Jazz 88.3 Library Blog - New This Week
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THE ASIAN JAZZ ALL-STARS – “POWER QUARTET” (Live recording, on the edgy side, with a mix of jazz tunes, standards and originals). AllAboutJazz.com (Ian Patterson): Jazz-fusion—for want of a better term—is alive and kicking in Asia, as this excellent recording demonstrates. So far, only Asian audiences have been fortunate to see this incendiary quartet on tour. Hopefully, it will go into the studio with some original material soon and launch itself beyond Asia.
CORINA BARTRA – “CIELO SANDUNGUERO” (Female vocalist, backed by a big band, doing Latin tunes, and Latin versions of other tunes). PowerderFinger Promotions: Corina Bartra from Peru. Corina Bartra is an original. When she proposed to blend jazz with Afro-Peruvian & Creole music from Peru, her sound was unprecedented. She has pioneered a ground-breaking fusion of jazz and Afro Latin music with her releases: Corina Bartra Quartet, Son Zumbon, Travelog, and Bambu Sun, where for the first time one could hear the incorporation of the cajon (Peruvian percussive box) and the festejo groove blended with jazz. Corina was the first vocalist to blend Afro-Peruvian criolla music from Peru with Jazz.
TONY BENNETT – “DUETS II” (Legendary vocalist, with a very eclectic mix of duet partners, singing the Great American Songbook). Pop & Hiss (LA Times Music Blog, Mikael Wood): Some of these May-December cuts sound great, particularly Bennett and Gaga’s “The Lady Is a Tramp,” in which he can’t stifle his amusement with her drama-kid shtick. (“I love to rowboat with you and your wife in Central Park Lake,” Gaga ad-libs pricelessly.)
DAVID BUDWAY – “A NEW KISS” (Pianist, leading a very edgy session, with mostly originals and a couple of standards). Critical Jazz: A thoroughly engaging and at times electrifying performance by one of the most gifted if not sadly overlooked pianists of our time. A New Kiss makes it easy to understand how such a dynamic talent caught the ear of Liza Minnelli with Budway going to perform with such jazz legends as Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Pass and Jimmy Heath.
A release of three dimensional sound and texture, a musical tapestry that gives off new and subtle shades with each listen.
TITO CARRILLO – “OPENING STATEMENT” (Trumpeter, leading a variety of band configurations, doing mostly straight-ahead originals). Origin Records: A confluence of the post-bop trumpet legacy of Miles, Hubbard, & Shaw, along with the complexities of Cuban rhythms, lyrical ballad phrasing, and boundary-breaking free exploration, "Opening Statement" is a powerful recording by one of the more prominent fixtures on the vibrant Chicago jazz scene of the past 15 years. Though having appeared on over 20 CDs alongside luminaries such as Willie Pickens, Chuchito Valdes, and even pop icon Phil Collins, this project marks trumpeter Carrillo's first recording as a leader, revealing a singular modern trumpeter with an expressive and original compositional voice.
EDDIE DANIELS/ROGER KELLAWAY – “LIVE AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS” (Clarinet/piano duet, doing mostly standards). Audiophile Audition: Both of these highly-respected performers are equally at home in the classical or jazz genres and most anything else. Together and separately they already account for a half dozen releases on the IPO label. And this is actually a sequel to their earlier IPO duo album, A Duet of One. This is not one of those historical concerts from the Library of Congress issued by Bridge, but a new recording made February 25, 2010 in the Library’s Coolidge Auditorium.
“RYAN DAVIDSON TRIO” – (Progressive Texas Swing, if you will). Audiophile Audition (Robbie Gerson): As a member of the six-time Grammy-nominated One O’clock Band Lab Band, Ryan Davidson shared the stage with jazz artists like Dave Brubeck, James Carter, Eddie Gomez and George Garzone. All of this was accomplished as a student at the University of North Texas, where he earned a degree as a Master of Music in Jazz Studies. Within the community of country music, he has done sessions with dozens of acts. His project with the One O’clock Lab Band (Lab ’09) received two Grammynominations. The alchemy of country and jazz is complex, but interesting.
DOUG EBERT – “POOR DOG” (Bassist, leading a quartet, doing all straight-ahead originals).
McCORMACK & YARDE DUO – “PLACES AND OTHER SPACES” (Sax/piano duet, doing all originals, but one). The Guardian (John Fordham): When the conversation between pianist Andrew McCormack and saxist/composer Jason Yarde began on CD two years ago, the pair showed they could read and expand each other's thoughts with an impulsive empathy. The My Duo album's followup finds Yarde concentrating on soprano sax a little less, now applying a wider tonal range to a similar repertoire of seductively hooky, Keith Jarrett-like piano vamps embroidered by adventurous sax lines, swoony lyricism and minimalist sax-pattern whirlings reminiscent of Portico Quartet.
SAM PANNUNZIO TRIO – “GOIN’ HOME” (Straight-ahead piano trio, doing all originals, but one).
ENRICO RAVA QUINTET – “TRIBE” (Trumpeter, leading a quintet/sextet, doing low-key, but edgy tracks). PopMatters.com (George de Stefano): Trumpeter Enrico Rava, born in Trieste in 1939 and raised in Torino, has had a distinguished and varied career spanning five decades. He has played on nearly 100 recordings and as a leader on 40. Rava commands virtually the entire history of jazz, from classic New Orleans styles – he started out as a Kid Ory-influenced trombonist – to bebop to avant-garde, “free” playing. Rava’s career began in the early 1960s, as a sideman with Leandro “Gato” Barbieri, the Argentine saxophonist of Italian roots. Later in the decade, Rava recorded and performed with many of the leading exponents of the free jazz movement. Now, at 72, Rava has made one of the best albums of his career, Tribe, and certainly the best since he returned to ECM. Tribe is both a summation and an extension of his art, a mature work that points to new directions for the veteran player, composer, and bandleader. The album’s mood is, for the most part, contemplative, even dream-like; the tempos mostly run slow to medium. The music rarely breaks a sweat, but is nonetheless compelling. Eichner’s typically crystalline production, with every instrument well defined, perfectly suits Rava’s music, with its emphasis on space and texture.
MARCUS ROBERTS TRIO – “NEW ORLEANS MEETS HARLEM” (Pianist, leading a straight-ahead trio, with a mix of tunes from composer heralding from both cities). 2009 Release About.com (Jacob Teichroew): New Orleans Meets Harlem, Vol. 1 underscores this history, but the album is not merely a tribute. With each of the classic songs that Roberts performs with his trio (consisting of bassist Roland Guerin and drummer Jason Marsalis), the old melodies are played with a fresh approach that is consistent with the piano jazz tradition by blending old and new.
GEORGE SCHULLER’S CIRCLE WIDE – “LIKE BEFORE, SOMEWHAT AFTER” (Drummer-led quintet/sextet, with an edgy mix of Keith Jarrett tunes and originals). AllAboutJazz.com ( KARLA CORNEJO VILLAVICENCIO ): 2008 Release. It might seem like adulation of the highest order to state that by the end of the piece, heart rates will quicken and pupils will dilate, but why not praise what is praiseworthy? Increased heart rate is nothing but a physical symptom of something called love and falling in love with Like Before, Somewhat After is one physical phenomenon that even the left-brained among us can understand with ease.
SPERO ( FB)– “ACOUSTIC” (Piano trio, doing mostly straight-ahead originals). Spero is hosting a National Music Video Competition, "Make Hills, Win Bills" a $1000 Video Challenge for his new single, "Hills". A panel of renown film and music professionals will judge the submissions, and we will announce the winner on December 12th at 12:01AM (midnight). The winner will receive a $1000 cash prize and his/her work will be premiered at the album release show on December 16, 2011, in Chicago. TRI-FI ( FB)– “THREE” (Straight-ahead piano trio, doing all band originals).
CHRIS WEST – “TRILOGY 3” (Very edgy collection of traditional and contemporary originals). Examiner.com: Saxophonist Chris West has released "The Surprise Trilogy" a 3 CD set of all original material, featuring some of Nashville's finest including Jeff Coffin, Don Aliquo, Rod McGaha, Derek Phillips, Pat Bergeson, Adam Agati, Greg Bryant, Charles Treadway and many others.
DEBORAH WINTERS – “LOVERS AFTER ALL” (Vocalist, backed by a big band, doing mostly the Great American Songbook). AllAboutJazz.com (Dan Bilawsky): On Lovers After All, the Bay Area-based vocalist establishes herself as a ballad singer with which to be reckoned. She can sing over swing with confidence ("Get Out Of Town") and sway to the subtle sounds of the bossa nova ("Haunted Heart"), but her ballad work eclipses all else. Her voice has depth and warmth that instantly soothes and seduces; her use of vibrato is rare and judicious, and her pacing, clarity and diction are perfectly suited to this particular style of song.
NOTE: THESE WILL BE THE LAST NEW RELEASES FOR THIS YEAR. NEW ADDS WILL RESUME ON 1/9/12. |
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New music being added to the Jazz 88 Playlist Monday, November 21, 2011 and debuted Monday, 11/21/11 6-8 PM PT on The New Jazz Thing with Vince Outlaw: Luis Disla, Hal Galper Trio, Yoko Miwa, Michael Pedicin, Kate Reid, and Sunnie.
Check out album artwork thumbnails, artist website, Facebook, Twitter, and select album reviews after the jump...
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Here are the tunes picked out for adding to the Jazz 88 Music library this week by Assistant Music Director for Jazz 88 Chad Fox (sitting in for our esteemed director and traveler Joe Kocherhans). We will be debuting as many as we can on The New Jazz Thing, Monday, November 14, 2011. GREG ABATE - "HORACE IS HERE" - (Straight-ahead tribute album to Horace that consists of all standards, re- harmonized with new/fresh arrangements).  RAY CHARLES ( FB, @RayCharles_TM ) - "SINGULAR GENIUS / THE COMPLETE ABC RECORDINGS" – (No description really needed, but as the title implies, this is a compilation of hits and B-sides during this prolific period, 1960-1972).  Blogcritics.com (Greg Barbrick): While preparing to review the new Ray Charles box set, Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles,
I had a look at what Dave Marsh had to say about Charles in 1978. In
essence, his opinion was that Ray had committed virtual artistic suicide
by leaving Atlantic Records for ABC-Paramount in 1959.
Wow. Maybe the guy was suffering from some form of rock-crit
inferiority complex or something, because nothing could be further from
the truth. The set contains 106 tracks, laid out over the course of five
CDs, and presents a pretty convincing case that Ray’s time with
ABC-Paramount Records was one of the strongest and most productive
associations of his career. TED CLOUSER ( @ToddClouser, FB)- "A LOVE ELECTRIC" – Contemporary guitarist, doing an edgy mix of all originals, many cuts for nights/evenings, but some accessible for AM and afternoons; read the notes).  AllAboutJAzz.com (Chris May): Musicians and painters from the US have long since been relocating to
Mexico, hoping to deepen their art through immersion in a slower pace of
life. Guitarist Todd Clouser is a recent emigré, who moved south in
2006. A Love Electric is his third post-relocation album. It catches
him in transformation from a straight ahead rock player to one embracing
jazz—specifically, hard bop and the Rhodes-spiked crossover of pianist Herbie Hancock and trumpeter Miles Davis' early 1970s bands—and old-school rhythm & blues. EVAN COBB ( @EvanCobbJazz, - "FALLING UP" – (Nashville-based saxophonist, featuring a set of eight original straight-ahead tunes in a quintet setting; debut release).  AMIR ELSAFFAR ( @AmirElSaffar, FB) - "INANA" – (Trumpeter-led outing, doing all progressive originals with influences of Middle Eastern music. Follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2007 release, Two Rivers; recently added to the progressive drawer. Check it out as well).  AllAboutJazz.com (Troy Collins): Named after the ancient Mesopotamian goddess of carnal love and warfare, Inana
blends the ceremonial intensity of maqam with the polyphonic melodies,
contrapuntal harmonies and syncopated polyrhythms associated with
sophisticated jazz structures. More fully realized than many similar
ethnic fusions, ElSaffar's incorporation of maqam's microtones, flexible
pitches and meter-less bar lines yields a highly personalized language
that reaches well beyond the confines of Western pedagogy for
inspiration. Gracefully poised between two worlds, Inana builds upon
ElSaffar's previous accomplishments, establishing an impressive
precedent for the creative possibilities of a new global jazz aesthetic.
DELFEAYO MARSALIS ( @Delfeayo, FB) - "SWEET THUNDER" – (Acclaimed trombonist, backed by a variety of all-star personnel, streamlining Ellington & Strayhorn’s original charts from the 1957 theatrical production of Such Sweet Thunder.)  AllAboutJazz.com (Edward Blanco): Acclaimed trombonist and member of the first family of jazz, Delfeayo Marsalis launches Sweet Thunder: Duke & Shak,
an original theatrical jazz production culled from live performances in
thirty-six locations across the country. The play was born from
Marsalis' affinity for the music of Duke Ellington and the poetry of Shakespeare: first brought to the musical stage in the 1957 production of Such Sweet Thunder at the Shakespeare Festival I Stratford, Canada. Both Ellington and Billy Strayhorn were invited to compose music in tribute to The Bard, and came up with 15 compositions for that date. Sweet Thunder
streamlines Ellington and Strayhorn's original charts into a
12-movement suite, bringing an all-star list of players, including
brothers Branford and Jason. for the recording.
CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE ( @McBridesWorld, FB)- "CONVERSATIONS WITH CHRISTIAN" – (Straight-ahead release with each cut featuring jazz greats and others, e.g., Corea, Hargrove, Ron Blake, Regina Carter, Dr. Billy Taylor, and oh yes, an appearance by Sting. Mix of originals & other jazz tunes. Contains 3 vocal tracks).  LATimes Blog (Chris Barton): Bassist/bandleader Christian McBride isn't a guy who likes sitting
still. The L.A. Phil's Creative Chair for Jazz from 2006 to 2010, the
39-year-old McBride has recently toured with the jazz-fusion super-group
Five Peace Band
as well as his throwback acoustic ensemble Kind of Brown, which
released a sharp debut in 2009. This year marks another active one for
McBride with September's rambunctious big-band album "The Good Feeling"
and this month's "Conversations With Christian," a collection of duets
that rose out of a 2009 podcast series of the same name. JACQUI NAYLOR - "LUCKY GIRL" - (Vocalist/songwriter in a quartet setting, doing a mix of jazz tunes).  GrooveNotes.com: Fans pick the songs for the album
Jacqui hosted a gathering of about ninety people where she performed
twenty-five songs and let the listeners rate them on a scale of 1 to 5.
Without exception, the top fifteen rated songs did become the cuts
selected for the new album. Jacqui said that there was a little bit of
nervousness in letting her fans choose the songs, but when it was all
said and done, the fans made excellent choices.
“I think that a lot of the time fans are pretty much
right on. At least mine. I feel like they know me. And in this
particular case I wanted them to really know my heart in this album, and
I think that comes through.”
“Acoustic smashing” continues
Jacqui Naylor made famous what she defined as “acoustic smashing,” or
taking a jazz tune and a rock tune, and singing one while the band
plays the other in a seamless fashion. On this album, Jacqui smashes Surrey with the Fringe on Top with George Benson’s Breezin. THE DANIEL ROSENBOOM SEPTET ( FB) - "FALLEN ANGELS" – (Progressive release, composed and arranged by this trumpeter. Some cuts day friendly).  JazzCorner.com: The Los Angeles that Daniel Rosenboom illustrates on his latest album, Fallen Angeles,
is a ghost. They're portraits in spectral black and white, a collection
of film noir images that unreel with barely contained vigor and
explosive imagination. THE DAVE SHANK QUINTET - "SOUNDPROOF" – (Vibraphonist, known for his fusion style play, leads a quintet that showcases ten new compositions; all straight-ahead).  Something Else!: The project also includes pianist Barry Miles and drummer Terry
Silverlight, a pair who first worked together on Miles’ 1971 fusion
delight White Heat. Bassist John Patitucci, a longtime member of
Wayne Shorter’s Quartet and former member of Chich Corea’s Elektric and
Akoustic bands, was part of the same LA jazz scene with Shank in the
late 1980s and early ’90s, but this album is the first time the two have
worked together. RANI SINGAM ( FB)- "WITH A SONG IN MY HEART" – (Singapor’s vocalist sensation in Asia with her debut release, (now out of print), on the JazzNote imprint).  RANI SINGAM first started
creating a stir in the Singapore jazz scene in the year 2000 when she
started doing performances at corporate parties and community concerts.
In 2002, a few prominent Singaporean and visiting American musicians
were sitting in the Blue Note in Singapore and one of the musicians put
on demo CD of Rani without telling the other who it was. One of the
musicians said "hey...this sounds like an early Billie Holliday
recording, except that the sound quality is too clear to be from that
era." It was then revealed that the recording was by Rani Singam. All
present were extremely impressed and they asked someone who knew her to
ask her to come down to the Blue Note and perform that very night as a
guest!
WADADA LEO SMITH'S ORGANIC - "HEARTS REFLECTIONS" – (2 disc set featuring one of Smith’s many working bands “Organic”, a fourteen-piece group marked by four guitarist. Sound can be described as part fusion and part jazz-rock orchestra).  AllAboutJazz.com (Mark Carroto): Organic, one of Smith's numerous working bands, is a continuation of his Yo Miiles! project with guitarist Henry Kaiser, the jazz/rock love child of Miles Davis' electric era. Organic was first recorded as the second disc on Smith's Spiritual Dimensions
(Cuneiform, 2009), and is positioned to take Yo Miles! one step beyond
with an electric sound that begins with the blues and funk, then evolves
into modern composition. Smith also updates the Milesian electric sound with two laptop computer artists, TYSHAWN SOREY ( FB) - "OBLIQUE - 1" – (Progressive session, led by this drummer/composer, doing all originals. First drummer to release a record as leader on the PI label).  TRIO THIS - "THAT" – (Collaborative project featuring a traditional mix of originals and re-examinations of works by Wayne Shorter, Henry Mancini and Les McCann. Note; an earlier 2010 release).  |
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New Keith Jarret, Manhanthappa...and San Diego's own Nate Jarrell (who will be on TNJT Monday 11/7 at 6:40 PM PT)...among some other great progressive, duo, debuts, and other great New Jazz Music! And being played for the first time on Jazz 88 on The New Jazz Thing, Monday, November 7, 2011 from 6-8 PM PT.
REZ ABBASI’S INVOCATION (FB, @RezTone)– “SUNO SUNO” (Progressive session, led by this
guitarist, with an all-star band of progressive artists).
AllABoutJazz (Something Else!): More important, in particular as it relates to this album, must have
been the impact of Coltrane—especially in the way this group often works
toward an almost unbridled release without losing musical coherence. That was the risk as Coltrane struggled through his spiritual awakening on the career-defining A Love Supreme,
and it remains so here—as Abbasi tries to blend his native country's
praise song forms and jazz. Invocation's exultations, in particular on
the more overtly Qawwali-influenced numbers like “Thanks for Giving" and
“Onus On Us," walk the same fine line—and they emerge with a statement
of similar artistic breadth, religious wonder and musical intrigue.
EMMET COHEN (@EmmetCohen)– “IN THE ELEMENT” (Debut release by this 20-year old pianist,
mostly trio stuff, with trumpeter Greg Gisbert guesting on 3 tracks).
AllAboutJazz.com (Edward Blanco): At the ripe old age of 21, jazz piano prodigy Emmet Cohen has already racked up an impressive list of awards among them, Downbeat's
Best Jazz Soloist and Best Jazz Combo (for the Emmet Cohen Trio),
placed first in the Kathleen T. and Philip B. Phillip's Piano
competition at University of West Florida and was selected as a finalist
for the 2011 American Pianist's Association's Cole Porter Fellowship.
MIKE DiRUBBO (FB, @MikeDiRubbo) & LARRY WILLIS – “FOUR HANDS, ONE HEART” (Sax/piano
duet recording, doing mostly standards).
JazzWrap (Stephan Moore): This is the first album on DiRubbo's own label and its a great way to begin. Four Hands, One Heart is
a wonderful contemporary album that merges both the talent of a
legendary pianist and the already accomplished and well respected
saxophonist. This is great stuff that deserves everyone's ears...
HARRIS EISENSTADT – “CANADA DAY II” (Drummer, leading a quintet, with a
mix of contemporary and straight-ahead originals).
AllAboutJazz.com (Mark Corroto): If you believe most recordings by drummer/composers are positive statements, then Harris Eisenstadt's Canada Day II is more than a glass half full. It is a brimming cup of music. The disc follows 2009's Canada Day, on Portugal's Clean Feed label, with the same lineup. The glue here is the perpetual groove, be it applied by the drummer,
bassist, or vibraphone as on "To Be," someone is always carrying the
freight. That makes for better solos and a crisp accessible sound.
KALI Z. FASTEAU (FB)– “AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE” (Progressive, pianoless trio,
recorded in the 90’s, newly released).
Squidco: "A recording of three musicians with superlative and fascinating
careers. The musical lineage of multi-instrumentist and composer Kali.
Z. stems from her musician grandparents hosting sessions with the
Gershwin brothers and Kali's college and graduate studies of world music
and jazz. Her musical trajectory then flows through her marriage and
musical partnership with the great multi-instrumentist and composer Don
Rafael Garrett (he recorded 4 albums with John Coltrane), and decades of
living in 16 countries, leading ensembles of wonderful musicians,
recording some 18 albums of her world jazz, and performing on more than a
dozen instruments.On this recording, these extraordinary artists deliver their unique
powers to the collective sound, combining their creativity in fiery
sessions recorded in the first days of 1992. An Alternate Universe, finds these musicians roaring along the high energy road.
KEITH JARRETT – “RIO” (Double-disc solo piano improvisation concert, complete
with humming).
The Guardian (John Fordham): The story goes that Jarrett was on the phone to ECM boss Manfred Eicher
barely before the applause had died down, convinced this was his best
gig in years – and he's right. Warmer and less abstract than his
still-remarkable 2006 Carnegie Hall solo show, a constantly changing
(and totally improvised) soundscape of rocking African and Latin vamps,
fragile love songs, guitar-like blues and sparingly deployed free jazz, Rio represents Jarrett at his most exuberant.
NATE JARRELL (FB) – “THE NEXT CHAPTER” (Local guitarist, in an edgy outing, with a
mix of originals and jazz tunes).
San Diego Reader (Robert Bush): The Next Chapter is an excellent example of modern electric jazz guitar, which, in it's best moments, veers slightly to the left of center. Creative stuff, highly recommended.
RUDRESH MAHANTHAPPA (FB, @RudreshM)– “SAMDHI” (Typically progressive outing from this
Indian saxophonist).
AllAboutJazz.com (Mark F. Turner): About halfway through the aptly named "Killer," it becomes apparent that saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa's Samdhi
is up to something just a little different. Amid the track's impossible
changes and blistering tempo, the saxophonist's alto undergoes
acoustic-electric alterations that are processed through a laptop. Samdhi is the product of Mahanthappa's receiving a Guggenheim
Fellowship in 2008, which allowed him to explore the fusion of
electronic music, ancestral Indian music and jazz. It spawned a new
group with a number of early dates and the results are striking. From start to finish, the music never abandons its flavor. Stimulating,
open-minded, and never pretentious, this is Mahanthappa's most
accessible release to date.
JEREMY MONTEIRO – “COMPOSITIONS: GOLDEN YEAR INAUGURAL, VOL.1”
(A variety of guest artists, performing his original compisitions).
AllAboutJazz.com (Ian Patterson): Jeremy Monteiro has come a long way since starting out as a professional
jazz pianist when not quite seventeen, back in 1977. As a leader, he's
recorded over twenty albums, though it wasn't until Homecoming (Jazznote, 2007) that he released one of all-original compositions. Released as part of his fiftieth birthday celebration, the original
material here stretches from his much vaunted Montreux appearance in
1988 to a performance in Borneo in June, 2010. Whether playing a blues, a
lilting samba or soul-inflected jazz, or heating up the keys on a
straight-ahead workout, Monteiro's music always swings.
OSCAR PEREZ NUEVO COMIENZO – “AFROPEAN AFFAIR” (Straight-ahead
originals, with a Latin vibe, 3 vocal tracks).
MARK WEINSTEIN (@altoflute41)– “EL CUMBANCHERO” (Latin grooves, with strings).
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Here's what we're adding to the Jazz 88 Music Library this week and debuting on The New Jazz Thing with Vince Outlaw 6-8PM PT, Monday, October 31, 2011...spooky!
ERIK , CHARLSTON JAZZBRASIL – “ESSENTIALLY HERMETO” (Vibraphonist,
leading a sextet of familiar names, in a Brazilian groove).
KEVIN CRABB – “WALTZ FOR DYLAN” (Drummer, leading a quartet, doing a live
recording of originals).
CHICO HAMILTON – “REVELATION” (Venerable drummer, leading a sextet, doing
all originals).
CHICO HAMILTON – “REVELATION-EP” (…with additional tracks on this one).
BOB JAMES/KEIKO MATSUI – “ALTAIR & VEGA” (Normally smooth-jazz pianists,
collaborating on a 4-hands collection of originals, with one Bach tune).
DARREN JOHNSTON’S GONE TO CHICAGO – “THE BIG LIFT” (Trumpeter,
leading a progressive session of originals and standards).
TAKUYA KURODA (FB, @TakuyaKuroda) – “EDGE” (Another great, straight-ahead session from this
trumpeter, leading a quintet, doing mostly originals). KEVYN LETTAU – “DRAWN TO YOU” (Local singer, doing mostly latin-flavored tunes).  PAT MARTINO – “UNDENIABLE” (Groovin’, straight-ahead live recording, with Eric Alexander, Pat Bianchi and Tain Watts). HENDRIK MEURKENS – “LIVE AT BYRD’S EYE” (Harmonica player, also playing vibes on Brazilian-influenced tunes). MILES ESPANOL – “NEW SKETCHES OF SPAIN” (2 disc set of interpretations of “Sketches of Spain” and some originals by band members). AL NAYLOR – “LEGACY” (Trumpeter, leading a quintet, in a straight-ahead session of mostly originals). ORGANAMIX – “GROOVIN’ AT GROOVE JUNCTION” (Organ/guitar trio, doing a collection of standards).  AllAboutJazz.com (Ian Patterson): Groovin' at Groove Junction captures the trio, nominally led by veteran pianist/organistJeremy Monteiro, in a live setting in Kuala Lumpar running through a set of standards with great aplomb. Although Monteiro is known as a pianist, here he returns to his roots as he started out teaching Hammond over thirty years ago; there are few signs of rust. Conceived very much as a group of equal billing, Organamix is the latest in a long line of Hammond-based groups which stretches from Wild Bill Davis, through Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff and on down to today's practitioners like Joey DeFrancesco and Jeppe Tuxen. To that list add Monteiro, and his partners Lim and Hong.
LEONARD PATTON – “EXPRESSIONS” (Local vocalist, backed by Geoffrey Keezer,
doing a very nice collection of originals, jazz tunes and new standards).  HOUSTON PERSON – “SO NICE” (Straight-ahead mix of jazz tunes and standards). |
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Lots of new names in this weeks Adds to the JAzz 88 Music Library, but some familiar also with Marsallis and Mehldau bring the New! Speaking of that, we'll be debuting this on The New Jazz Thing with Vince Outlaw, Monday, October 24 6-8 PM PT!
JD ALLEN – “VICTORY!” (Sax player, leading a pianoless trio, doing all originals).
AllAboutJazz.com(Dan Bilawsky): Many artists seem to move rapidly through different ensemble
configurations, as if they're trying to finish off a career to-do list. When an exceptional artist is willing to take the time to fully explore a
specific format, like the saxophone-bass-drums trio, and develop an
ensemble identity, it's a true Victory! and cause for celebration. Victory!—his third trio outing for the Sunnyside label—is indicative of the fact that Allen keeps getting better with age.The saxophonist's fascination with sonata form, which deals with a
theme, development and recapitulation, plays a big part in his
compositional approach and the overall structural arc of the album, but
the brief duration and architectural integrity of the music aren't the
only notable aspects. General Patton once addressed the need to "accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory," and this Victory! is, indeed, exhilarating.
GERALD BECKETT – “STANDARD FLUTE” (Flute player, doing a collection of jazz
tunes. Depends how you feel about electric piano).
PATRICK CORNELIUS (@PCorneliusJazz, FB) – “MAYBE STEPS” (Alto sax player, leading a quintet, doing
mostly originals. A little on the edgy side, but generally accessible).
TheJazzWord (John Barron): Cornelius' playing can be cutting and bold in one moment and soft and
wistful in another. Capable of drawing out lengthy, winding lines,
shaped with sense and purpose, he demonstrates schooled technique and
street-savvy phrasing.
JEFF GAUTHIER GOATETTE – “OPEN SOURCE” (Viola player, leading a
progressive session, doing mostly original compositions).
LATimes Culture Monster (Chris Barton): Somewhere between running the forward-looking local jazz label Cryptogramophone and
co-organizing the Angel City Jazz Festival, violinist Jeff Gauthier
finds time for his own ensemble. Now on the cusp of its 20th year, the
Goatette again features Gauthier with longtime collaborators Nels and
Alex Cline, twin brothers who have helped anchor the L.A. improvised
music scene with Gauthier since the '70s. Add in a 14-minute title track that closes things out with a journey
from ambient improvisation to an electrical storm of melodic drive and
there's much to be said for Gauthier still making time for old friends.
WYNTON MARSALIS (@WyntonMarsalis, FB) – “SELECTIONS FROM ‘SWINGING INTO THE 21ST
CENTURY’” (Redux, from a soon to be released boxed set of some of his previous
recordings).
To celebrate Wynton’s 50th birthday, highlights from those nine albums
plus his career-defining masterpiece All Rise have been selected by the
artist for one new compilation: SWINGING INTO THE 21st!
BRAD MEHLDAU (FB, ) / KEVIN HAYS – “MODERN MUSIC” (Piano duet recording,
featuring mostly originals, with a couple of classical pieces).
The Guardian (John Fordham): This fascinating session is therefore not only a mix of jazz
and modern compositional materials (pieces by Zimmerli, Steve Reich and
Philip Glass join the pianists' own originals), but an exploration of
what happens when a non-jazz composer's approach shapes the frameworks
for improvisation.
NEW WEST GUITAR GROUP (FB) – “ROUND-TRIP TICKET” (Trio of guitarists, groovin’
to contemporary originals).
AllMusic.com(Rick Anderson): Formerly the New West Guitar Quartet, the New West Guitar Group
(now a trio) also used to be more or less a jazz ensemble. Those who
have been paying attention to the group's evolution, however, won't be
surprised at the almost complete lack of anything that seriously
resembles jazz on this album. Everything is so pleasant and inviting that unless you're paying close
attention you're liable to miss the jagged complexities that sometimes
lurk underneath these tunes' shimmeringly lovely surfaces -- like the
nasty 7/8 time signature on which the lovely "Crooked Railroad" is
built. Every track features a rich blend of acoustic and electric
textures, and the arrangements are so expertly put together that the
trio's sound sometimes verges on the orchestral.
PHIL NORMAN TENTET – “ENCORE” (Large ensemble, doing originals and fresh
takes on classic big band tunes).
Summit Records (Jersey Jazz): Phil Norman leads his
critically acclaimed Tentet (the cream of the crop of LA-based session
men; Carl Saunders, Andy Martin, Ron Stout, Roger Neumann, Larry
Koonse, Rusty Higgins, Scott Whitfield, Tom Rizzo, Christian Jacob,
Kevin Axt, Dick Weller, and Brad Dutz). Their previous MAMA release stayed, which was 'live', stayed on jazz radio's Top 50 chart for 24 straight weeks. The songs are first rate, the arrangements sublime, and the blowing will knock your socks off. This is music that will settle easily on the ears of diggers of fine jazz sounds.
ERIC REED – “SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL” (Piano trio, doing a mix of old and new
standards and originals, straight-ahead).
AllMusic.com (Ken Dryden): In a world where so many young jazz artists feel the need to feature
programs consisting exclusively of originals on their debut recordings
as leaders, it is refreshing to hear a veteran like pianist Eric Reed,
who plays a wide range of forgotten gems, some standards, and jazz
favorites along with inventive renditions of songs from gospel, pop, and
his own compositions. Eric Reed's Something Beautiful showcases a seasoned artist who is very much at the top of his game.
KENNY SHANKER – “STEPPIN’ UP” (Alto saxophonist, leading a quintet, doing
mostly originals).
AllAboutJazz.com(Bruce Lindsay): Kenny Shanker has worked extensively since graduating from the Manhattan
School of Music in 2001, playing with the New World Symphony, and the Tommy Dorsey and Nelson Riddle Orchestras, among others. The young alto saxophonist recorded his debut album as leader, Steppin' Up,
in April 2009 but it's taken almost two-and-a-half years for it to be
released. It's a shame that it has stayed in the vaults for so long, for
Shanker's melodic and accessible brand of straight-ahead jazz is
immediately enjoyable, with enough twists and turns to reward repeated
listening.
STRANAHAN / ZALESKI / ROSATO – “ANTICIPATION” (Piano trio, doing an edgy
mix of mostly band originals).
Ottawa Citizen (Peter Hum - Jazzblog): Anticipation, which was released last week, also features the
kinds of complex and contemporary rhythmic and harmonic ingredients that
younger players take to like catnip. However, tastefulness and
musicality always come first for the trio — complexity and trendiness
aren’t the points of the music.Stranahan is 25, and his studies include stints at the Brubeck and Monk
Institutes, as well as at the New School University. He’s performed with
Herbie Hancock in India and toured globally in Kurt Rosenwinkel’s trio.
Zaleski is a 24-year-old who went to the Brubeck Institute and the New
School, where he is now an adjunct faculty member. (He also competed
this year in the Cole Porter and Thelonious Monk jazz piano
competitions.) Rosato, a 23-year-old Montrealer, studied at the New
School, is finishing his Master’s degree at McGill University and has
shared stages with Ari Hoenig and Aaron Parks.
DWIGHT TRIBLE – “COSMIC” (Male vocalist, doing an eclectic mix of tunes.
Suitable for Nights Only).
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