tag:markpernamusic.com,2005:/blogs/news?p=2News2019-04-10T08:58:26-04:00Mark Perna Musicfalsetag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/48605312017-09-21T22:01:58-04:002023-12-13T00:27:24-05:00Richie Cole Latin Lover promo video 1<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="zze7KQYuczA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/zze7KQYuczA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zze7KQYuczA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/48599132017-09-21T15:56:55-04:002023-12-10T13:41:11-05:00Richie Cole Latin Lover release date 10/20/17<p>Richie Cole's latest CD,<em> Latin Lover</em>, drops on October 20, 2017. It's is available for preview and pre-order on the website (markpernamusic.com) now. It'll be available through CDBaby on October 20, 2017 and shortly thereafter through Amazon and iTunes.</p>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/47261002017-05-29T11:50:54-04:002023-12-10T12:08:36-05:00New Recordings From Mark Perna Music and Richie Cole Presents<p>It's been a while since I updated the blog. We have two new albums in the process of completion. The first is the next Richie Cole album entitled Richie Cole-Latin Lover and features Eric Susoeff on electric and acoustic guitars, Vince Taglieri on drums, Mark Perna on double bass and Kevin Moore on piano and Rhodes. The album has been recorded, mixed and mastered and is in the process of being released. We expect it be released in the Fall of 2017 and we'll update the blog when we have an official release date.</p>
<p>Also coming is a group effort led by Mark Perna and featuring alto saxophonist Mike Sakash, Eric Susoeff, trombonist Reggie Watkins and drummer Tom Wendt entitled Deep Field. It'll be released on the Richie Cole Presents label also, most likely, in the Fall. </p>
<p>New to the MPM website is Christopher Mark Jones' Incantation album (you can find it in the MPM Store). Christopher is a veteran singer-songwriter with a whole bunch of albums in his credits. Incantations features 13 of Christopher's songs and Mark Perna plays double or electric bass on all of them. The album was recorded between October 2015 and December 2016 and features Vince Camut on pedal steel and electric and acoustic guitar, Mark Weakland on drums and percussion as well as a bunch of guest musicians</p>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/45490732017-01-13T14:05:02-05:002023-12-10T14:21:36-05:00Vintage Guitar Magazine reviews Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs 1/13/17<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/6ffde5460d80e3d9fff0f557612017f70de4b7eb/original/vintage-guitar-mag-cover.jpg?1484334282" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/3d1bdaaf1d8ebe161eeb2614ac5d42c2545db1df/original/vintage-guitar-mag-rc-review.jpg?1484334262" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/45415902017-01-08T00:41:28-05:002024-02-26T02:05:05-05:0038th Annual Jazz Station Awards/The Best Jazz of 2016<a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com.br/2016/12/the-38th-annual-jazz-station-awards.html">http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com.br/2016/12/the-38th-annual-jazz-station-awards.html</a><br><br>It's award season and Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs won big in the 38th Annual Jazz Station Awards.<br><br>Richie Cole came in 2nd for best alto saxophonist<br>Eric Susoeff came in 10th for the best electric guitarist behind Barry Finnerty, Vic Juris and Pat Metheny<br>Mark Perna came in 9th for the best acoustic bassist behind Ron Carter, Miroslav Vitous and Buster Williams.<br>George Heid/Jim Barr came in 10th for best engineer<br>The album itself is in the top 25 albums of the year.Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/45398132017-01-06T11:28:37-05:002024-01-05T04:41:09-05:00Richie Cole on the Radio UPDATE 1/6/17Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs is now the #16 in the nation on the Jazz Week radio charts!Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/45298522016-12-29T15:39:08-05:002023-12-10T13:47:50-05:00The Jazz Times Review 12/29/16<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/30e09dd7c7e743669b941e8a78c6902cf2a641ca/original/img-1488.jpg?1483043919" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/cb2a8aec7f22f630041de7ad458576b927641ab0/original/img-1489.jpg?1483043919" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/45222312016-12-22T15:50:57-05:002022-09-08T12:31:02-04:00Ad in DownBeat Magazine 12/22/16Check out our add in the February 2017 issue of DownBeat magazine: <a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.downbeat.com/digitaledition/2017/DB1702/18-19.html">http://www.downbeat.com/digitaledition/2017/DB1702/18-19.html</a>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/45222072016-12-22T15:46:50-05:002023-12-10T13:06:21-05:00Chico News review of Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs 12/22/16Here it is: <a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.newsreview.com/chico/richie-cole-plays-ballads-10-and/content?oid=23080478">https://www.newsreview.com/chico/richie-cole-plays-ballads-10-and/content?oid=23080478</a>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/45170502016-12-19T11:34:47-05:002022-05-31T07:00:59-04:00Richie Cole Radio Update 12/19/16Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs is #20 in the nation for radio airplay! This is the last report for the year so we end the year with the number 20 record in the nation!.<br> Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/45042032016-12-09T14:58:21-05:002022-04-28T04:58:16-04:00Richie Cole on THE RADIO! DECEMBER 9, 2016 <p>Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs is currently #24 on the JazzWeek radio charts!</p>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/45041112016-12-09T14:24:18-05:002022-06-01T21:39:12-04:00Richie Cole in the Pittsburgh City Paper December 9, 2016<a contents="Mike Shanley interview of Richie Cole" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/after-finding-a-place-for-himself-in-pittsburgh-venerable-saxophonist-richie-cole-finds-reinvention-on-a-new-record/Content?oid=1968133">Mike Shanley interview of Richie Cole</a>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/45014722016-12-07T21:21:00-05:002024-02-26T02:05:05-05:00Rick Finkelstein photo set from the Richie Cole CD release party at James St. on December 2, 2016<p>As many of you know, our Mark Perna Music team photographer/videographer is Aaron Jackendoff and you can see his work all over this website. And you'll also see his photos from this night up on the site soon as well. We were lucky to have another great photographer in the audience at the Richie Cole CD release party at James St. on December 2, 2016: Rick Finkelstein. Rick has graciously allowed me to post some of his photos here. Go to: </p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://markpernamusic.com/richie-cole-photos">http://markpernamusic.com/richie-cole-photos</a> to see them.</p>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44958672016-12-04T11:33:32-05:002022-05-26T04:50:40-04:00Don Aliquo in the Pittsburgh City Paper December 4, 2016Mike Shanley wrote a nice article about the Don Aliquo "Year of the Don" project for the Pittsburgh City Paper. Here it is:<br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/assembled-by-bassist-mark-perna-the-year-of-the-don-series-offers-an-in-depth-look-at-the-work-of-tenor-sax-player-don-aliquo/Content?oid=1968147">http://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/assembled-by-bassist-mark-perna-the-year-of-the-don-series-offers-an-in-depth-look-at-the-work-of-tenor-sax-player-don-aliquo/Content?oid=1968147</a>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44939462016-12-02T16:21:14-05:002022-05-29T08:20:28-04:00Richie Cole on the radio! December 2, 2016Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs is currently #29 on the JazzWeek radio charts and #7 on the CMJ radio charts!Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44856142016-11-27T09:43:22-05:002021-10-09T00:40:33-04:00The DownBeat review! November 27, 2016<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/3258ebcc8aa8aaab84d86876873791eda324cca6/original/downbeat-review.jpg?1480257786" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44839082016-11-25T16:09:51-05:002021-10-11T03:06:14-04:00The All About Jazz Review of Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs! November 25, 2016Here it is:<br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=55156">https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=55156</a>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44829562016-11-24T18:00:04-05:002022-03-07T06:04:14-05:00Don Aliquo CD Release party at James St. on November 5, 2016Don Aliquo celebrated the release of TWO CDs on November 5, 2016 at James St. The first, Lullaby For Joan was recorded in 2003 and 2004 with Rodger Ryan (who sadly passed away in January 2005), Victor Garzotto, Ken Karsh, Mike Sakash and Mark Perna. The second, One For The Joes, was recorded in 2006 and 2010 and features Victor Garzotto, John Schmidt and Mark Perna. The CD release party featured Kevin Moore on piano, Eric Susoeff on guitar, John Schmidt on drums and Mark Perna on bass. We had some notable sit-ins. Andy Fite came up and sang a song and then played some guitar, Mary Anne Mangini sang a song, Josh Ben sat in on piano and the great Richie Cole stopped by and played some alto sax for us. The complete set of pictures, all taken by Aaron Jackendoff, can be found here: <a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://markpernamusic.com/don-aliquo-photos">http://markpernamusic.com/don-aliquo-photos</a>. Here is a sampling of them: <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/e1be5d1e2f804606627aab2e5db742bb6f20a3f1/original/jackendoff-9974.jpg?1480028263" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/7622a0580430114671d3ecd3ec31c057ccb46255/original/jackendoff-9971.jpg?1480028244" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/6f13e2d2fc6b3e057edb5b624617d5f3368cbf85/original/jackendoff-9949.jpg?1480028205" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/f2a334f78648bb5971e863a6fc038a6ec204647b/original/jackendoff-5042.jpg?1480028153" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/4fa3358b649c7da655574d13e6ec0b558dcea285/original/jackendoff-5023.jpg?1480028092" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/0487cf67555418f5f0625f6161d1feb28a641286/original/jackendoff-5016.jpg?1480028073" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/4b4ce1f87e78424a5e7b4c8fd831fc27ecd813f6/original/jackendoff-5011.jpg?1480028061" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/853722580f4a10c1d3344d74539c4b9ed411cfaa/original/jackendoff-4969.jpg?1480028025" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/41bad8d30814a98e247d0e11685367c62572db2b/original/jackendoff-4964.jpg?1480028009" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/66defff45dd38eab8a6f225770ea325e92233095/original/jackendoff-4917.jpg?1480027958" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/b04e30f864d31b1dad60155fdde8e58d416539b8/original/jackendoff-4912.jpg?1480027946" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/e2effb1c5c839ed7376380df735d37ad2dc63321/original/jackendoff-4908.jpg?1480027935" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/543bb285e96a59fbf07be99b8156094d3a239dd9/original/jackendoff-4901.jpg?1480027922" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/618e700e42d50fa03996549ee36e264e05c883a3/original/jackendoff-4898.jpg?1480027361" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/864896c65205c40f5accdf785e023eae27af9976/original/jackendoff-4905.jpg?1480028379" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44820402016-11-23T22:21:04-05:002023-12-10T13:06:18-05:00Richie Cole's Pittsburgh Alto Madness Orchestra plays for the Westmoreland Jazz Society November 17, 2016Richie Cole's Pittsburgh Alto Madness Orchestra played for the Westmoreland Jazz Society's monthly concert on November 17, 2016. The show was in support of the new album Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs (currently #40 in the Jazzweek Jazz Radio charts). The WJS had a special surprise: a chance to buy the new PAMO album The Many Minds of Richie Cole before it's March 17, 2017 release. A full set of photos (taken by Aaron Jackendoff) can be found at: <a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://markpernamusic.com/richie-cole-photos">http://markpernamusic.com/richie-cole-photos</a>. Here are a few selections: <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/3fbe9774038fec4d71c2f00428a8d66a1110115e/original/jackendoff-1013.jpg?1479957457" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/2ea71242ea708ad50bc3ef93a1e4bda4278b944d/original/jackendoff-1015.jpg?1479957447" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/c8046b37ba4d356f3ab88a4c5ff3eceee33983ad/original/jackendoff-5193.jpg?1479957424" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/57e16c669f7424879a04a973748c2fc2633d7e0d/original/jackendoff-5187.jpg?1479957413" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/3559ecdd615ba5c65bdd66cf1e44167352c677f7/original/jackendoff-5150.jpg?1479957377" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/7b6320e69ea136217cf6b04740899f008308b9a5/original/jackendoff-5146.jpg?1479957365" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/2467f85d258b01dd4e27632f3772ba9aa6450f33/original/jackendoff-5139.jpg?1479957353" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/f4508304ba5b4347fdf3995a80ffe29064691978/original/jackendoff-5135.jpg?1479957337" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/6d81bd03b1c55cd9e250799d24431421eb766d14/original/jackendoff-5133.jpg?1479957327" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/93eb400bb6e970972d826501a9559e36547693af/original/jackendoff-5122.jpg?1479957313" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/eaac751c34914a75ccf35d22354bd60875980c03/original/jackendoff-5115.jpg?1479957296" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/aa8044057db280ecfc87c0e648760fa7766297e3/original/jackendoff-0985.jpg?1479957493" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/e64e3bacdcf576d5ae801fb1d4e49ae5f39306e1/original/jackendoff-0987.jpg?1479957478" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/9fa19fb75af9b17f1b08746b55b6f4567d0ab156/original/jackendoff-5108.jpg?1479957280" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/1635efb917cafd350ebb7f9c79fbd5b56e29dff5/original/jackendoff-5096.jpg?1479957259" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/add64d6299d9ef7d9142ca806d3540db1998ff83/original/jackendoff-5093.jpg?1479957242" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/ee9b02fb7c7487cb52a7e8d8ae2d714d39c5eccf/original/jackendoff-5091.jpg?1479957226" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/ff23ac6e4740df596fb7ce6254c656285e39ac65/original/jackendoff-5090.jpg?1479957213" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/f83860c9b285c71c0dfee7fe20b3acd2a9014d8d/original/jackendoff-5088.jpg?1479957196" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44819822016-11-23T21:29:50-05:002022-05-13T03:06:23-04:00New Perna, Sakash, Susoeff and Wendt with Reggie Watkins recording sessions November 11 and 12 2016Mike Sakash flew back from New Hampshire on November 11 and Perna, Sakash, Susoeff and Wendt went back into Heid's Studio for the second time in 10 years for two days of recording. Reggie Watkins joined them on November 12. Go to <a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://markpernamusic.com/mark-perna-photos">http://markpernamusic.com/mark-perna-photos</a> for a complete set of pictures from both sessions. All photos by Aaron Jackendoff. Here are a couple:<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/4a30897b6598b79f8021735792ea1d6fe3e5f362/original/jackendoff-0822.jpg?1479954439" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/7431c6b825028ad6b34cb561f6d5a846548a7d6e/original/jackendoff-0787.jpg?1479954376" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/ff6ee45228693dcec8b56cc20ac0f54d73205b85/original/jackendoff-0644.jpg?1479954181" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/017c1977ac7ccf51444ed19619d937288a455223/original/jackendoff-0508.jpg?1479954035" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/8a29ff7f554aa9c134bca6672b732b514679d955/original/jackendoff-0583.jpg?1479954116" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/fc296357674dd11ffd4d930ba53494b653d8abe9/original/jackendoff-0506.jpg?1479954013" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/4c33a6236b6866f0c94337a2d64d12da628f34eb/original/jackendoff-0454.jpg?1479953987" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/1fb3edb12ca5ecd9da940451d972536d9b207855/original/jackendoff-0350.jpg?1479953927" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/647ad731906abc827c483dbbc2fc050e98da4eef/original/jackendoff-0310.jpg?1479953884" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/d909be1ea225a7a2837ccb88b21484aac0d63253/original/jackendoff-0317.jpg?1479953908" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/57c6933624608df6b507a22a048667a9a3205b71/original/jackendoff-0435.jpg?1479953966" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/e6353a5eedb033050a03cde820c53c0177340dfe/original/jackendoff-0776.jpg?1479954353" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/630a4dbfc9dbbce5466871156b70abadf4abf93e/original/jackendoff-0765.jpg?1479954317" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/c7f6d085b5a2509072ada7072f64de2d09e32fc3/original/jackendoff-0742.jpg?1479954268" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/3dda4dcff8a609afd96ded5eb241364f1c4c0967/original/jackendoff-0735.jpg?1479954244" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44796992016-11-22T16:22:57-05:002021-08-23T13:50:57-04:00New Review of Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs November 22, 2016<a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.theclassicalarts.com/articles/40956/20161122/saxophonist-richie-cole-plays-ballads-love-songs-rcp-records-review.htm">http://www.theclassicalarts.com/articles/40956/20161122/saxophonist-richie-cole-plays-ballads-love-songs-rcp-records-review.htm</a>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44616272016-11-10T22:49:21-05:002022-05-10T03:27:30-04:00Rochester City Newspaper review of Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs November 10, 2016<a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/album-review-plays-ballads-and-love-songs/Content?oid=2917363">http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/album-review-plays-ballads-and-love-songs/Content?oid=2917363</a>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44604422016-11-10T09:48:05-05:002016-11-10T09:48:05-05:00Richie Cole and Don Aliquo CD release parties from November 4 and 5, 2016 I want to thank everyone who came to the CD release parties at the Press Bistro in Johnstown for Richie's party and at James St. in Pittsburgh for Don's party. I really want to thank everyone who supported us by buying CDs. This endeavor is insanely expensive to maintain and your support is essential to keeping it going. We have a bunch of great projects that we'll be releasing this and next year but without your support, it just won't happen.<br><br>I'd like specifically thank a few people who really went above and beyond: first the musicians: Kevin Moore on both nights, Vince Taglieri, John Schmidt, Eric Susoeff and, of course, Richie Cole (who gets a special thanks for coming and sitting in at Don's party) and Don Aliquo. I'd like to thank the wonderful musicians who sat in with us: Mary Anne Mangini, Ray Bruckman on both nights, Josh Ben, Andy Fite, Alec I-don't-know-your-last-name-and-I-should from Press Bistro. I'd like to thank Josh Ben, Amber Humbert and Ray Bruckman for doing a fabulous job selling CDs at James St.; the night's success is largely due to your efforts.<br><br>Jim Barr and Aaron Jackendoff-my production team. If not for you guys, these CDs would not have been made nor marketed. The projects would have been still born. I'd still be thinking about making CDs if not for you guys. Your ideas, sweat and diligence are what make this production company function. I can't do this without you.<br><br>Thanks to Kevin Saftner and his crew at James St. and Jeremy Shearer and his crew at Press Bistro for having us and treating us so good.<br><br>I hope I didn't miss anyone.<br><br>Buy more CDs and downloads!<br><br>Thanks, <br>mark<br><br><br><br> Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44411542016-10-27T21:34:13-04:002021-03-31T08:40:32-04:00Don Aliquo CD project Update 10/28/16So we're getting a new furnace. Stay with me, it ends up being relevant. In order to get the new furnace into the house, I had to clean the basement up to make room for the guys taking out the old furnace and installing the new one. While doing so, I stumbled upon a cache of Don Aliquo recordings that I had completely forgotten about dating from 1998 to 2002. All were well recorded and mixed. The performances are exceptional as well. Some are even great. Some date back to Don's original sessions at Studiophonix 3001 in Mt. Pleasant in 1998 and 1999 and a few later ones from 2001. Others were from Mr. Smalls in 2002. Yet others date to 2002 at Heids. There are a bunch of trio sessions with John Schmidt, Don and I and one quartet session adding Eric Susoeff. There's a duo session from Heids with Don and I. Some of the sessions from Studiophonix date from the DNA album (which will be remastered and made available here after the Year of the Don project is complete). For those of you that don't know, DNA was Don's second album (released 1999) and featured Don with Don Jr., Eric Susoeff, John Schmidt and myself. We didn't use all of the material that we recorded for that album. There were a bunch of great performances that we didn't have room to include on DNA. They will be seeing the light of day now in the Year of the Don project.<br><br>As you can imagine, this changes the dynamic of the 7 album Year of the Don set. We've already completed albums 1-5 (all available right here in the MPM store in download form and albums 1 and 2 are available as CDs as well. The others will be available in CD form soon). We're working on albums 6 and 7 and those will be completed as envisioned but, with all of the additional newly discovered material, we're planning on issuing 2-3 "bonus" discs. <br><br>It looks like there will CD release parties on the third Saturday of the month at VOMA in Johnstown every month through June and possibly July 2017 now.Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44336042016-10-23T21:57:50-04:002023-12-10T11:41:42-05:00Mellon Jazz Festival June 15, 2002 posted 10/23/16I had the honor of playing the last Pittsburgh Mellon Jazz festival in 2002 opening for Dr. John. The year before, Pittsburgh-based Mellon Bank had sold it's retail banking operation and this was the last year they would underwrite events like the Jazz Festival. The band was my working band of the time with alto and bari saxophonist Mike Sakash, alto saxophonist Dave Turner and drummer John Schmidt. Collectively we were called Perna, Schmidt, Sakash and Turner. Guitarist Eric Susoeff, who has been my strong musical ally and buddy for decades, played with us whenever he could and for the show we added the great tenor and soprano saxophonist Eric Defade. This band recorded two albums (Ferocious Boogie and Tales of the Singing Monkey) both of which are available as downloads and/or CDs from Mark Perna Music. They were also featured on the first album issued under my own name (Voodoo Science) which is also available through the MPM store. <br><br>We played four tunes that day. The first, called Smooth Telemarketer, was written by Dave Turner. The second through fourth were written by me. Fall Out, Bursting with Love and Wind, Rain, Fire & Schmidt were all standard parts of our repertoire in 2002. We had a steady 4 night per week gig at a restaurant called Valhalla in the Strip District of Pittsburgh. Valhalla closed in 2003 and there's a restaurant called Eleven where it used to be.<br><br>In 2002 though, Dan Melnick producer of the Mellon Jazz Festival (among many others throughout the US), had asked for my help with the local portion of the Festival where other artists would play local venues of which Valhalla was one. He generously asked me if I wanted to play the big stage. We were one of only two local acts on the big stage. Gene Ludwig with Ken Karsh was the other. Dr. John was the feature act.<br><br>We managed to get through almost our entire set before it started raining. You can see it coming down during Eric Susoeff's solo in Wind, Rain, Fire & Schmidt.<br><br>Dave Turner's parents shot the video which, in 2002, was on a big old VHS camera. I transferred it to DVD so this is a second generation copy. <br><br>I want to thank Eric Susoeff for this video. I've been going through my archives looking for old recordings for the Don Aliquo project (Year of the Don; see an earlier blog post for details) when Eric showed up with a giant box of recordings of EVERY session we've ever done together going back to 1999. This video was among booty. I had long ago lost my copy. In addition to this video, he had at least 6 or 7 sessions that I had completely forgotten about including a great take on one of them of "Play Your Seuss Off" from a 2006 session with Mike Sakash, Eric Defade and Tom Wendt (in addition to Esus and myself) that will end up on our forthcoming album "Reunion". He also had at least 4 sessions with Don Aliquo that I'll be pulling material from for the Year of the Don project. In fact, the last portion of the project has been extensively revised from my original vision because of this bounty of newly discovered material.<br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="0emZvQdsvUQ" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/0emZvQdsvUQ/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0emZvQdsvUQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44334642016-10-23T18:34:30-04:002022-05-13T04:31:38-04:00CDs availableCurrently the Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs is available as a digital download through CD Baby, Amazon, iTunes and here at Mark Perna Music. It is available for purchase as a CD only through CD Baby and here at Mark Perna Music. If you purchase it here at MPM, we will not charge shipping and, in most cases, will ship it the same day as the order. We are in the process of figuring out why it isn't available through Amazon yet. We should have it cleared up shortly.<br><br> Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44291702016-10-21T08:00:00-04:002022-04-01T07:56:13-04:00It's HERE!!!Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs is now available both CD and as a download! Available at CD Baby, Amazon and iTunes or click on "MPM Store" right here on this very website and we here at Mark Perna Music will rush a copy off to you. If you buy the CD, you get a free download of the album so you can start listening to it right away. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/19016d6227fd4b93d3dc089bbd8054229f311e01/original/richie-cole-ballads-02.jpg?1476997980" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44270802016-10-19T17:59:50-04:002021-11-13T06:07:23-05:00The Making of Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love SongsThe attached video is the definitive story of how Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs came to be.<br><br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="ggr83FK7b-0" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/ggr83FK7b-0/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ggr83FK7b-0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44270282016-10-19T17:56:21-04:002021-06-08T05:35:59-04:00Richie Cole Ballads Quartet on the Saturday Light Brigade radio program 10/15/16On October 15, 2016, The Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs quartet performed on the syndicated public radio program The Saturday Light Brigade with long time host Larry Berger. You can listen to the program here: <a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://neighborhoodvoices.org/live-music-richie-cole-quartet">http://neighborhoodvoices.org/live-music-richie-cole-quartet</a> Special thanks to Chad Green for the great mix. And for those wondering why I played electric bass instead of my customary, and probably more appropriate, double bass, we had about 2 minutes to set up the entire band. It's hard enough to mic a double bass under the best of circumstances and having played the show before, I figured it would make life easier for everyone if I brought something I could just plug in and go. <br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/6569c88bcef759176a28d76313d7a06edf4f8378/original/image-php-5.jpeg?1476912699" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;"> From left to right: Eric Susoeff, Richie Cole, Mark Perna, Vince Taglieri and Larry Berger</div><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/dc89346b235516e951acd7fc3a873deabee9d1f9/original/image-php-4.jpeg?1476912700" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;">Eric Susoeff</div><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/19e5cfb4c8a07f3465d5474c24fd82a4649c9f8b/original/image-php-3.jpeg?1476912699" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;">Vince Taglieri</div><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/e09bfe086155611fde46784c70155f956d644e7a/original/image-php.jpeg?1476912676" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;">From Left to Right: Vince Taglieri, Mark Perna, Richie Cole, Eric Susoeff</div><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/3a25ec47ca92a4fb1b188444e77e659300e90cde/original/image-php-2.jpeg?1476912823" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;">Mark Perna and Richie Cole</div>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44229972016-10-17T15:14:48-04:002022-02-14T05:59:41-05:00Reviews!!! 10/17/16Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Loves Songs have garnered two reviews so far. <br><br>The first is from the Midwest Record Entertainment Reviews, News and Views 10/15/16 <p>RCP <br>RICHIE COLE/Plays Ballads & Love Songs: A session that happened by happenstance, most of these tracks are first takes recorded in Cole's recently adopted home of Pittsburgh. What's really of interest here is that 45 years into his career as a hard blowing bopper, this is his first album of ballads and slow songs and it's a doozy. Staunchly backing up his claim that he makes his sax sing, this is a lyrical, lovely album where the slow pace never become tiresome wearing out it's welcome. Loaded with the mark of a pro playing something he really wants to play, this is a boatload of standards with Cole wringing out stuff you never heard in them before. An absolute must hear of an album. Well done, indeed. </p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://midwestrecord.com/MWR1155.html">http://midwestrecord.com/MWR1155.html</a><br> <p>The second is from the Buffalo News:<br> </p>
<p>Published October 13, 2016 </p>
<p>JAZZ </p>
<p>Richie Cole, "Plays Ballads and Love Songs" (Richie Cole Presents, Available next week) </p>
<p>Say what? "Alto Madness" through bebop is Richie Cole's game, not ballads. You've got to remember that Cole is the first jazz musician to make a plausible jazz version of the theme from "I Love Lucy." </p>
<p>That's why this is a mind-boggling first ballad album by Richie Cole in his 45-year career. It came about this way: Cole and an orchestra had rented a Pittsburgh studio to record a lot of the music for a previously released album but another opportunity for the orchestra musicians came along. So Cole and his rhythm section remained to play whatever they wanted. After eight tunes, they realized they'd been playing ballads. So they went the whole way for a ballad record. </p>
<p>But even there, Cole is in the "alto madness" business whenever possible. Would you believe Johnny Mathis' seldom jazzified "Chances Are?" And "It's Magic?" And, are you ready, a jazz version of "The Internationale" which he plays --no, caresses. By God, it works as a ballad. "I don't play the saxophone, I sing the saxophone" he says, and proves on the best of this. Even when Cole is not the great bebop comedian of the alto saxophone, he'll find a way to give you bebop vaudeville somehow. </p>
<p>3 stars (out of four)</p>
<p><br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://buffalonews.com/2016/10/13/richie-cole-makes-ballad-record/">http://buffalonews.com/2016/10/13/richie-cole-makes-ballad-record/</a></p>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44173802016-10-13T09:40:56-04:002023-12-10T11:50:55-05:00Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs Trailer # 2 The Internationale Story<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="cAjfhASdyNg" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/cAjfhASdyNg/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cAjfhASdyNg?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/44173792016-10-13T09:40:02-04:002022-04-18T09:01:37-04:00Don Aliquo CD Release Party at VOMA on October 15, 2016<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="6McL9W3LXE8" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/6McL9W3LXE8/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6McL9W3LXE8?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="hZZyHJqbZSs" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/hZZyHJqbZSs/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hZZyHJqbZSs?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/43944662016-09-28T14:48:09-04:002022-08-06T03:58:51-04:00Downbeat magazine 9/28/16I was just notified that our new album, Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs is going to be reviewed in the January issue of Downbeat magazine! Woo-hoo! I'll post the review when it's published.Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/43669312016-09-11T13:25:49-04:002022-04-18T09:02:45-04:00Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs Album Cover! posted 9/11/16<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/218043/4061d9756e8d79d47957987908ef6087eab125a6/original/rcpb-ls-cover.jpg?1473607024" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/43577382016-09-05T16:16:05-04:002023-12-10T11:43:45-05:00The first Trailer for Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs posted 9/5/16<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="7PYwAO2guKU" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/7PYwAO2guKU/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7PYwAO2guKU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br><br> The first section is actual video from the recording session on 9/8/15. The interview was done at the 3rd Street Art Gallery in Carnegie, PA on 9/1/16. Aaron Jackendoff was the videographer on both sessions. He and I cut it together on 9/4/16 and 9/5/16. The music was recorded at Heid Audio and engineered by George Heid and Jim Barr. Jim Barr did the mixing and mastering.</p>Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/43493212016-08-30T16:34:39-04:002022-04-18T09:03:34-04:00Recording Update posted August 30, 2016We are just about done with the album cover for Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs. It should be going to Disc Makers in short order. I'll post the artwork here as soon as we have everything finalized. The cover design was by Jenny Wilson and Jim Barr did the actually setting. He realized her original vision with just a couple of minor modifications. I don't want to understate how much work he put into getting the cover to look the way it does. It was a tremendous effort. <br><br>Jim Barr has been laboring over the first two (of 7) Don Aliquo CD covers. He came up with a design that will allow each individual CD to have it's own design but if you have the whole set of 7, it will be clear that each CD is part of a set. I'll post the artwork for these discs as soon as the design is completed. We should have these sent to Disc Makers in short order as well.<br><br>As soon as we are done with three CDs above, we have to complete the the artwork for next two Don Aliquo CDs, the artwork for the first Richie Cole Pittsburgh Alto Madness Orchestra CD entitled "The Many Minds of Richie Cole" and we're going to get to work on the artwork for the first new Perna, Sakash, Susoeff & Wendt CD in 10 years. The latter was recording in early August (see blog post below). <br><br>We have a bunch of recordings in the pipeline including recordings with Peter King, Samantha St. John and Jenny Wilson that are in various states of completion and a bunch of stuff that in the planning stage. We'll have a second Richie Cole Pittsburgh Alto Madness Orchestra CD out before Summer 2017 and we have plans to take that band back into the studio soon to record even more new Richie Cole arrangements. He's been writing feverishly for that past few months. And I, for one, can't wait to play them.Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/43302982016-08-18T00:26:36-04:002022-04-18T09:06:21-04:00The Year of the Don (Aliquo) posted August 18, 2016If you read the previous post about the Richie Cole projects, well here's an interlude to that project. During the mixing process, my good friend and a truly soulful guy, George Heid came out and asked me if I wanted to see my archives. My archives? He and engineer Jim Barr left the control room of the studio and came back with boxes and boxes of DA-78 tapes. I had kind of forgotten about all of this. Between about 2002 and 2010, I did a LOT of recording. I did at least a dozen sessions with the great Don Aliquo. I made a couple of CDs of my own that I never released. <br><br>Here's the dirty little secret: it's fun to record but it's a total drag to turn those recordings into commercial CDs. It's tedious and expensive and I didn't want to store another pile of unsold CDs in my garage. Also, between 2002 and 2010, it was a lot harder to promote a local project. Nowadays, we have easy to create websites that we can sell our stuff through. We have Facebook so we can annoy our friends with our commercials for our projects. Back then, the best you could do was schlep CDs to gigs and hope to sell them. <br><br>Anyway, right away I found two complete projects of my own and 6 complete and already mixed Don Aliquo albums. And it's all good stuff. And there's even more stuff that we haven't found yet. I know there will be at least 7 Don Aliquo CDs released during this next year. There may be more. <br><br>After looking at all of this already recorded good stuff, I had a bit of an epiphany with Don's material. Why not, release one new Don Aliquo CD per month for 6 or 7 months in a row? Would that not be cool? So we're doing it. Starting in October, we'll be releasing the first CD called Lullaby For Joan and it features the recordings that Don and I did in 2003 and 2004 with drummer and composer Rodger Ryan. Rodger died in January 2005 and these recordings have just been sitting in the proverbial vault all of this time. Also on the album are Ken Karsh, Victor Garzotto and Mike Sakash. The second CD will be called One For the Joes and features the classic Don Aliquo Quartet of the mid-late 2000's with Victor Gazotto, John Schmidt and myself. After that we have two CDs with Eric Susoeff and Tom Wendt. Once was recorded in 2008 and the other in 2009. Both were standards dates so we'll be calling them The Standard Don vols 1 and 2. The fifth CD will be an all Wayne Shorter album. Tom Wendt, Ken Karsh and Victor Garzotto are on that one. The 6th CD is going to be called The Chamber Don and will feature duos with me. Don and I did hundreds of duo gigs between 2002 and the present. And some trios with Kevin Moore on piano. Kevin took over the piano duties from Victor in the Don Aliquo Quartet around 2010 and has been the regular guy since then. And the 7th CD is still in the formative stages. Around 2006 or 7, I put together a session with Ben Opie, Don, Tom Wendt and myself and we just played. No tunes, no sketches, no plans, no discussion. We improved around each other for about 45 minutes. Stopped. Took a short break. Came back and did another 35 minutes. I'm thinking about editing the session down a bit and releasing it along with free improvisation Don and I did with Kevin Moore and calling The Out Don. <br><br>We're calling this project The Year of The Don. And it's going to be a tremendous celebration of Don's musical life. I love the guy and I'm really glad I'm able to do this for him. Jim Barr came up with the album cover concept art. Each album will have a separate cover but if you put them together, you'll be able to see that they are a set. If we can pull it off, Don's face will appear on the spines of the CDs if you put them all together in order.<br> Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/43302372016-08-17T23:59:39-04:002022-04-18T09:06:52-04:00Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs posted August 17, 2016I met Richie Cole in the Fall of 2014. I was asked to play in his Alto Madness Orchestra rehearsal band that met on Wednesdays on the North Side of Pittsburgh. Richie had moved to Pittsburgh earlier in 2014 to be with his daughter and grandkids. After the third session, we were sitting around BS-ing and he said to me, "y'know, no one in this town will give me a gig." I looked at him and said, "are you free next Tuesday? I've got a gig for you." I introduced him to my friend and drummer buddy Vince Taglieri who at that time was part owner of an Italian restaurant called San Lorenzo that was located in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh. Our other buddy, guitarist Ron Wilson and I had been helping Vince out by moving our weekly jam session down to Vince's restaurant for the traditional "Jazz Night" so common in your better Italian restaurants. I had just invited the world famous Richie Cole down to join our cheesy little combo. Great friendships have started from less.<br><br>In early January 2015, during one of the sessions at San Lorenzo, I asked Richie if he'd wanted to record the Alto Madness Orchestra. I knew the Orchestra was Richie's baby. He'd written about 6,000 charts over the years for it. Quickly, we assembled Reggie Watkins on trombone, Rick Matt-tenor sax, Joe Badaczewski on trumpet, Patrick Whitehead on piano, Vince and myself and set out for George Heid's studio in the Pittsburgh suburb of Aspinwall. The original plan was to do two sessions and put out an album. After the second session, everybody was just getting into the groove and we extended to a third session. Pretty soon, it was two or three times per month from February 2015-November 2015. When engineer Jim Barr and I started mixing the first album in November 2015, we had almost 50 songs recorded but that's another story.<br><br>Our story begins in August, 2015. Reggie approached me and told me the Steel Town Horns had gotten a fairly big money gig offer for one of the days we had scheduled for recording. The Steel Town Horns is Reggie's group with Rick Matt and J.D. Chaisson who had by this time replaced Joe Bad as the trumpet player. Joe had a great opportunity to go on the road with Brandon Flowers and left the band in July 2015. They work as a horn section for touring bands around the country. I, of course, told them to take the gig. We had the studio booked so I asked Richie and the rhythm section (minus Patrick Whitehead who was out of town) which by this time had added guitarist Eric Susoeff if they wanted to just go in and record some tunes. Everyone was up for it and we went in completely without a plan. Usually, you have some plan going into the studio. Songs picked out. Maybe rehearsed or at least talk about basic arrangement. We had nothing. Richie just called out tunes as if it were a gig. I really didn't have a goal for the session either. I figured we'd get some material for the archives and maybe put it out someday possibly as bonus material for an Orchestra album. <br><br>After the session, which went very well. We were totally relaxed because there wasn't any pressure at all on us. All first takes. No edits. The next day, as I was listening to the rough mixes, I made a couple observations: 1) 8 of the 11 tunes we played were ballads, 2) we kicked ass and 3) after a quick check of Richie's discography, I confirmed that he had never released a dedicated ballads album. I went to Richie and told him we had most of an album of ballads and what did he think about recording a couple more and releasing it as Ballads album? It was kind of a dumb question because Richie has never met an album he didn't want to release. The man releases a new CD just about every time he takes a dump. He assented but was more interested in finishing the Orchestra album. So we recorded 3 more ballads prior to the next Orchestra recording session and we quickly mixed it and put it aside to finish the first Orchestra album. <br><br>And there it sat for 6 months while Jim Barr and I worked on the Orchestra album. Every Tuesday from November through May, we worked on this thing. I'm going to make an album someday and call it "Tuesdays with Jim". We brought in people for overdubs (George Jones on conga and Mark Lucas for some rock guitar for example). We mixed and we mixed. We tried different combination of songs. We came to some startling discoveries while mixing that made us go back and remix everything we had done to that point. It was a LONG process. Finally, we finish it in May. I called everyone up and told them it was done. I've made a lot of albums and the one thing that is completely common to all of them is this: you never finish an album, you just stop working on it at some point. We stopped working on it.<br><br>I contacted super publicist Terri Hinte about representing the albums. I sent her both the first Richie Cole's Pittsburgh Alto Madness Orchestra CD now titled The Many Minds of Richie Cole and the Ballads album now titled Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs (we added the "& Love Songs" because one of the songs wasn't technically a ballad although it was still a love song; buy the album if you want to know which one it is). A couple of weeks later I get an e-mail from her. She says the Ballads album is "just gorgeous". A few more weeks go by and I call her. She says she loves the Ballads album but the Orchestra album just wasn't for her. To be fair to Terri, Richie is a very funny guy and I loaded the Orchestra album up with humor. Richie's kind of humor. It wasn't Terri's kind of humor. We did a quick reverse, now the Ballads album is the Prime album and the Orchestra album is in second place. We set up release date for the Ballads album of October 21, 2016. That's the day it drops and by that time, you'll be able to buy it directly through this website. We have some CD release parties scheduled for around that time as well. The Orchestra album will be released locally in the Pittsburgh area around the same time and then we'll do a national push after the first of the year in 2017.<br><br>In the meantime, I still have about 30 PAMO tracks to mix of which about 15 of them will end up on the second CD. And Richie continues to write so we'll reconvene the band soon and start recording again.<br><br><br><br> Mark Perna Musictag:markpernamusic.com,2005:Post/43300812016-08-17T21:37:17-04:002023-12-10T12:18:11-05:00New recording with Perna, Sakash, Susoeff & Wendt! posted August 17, 2016In 2005, Mark Perna put together probably his best, most versatile group. Cleverly called Perna, Sakash, Susoeff & Wendt after the last names of it's members, the band boasted some heavy writing talents in alto and bari saxophonist Mike Sakash and guitarist Eric Susoeff. And with drummer Tom Wendt, perhaps the youngest old master alive, the band produced two CDs of original material. The first, in 2005, was entitled Forward Falling and the second in 2006 was entitled Indian Spring. Both CDs will soon be available as CDs or downloads through this very website. Then in Spring 2006, Mike Sakash moved to Maine and the band went on hiatus.<br><br>That hiatus was broken in 2016 when Mark Perna, a man who when he isn't playing bass or trombone, is a medical physicist realized that Maine was only a couple of states away and not in some alternate dimension and could be reached by airplane, a newfangled device allowing for very fast travel. Swiftly acting on this cutting edge news, Perna booked a flight for Sakash and a very happy and emotional reunion of their rockin' teen combo occurred on August 8, 2016 when the band reunited in the studios of George Heid in Aspinwall, PA (a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA). With trusty engineer Jim Barr on the job, the band quickly cut enough tracks for a new album on August 8 and 9. <br><br>World famous jazz legend Richie Cole joined the boys for a couple of tracks on August 8 playing Richie's tunes James St. and Harold's House of Jazz. On August 9, master trombonist Reggie Watkins joined the band for 3 more tunes. You can hear two of the tunes recorded that night in the Music section of this very website. Check out Play Your Seuss Off and Bluette for a sample of what happened on those two glorious nights. Also check out the photos of the session taken by boy genius Aaron Jackendoff.<br><br>The next session is already scheduled for November 11 and 12 when Perna will again use the magical airplane device to shuttle Sakash back to the 'Burgh for more recording goodness. Mark Perna Music