S. jazz radio charts and was a creative triumph for Henry that established her as a peerless interpreter of jazz and pop standards, transcending genre boundaries. 

Growing up in a musical family in Bucks County, PA, Nicole immersed herself in the arts early on, singing in school and church, and studying cello and ballet. After graduating from the University of Miami with a degree in Communications and Theatre, Nicole launched a successful acting career, appearing in commercial roles as well as a series of voiceover assignments. But she directed her strongest passion toward the development of her full-time singing career which was quickly rewarded in her present hometown, when the Miami New Times named Nicole “Best Solo Musician 2002.

• Nicole Henry has captivated audiences and earned favorable reviews by New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Jazz Times, Essence and more, establishing herself as one of the jazz world's most acclaimed vocalists.  
• Her passionate, soulful voice and heart-felt charisma has earned her a 2013 Soul Train Award for “Best Traditional Jazz Performance," and three top 10 U.S. Billboard and HMV Japan jazz albums.
• Her vocal talents, which transcend genre boundaries, combine jazz, soul and pop featuring standards, contemporary jazz and originals.
• Nicole’s toured in over 15 countries - venues in New York, Tokyo, Madrid, Moscow, Paris, Shanghai, San Francisco and Miami - including over 30 music festivals and in some of the world’s most famous venues.

photo by Rafael Balcazar

www.nicolehenry.com

MIXING TRACKS IN THE SHADOW OF USF

by Barbara Melendez
Courtesy of USF News

photos by Aimee Blodgett

A short distance from the Tampa campus, a business with strong ties to the University of South Florida is providing a service that is becoming increasingly rare: expert sound recording.

Morrisound – a full-service recording studio – attracts a diverse clientele. You are just as likely to hear jazz, country, gospel or bluegrass as folk, rap, hip-hop, punk, funk, R&B and death metal. Soloist, trio or larger band, church choir or orchestra, all are welcome.

“We see as broad a spectrum as you would ever hear,” says Tom Morris, co-founder of the company with his brother Jim.

The Morris brothers, both USF alums, genuinely like the variety of performers who show up at their doors.

“Part of the joy of what we do is that seldom are any two days the same,” Jim says.

The two come from a long line of musicians and music lovers. Their maternal grandfather Merlin Leslie Price owned the M. L. Price Music Company, Tampa’s largest music store in the 1920s and 1930s. For a time he also served as an organist and pianist at the Tampa Theatre for silent movies. Their father, a B17 pilot during World War II, was a trumpet player in the big bands of his era. Just about everyone in the family plays an instrument and family jam sessions happen on a regular basis.

Is it any wonder they would find themselves surrounded by music on a daily basis?

Tom and Jim Morris

Gold records at the entrance to Morrisound set the tone. Enormous sound boards in two studios – one with 80 channels and the other with 64 – make it clear: Morrisound is in the business of producing high quality professional recordings.

Clients have ranged from Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Faith Hill, Public Enemy, Robert Plant and Cheap Trick to John Travolta, Hulk Hogan and Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf. The bands Seven Mary Three and TSO are two of the artists who earned gold and platinum records Morrisound has on display.

The facility is not limited to recording music. The studio also does ADR work (dialog replacement) for major film companies, voice over recordings for television and radio ads. Narrative recordings for audio books – and motivational tapes are also produced there.

One memorable project with the late actor Leslie Nielson – recording his voice for a Disney film project – left a lasting impression.

“He looked like such a serious person, but he was as funny and fun to work with as he appeared to be in the ‘Airplane’ movies,” Jim says.

It’s possible to record two entirely different projects in their two state-of-the-art studios without them disturbing each other. In fact, Gen. Schwarzkopf once made an audio recording of a book he wrote in one studio while a heavy metal band from Germany rocked out in the other. When they met in the lounge on a break, they got along famously. In fact, a collaboration or two has been born in that very lounge between different clients.

The two brothers almost veered away from careers in music. They were engineering majors at USF. One would guess sound engineering, but not so. Jim was an electrical engineering major and Tom earned both a bachelor of science and a master’s degree in chemical engineering. Music was only a side interest as they played in college bands.

Captivated by the process of recording sound, the elder brother, Tom, started the process of shifting gears. He moved up to an 8-track analog recording system from a small set-up in a room in his home. He and his brother gradually moved on to better locations – a mobile truck and then a storefront – and increasingly sophisticated gear. Some of those first and best quality pieces of equipment are still integrated into their present system but those electronic gems are overshadowed by 32 years’ worth of acquisitions.

Now, three buildings under one roof comprise Morrisound’s home after launching the present-day business in 1985 as the only facility on the west coast of Florida designed solely as an audio recording facility.

While the two sound experts are both alumni, they are not the only ones from the Morris family to attend USF. Jim’s daughter is currently a student. Tom’s son attended USF as did Jim’s wife and two of their three sisters.

The USF connection continues with the addition of John Tucker to the staff. The saxophonist who received his master’s degree from USF’s School of Music in May just started working as an assistant engineer.

Assistant Engineer John Tucker

USF’s own Distinguished University Professor of Jazz Studies Chuck Owen was right at home when he recorded his latest album, River Runs, there. Morrisound also provided the perfect setting for the launch party attended by USF President Judy Genshaft and School of Music Dean James Moy.

This was not Owen’s first outing with the brothers Morris, however. He’s been recording with them since 1982, before they moved to their current location from their original storefront (1981), what was then the first new 24 track facility on Florida’s west coast. Those years encompassed “producing about a dozen USF recordings, all five of my projects with the Jazz Surge – since 1995 – and probably another dozen in which I conducted or contributed as an arranger,” he said.

“While I love working in the studio in general, working with engineers such as Tom and Jim is just pure joy. Not only are they extremely skilled, technically savvy and a pleasure to work with, they possess the most important attribute an audio engineer can have. They listen!  I trust and rely constantly on their ears and musical inclinations.”

Owen appreciates that they never “impose their own sensibilities. Having worked with Tom for so long, he has a pretty good idea of what I’m shooting for at least as a baseline. But, as every project is unique, we always spend time discussing how this might impact our recording strategy and he remains remarkably intuitive and flexible in adjusting to the special needs of the moment.”

River Runs, was like no other project Owen has worked on at Morrisound.  It required a full symphony orchestra, plus jazz musicians. Though spacious, the more-than-full complement of musicians could not fit at one time.

“We spent considerable time debating the alternatives – recording in other local venues, in other cities with large soundstages, even utilizing European orchestras or venues. Ultimately we decided both the project and budget would be better served staying here.”

For both it was a learning experience.

“I was able to proceed confidently, knowing that Tom understood and would strive to meet my artistic demands even when that might require new techniques and equipment. So we ‘tracked’ this project, recording sections, the strings, brass, rhythm, etc., separately.”

In all, there were about 10 recording or overdubbing sessions. Tom recalls working with more than 130 recorded tracks with his Solid Sate Logic 9000 recording console and a ProTools HDX Digital Audio Workstation.

That left mixing and editing and finally mastering – all at Morrisound.

“I truly am happy with the results. Just as importantly, I’m delighted that so many of the comments I get about River Runs as well as prior CDs often include praise for the ‘incredible’ sound quality.  I think many – particularly the reviewers – are astounded that a studio outside of New York, London or LA can get such clarity and warmth,” Owen said.

Not everyone who uses Morrisound is famous or already successful. Less familiar names have arrived from Europe, Asia and South America making Morrisound nearly as global as neighboring USF – though not as much anymore. Since 9/11, travel to the United States is not as easy as it once was. That tragedy and a new landscape in the world of music have changed things over the years.

“It’s very different from when budgets were in the millions,” Tom said. “Recording studios took major hits as budgets were slashed. And the recording industry underwent a huge change over the past 10 to 17 years with the spread of home computers. Home recording became a viable alternative for more and more people so we saw a lot of competition from home studios.”

Undaunted, having designed their own studios, the Morris brothers consult with people who are building studios in their homes. They also teach classes that help the do-it-yourselfers get the most out of their equipment. Their course, Recording 101, starts in September.

When musicians reach the limits of what they can do at home, musicians can bring tracks in for tweaking and expert mixing. They can also do the reverse – record the tracks at Morrisound and play with them at home.
Professional studios clearly still have a role because of what they have to offer to clients both far and near.
While in Florida on a concert tour, the group Destiny’s Child had a day off they used to record some songs.
“It’s great that they were able to find what they needed while here in town,” Jim said.

Closer to home, Owen agrees, and added, “While the facility, equipment, etc. are important, the engineer is the crucial link. Selecting an engineer that has a proven track record is smart. But you have to make sure you are able to communicate readily with him or her. It only takes doing a session or two with an engineer that doesn’t listen, or can’t be bothered to alter the way things have ‘always been done,’ to recognize how valuable a good engineer is.”

One service not all sound studios can offer is engineers who can also join the recording session. Both Morris brothers are guitar players and have been known to fill in – in a pinch.

“Sometimes when musicians want to achieve a sound and don’t know how to get it, we’ve stepped in because we have the experience,” Jim said.

Tom added, “What we enjoy most are really creative musicians, not just copying what others are doing. When they’re picky about what they want and they have a concept of where they want the music to go – that makes it a lot of fun.”

Do they see many potential stars come through their doors?

“We see a lot of really talented people who just can’t seem to make the step to the big time. I think it’s more because they have no business sense or knowledge of what it takes to have success as an artist. You have to be willing and able to go out and promote yourself,” Tom advises.

“This facility is for musicians who have crossed a certain plateau – it’s not for everybody who has ever picked up an instrument. This is the place to come when musicians need it done right with the utmost professionalism.”

Once ready, recording is surprisingly affordable, they say. In addition, musicians can register for a funding page on Morrisound’s website. “We invite anyone interested, whether our friends, colleagues or fans to visit the pages and donate to projects they’d like to support,” said Tom. “They can use the funds for tracking, mixing or mastering their projects.”

With all the talent in Tampa Bay and beyond, Morrisound’s specialists are ready, willing and able to use their expertise to record whatever comes their way – all genres – and help them sound their best.