Recent Oscar winner and late-night star Jon Batiste is premiering a new track, “Sweet Loraine,” that serves as the leadoff single from an upcoming benefit album, Relief: A Benefit for the Jazz Foundation of America’s Musicians Relief Fund. Variety premiered the track earlier today.
The album comes out on all formats — digital, CD and LP — September 24 and features live or studio tracks from such giants of the genre as Christian McBride, Joshua Redman, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Herbie Hancock, Charles Lloyd, and the duo of Esperanza Spalding and pianist Leo Genovese (recording under the name Irma and Leo).
The benefit album is the result of a number of top labels coming together to support the JFA, including Concord Music Group, Mack Avenue Music Group, Nonesuch Records, Universal Music Group’s Verve Label Group, Blue Note Records and Warner Music Group.
Net proceeds will go to the JFA’s Musicians’ Emergency Fund, established after the pandemic overtook the world in the spring of 2020. The lockdowns prevented the JFA’s usual all-star fundraisers, usually held at the Apollo Theatre in New York and Herb Alpert’s club in Los Angeles, from proceeding in 2020 and 2021.
Said JFA executive director Joe Petrucelli, “The Jazz Foundation of America deeply appreciates the artists, songwriters and label teams who contributed to this project with such compassion and generosity. As pandemic restrictions continue to lift, we recognize that musicians will face a particularly lengthy recovery. They were among the first to be hit by the effects of the crisis and will be among the last to achieve a true sense of normalcy or stability. We and our partners are here for the long haul.”
Pre-order Relief: A Benefit for the Jazz Foundation of America’s Musicians Relief Fund.
Relief: A Benefit for the Jazz Foundation of America’s Musicians Relief Fund Tracklist:
1. IRMA and LEO back to who feat. Esperanza Spalding and Leo Genovese 4:41
2. Christian McBride Brother Malcolm 4:47
3. Cécile McLorin Salvant Easy Come, Easy Go Blues 2:32
4. Kenny Garrett Joe Hen’s Waltz 8:07
5. Jon Batiste Sweet Lorraine 3:52
6. Hiromi Green Tea Farm [2020 version] 7:52
7. Joshua Redman Facts feat. Ron Miles, Scott Colley, Brian Blade 3:39
8. Charles Lloyd & Kindred Spirits Lift Every Voice and Sing [live] 8:26
9. Herbie Hancock Gingerbread Boy feat. Wallace Roney, Jimmy Heath, Buster Williams, Albert “Tootie” Heath [live] 6:54
