Featuring:
Steve Khan: Acoustic 6 & 12-String Guitars, Strat Orchestrations & Arrangement
Bendik Hofseth: Tenor Saxophone
Mark Egan: 5 & 8- String Fretless Bass
Mark Walker: Drums
Bobby Allende: Bongo
Rob Mounsey: Orchestrations

Blue Canoe Records proudly announces the release of Live At Alvas, the powerful new live album from renowned guitarist, composer, improviser, and film scorer Lyle Workman, arriving worldwide on June 12th, 2026 via digital streaming platforms through The Orchard.

Recorded live at the intimate and artist-driven Alvas Showroom in San Pedro, California on November 22nd, 2025, Live At Alvas captures Workman in his purest musical environment — leading his own ensemble through an evening of adventurous, emotionally charged progressive jazz rock fusion.

Best known to many for his work as a celebrated film composer, session guitarist, and touring musician with artists including Sting, Beck, and more recently Sarah McLachlan, Workman steps fully into the spotlight on Live At Alvas, showcasing not only his virtuosic guitar work, but also his identity as a composer, improviser, and band leader.

The recording features an exceptional ensemble of musicians:

• Lyle Workman — Guitar
• Matt Rohde — Keys
• Stan Cotey — Keys/Guitar
• Jorgen Carlsson — Bass
• Ezequiel Ghilardi — Drums

Together, the group delivers a dynamic and deeply musical performance that blends cinematic textures, progressive improvisation, modern fusion, and expressive interplay.

The album features all original compositions by Workman, with the exception of “What If,” written by legendary Steve Morse of Dixie Dregs and Deep Purple fame.

Far from a polished studio construct, Live At Alvas intentionally embraces the energy and spontaneity of a real live performance. The recording highlights Workman’s commanding live guitar voice while offering listeners a rare glimpse into the musical chemistry and artistic freedom of his touring ensemble.

Recording engineering for the project was handled by Jairo Camacho, with additional engineering by Art Valdez. Mixing and mastering were completed by Workman himself, further reflecting the personal and hands-on nature of the project. Art direction and layout were created by Lyle’s son Wyatt Workman, adding another deeply personal layer to the release.

With Live At Alvas, Lyle Workman delivers more than a live album — he delivers a document of musicianship, connection, improvisation, and artistic honesty from one of contemporary music’s most versatile and respected guitarists.
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Live At Alvas will be available June 12th, 2026 on all major digital and streaming platforms.

La Tanya Hall — a vocalist, educator, and longtime Steely Dan touring member known for her story-driven approach and stylistic versatility — is honored to announce the upcoming release of If Not Now, When…, her most personal and intentional project to date. Born from a period of vocal silence and artistic
reflection, the album offers a thoughtfully curated collection of lesser-known songs chosen for their lyrical power and emotional weight. If Not Now, When… arrives October 10 via Blue Canoe Records.

Produced by Michael Leonhart, the project features an all-star band including saxophonist Gary Bartz, trumpeter Eddie Henderson, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, harmonicist Gregoire Maret, bassist Gerald Cannon, drummer Mark McLean, and guitarist Marvin Sewell. Across its eight tracks, Hall explores material that is often overlooked — songs chosen for their storytelling and emotional resonance.The result is a deeply personal and musically openhearted album shaped by Hall’s renewed artistic purpose following a prolonged loss of her voice during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Colorado native, Hall began performing at age 13 with her father, a jazz pianist. Her solo debut, It’s About Time (Bridge Records, 2008), earned praise from JazzTimes for “the keen interpretative smarts of Maxine Sullivan underscored by the elegant sophistication of Nancy Wilson,” calling her “marvelously dexterous.” Her 2019 follow-up, Say Yes (Blue Canoe), was hailed by ClevelandClassical.com for its “full, alluring color-palette, impeccable diction, and an expansive vocal range,” while JazzTimes highlighted the album’s “alternating glimpses of Hall’s various musical personas.”

In addition to her solo work, Hall has built a multifaceted career as a touring and session vocalist with Diana Ross, Bobby McFerrin, Seal, Harry Belafonte, Rob Thomas and Steely Dan; and as a jazz educator, building the vocal jazz program at Oberlin Conservatory, where she teaches today.

Hall contracted COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic and spent over five months recovering—much of it unable to speak, let alone sing. “I lost my voice completely,” she recalls. “It was terrifying. Singing has always been part of how I connect with the world, and suddenly that was gone.” As her voice slowly returned, self-doubt began to creep in. “I started to question everything — was I ready to record again? Would it be good enough? Would people want to hear it?” It was her husband, pianist Andy Milne, who broke through the hesitation: If not now, when? “It was kind of a lightning bolt,” Hall says. “I’ve been making music for a long time, and I realized I still have things to say.”

She immersed herself in seldom-recorded repertoire, seeking out songs with lyrical substance and emotional weight. “I’ve always been drawn to the rare gem,” she says. “Songs that haven’t been overly done — that tell a story.” From there, she assembled not just a band of master musicians, but a circle of
collaborators she trusted on a deeper level. “I wanted to be surrounded by people who would allow me to be vulnerable,” she explains. “People who play with heart and create space for a vocalist.”

At Teaneck Sound in Teaneck, New Jersey, this trusted circle of musicians brought Hall’s vision to life with warmth and precision. The first track, Horace Silver’s “Pretty Eyes,” sets the tone—a lilting, harmonically rich ballad featuring saxophonist Gary Bartz and trumpeter Eddie Henderson. Both longtime collaborators and fellow faculty members at Oberlin Conservatory, the two bring a fluid, intuitive rapport to the tune. “They already have a musical history and bond that comes alive when they play together,” Hall says. “I was nervous to ask them — but neither one of them hesitated to say yes.”

Hall was inspired to put her own stamp on “Cornfield” (Randy Newman’s “Let’s Burn Down the Cornfield,” originally from his 1970 album 12 Songs) after hearing Lou Rawls’ seminal interpretation. Staying true to her mission of championing overlooked songs, Hall and her band deliver a stripped-down arrangement that emphasizes the track’s haunting quality and nuanced storytelling.

The vocalist then turns her attention to another underappreciated gem, Abbey Lincoln’s seldom-covered “A Turtle’s Dream.” Drawn to Lincoln’s insightful lyricism and unique compositional voice, Hall presents the tune with sensitivity and grace. Pianist Cyrus Chestnut sets the tone with what Hall describes as “one
of the most beautiful solo openings,” providing a gentle, reflective foundation for her vocal storytelling.

Hall emphasizes the modern day relevance of Oscar Brown Jr.’s “Long As You’re Living,” a joyful meditation on gratitude and the preciousness of life. In a nod to the broader cultural moment, she highlights the song’s central message: “No matter what side of the fence you fall on, we have to lead with love.”

Returning to Abbey Lincoln’s rich songbook, Hall puts her stamp on “Tender as a Rose,” another rarely covered tune. Guitarist Marvin Sewell’s intuitive playing particularly shines here—Hall notes their immediate, deep musical connection, describing the recorded performance as their very first take. Reflecting on their nearly 30-year friendship, Hall calls Sewell “a wonder” and highlights the unspoken understanding that permeates their collaboration.

On If Not Now, When…, Hall makes a deliberate effort to spotlight female composers, and her selection of Bernice Petkere’s “Lullabye of the Leaves” speaks directly to that intent. Acknowledging that Petkere’s contributions have often been overlooked, Hall uses this performance as an opportunity to honor her legacy and artistry.

The album concludes with two songs from different sides of the musical realm. The first, “Azure,” is from Duke Ellington’s expansive repertoire, co-written by Ellington and Irving Mills. Hall chose the rarely performed composition specifically to highlight its sophisticated melodic contours and emotional subtlety. The second, “Day Dreaming,” is an Aretha Franklin classic that has been stripped down to an intimate acoustic conversation between Hall, guitarist Sewell and Maret on harmonica. This bare-bones approach lets each phrase land with quiet assurance, ending the album on a note of spacious resolve.

“I just want to keep spreading light and music,” Hall concludes, her voice and confidence restored. “That’s my main goal in this existence.”

For Immediate Release
Press Contact:
Lydia Liebman Promotions
lydia@lydialiebmanpromotions.com
570 - 730 - 5297

Los Angeles, CA – GRAMMY® Award-winning composer, trumpeter, and visionary bandleader John Daversa returns with the fourth installment of his dynamic live series, Improvisatory Observatory: Live and Raw at The Baked Potato, Exhibit 4, available everywhere on August 29th, 2025 via Blue Canoe Records.

Recorded at the legendary World Famous Baked Potato in Los Angeles, this raw and unfiltered live performance captures Daversa’s celebrated big band in full swing—pushing sonic boundaries and redefining the big band idiom in real-time.

“I’m ever grateful to this amazing band that continues to grow and push musical boundaries every night,” says Daversa. “And a big thank you to The Baked Potato for providing us a home these past decades.”

The album features three genre-defying tracks that explore humor, heart, and high-octane improvisation:

1. Some Happy Sh#t (15:29)
   Featuring John Daversa (EVI) and Kirsten Edkins (tenor saxophone)
2. 8-Track Albums (talking) (0:57)
3. Your Mother (talking) (19:33)
   Featuring standout solos from Paul Young (trombone), Charlie Morillas (trombone), Derek Pyle (trombone), George Thatcher (bass trombone), Anne King (trumpet), Zane Carney (guitar), and Phil O’Connor (clarinet)

Personnel Highlights:

• John Daversa – Director, Composer, Conductor, Trumpet, EVI
• Saxes/Woodwinds: Jeff Driskill, Phil O’Connor, Sal Lozano, Kirsten Edkins, Phil Feather
• Trumpets/Flugelhorns: Chad Willis, Janelle Finton, Barbara Laronga, Anne King
• Trombones: Charlie Morillas, Derek Pyle, Paul Young, George Thatcher
• Rhythm Section: Zane Carney (guitar), Jerry Watts, Jr. (bass), Gene Coye (drums)