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Holly Rosum (856) 596-2221

May 22, 2001

NARM Releases Fourth Jazz CD Sampler: Jazz Now

The National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) announces that its fourth Jazz music CD sampler, titled Jazz Now, will be released on June 19.

This year, Jazz has enjoyed a heightened awareness and appreciation, attributed in large part to the exposure and insight that Ken Burns’s documentary, Jazz, provided for millions of Americans. As a result, several Jazz labels released compilation CDs to commemorate the history of this uniquely American art form.

“Since Ken Burns’s documentary focused primarily on Jazz’s history, we’re hoping to inspire listeners to collect music of today’s Jazz artists as well as the landmark recordings of Jazz legends,” noted project coordinator Holly Rosum, who is Director of Membership and Public Affairs at NARM.

With a suggested retail list price of $1.98, the sampler is designed to appeal both to those who already have an appreciation of Jazz music and those who are just discovering it. The title and theme of Jazz Now embrace the genre’s new music while still honoring the historical masters of Jazz. The artists were chosen to reflect the breadth and evolving talent of today’s Jazz music.

“This CD is being offered at a greatly reduced price point, making the experience of purchasing this compilation an easy decision for the consumer,” stated Kent Anderson, Executive Producer of Jazz Now and co-chair of the NARM Classical/Jazz Issue Forum. “We are so grateful for our corporate partners – labels, manufacturers, and distributors – who enabled us to bring this project to the marketplace so we could introduce consumers to some of the young, new Jazz artists out there.”

Distributed by Ryko Distribution and manufactured by Wings Digital, the sampler offers 15 tracks and more than 70 minutes of music. It features a wide range of artists, including the Jazz legend Chico Hamilton, Brazilian artist Flora Purim, and contemporary performer Keiko Matsui.

The track listing is as follows:

• Gratitude, Chris Potter, Verve

• San Francisco River, Flora Purim, Narada Jazz

• The Second Milestone, Eric Alexander, Milestone

• Caravan, Leon Parker, Label M

• Eyes Of The Elders, T.K. Blue, Arkadia Jazz

• Barbados Delight, Lew Del Gatto, Naxos Jazz

• Traumatic Experiences With Baravian Trapdoors, Uli Lenz, Arkadia Jazz

• I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Terence Blanchard with Jane Monheit, Sony Classical

• Spanish Rose, Ed Calle, Concord Vista

• Savanna, No Problem, Keiko Matsui, Narada Jazz

• Rush Hour, Bryan Savage, Higher Octave Jazz

• Zona Mona, Béla Fleck And The Flecktones, Columbia

• Outrageous, Chico Hamilton, Koch Jazz

• Recollection, Pat Martino, Blue Note

• Shades Of Gray, Kenny Barron and Regina Carter, Verve

The sampler is a collaborative effort by the Classical/Jazz Issue Forum of NARM. Jazz Now is the fourth edition of Jazz music CD samplers, following 2000’s For The Love Of Jazz, which shipped approximately 70,000 copies in the United States. Promotion includes prominent in-store and online placement in addition to on-air publicity by sponsor and cable affiliate Bet On Jazz.

NARM serves the music and other prerecorded entertainment software industry as the pre-eminent forum for insight and dialogue for its more than 1,000 member retailers, wholesalers, distributors, entertainment software suppliers, and suppliers of related products and services.