NEWS - May, 2011, Sugarcane Suite - download at iTunes!

Jazz Week World Top 50 Chart - #35, #31, #20, #15, #8, #14, #6

Roots Music Report Top 50 Jazz Chart - #26, #25, #14

CMJ Jazz Top 40 - #32, #22, #20, #8

CMJ World Chart - #40, #38

PERFORMING

May 11, 6:30pm PH & Derek Rolando Drum Clinic @ Drum World, San Mateo, CA

May 28, 8:00pm w/Ray Obiedo and Mambo Caribe @ Oakland, CA

June 8, w/Pete Escovedo @ Sacramento, CA

June 18, 4:30-6pm, w/Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet @ Palo Alto, CA

June 19, 6-10pm, w/Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet @ 57th St. Gallery, Oakland, CA

June 30, 8:30-11:30pm, w/Daria @ Southern Pacific Smokehouse, Novato, CA

July 11, 6-8pm w/Ray Obiedo and Mambo Caribe @ Redwood City, CA

July 22, 8pm w/Ray Obiedo and Mambo Caribe @ Kuumbwa Jazz, Santa Cruz, CA

August 13, 6pm w/Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet @ San Jose Jazz Festival

Sept. 25, w/Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet @ Berkeley, CA

TASTE SOME SUGARCANE! Sugarcane Suite is now being played on Jazz stations in the U.S., Europe, Australia, South Africa and more. Call your local station and request a track now.

1. The Big Idea 2. Encendido 3. Sapatos do Meu Pai 4. 7 Steps to Heaven* 5. Minha Parede

6. Pan Wisdom

7. A New Old Soul

8. Euclid Ave.

9. Sukkyos Samba******** ***** BUY IT NOW!

10. Eight O'clock Blues

11. Pan Wisdom CARNIVAL MIX

-

THE REVIEWS ARE IN

What does the music of Brazil, Cuba and Trinidad have in common? Sugarcane. You can say these euphoric rhythms were essential to the survival of the Africans brought to the Americas to work the sugarcane fields in these countries. Today these rhythms persist, because they are regenerative and serve as sustenance for all in a stressful modern society.

That’s why you can’t have enough sugarcane; the music I mean, from Phil Hawkins’ Sugarcane Suite. As the commercial says, “Wanna get away?” Sit back, no, stand up with your favorite rum (fermented sugarcane) mixer and pop this CD into your player. It’ll make you feel like Friday.

I’ll admit I’m biased. Maybe it’s because of my familiarity with Phil’s music and my unbridled admiration for his body of work for Pan. Some people write music hoping it will sound good on pan. Phil is one of those rare composers like Andy Narell that writes to the voice of the pan. The effect is that when you hear his music you immediately feel it belongs…like it’s been there all the time. Check out the first cut, ‘The Big Idea’ and you’ll see what I mean.

With each cut Phil seems equally at ease serving up the different genres. But what I like most is how he presents calypso music on an equal footing with other traditional Latin jazz idioms from Brazil and Cuba. The authenticity of the production speaks volumes for Phil’s versatility and depth of comprehension of Afro-influenced music of the Americas.

On ‘Sapatos do Meu Pai’ Phil skillfully infuses the talents of Jessica Vautor, a Martiniquan vocalist he first introduced on his H2O album. Vautor weaves some sweet Creole chants into a Brazilian production that reinforces the argument that these cultures and their music have a common base. Sugarcane, maybe?

Just ask Calypsonian Crazy who sings on the cut “Pan Wisdom”. You’ll have to agree when he says  “Phil you have something here boy…this music is sweeter than sugarcane!” - KAKESA.com

A Cause for Celebration - Everything's come together for this CD: the players and their inspired performances, the thoughtful arrangements, the production, and the tunes--those beautiful, soulful tunes. If you're a musician, you'll be in awe of the great playing and writing that covers every inch of this CD. If you're a music lover, this is a feast. Sugarcane Suite will be playing in my house and car for a long, long time. Few things in life are sweeter. -Greg Murai

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------