Everyone,

Thought I'd throw this gorgeous line out there.

"Mindi Abair signs with Peak Records."

It's true. Abair has signed with Peak Records, a subsidiary of the Concord Music Group.

Her first album for Peak will come out in April 2008. The tentative title for the release is "Stars."

Abair's next home had been a hot question on everyone's minds — since she parted ways with the Verve Music Group earlier this year.

Abair will join Jessy J as female saxophonists on the label.

Peak now has the deepest and, perhaps, most talented roster of sax players in the game today — Eric Marienthal, Paul Taylor, Gerald Albright, Abair and Jessy J.

"Stars" will be a follow-up to "Life Less Ordinary" from 2006.

Abair is also part of a new album called "A Peter White Christmas," which has been released by ARTizen Records.

The "Stars" CD will feature all-original compositions (that means no covers) penned by Abair with musical partners Matt Hager, Ty Stevens and John Taylor.

Signed,

Eric Viccaro
Peak Records No. 1 fan!

This finally fulfills that daydream fantasy of mine: Wouldn't it be cool of Mindi was on Peak? Now, she is. Welcome aboard, Mindi.

just a general question.

Why do we have to continuously say things like "female" saxophonist? I don't see us describing the males of the genre in the same way.

Kat,

I was just saying here that she joins fellow female saxophonist Jessy J at Peak.

That's all.

I think it's so awesome that both Mindi and Jessy are on the same label! This is wonderful.

Signed,

Eric Viccaro

and you did it again! ROTFLMAO.

I didn't notice anyone saying that when Gerald Albright joined the label - he joined fellow male saxophonists Eric Marienthal and Paul Taylor.

That's my point. My wish is that we stop the gender specifications and focus on the music. It's not like it's 1978 when women were still trying to break thru as non-vocalists.

I'll try to clear it up:
Mindi joins Peak's lineup of saxophonists that includes Eric Marienthal, Gerald Albright, Paul Taylor, and Jessy J.

How was that?

I'm wondering why it matters that she's with Peak.
I mean, who cares - apart from the folks who make money by having Mindi and Jessy, et al, on the label?

I think it matters when an artist switches labels and moves.

There are musicians who can bring instant name recognition to the label and increase the visibility and the street value/credibility of the label. This is especially true of imprint labels (subsidiaries).

I understand that and agree - to a point. It's just that when I see topics like this I wonder if it's really about the artist/music or if it's promoting the label.
I don't mean to sound like a critic of Peak; the label has several of my favorite artists. But this is, by my count, the third Peak-related topic we've had here and the second in recent months. A while back, the discussion was about a tour lineup of Peak artists.
I find these plugs for Peak to be very commercial.
Eric wrote: "Peak now has the deepest and, perhaps, most talented roster of sax players in the game today — Eric Marienthal, Paul Taylor, Gerald Albright, Abair and Jessy J."
Isn't that a bit disrespectful toward Heads Up's Jay Beckenstein, Bob Mintzer, Candy Dulfer and Dan Kuramoto, and Apria Records' Woody Witt and Ada Rovatti? And what about Bob Militello, Kenny Garrett, Joshua Redman, Pamela Williams, Branford Marsalis, Denis Diblasio, Kirk Whalum, David Sanborn?
Sorry, but this has the look and feel of a plug for Peak and not necessarily to bring attention to Mindi Abair's music.

My opinion for what it's worth: I'd much rather see a person like Eric, who has spent some time here and has a lot of passion for the music, making these announcements than some random marketing student interning for a label (as I ranted about in Off Topic) who is just going through a list of artists to post about in forums they know nothing about.

I like to hear who is going where. When saxophonists-with-no-qualifiers join a roster we have an interest in collectively, that's a topic IMHO.

Agreed, Eric has always been a "Peak" and "Russ" watcher.

BTW, I don't think you flamed out the intern. I doubt the intern will be back, but I have to make sure that it really isn't an innocent newbie.

Never thought I had that kind of power! But yeah, my bet remains on the table.

My apologies - but I had to delete a post from this thread.

Please do not post links to another Boarder's personal MySpace pages, Facebook pages, blogs or websites without their permission.

If they wanted this info known - it would be in their profile or their thread signature.

- Thanks in advance

I know, and I'm not picking on Eric.
I just think we need to be mindful of the fact that commentary like this - to someone who doesn't know Eric or isn't familiar with his history here - reads like a press release direct from the label.
Some of us are equally passionate about the Heads Up roster, and there may be others who are big fans of the Universal group. A former co-worker talked about the Verve "Jazz for Lovers" series like it was the best thing since the light bulb.
Ultimately, I want to read more about Mindi Abair and less about how great Peak Records is.

Good point Leslie.
I've tried to spark interest in Justin Young a couple times here. Local Detroit sax player at Greektown Casino released his first cd earlier this year.

Good point Kat.
I can accept gender identification when it is necessary; much as the need for racial identification of an at-large robbery suspect.

Good point Woody.
I accept that Eric is admittedly a fan of the peak label and thereby promotes. The label doesn't mean jack to me no matter who, or how it's promoted. To me it's all about the musician. I'm not going to buy an artist's music because of the label they're on; I'm buying because of the artist.

And what about that female guitarist Joyce Cooling huh?
(Ohhhh.....sorry Kat :p :p )

Billy...
you are killing me.

Some photos of one of your favorite guitarists, taken at the Hartford Jazz fest, this past July

Joyce1 Joyce2 Joyce3 Joyce4 Joyce5

Those are some really great pics, Kat. Joyce can hit. There's that special attribute and touch I dig with women who are instrumentalists that men don't have.

Billy, you nut. LOL
Check your PMs.

Thanks for the pics Kat. You really made my day. I'm really looking forward to the day I can sit down and talk with her. Sheesh. Berks was such a missed opportunity, but like Gerald Veasley said, "did you come to see Joyce Cooling, or learn to play bass"? In my case it was both. I'll never forget actually running into her in the hallway though. So petite. That made my day too!

Woody; I got the PM and trust me my friend, I know that scenario all too well. All too well indeed. The practice flames my backside.

Can't get over it. I'm absolutely in love with the Joyce 2 shot! Think I can get a copy for her to autograph for me?

try these before you decide

Joyce 6 Joyce 7 Joyce 8

And this is Pamela Williams
Pamela 1 Pamela 2

Oh Kat! :rolleyes: They're all good. I'm stumped for the moment. More is better

And Pamela Williams. She's a real trip. We had dinner together nearly every night of the cruise earlier this year. The two night's we didn't, we had Marion Meadows and Gerald Veasley.

Have you checked out Pam's art? I think you can see some of her works if you go to >her name .com.

Joyce 6 works for me, but then I'm not as smitten as Billy.

Once smitten, never shy.

well, Billy .... you have to pick a couple or I won't be able to send you a high-res copy to collect your autograph!

since this thread is about Mindi:

Mindi 1 Mindi 2 Mindi 3 Mindi 4 Mindi 5 Mindi 6 Mindi 7

and an absolutely ancient shot from the archives (Jeff Kashiwa took this one at Berks, 2003)

2003

Tough decision, but I'm sticking with Joyce2. Sorry, didn't mean to get off the Mindi topic. I'm a Mindi fan club member

Those are some really nice pics Kat. Mindi3 is rather captivating I think.

Okay, Joyce6 and Mindi3. I think they do a great job of conveying the emotion that they (and we) feel when we hear good music being played live, and being played well.

They're all good, but I'm partial to Mindi2.

You will fall in love. Joyce is one of the warmest, most gracious people I have ever met.

OK, who has heard Jessy J? I just got a press kit for her new release. If the music's as good as the *cough* art work, I'll review it in the coming weeks.