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Portugal The Man Announces 2021 Tour Dates

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 17, 2021

Portugal The Man Announces 2021 Tour Dates

After more than a year without playing a live show, Portugal The Man – one of the hardest working bands in live music – have announced their return to the road, beginning this Summer. The Alaska-formed, Portland, OR-based rockers have announced their 2021 tour dates, kicking off at Cleveland, OH’s Wonderstruck Festival on July 25th and concluding October 23rd at Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta, GA. A Pre-sale for the tour begins tomorrow, with general on-sale beginning this Friday, June 18th at 10 a.m. local time.

The national tour will include headline shows at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre, The Edgefield in Portland OR and the Alaska State Fair, with additional high-profile festival performances at BottleRock, Governor’s Ball, WonderStruck, Firefly and more.

As if today’s tour announce wasn’t enough, the band has answered the calls of their fans with the release of Ulu Selects Vol. #1 (Live), out today. The four-track EP is the first of many eclectic EPs to come and features stripped down performances of fan-favorite songs.

The first three tracks from Ulu Selects Vol. #1 (Live), “Feel It Still,” “So Young” & “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” are pulled from the band’s 2017 FADER sessions, which have accrued over 25 million views since their debut. “Noise Pollution,” the fourth and final track on the EP, is pulled from the band’s special KCRW arrangement.

Ulu Selects Vol. #1 (Live) arrives on the four-year anniversary of the band’s gold-certified album, WOODSTOCK, which features the chart-topping, GRAMMY-winning hit single “Feel It Still.” RIAA-Certified 6x platinum, the John Hill-produced smash song broke the alternative radio record for being the longest running #1 of all time with 22 weeks atop the format’s chart, as well as reaching #1 at both top 40 radio and on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. WOODSTOCK also spawned the now RIAA-certified gold cut “Live In The Moment.”

Portugal The Man is also teaming up with online sweepstakes marketplace, Fandiem, for a donate-to-win contest that will give one lucky winner and three of their friends the opportunity to hang with the band in a private virtual studio party where they will be the first to hear never-before-heard new music. The only requirement for entry is a minimum $10 donation via Fandiem to PTM Foundation, which is dedicated to building community resilience, empathy and awareness through music, stories, art, education and connectivity.

2021 TOUR DATES:
7/25 – Cleveland, OH – WonderStruck Festival
8/21 – Palmer, AK – Alaska State Fair
9/5 – Napa, CA – BottleRock
9/12 – Redondo Beach, CA – BeachLife Festival
9/21 – Ogden, UT – Ogden Twilight
9/22 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre*
9/24 – New York, NY – Governors Ball
9/25 – Harrisburg, PA – Riverfront Park
9/26 – Dover, DE – Firefly Festival
10/15 – Portland, OR – Edgefield
10/16 – Eugene, OR – Cuthbert Amphitheater
10/23 – Atlanta, GA – Shaky Knees Festival
*With support from Parquet Courts

Sonic Reducers: Frank Bonner, ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ Actor Has Passed Away

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 17, 2021

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Sonic Reducers: Frank Bonner, ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ Actor Has Passed Away

Sonic Reducers: 5-minute video. 2 music geeks. 1 big music story.

We pay our respects to late actor Frank Bonner (aka WKRP in Cincinnati’s Herb Tarlek), look back at TV rock in the ’70s and recall the two things that old Herb could never quite nail.

The Tragically Hip Launch Sale Of The Unison T-Shirt

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 16, 2021

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The Tragically Hip Launch Sale Of The Unison T-Shirt

With all proceeds to be donated to The Unison Fund – Canada’s music industry charity, providing counselling and emergency relief services to the Canadian music community – The Tragically Hip have announced a limited run of The Unison T-Shirt, as seen worn by the band while accepting the 2021 Humanitarian Award during the 50^th Annual JUNO Awards broadcast on June 6^th.

Says Rob Baker, lead guitarist of The Tragically Hip, “We’ve all missed live music, but for the folks who have devoted their lives to bringing music to you – the stage, sound and lighting techs, the staff of music venues and the other unsung personnel – for them this past year and a half has been devastating. This is our chance to let them know how much we appreciate their often thankless work. What would you spend on a night out at your favourite club? What would a ticket cost to see a favourite act at your local megadome? For a fraction of that price you can make a difference and make sure we hit the ground running. See ya at the club.”

Long-time champions of The Unison Fund, earlier this year The Tragically Hip donated over $50,000 through the sale of their Courage Masks, and just last month were announced as supporters of Band Together In Unison, a Million Dollar charitable campaign in support of The Unison Fund’s continued efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic’s financial and psychological devastation of the Canadian music industry.

Purchase The Unison T-Shirt HERE

My Next Read: “The First 21: A Memoir” by Nikki Sixx

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 16, 2021

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My Next Read: “The First 21: A Memoir” by Nikki Sixx

Rock-and-roll icon and three-time bestselling author Nikki Sixx tells his origin story: how Frank Feranna became Nikki Sixx, chronicling his fascinating journey from irrepressible Idaho farmboy to the man who formed the revolutionary rock group Mötley Crüe.

Nikki Sixx is one of the most respected, recognizable, and entrepreneurial icons in the music industry. As the founder of Mötley Crüe who is now in his twentieth year of sobriety, Sixx is incredibly passionate about his craft and wonderfully open about his life in rock and roll, and as a person of the world. Born Franklin Carlton Feranna on December 11, 1958, young Frankie was abandoned by his father and partly raised by his mother, a woman who was ahead of her time in some ways and deeply troubled in others. Frankie ended up living with his grandparents, bouncing from farm to farm and state to state. He was an all-American kid—hunting, fishing, chasing girls, and playing football—but underneath it all, there was a burning desire for more, and that more was music. He eventually took a Greyhound bound for Hollywood.

In Los Angeles, Frank lived with his aunt and his uncle—the president of Capitol Records. But there was no short path to the top. He was soon on his own. There were dead-end jobs: dipping circuit boards, clerking at liquor and record stores, selling used light bulbs, and hustling to survive. But at night, Frank honed his craft, joining Sister, a band formed by fellow hard-rock veteran Blackie Lawless, and formed a group of his own: London, the precursor of Mötley Crüe. Turning down an offer to join Randy Rhoads’ band, Frank changed his name to Nikki London, Nikki Nine, and, finally, Nikki Sixx. Like Huck Finn with a stolen guitar, he had a vision: a group that combined punk, glam, and hard rock into the biggest, most theatrical and irresistible package the world had ever seen. With hard work, passion, and some luck, the vision manifested in reality—and this is a profound true story finding identity, of how Frank Feranna became Nikki Sixx. And it’s a road map to the ways you can overcome anything, and achieve all of your goals, if only you put your mind to it.

Sonic Reducers: Bob Dylan Announces Livestream Concert

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 16, 2021

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Sonic Reducers: Bob Dylan Announces Livestream Concert

Sonic Reducers: 5-minute video. 2 music geeks. 1 big music story.

Join us as we jaw about Bob Dylan’s upcoming livestream concert, debate whether it’s worth the money, and share our fervent hopes that it’s interactive.

Bob Dylan Announces Livestream Concert

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 16, 2021

0

Shadow Kingdom will showcase Bob Dylan in an intimate setting as he performs songs from his extensive body of work, created especially for this event. Shadow Kingdom will mark the first concert performance since December 2019, and first performance since his universally acclaimed album, “Rough and Rowdy Ways”.

Purchase your tickets for this virtual performance here. “Shadow Kingdom” will remain available to view until 11:59PM PT on July 20, 2021.

My Morning Jacket Unveil First Headline Tour In Five Years

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 15, 2021

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My Morning Jacket Unveil First Headline Tour In Five Years

My Morning Jacket have unveiled plans for their first US headline tour in five years. The dates begin August 27 at Charlotte, NC’s Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre, and then travel through a three-night-stand at Chicago, IL’s Auditorium Theater on November 4, 5, and 6. Additional highlights include multi-night-stands at Queens, NY’s Forest Hills Stadium (September 10-11), and Seattle, WA’s Paramount Theater (October 1-2). Special guests throughout the tour will include Flock Of Dimes (August 27), Brittany Howard (September 3-11), Durand Jones & The Indications (September 23-October 3), and Bedouine (October 29-November 6).

Fan presales and VIP presales begin tomorrow, May 19 at 10:00 AM (local) and continue through Thursday, May 20 at 10:00 PM (local). All remaining tickets will be released to the general public on Friday, May 21 at 10:00 AM (local) except for Chicago shows, which go on sale on Friday, May 21 at 12:00 PM (local). For complete details and ticket availability, please see www.mymorningjacket.com/events.

My Morning Jacket will present a wide-ranging live set encompassing new music alongside fan favorites and classic greatest hits from their epic catalog. In addition to the just-announced headline dates, the band will also make a number of festival appearances, including Lexington, KY’s Railbird Festival (August 28), Manchester, TN’s Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival (September 4), Dana Point, CA’s Ohana Festival (September 24), and Live Oak, FL’s Suwannee Hulaween (October 30).

In partnership with PLUS1, $1/ticket will go to support non profits working for environmental justice, racial equity, and securing access to mental health care for all.

Hailed by the New York Times as “the new kings of expand-your-mind, religious-experience rock,” My Morning Jacket has released eight studio albums, with 2008’s EVIL URGES, 2011’s CIRCUITAL, and 2015’s THE WATERFALL each receiving GRAMMY® Award nominations for “Best Alternative Album.” In summer 2020, the band surprise-released THE WATERFALL II and the album was met by worldwide critical acclaim. Pitchfork declared, “If its predecessor was about conflict and healing – it’s My Morning Jacket’s thorniest album, emotionally speaking – then this follow-up is more about what comes after that healing,” while the Wall Street Journal called it “an epic meditation on desire.” “Despite its sequel-style title, The Waterfall II stands as an equal to its well-loved predecessor,” wrote Consequence, “one that moves from the sunny banks at the top of the falls to the deep and bracing waters down below.” Uncut called the album “sweetly sprawling,” noting that it includes epic Crazy Horse jams, beautiful low-key ballads, a spot of soft jazz, country, and a soul number…tied together by Jim James’ consistently terrific vocals and the ever-present threat of sustained reverb.” My Morning Jacket made band history at radio with THE WATERFALL II’s single, “Feel You,” which reached #1 on the Billboard, Mediabase and Triple A charts.

MY MORNING JACKET US TOUR 2021

AUGUST

27 – Charlotte, NC – Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre ”

28 – Lexington, KY – Railbird Festival

SEPTEMBER

3 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre ^

4 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival

7 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion ^

8 – Philadelphia, PA – The Mann – TD Pavillion ^

10 – Queens, NY – Forest Hills Stadium ^

11 – Queens, NY – Forest Hills Stadium ^

23 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl *

24 – Dana Point, CA – Ohana Festival

25 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley *

28 – Troutdale, OR – McMenamins Edgefield Concerts *

29 – Spokane, WA – Riverfront Park Pavilion *

OCTOBER

1 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre *

2– Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre *

3 – Bend, OR – Les Schwab Amphitheater *

29 – Birmingham, AL – Alabama Theatre #

30 – Live Oak, FL – Suwannee Hulaween

31 – New Orleans, LA – Orpheum Theater #

NOVEMBER

2 – St. Louis, MO – Stifel Theater #

4 – Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theatre #

5 – Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theatre #

6 – Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theatre #

^ And Brittany Howard

* Special Guests Durand Jones & The Indications

# Special Guest Bedouine

“ Special Guest Flock of Dimes

Neko Case Announces The Lung Substack Newsletter + Shares “Halls Of Sarah (RAC Mix)”

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 15, 2021

0

Singer-songwriter Neko Case today announced Entering The Lung, a new newsletter published on Substack that Neko describes as “a series of postcards about loving nature and its crazy ways.” Neko’s profuse and loving deep-dive into the weird and wild aspects of nature will include radical tangents as well as in-depth conversations with expert and not-so-expert guests.

Says Neko about Entering The Lung:

“I’ve always been in love with nature. I have felt ‘outside’ of it for a long time though, which is wrong to me as I’m ‘in it’ more than a lot of people. I live in Vermont, a part known as “The Northeast Kingdom.” It’s a leftover name from some tourist campaign, but it sounds majestic, which this place really is! In my own personal world, I refer to the forest I live in as ‘Entering The Lung.’ That name came quietly out of my feelings for the place, and it has no scientific basis whatsoever. It is affectionate shorthand. Entering The Lung makes air, it cleans, it heals, it feeds. It is the place where incredible scenes happen — not for me, but for nature’s own reasons and pleasure. Entering The Lung resets my mind and sharpens my senses. I am the least important component of this forest which is very freeing indeed.

I’m going to get weird about it with other excellent people; some who are actually experts and some who just love nature too, like my amazing neighbors here. I want to talk about our goodness, our badness, our hilariousness. I want to talk about art and nature feeding each other. I want to go backward and forward, move laterally, time travel and imagine things, and you are invited.”

Subscribe to Entering The Lung here: nekocase.substack.com

Neko also has shared “Halls Of Sarah (RAC Mix),” a synth-dappled take from the inventive producer on the track from her acclaimed 2018 album Hell On, which NPR Music deemed “endlessly quotable” and New York Magazine described as “Another serving of the gutting wisdom and honesty longtime fans have come to expect.”

Red Hot Announces Red Hot + Free, Double Album of Dance Music

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 15, 2021

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Red Hot Announces Red Hot + Free, Double Album of Dance Music

Today, the Red Hot organization announces Red Hot + Free, a liberating mixtape of dance beats, electro grooves and global anthems meant to feed souls, lift spirits and unleash minds from an unprecedented state of lockdown. Out July 2 and helmed by influential producer-provocateur Bill Coleman, Red Hot + Free is the trailblazing non-profit’s first brand new, full-length compilation since 2016’s Grateful Dead tribute, Day of The Dead, ushering the next era of their 30-year history fighting HIV/AIDS through music and pop culture. Like all of Red Hot’s previous projects – which span 20 LPs, 500+ collaborations and over $15 million donated to charities around the world – Red Hot + Free will benefit marginalized communities affected by the disease, as Red Hot continues to set the precedent for artistic activism not only in the wake of HIV/AIDS, but now COVID-19. Serving as a loose sequel to 1992’s Red Hot + Dance, where George Michael, Madonna, Seal and more united in a mission to support club kids battling AIDS, Red Hot + Free once again captures the spirit of the times, and delivers a star-studded, PRIDE and Independence Day-ready playlist for a post-pandemic world.

Across its two discs, Red Hot + Free features an exclusive, super catchy, continent-crossing collaboration from Sofi Tukker and Amadou & Mariam, an energetic house cover of Juliet Roberts’ beloved ’90s club hit, “Caught In The Middle” by Billy Porter, brand new remixes of perennial classics like Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and Ultra Naté’s “Free (Live Your Life),” fresh and extended versions of songs from goth pop goddess Allie X, Fischerspooner’s Casey Spooner, CRICKETS (JD Samson, Roddy Bottum, Michael O’Neill) and Sam Sparro, plus Bright Light Bright Light x The Illustrious Blacks, Honey Dijon x Luke Solomon, Louis The Child x Foster The People, The Aces x Snakehips, Tituss Burgess x Imani Coppola, Vagabon x Pamcy and many others. From euphoric electro-pop to dazzling disco, Bill Coleman has curated Red Hot + Free’s tracklist to honor Red Hot’s roots in the LGBTQ+ community, the Black queer movements and the inclusive club and dance communities that define so much of modern music history.

A timely preface to summer 2021, “U Try Livin’ (Pressure)” is a testimony on the dancefloor’s power to defy political, racial and ideological divides. The gospel-house rave-up was created specially for Red Hot + Free by Black Guy White Guy and 808 BEACH, a writing and production collaboration between UK soul royalty Kwame Kwaten (D-Influence, Laura Mvula) and Gil Cang (Michael Jackson) with Bill Coleman (Deee-Lite, Lenny Kravitz, Party Girl) and musical wunderkind John “J-C” Carr (Sia, Zayn). Blending the urgency and style of the Staples Singers with a feel-good, four-on-the-floor bounce, the lead vocals of newcomer Anelisa Lamola – plus soaring backgrounds, harmonies and arrangements from Danny Madden, Audrey Wheeler (Chaka Khan), Cindy Mizelle (Bruce Springsteen), Keith Fluitt (Martha Wash) and Elisabeth Troy (Clean Bandit, MJ Cole) – inspire listeners to shake off their struggles for a moment of sweet, stomping relief.

Bill Coleman says: “When Red Hot + Blue came out in 1990, the project and subsequent releases were forward thinking in concept, inclusion and marketing, uniting a wide variety of visual and musical talent to raise awareness. The subject of AIDS and discussing any queer sexuality in popular culture was a provocative stance in 1990. I feel honored to be a part of such a rich legacy. Weaving two things I love so much – music – with direct, in your face presence and activism. To be able to finish a project purposely called Red Hot + Free and include such a powerful tune as ‘U Try Livin” during a time when the stark reality of our own mortality has really hit home was kind of a big deal. The irony was not lost on me.”

As a revered journalist, producer, manager, DJ, label owner, music supervisor, love addict, healer and more, endless multi-hyphenate Bill Coleman has been programming the tastes of New York City nightlife for the past three decades. Renowned for his acute ear and eclectic expertise, he currently serves as the creative force behind Brooklyn-based entertainment company Peace Bisquit, where he’s worked with everyone from Beyoncé to amFar, Bette Midler, Bravo, David Guetta, ESG, Lady Gaga, Lincoln Center, Lizzo, Neneh Cherry, Radiohead, RuPaul and more.

Both Peace Bisquit and Red Hot celebrated their 30th Anniversary in 2020. Ever since Red Hot + Blue presented the mainstream’s “first sensible, shame-free pop culture response to HIV/AIDS” (Esquire), Red Hot has remained home to “the only ongoing, major album series to benefit the fight against the disease” (The Guardian). Learn more about the organization in recent stories on PBS NewsHour and Amanpour, plus a special message of thanks from Dr. Anthony Fauci.

“Red Hot is the only company in the world that wanted to go out of business,” says Co-Founder John Carlin. “30 years later, we’re still here. I’m glad about that, but sad that HIV/AIDS awareness, humanitarian and LGBTQ+ rights still need to be fought for.”

Red Hot + Free Tracklist

Disc 1:
“Mon Cheri” – Sofi Tukker and Amadou & Mariam
“U Try Livin’ (Pressure)” – Black Guy White Guy x 808 BEACH
“Elastic” (808 BEACH Dangerous Power Mix) – CRICKETS
“Start It Up” (Red Hot Extended) – Body Language
“Super Duper Party People” (Alan Braxe Extended Mix) – Allie X
“Pressure” (RedTop Mix) – Sam Sparro
“Free (Live Your Life)” (Felix Da Housecat x Chris Trucher Remix) – Ultra Naté
“Caught In The Middle” – Billy Porter
“Every Color” (Dombresky Remix) – Louis The Child & Foster The People

Disc 2:
“Daydream” (Snakehips Remix) – The Aces
“Don Dada” (Honey Dijon & Luke Solomon Extended Alcazar Remix) – Cakes da Killa & Proper Villains
“It’s Ovah” – Kiwi Dreams
“Dance M.F.” (Red Hot Extended Mix) – Tituss Burgess ft. Imani Coppola
“Water Me Down” (Pamcy Remix) – Vagabon
“I Love My Problems” (Boys’ Shorts Dancefloor Remix) – Casey Spooner
“I Will Survive” (Eric Kupper Dub Mix) – Gloria Gaynor
“Queen” (Club Mix) – Dubesque ft. Amanda Lepore
“These Dreams” (Red Hot Extended Mix) – Bright Light Bright Light feat. The Illustrious Blacks

Never-Before-Released Album Of Devotional Songs From Spiritual Jazz Legend Alice Coltrane

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 15, 2021

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Never-Before-Released Album Of Devotional Songs From Spiritual Jazz Legend Alice Coltrane

This summer, the world will finally hear an intimate, spiritual recording made by the godmother of spiritual jazz, Alice Coltrane. Recorded in 1981 and never shared in this form with the world at large, Kirtan: Turiya Sings is a stunning collection of nine devotional songs, featuring the never-before-heard combination of Alice Coltrane’s voice and organ. Kirtan: Turiya Sings will be available July 16 on Impulse! Records/UMe/Universal Music Canada, as part of the legendary label’s 60th anniversary celebration.

Though known by many as the musical partner and wife of John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane is revered for her groundbreaking contributions to spiritual jazz with her legendary Impulse! recordings Journey in Satchidananda and Ptah, The El Daoud, among others. Throughout the 1970s, in addition to maintaining the busy schedule of a recording and touring artist, Alice Coltrane was immersing herself in Eastern philosophies, mythologies, and Vedic religious practices. By the early 1980s, she had become a guru and spiritual teacher and began to make music exclusively for her community at The Vedantic Center, northwest of Los Angeles.

The original recording of these songs, Turiya Sings, was released exclusively on cassette in 1982 for the students of the ashram. In addition to Alice’s voice and organ, the recording included synthesizers, strings, and sound effects. In 2004, Alice’s son and producer of this record, Ravi Coltrane, found mixes he’d never heard before of just Alice’s voice and her Wurlitzer organ. He knew this is what the world had to hear.

“In this setting I felt the greatest sense of her passion, devotion and exaltation in singing these songs in praise of the Supreme. In that moment, I knew people needed to hear Turiya Sings in this context.” Ravi continues, “as her son, growing up and hearing her playing these songs on the very same Wurlitzer you hear on this recording, I recognize this choice maintains the purity and essence of Alice’s musical and spiritual vision. In many ways, this new clarity brings these chants to an even higher place.”

The opening chords of Kirtan: Turiya Sings are a curtain opening into a realm of spirituality and devotion that only Alice Coltrane could conjure. This album is not jazz–it is not improvised. It is intentional, devotional, and spiritual. This music, sung in Sanskrit, is spacious and large, Alice’s voice has weight and power, her organ playing rock-solid, pulsing, a cauldron of musical influences you can hear from her life.

Ravi Coltrane summarizes the musical importance of this album best:

“On this album, your ear will be turned toward the sound of the blues, to gospel, to the Black American church, often combined with the Carnatic singing style of southern India. You will hear beautiful harmonies influenced by Alice’s Detroit/Motown roots, her bebop roots, John Coltrane’s impact, and her absorption of European classical music, particularly that of her favorite: Igor Stravinsky. Yet, at the same time, this is functional music. Its purpose is, with light and love, to praise the names of the Supreme. On this album, your heart and spirit will be turned toward divine inspiration and appreciation.”

Kirtan: Turiya Sings was mixed by Steve Genewick and mastered by Kevin Reeves from original 24-track masters. This is the same team that worked with producer Ravi Coltrane on Alice Coltrane’s last album, 2004’s Translinear Light. The lacquers were cut by Ryan D. Smith at Sterling Sound and pressed at Furnace. The album will be available on vinyl, CD, digital download and streaming, as well as hi-res streaming in studio quality sound.