JazzReach Partners with Sunnyside Records

JazzReach Partners with Sunnyside Records on the Release of Metta Quintet's New CD, Subway Songs: All Proceeds from Sales to Benefit JazzReach!

L to R: Sunnyside Records' President, Francois Zalacain, H. Benjamin Schuman and Sunnyside Records' VP, Promotions & Marketing, Garrett Shelton

Subway Songs album cover

On July 18, 2006, Sunnyside Records released JazzReach resident ensemble, Metta Quintet's new CD, Subway Songs. The recording features performances of eight newly commissioned works of program music inspired by the vast cultural dynamism of the New York City subway experience. Sunnyside is generously donating all proceeds from sales of the Subway Songs CD to support JazzReach's committed endeavors in art education.

The recording was selected as a "publisher's pick" at allaboutjazz.com where critic, Robert Calder writes, "You might not expect a jazz performance of quite this blazing class from a band at the center of a charitable educational venture, but you should never take music of this spirit and vigor for granted anywhere. This is lovely music." To read the entire review, go to: www.allaboutjazz.org

JazzReach Founder/Executive-Artistic Director (and Metta Quintet drummer) H. Benjamin Schuman conceived the project and writes in the CD's liner notes: "On any given weekday, over 7 million mostly tolerant and peaceful individuals converge on the New York City Subway with rarely a serious conflict or incident. This perpetual and increasingly vulnerable social improvisation with all its diversity has a unique way of peeling away economic, cultural, ethnic and religious differences and beautifully illuminating the universality of the human condition."

Schuman continues, "This is not so much a project about trains or the physical environment of the subway as much as it's a celebration of the people of the City of New York and a tribute to their grace, tolerance and overall civility."

Sunnyside Records' President Francois Zalacain says of the partnership with JazzReach: "When we heard Subway Songs and became better acquainted with JazzReach's important work in arts education, we felt it complemented our practice of giving space to talent to flourish. So, collaborating with people who develop in children a very early love for this art just makes sense. JazzReach is a unique organization with a vital mission and we are proud to be involved."

Subway Songs can be purchased on-line at: amazon.com, iTunes and barnesandnoble.com among other fine music retailers.