Legendary Guitarist/Composer/Arranger Steve Khan releases a single album tribute titled, Green Room (for the late Ralph Towner). Now available wherever you get your music!

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 Best of EMP Project, a newly remastered compilation album from the Southern-based jazz trio EMP Project, available worldwide on May 1, 2026.

Bringing together a powerful blend of modern jazz, fusion, groove, and improvisational interplay, Best of EMP Project revisits standout recordings originally captured between 2002 and 2005. These selections, drawn from the group’s debut EMP Project and sophomore release Wherever We Go, have been carefully remastered to introduce the trio’s music to a new generation of listeners.

At the core of EMP Project is a deeply rooted musical connection between three longtime collaborators:

• William Ellis (drums) — a Nashville-based, in-demand drummer known for his versatility across genres, with touring and recording credits including Montgomery Gentry, Travis Tritt, Martina McBride, and Hunter Hayes.


• Joseph Patrick Moore (double, electric & fretless bass) — a recording artist, composer, and producer with a career spanning over three decades, currently serving as bassist and back-up-band leader for Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère in Las Vegas.


• Shawn Perkinson (acoustic & electric guitar) — a respected educator and performer, serving as Commercial/Jazz Guitar instructor at Lee University, with a career that bridges jazz, rock, and contemporary styles.

The trio’s origins trace back to their time studying at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (1989–1994), where they developed a shared musical language under the guidance of renowned educators including Jerry Coker, Donald Brown, Rusty Holloway, Keith Brown, Mark Boling and others. After years pursuing individual careers across the country, the musicians reunited—capturing lightning in a bottle during a series of live studio recordings in Atlanta, Georgia.

Recorded on August 6–7, 2002, with no rehearsals, the sessions document the trio’s raw chemistry, spontaneity, and collective musical intuition. Each member contributed original compositions, resulting in a truly collaborative artistic statement.

Track highlights include:
Warrior, Wherever We Go, Elise, Just Visiting, Ba Dump, Birdy, Quickly and Quietly, Night, and Synergy.

The original recordings were produced by EMP Project alongside Vic Stafford and Anita Walls, who also handled mixing and mastering. For this release, the material has been newly remastered by Joseph Patrick Moore at Abstract Truth Recording Studio (Henderson, NV), offering enhanced clarity while preserving the organic energy of the original performances.

Artist Quote
“This music captures a moment before life pulled us in different directions—three musicians reconnecting with no expectations, just trust and instinct. Remastering these recordings gave me the chance to hear that honesty again, and I’m excited to share it with listeners who may be discovering EMP Project for the first time.” — Joseph Patrick Moore


About the Release
Best of EMP Project serves as both a retrospective and a reintroduction—highlighting a trio whose musical roots run deep, and whose sound remains timeless, exploratory, and deeply connected.


Availability
Best of EMP Project is available on all major streaming platforms beginning May 1, 2026.
🔗 More info: Blue Canoe Records
🔗 Streaming: https://orcd.co/60y0e5b

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)

Legendary pianist and composer Alan Pasqua returns with New Hope, a deeply personal and introspective solo piano album available April 11, 2025, via Blue Canoe Records. A Steinway Artist, Grammy nominee, and Professor of Jazz Studies at USC’s Thornton School of Music, Pasqua delivers a masterful collection of original works and timeless standards — all captured in the purity of solo performance.

New Hope is not a grand statement — it’s a personal one. No frills, no flash — just Alan at the keys, in his own creative space. "This is simply the music I wanted to make right now," Pasqua reflects. The result is a strikingly honest album that draws from a lifetime of musical exploration, from jazz and classical to film scoring and pop.

The album features original compositions including the title track “New Hope,” alongside “Contemplation,” “Agrodolce,” and “The Folks.” Pasqua also offers intimate renditions of beloved classics such as “There’s a Small Hotel,” “Our Love Is Here to Stay,” “Lullaby of Birdland,” and “Star Crossed Lovers.”

With a storied career that has taken him from Carnegie Hall with Tony Williams to the recording studios of Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Elton John — Pasqua’s musical legacy is as deep as it is diverse. He’s composed for major film scores, co-wrote the CBS Evening News theme, and recently contributed original improvisations for Bob Dylan’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech.
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New Hope follows a series of critically acclaimed solo and trio recordings, including the Grammy-nominated Standardswith Peter Erskine and Dave Carpenter, and the elegant Twin Bill, Northern Lights, and Day Dream albums. With New Hope, Pasqua returns to the essence of his artistry — one piano, one voice, one moment at a time.

Critically acclaimed trumpeter, composer, conductor, and arranger John Daversa joins the roster of Blue Canoe Recording Artist's with the release of his newest project titled "Improvisatory Observatory: Live and Raw at the Baked Potato, Exhibit 1" as well as the re-release of 4 other album's:
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* Live At Catalina's Vol. 1
* Live At Catalina's Vol. 2
* The Art of Duo, Vol. 1 (featuring Tal Cohen)
* The Official Bootleg: live at bluewhale

Guitar phenom Dan Baraszu creates a twenty-song solo guitar album titled, "Lone Guitar" featuring multi-genre interpretations of the American SongBook from jazz to rock, pop, and in-between.