NEWS RELEASE

SAXOPHONIST/FLUTIST/COMPOSER/ARRANGER T.K.BLUE (WIDELY KNOWN AS TALIB KIBWE) MAKES ARKADIA JAZZ DEBUT WITH "ANOTHER BLUE"

* Known for work with Randy Weston and Abdullah Ibrahim, Blue's Fire, Imagination and Musicianship Shine on this Early July Release *

Arkadia Records announces the release of Another Blue, an all-acoustic session by the accomplished saxophonist-flutist-composer-arranger T.K. Blue, widely known as Talib Kibwe. Another Blue presents a pungent program of five originals, five reinterpretative arrangements of iconic standards, plus a tune by Tony Branker from the Spirit of Life Orchestra. T.K. plays with fire and imagination on his full arsenal of instruments, joined by an impressive collection of jazz stars who have intersected with the leader during his twenty-plus years as an active, vital performer. Produced by Bob Karcy, the album will be released in early July.

Joining T.K. for a duo on Dizzy Gillespie's "Night In Tunisia" is legendary pianist-composer Randy Weston, for whom Blue has been musical director for the past decade. A sextet extracted from the Spirit of Life Orchestra -- the resident Monday night big band at Manhattan's Sweet Basil with T.K. as musical director -- performs two tracks with fire and cohesion. Pianist Onaje Allen Gumbs complements T.K.'s soprano saxophone on Wayne Shorter's "This Is For Albert," while trumpeter Eddie Henderson soars through Miles Davis' "Solar," and percussionist Guillerme Franco contributes his pan-African sound-stew to Bud Powell's "Hallucinations" (a flute feature for T.K.) and "Pileau," T.K.'s tribute to one of the culinary treats of Trinidad, his mother's ancestral home. The date's primary rhythm section -- pianist James Weidman, a cohort of long standing who contributes a medium-up arrangement of "You Go To My Head"), Panamanian-born bassist Santi DiBriano and versatile drummer Cecil Brooks, III -- imbues eight tunes with an encyclopedic range of rhythms and sonic texture.

Of West Indian parentage, T.K. Blue began playing music in his Lakeview, Long Island, hometown as a teenager, and began playing flute at age 17. He took lessons early on from tenor legend Billy Mitchell, but threw himself headlong into music while attending New York University in Greenwich Village between 1971 and 1975.

"Coming into New York is what did it for me," T.K. recalls. "I got involved with Jazzmobile, which had a program where you paid $5 to register. It was just like going to school. You had an instrument class, sight reading, rhythmic training, improvisation class and big band. So many people taught there. The ones I studied with were phenomenal -- Jimmy Heath, Chris Woods, Ernie Wilkins, Frank Foster, Sonny Red, Jimmy Owens, Freddie Waits. Thad Jones came by every now and then on a Saturday with an arrangement. "

"It was an incredible period, and that's really where I got my stuff together. I was a John Coltrane fanatic; the first saxophone I owned and started playing was a soprano saxophone, based upon listening to Trane. When I got to Jazzmobile, Jimmy Heath showed me a photograph in which he's conducting his big band back in the '40s, Bird is playing his alto, and Trane is in the picture with a cigarette about to drop out of his mouth, looking at Bird in ecstasy. That was a turning point for me. That's when I started playing alto saxophone, concentrating on the saxophones and intensively studying the masters."

During his undergraduate years, T.K. lived in the East Village, partaking of the full range of the tumultuous local scene, from lessons with elders to deep involvement in the then thriving avant-garde. "I feel the '70s was a very important period of exploration and synthesis," he declares. "People were trying different things. I remember David Murray doing a solo saxophone concert, the first one I'd seen. I played with Don Cherry in 1975 at the Five Spot, with Frank Lowe playing bass saxophone and tenor. Don was a very heavy brother and a deep influence. It was the time of the loft scene. I had a loft myself on the Bowery for a year, where I'd have jam sessions and gigs. I'd go religiously to jam sessions at the Tin Palace, where I learned a lot of tunes, and I'd jam in Washington Square Park on weekends. Once in the park I was playing flute with my eyes closed, and I heard this trumpet -- I turned around and it was Woody Shaw!"

T.K. played with South African pianist-composer Abdullah Ibrahim from 1977 to 1980. "I was able to develop when I was in Abdullah's band because he didn't put any restraints on me in soloing," he comments. "Randy Weston is the same way. It's an honor and a privilege to be in the company of masters when they let you stretch out."

After traveling extensively with Abdullah Ibrahim, T.K. moved to Paris in December, 1981, remaining until 1989. "Paris was very good for me," he says. "You'd play on a Bebop gig one night, the next night Reggae, the next night you'd be playing some Latin music, and the next night Brazilian music. It was wide-open. In 1986 I recorded my first record as a leader, entitled 'Egyptian Oasis,' and that sparked a number of State Department tours. I went to about 20 countries in Africa, east and west."

Back in the U.S. since 1990, T.K. has worked constantly, in a wide range of styles and situations. Another Blue evokes his multi-faceted experience. Augmenting ongoing relationships with Randy Weston and the Spirit of Life Orchestra, recent affiliations include Odadaa, a group led by Ghanaian drummer Yacub Addy with Ghanaian traditional dance, drumming, singing and saxophone; percussionist Norman Hedman's pan-African band Tropique; tap dancer Joseth's Tap and Rap, to jazz tunes by Charlie Parker and John Coltrane; and emerging singer Jeffrey Smith.

"I think you can learn something from all the various kinds of music." T.K. concludes. "Unfortunately, many companies in the States want to fit you into a niche as a particular type of musician playing a certain style of music, so they can market you, which limits the scope of what you do. That's why I'm happy to be signed with Arkadia, which is a fantastic label. Right away Bob Karcy, the owner, said to me, 'Whatever you want to do, let's do it' -- no holds barred. I think it's great to have that kind of philosophy."

Karcy has the last word: "We want to be the home for all their diverse activities, when an artist truly excels in multiple genres. T.K. has a range of things he wants to do and a range of music that we'll be working on that are all under the umbrella of jazz. I'm impressed by the lyricism in his soloing even when he's playing at a very high energy. Not only is he well-grounded and versed in the traditional and the standards repertoire, but in his own creative writing he calls upon elements of world music and R&B. I think it's a very contemporary sound that both comes from the past and looks to the future."

A full-service label started in 1997 by Bob Karcy, Arkadia Jazz has earned three Grammy nominations (the most of any independent label in the jazz category) and wide acclaim as 'The Artists' Choice.' "Arkadia is a new jazz label whose recordings to date have been meticulous, high-quality productions with focus and purpose." - Thomas Conrad, Stereophile. The label has released CDs by Benny Golson, Nova Bossa Nova, Pe De Boi, Moscow Sax Quintet, Kenny Drew, Jr., Billy Taylor, David Liebman, Joanne Brackeen and David Lahm, among others.

Arkadia Jazz is a label of Arkadia Entertainment, a natural extension of V.I.E.W. Video, founded by Karcy 16 years ago. V.I.E.W. is widely acknowledged to be the premiere home video producer and label in jazz, performing arts (opera, dance and classical music) and special interest (documentary, parenting, sports, health & fitness) with a catalog in excess of 200 titles that have been honored with over 100 prestigious international awards. For consumers who would like the name of the nearest retailer, or to receive a catalog, call toll-free, 1-888-ARKADIA. Arkadia's website can be found at www.arkadiarecords.com.