Jazz great Rickey Kelly is set to release his new album "A Man of Distinction," which features renowned session flautist Hubert Laws as a guest artist on several tracks, sometime in early 2008. "A Man of Distintion" will be the third release by Kelly this year, counting re-issues of remastered versions of previous releases "My Kind of Music" and "Here's To Good People." Both of these re-masters were released in January 2008. Kelly, a vibraphonist and one of the newest additions to the JPMC Music/GlobeSound publishing catalog, is joined by many familiar faces on "A Man of Distinction." Kelly's vibes are nicely complemented by the skillful drum work of Ralph Penland; the nimble bass lines of Robert Hurst; the outstanding pianist Patrice Rushen; and the masterful and expressive violinist Michael White, all of whom performed on Kelly's last release "Here's To Good People" (1995). "A Man of Distinction" may be the best release yet by this already accomplished musician. Kelly has played with some of the most illustrious jazz artists throughout his storied career, including Sun Ra, Kenny Burrell, Billy Higgins, just to name a few. For more information on Kelly, click here. AVAILABLE SOON!

The up and coming rock band Elephantbear is set to release their debut album "Hide and Go Seek," a disc that has garnered comparisions to artists like The Foo Fighters, Snow Patrol, and Ben Lee, sometime in early 2008. Fronted by the talented young singer/songwriter and guitarist Mike Pedersen, the band churns out radio-ready yet refreshingly original rock tunes. The group blends elements of funk, punk, classic rock, jam rock, and jazz into one unique and vibrant sound. Their artfully contrived original compositions, skillful musicianship, and carefully orchestrated pop arrangements will easily outdo anything you'll catch on the airwaves or MTV these days. Highlights include the driving opener "Eternally Incomplete," a perfect showcase for the group's primary songwriters, Pedersen and drummer/multi-instrumentalist Tim Collins; "Green Canvas Box," a song that features an infectious synthesizer hook; "Between The Lines," a quirky and intricately arranged piece that highlights the band's originality; and "Stronger Me," a cut that's just begging to be a hit single. Other musicians who appear on "Hide and Go Seek" include drummer Simon Lott; bassist Matt Clohesy; Ulrike Schmitz on violin; Chris Hoffman on cello; tenor saxophonist Matt Blostein; Brian Coogan on piano; Joe Kaczorowski on alto sax; Alex Jeun on trombone; Tom Barber on trumpet, and keyboardist Matthias Bublath. For more on Elephantbear, click here or visit elephantbear.comAVAILABLE SOON!

Vibraphonist Tim Collins, another brand new addition to the JPMC Music publishing catalog, is a budding star in the jazz galaxy and his 2007 release "Valcour" is just one reason why. Just 30 years old and already a veteran of Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead series at The Kennedy Center, Collins' ever-growing resume includes work with Dave Liebman, John Abercrombie, Paul Shaffer, Hilton Ruiz, Antonio Hart and Christian McBride. Cadence magazine called "a wonderful listening experience of topnotch original mainstream jazz" and now Downbeat magazine, the premier jazz periodical, is set to include a glowing review of the disc in its March 2008 edition. This recording is loaded with fantastic original jazz, including the up-tempo opener "Buzzy John's Blues"; the introspective title track "Valcour"; and Collins' interesting take on the Police classic "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic". Collins, a multi-talented performer who is also gaining recognition as the drummer for the emerging rock band Elephantbear, is set to take off on a European tour as a sideman for the popular young jazz pianist Matthias Bublath. There's no telling where Collins' future as a jazz performer will take him, but if "Valcour" is any indication, the future is bright. This album is available from Arabesque Records. For more information on Collins, visit his artist page or go to timcollinsmusic.com AVAILABLE NOW!