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Session Notes for Monday September 12 2011

Blog Name:The New Jazz Thing with Vince Outlaw

Blog Author:

Posted on:September 12, 2011

Tonight on the show...
  • Josh Nelson joins us by phone in Hour 1 to chat about his New "Discoveries", added last week. He also played with Allison Adams Tucker @Jazz88 OBMusicFest this past weekend and was wowing us all!
    • JOSH NELSON (FB)– “DISCOVERIES” (Pianist, leading a variety of configurations, doing
      all but one straight-ahead originals).

      Critical Jazz: Cerebral jazz? In an incredibly unique if not personal release, Nelson takes his appreciation for the writings of Jules Verne among others and transforms this literature into a conceptualized presentation of sonic imagery that lives and breathes on its own. An incredibly thoughtful organic pulse drives the forward motion of this sonic adventure with great care and artistic touch. Nelson's music is (for me) not Ipod friendly, no good jazz worth listening to is. "Discoveries" contains intricate and involved interplay between Nelson and his musical companions that is exciting, fresh and alive to the point where mere headphones could not possibly transfer the musical experience adequately.
  • Tierney Sutton chats with us in Hour 2 of The New about her latest "American Road", also added last week 9/5/11.
    • TIERNEY SUTTON – “AMERICAN ROAD” (Female vocalist, doing a mix of show
      tunes, gospel and Americana).

      Critical Jazz: Organic but deep rooted in tradition this exquisite release is perfect from start to finish."...take on her own unique, slightly eclectic but incredibly accessible spin on the Great American Songbook thus releasing an almost instant classic."
      Challenge Records: “We first started looking at an ‘America’-themed CD three or four years ago,” says Sutton, whose vocal style has been described as “soft as silk and smooth as fine bourbon” by the Chicago Sun Times. Circumstances led the group in a different direction at the time, the result being 2009’s Desire, which earned the group its third consecutive Grammy nomination for Best Vocal Jazz Album.

      But the concept that gave ultimately gave rise to American Road stayed with Sutton and the band—Christian Jacob (piano), Kevin Axt (acoustic and electric bass), Trey Henry (acoustic and electric bass) and Ray Brinker (drums and percussion)—until, having spent countless days and nights traveling America’s roads and playing in her towns and cities, they were able to finally bring it to fruition. All of the arrangements on American Road were conceived by the entire band, which, said The New York Times, has “refined the kind of rapport that could only be achieved over time…providing a continuous flow of support, strength and inspiration.”
  • Playing as much of the 2011-09-12 Adds to the Jazz 88 Music Library...digging seeing Bill Frisell doing John Lennon, Joan Stiles new one, San Diego vocalist Sharon DuBois, and more!
  • We'll also be following any news about San Diego's Joshua White who is one of 3 finalists for the Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition being performed, judged, and awarded TONIGHT in Washington DC. Go Joshua!!

2011-09-12 Adds To The Jazz 88 Music Library

Blog Name:Jazz 88.3 Library Blog - New This Week

Blog Author:

Posted on:September 8, 2011

Here are the tunes we are adding to the Jazz 88 New section and library AND I will be featuring on The New Jazz Thing with Vince Outlaw this Monday, September 12, 2011 between 6 and 8 PM PT (in addition to interviewing Josh Nelson and Tierney Sutton who we added last week).

RAHSAAN BARBER (FB, @rjbsax)– “EVERYDAY MAGIC” (Young saxophonist, leading a group of young musicians, doing all original material).

Blogcritics (The Dirty Lowdown): This is a great debut for the label and a more than fine sophomore effort from Rahsaan and Everyday Magic. It may not be elevator music, but it is going nowhere but up.

SHARON DuBOIS (FB)– “HERE I AM” (Local vocalist, backed by local musicians, doing all original tunes.  Lots of overdubs of her voice).

San Diego Reader (Robert Bush): In its strongest moments, Here I Am floats along with a jazz-funk groove reminiscent of the 70s Crusaders, or, on some tracks, the sophisticated feel of 80s era Steely Dan. It takes a tight band to pull that off.

ECHOES OF SWING – “MESSAGE FROM MARS” (New takes on early swing classics.  Neo-swing, if you will).

The Jazz Society of Pensacola (Norman Vickers): This group combines the styles of small-group combos of the ‘20s and ‘30s with modern techniques with wonderful toe-tapping result.  There is a mix of jazz standards with their own compositions.  I’m also a fan of classics which are “swung.”  Three examples of this style are “Butterfly Chase” based on a Chopin Etude, Fritz Kreisler’s “Liebesleid: and Shostakovich’s “Gavotte.”

"Message from Mars" wins

PRIX DE L'ACADÉMIE DU JAZZ in Paris

and is awarded the

GERMAN RECORD CRITICS' AWARD

BILL FRISELL (FB, @BillFrisell) – “ALL WE ARE SAYING…” (Edgy guitarist, paying tribute to John Lennon, with interesting and faithful takes, on familiar tunes).

AllAboutJazz.com (Music and More by Tim Niland): In guitarist Bill Frisell’s liner notes to his most recent LP, he writes about being contacted to perform a special concert of John Lennon compositions. He and the band enjoyed it so much that they continued to tour, playing mostly of the music heard here to an excellent response, and then entered to studio to record. Overall this album works pretty well and could serve as an excellent gateway or conduit to fans of pop music that are interested in exploring jazz. The band understands that Lennon’s music speaks for itself, and with a few modifications they allow it to do so quite beautifully



YARON GERSHOVSKY - “STATE OF MIND” (Manhattan Transfer’s pianist, leading a trio, doing mostly standards, with the group guesting on one track, and Janis Siegel on another).

Earthworks Audio: A Summa Cum Laude graduate of Berklee College of Music, Yaron has launched his musical career touring with Pharoah Sanders, and recording with Wayne Shorter on his album “Atlantis”. Since 1979, Yaron has been the Musical Director and Pianist/Keyboardist for the world-renowned vocal group The Manhattan Transfer. Yaron’s work was featured on the Broadway stage as well.

ALLAN HARRIS (FB,@AllanHarris) – “OPEN UP YOUR MIND” (Male vocalist, backing himself on guitar, doing mosty originals.  Some track border on smooth jazz).

Powerderfinger Promotions: Always known as a singer’s singer, in Open Up Your Mind Harris also gets the opportunity to show off his deep songwriting talent while letting the music world know that he can hold his own on guitar. Harris has a rich history in the jazz world, CNN referred to him as one of the “three best male jazz vocalists in the country.”

PAMELA HINES – “LUCKY’S BOY” (Pianist, leading a trio, with vocalist April Hall, singing all Pamela’s originals).

CDBaby: Jazz pianist/ composer Pamela Hines presents nine new vocal jazz originals that are sure to be part of the contemporary American Songbook. Soulful and Blues- oriented April Hall puts her vocal stamp on these clever, fun and inspiring tunes. John Lockwood is on bass with Les Harris, Jr. on drums. The result is and outstanding selection of jazz music that is sure to make an impact with jazz fans.
Hines has made a solid contribution to the history of jazz piano with her seventh CD on the Spice Rack label and more works on other labels. She was a guest on Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland in 2000, thanks to a critically acclaimed debut CD in 1998 with Bob Moses, Rick McLaughlin, Darren Barrett and Jaque Swarz-Bart.

WYNTON MARSALIS (FB, @WyntonMarsalis), & ERIC CLAPTON (FB, @EricClaptonNews) PLAY THE BLUES” (More of an early-
swing style recording, with a old swing version of “Layla”).

JazzReview.com: Reprise Records captures the magic of these unprecedented shows from earlier this year on CD and as a CD/DVD combo that both feature selections taken from the two public concerts (April 8-9), as well a special performance for Jazz at Lincoln Center's annual gala (April 7). Marsalis says the group combined the sound of an early blues jump-band with the sound of New Orleans jazz to accommodate the integration of guitar/trumpet lead, a combination that gave the musicians the latitude to play different grooves, from the Delta to the Caribbean and beyond.

RENOLDS JAZZ ORCHESTRA (FB) – “THREE PENNY OPERA-LIVE IN AARAU” (All-star big band, playing Kurt Weill’s music from his most famous work).

FAME (Mark S. Tucker): As before, the band here includes honored vets Randy Brecker and Miroslav Vitous, though every member is a superior musician. Many are the solos and just as numerous the influences and stylings—catch the Brubeckian take on Instead of Song, f'rinstance. One is also as likely to encounter a ululatingly enthralling Pharaoh Sanders cum Anthony Braxton voicing (Wedding Song for the Poor) as the aforementioned Dave, with Freddie Hubbardisms, Steve Coleman inflections, and of course the personalities and mindsets of the players themselves tossed in for a constantly morphing landscape. Everything is a kaleidoscope of surpassing skill and coloration.

JOAN STILES – “THREE MUSICIANS” (Joel Frahm and Matt Wilson join her, in mostly progressive versions of familiar tunes).

Amazon.com: Three Musicians is NY-based pianist/composer, Joan Stiles' 3rd CD, a joyful, interactive outing with Joel Frahm (sax) and Matt Wilson (drums). The trio glides and grooves through various jazz styles in brilliant but accessible explorations of standards, show tunes, Monk, Strayhorn, Mary Lou Williams, and even some Beatles and Clapton. Highlights include collages on LOVE - My Funny Valentine meets Sunshine of Your Love and MONEY - Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? meets Can't Buy Me Love. Stiles' compositions - West End Boogie, a soulful, rhythmic blues, and the Gillespie/Dameron inspired Bebopicity add to the eclectic mix. Hurly-Burly (Stiles' last CD) garnered a 4-star Downbeat review and topped Jazz Week Radio charts.

SUSANNAH (Martin) & PABLO – “TROPICOS SUR” (Female vocalist, doing the great Brazilian songbook).

CUONG VU (FB)– “LEAPS OF FAITH” (Pat Metheny’s trumpeter, in a very progressive outing).

AllAboutJazz.com (C. Michael Bailey): The stark juxtaposition of the familiar with the chaotic deepens understanding of the melody. Vu introduces what he is trying to do with the familiar before venturing into the unfamiliar, to provide a better understanding of his vision. This music is the collision between the secure and consonant with the disruptive and dissonant: meaning it reflects real life, where there are no white picket fences, only chain-link ones protecting paradise.

ANDREA WOLPER (FB, @AndreaWolper) – “PARALLEL LIVES” (Female vocalist, singing a mix of standards and originals).

Critical Jazz: "Parallel Lives" is an evocative sound scape collection ranging from Broadway to jazz beatnik to bebop and it is this very proud collection of music that defies standard categorization that makes it so captivating to enjoy. "Parallel Lives" is a celebration of musical diversity at its very finest. A vocal master class for where jazz vocalists should be heading today!

Session Notes for Monday 9-5-2011

Blog Name:The New Jazz Thing with Vince Outlaw

Blog Author:

Posted on:September 5, 2011

A few notes for the show, Monday, September 5, 2011 6-8 PM PT...

2011-09-05 Adds To The Jazz 88 Music Library

Blog Name:Jazz 88.3 Library Blog - New This Week

Blog Author:

Posted on:September 2, 2011

Here's the new batch of music being added to the Jazz 88 Music library and playlist, debuting on The New Jazz Thing with Vince Outlaw on Monday, September 5, 2011 6-8 PM PT!

ROY ASSAF / Ronen Itzik / Jorge Roeder / Augmented Reality (FB, Reverbnation) – “AUGMENTED REALITY” (Pianist first session leading a trio. Mostly
orginals).

About.com (Jacob Teichroew): Augmented Reality is lush and yet subtle, and with a range of stylistic influences, it achieves a sophisticated, understated presence. It is exciting to imagine how the music will sound as the band grows more seasoned around it, begins to take bigger risks while continuing to use melody as its inspiration.

CHRISTIAN FABIAN – “WEST COAST SESSION” (Bassist, leading a core trio, with
all-star guests, doing straight-ahead originals and jazz tunes).

NICOLE HENRY (FB, @nicholehenryjazz, YouTube) – “EMBRACEABLE” (Female vocalist, doing a mix of standards,
blues and new tunes).

AllAboutJazz.com (Larry Taylor): With the release of her fifth album, Embraceable, vocalist Nicole Henry pleasingly brings together a range of styles—smooth and mainstream jazz, along with pop and gospel. Henry's stated mission with this record is to take large steps in new directions, and she accomplishes this with a sweet, accessible voice that serves up lyrical ballads, as well as dishing out large helpings of soulful blues and gospel.

JAKE HERTZOG (FB, YouTube) – “EVOLUTION” (Extreme electric guitar).

The Jazz Word: Jake Hertzog, now with a handful of recordings under his belt, is one of the very few prolific young guitarists to convincingly embrace the potential of blending a jazz and rock style of performing. What stands out in Hertzog's playing, aside from a comprehensive knowledge of his instrument, is a willingness, regardless of style, to put it all on the line.

TIM MAYER – “RESILIENCE” (Saxophonist, with many all-star guests, doing a
collection of straight-ahead jazz tunes).

Mitch's Muse: Mayer's platter swings from the get-go. A few tracks have additional players for a richer sound-a bit plush, a hair away from lush, with thoughtful yet vigorous arrangements in the vein of Tadd Dameron, Don Sebesky, and pre-1965 Gil Evans.

JOSH NELSON (FB)– “DISCOVERIES” (Pianist, leading a variety of configurations, doing
all but one straight-ahead originals).

Critical Jazz: Cerebral jazz? In an incredibly unique if not personal release, Nelson takes his appreciation for the writings of Jules Verne among others and transforms this literature into a conceptualized presentation of sonic imagery that lives and breathes on its own. An incredibly thoughtful organic pulse drives the forward motion of this sonic adventure with great care and artistic touch. Nelson's music is (for me) not Ipod friendly, no good jazz worth listening to is. "Discoveries" contains intricate and involved interplay between Nelson and his musical companions that is exciting, fresh and alive to the point where mere headphones could not possibly transfer the musical experience adequately.

BOB SHIMIZU (YouTube,  – “FIRST & MONROE” (Guitar-led contemporary jazz session).

CDBaby: On this outing, Bob Shimizu has shown real bravery by not allowing the influence of the Smooth Jazz broadcast idiom's whimsical rules or, the tradition and "commandments" of the Jazz Police to alter the musical vision. Bob Shimizu has simply recorded a true contemporary jazz record in the most honest sense and, most importantly, he's simply made great music!

TIERNEY SUTTON – “AMERICAN ROAD” (Female vocalist, doing a mix of show
tunes, gospel and Americana).

Critical Jazz: Organic but deep rooted in tradition this exquisite release is perfect from start to finish."...take on her own unique, slightly eclectic but incredibly accessible spin on the Great American Songbook thus releasing an almost instant classic."
Challenge Records: “We first started looking at an ‘America’-themed CD three or four years ago,” says Sutton, whose vocal style has been described as “soft as silk and smooth as fine bourbon” by the Chicago Sun Times. Circumstances led the group in a different direction at the time, the result being 2009’s Desire, which earned the group its third consecutive Grammy nomination for Best Vocal Jazz Album.

But the concept that gave ultimately gave rise to American Road stayed with Sutton and the band—Christian Jacob (piano), Kevin Axt (acoustic and electric bass), Trey Henry (acoustic and electric bass) and Ray Brinker (drums and percussion)—until, having spent countless days and nights traveling America’s roads and playing in her towns and cities, they were able to finally bring it to fruition. All of the arrangements on American Road were conceived by the entire band, which, said The New York Times, has “refined the kind of rapport that could only be achieved over time…providing a continuous flow of support, strength and inspiration.”

BILLY WHITE – “FIRST THINGS FIRST” (Straight-ahead octet, doing all originals).

AllAboutJazz.com (Dan Bilawsky): First Things First is as apt a name for a debut album as anybody could come up with. While this marks pianist Billy White's first leader date, he already has plenty of impressive musical experience under his belt: spending his college years earning a degree in ethnomusicology from UCLA; working with a jazz/hip-hop hybrid group Heezbus, while living in Paris; studying Gnawa trance music in Morocco; and writing some music for films. Eventually, the San Francisco native landed in Brooklyn, NY and began focusing his attention on writing and playing piano. This album is the fruit of that labor and it's rife with exciting compositions and strong group interplay.

CHIP WHITE – “More DEDICATIONS” (Drummer, leading an all-star band,
doing his originals, with a disc of poetry included).

CDBaby: This recording is Chip’s fourth as a leader and composer. The others are "Harlem Sunset" (Postcards, 1994), "Music and Lyrics" (Dark Colors, 2005), and "Double Dedication" (Dark Colors, 2008). The poems on Chip’s CDs come from his book of more than 100 poems for famous jazz musicians, "I’m Just the Drummer in the Band."

Session Notes For Monday 8-29-2011

Blog Name:The New Jazz Thing with Vince Outlaw

Blog Author:

Posted on:August 29, 2011

Tonight on the show....
Next week....
  • Ron Carter interview about "Great Big Band" and more!!! A Jazz Legend chatting with us!!

2011-08-29 Adds To The Jazz 88 Music Library

Blog Name:Jazz 88.3 Library Blog - New This Week

Blog Author:

Posted on:August 27, 2011

RON CARTER – “RON CARTER’S GREAT BIG BAND” (Bassist, leading a big band, and swinging
straight-ahead on many familiar tunes).

Critical Jazz: This is the first ever big band recording for the 74 year old Carter and he pulls this off as though this was his primary if not favorite means of musical expression. A smoking hot ensemble that swings with the kind of pop that would give the listener the impression this was a working ensemble years in the making.
Recent interview with Ron.
A photo of the band with arranger Bob Freedman.
bobfreedmanandtheband

ARMEN DONELIAN – “LEAPFROG” (Pianist, leading a quintet, doing all originals, very edgy).

AllAboutJazz.com (Dan Bilawski): While cohesion and individuality, by their very definitions, may seem to be at odds with one another, the music on Leapfrog reconciles these two opposing ideals without a problem. For his ninth date on the Sunnyside label, pianist Armen Donelian has together a program of strikingly modern originals that showcase the cutting edge talent and simpatico sensibilities of his band. Leapfrog proves to be light years beyond many other albums that wear the modern jazz label, because the individual contributions and the confluence of the group are of equal value, and Donelian deserves plaudits for balancing that equation and producing such a work.
 
KYLE EASTWOOD – “SCENES FROM THE CHATEAU” (Bassist, leading a straight-ahead session,
with funky undertones).

AllAboutJazz.com (Bruce Lindsay): yle Eastwood's career encompasses the writing of film soundtracks, as well as the life of a jazz composer, bandleader and bassist. On those seemingly rare occasions when he isn't working, Eastwood spends much of his time in France. Songs From The Chateau is his fifth album since 1998's debut, From There To Here (Sony), and his fourth for British Candid label. It finds Eastwood recording in the country he loves, at the 15th century Chateau Couronneau in the Bordeaux region. The range of styles is wide, demonstrating the influences from across the world that Eastwood has absorbed into his writing and playing. It's full of strong compositions from Eastwood, and virtuoso playing from every musician, but never feels forced, or competitive: no showboating, no unnecessary technical complexity.

FLUTEUS MAXIMUMS – “ONE SESSION-ONE TAKE” (Funky versions of many familiar songs).

CDBaby
: 16 songs were recorded in 4 hours, live, in a tiny, one room studio in northern California.
All songs were done in one take including Hammond B3 (dubbed in the same session).


BIELLO/WEYAND – “FOURTHOUGHT’ (A quartet, doing mostly originals. Way out sax solos deem it
appropriate for nights only).


DAN JACOBS QUINTET – “PLAYSONG” (Trumpet-led ensemble, doing a mix of tunes, straight-ahead).


JACOB FRED JAZZ ODYSSEY – “THE RACE RIOT SUITE” (Very progressive, way out there).

Interview with Chris Combs

JAZZ LINKS ENSEMBLE – “THE DRIVE” (Ensemble of the Jazz Institute of Chicago, doing a collection
of jazz tunes).

CDBaby: This two year labor of love features an ensemble of the next generation of jazz performers whose debut on this CD project is just the beginning. "The Drive" aptly titled after one of the original compositions on the CD, signifies what it takes to be a young jazz performer. The selected tunes exemplify the passion of these young musicians for this ageless music. Accompanied by Producer and Mentor for the project, Robert (Baabe) Irving, III; with Ari Brown and Corey Wilkes on some numbers, the performers not only had an opportunity to "shine" but to do so along-side world renowned Jazz artists.

VINCENT LYN – “HEAVEN BOUND” (Pianist, leading a variety of ensembles, doing an eclectic mix of
jazz, latin and classical).

AllAboutJazz.com (Edward Blanco):

Heaven Bound: indeed, what an appropriate choice of words to title pianist Vincent Lyn's project. The album is a wonderful collection of jazz, bossa nova, samba, Afro-Cuban rhythms and delicate classical interpretations. The fourteen-piece repertoire is an even blend of melody-rich originals and well-chosen, uncommon jazz standards. The music is engaging, sophisticated and highly pleasurable from start to finish, with no fillers, as every tune is a keeper and deserving of airplay consideration.

Lyn is an interesting professional, whose love for music does not really define the person behind it. Lyn is a martial arts expert—a Kung-Fu star and teacher with his own academy—a kickboxing champion, model and Hong Kong film star, with nineteen movies to his credit. But music has always been one of his first loves. and to that end Lyn honed his skills through studies at the renowned Boston Conservatory of Music, Yale University Music School and Manhattan School of Music.


FRANCISCO MELA & CUBAN SAFARI – “TREE OF LIFE” (Progressive session, featuring a couple of
vocals by Esperanza Spalding).
JazzTimes.comDrummer Francisco Mela presents his second release on Half Note, a tour-de-force featuring 10 newly conceived compositions. With the help of his band, Cuban Safari, Mela offers a passionate fusion of Cuban polyrhythms and propulsive modernism. Renown for his play with Joe Lovanoʼs Us Five, Mela and the full scope of his musicianship take center stage with an unexpected turn as a vocalist, duetting with pianist Elio Villafranca, and trading improvs with Special Guest Esperanza SpaldingTree Of Life is spirited evidence of Melaʼs distinguished place among young group leaders. 

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS ONE O’CLOCK LAB BAND – “LAB 2011” (Great college big band,
doing their annual showcase of talent).

JASON RASO – “THE RED ARROW” (Guitarist/bassist, leading a variety of ensembles in a straight-
ahead session).
EarShot (Shelley Gummeson)It has been said Jason Raso has a jazz head and a funk heart. The two have been introduced in The Red Arrow. Jay comments on the duality, “The head can sometimes play games and push you away from some things. I still want a groove and my hope is that those two sides continue to blend.”

GREG REITAN (FB)– “DAYBREAK” (Nice, straight-ahead, jazz piano trio).
Critical Jazz"Daybreak" is the third release for Reitan on the Sunnyside label whose artistry may be best compared as a musical frame of refernce to a cross between Keith Jarrett and Dave Grusin. Subtle nuances on a grand scale. This small yet mighty trio gives us something new with each subsequent spin of the disc. 

CLAUDIO RODITI – “BONS AMIGOS” (Nice straight-ahead release from this trumpeter, with brazilian
undertones).
AllAboutJazz.com (Andrew J. Sammut)Roditi's high note displays and mixing board effects sound as though he's smiling from behind the horn. He's having fun and is not out to impress. Claudio Roditi and his amigos don't have to worry about showing off, unless warmth, melody and humor sound intimidating.

ERNIE WATTS – “ALIVE” (Saxophonist, recorded live in Europe, with his quartet, doing originals and
couple of jazz standards).
ErnieWatts.com: (2004) Released on Watts' own Flying Dolphin label, ALIVE begins a new chapter for the artist. "This is my first recording where I had complete control," notes Watts, "All the creative decisions were mine, from the tunes to the final mix. That freedom produced this CD. It shows who I really am as a musician."

KENNY WERNER WITH THE BRUSSELS JAZZ ORCHESTRA – “INSTITUTE OF HIGHER
LEARNING” (Pianist, leading a mostly swinging big band session).
JazzTimes: "The Brussels Jazz Orchestra (BJO), led by founder and Artistic Director Frank Vaganée, once again reinforces its reputation as one of Europe’s premier big bands, a group that “manifests love,” according to Grammy-winning arranger Maria Schneider. Kenny Werner and the BJO have joined forces to create the perfect canvas for Wernerʼs lush compositions and arrangements. TheInstitute of Higher Learning features 5 tracks, among them the opening “Cantabile,” a three-movement suite showcasing Wernerʼs progressive touch. It was inspired by and dedicated to Bob Brookmeyer. Liner notes by Maria Schneider."

JACK WILKINS – “THE BLUE & GREEN PROJECT” (Saxophonist, doing great straight-ahead
interpretations of American roots music).
JazzLoftThis project involved researching Appalachian Mountain culture and environment as the inspiration for a series of new compositions, which combine the musical inspiration of American roots music—blues, gospel, jazz, mountain music, New Orleans traditions—with the subjective inspiration of Appalachian Mountains. Jack Wilkins is the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of South Florida in Tampa. An accomplished jazz saxophonist, he has released two CDs as a leader and appears as a sideman on a number of other jazz and commercial recordings.

Session Notes For Monday August 22 2011

Blog Name:The New Jazz Thing with Vince Outlaw

Blog Author:

Posted on:August 21, 2011

2011-08-22 Adds To the Jazz 88 Music Library

Blog Name:Jazz 88.3 Library Blog - New This Week

Blog Author:

Posted on:August 20, 2011

Here's what's going into the New section of the Jazz 88 Music Library this next week and will be debuted during The New Jazz Thing on Monday, August 22, 2011, 6-8PM PT...Tune In!!. It's all about the New!

LAILA BIALI (@LailaBiali, FB)- "TRACING LIGHT" (Female vocalist/pianist, with a straight-ahead mix of standards, obscure tunes and originals).

Israbox: "
Laila Biali has had quite a year – a new gig as backing vocalist with Sting, a new baby and now a new CD. Tracing Light is the third solo album for the Vancouver-raised, Toronto- and New York-based performer and composer."

NORMAN DAVID & THE ELEVENTET (FB)- "AT THIS TIME" (Large ensemble, doing all straight-ahead originals).

Free MP3
AllAboutJazz.com: "
David has been leading this group for a few years, and as they find their groove and release their first CD, At This Time (Norman David/Coolcraft, 2011), they are deservedly being heard all over the Delaware Valley and beyond. They deliver a relentlessly swinging and ear-popping sound while at the same time offering nuances, subtleties, and creative ideas that generate interest for the more serious listener. David's lightly leavened "emcee" persona is deceptive, dissimulating as a somewhat shy suburban outcast, with wry humor so bad that it's good. Thus, it's a shock at first to hear how well this band delivers its grooving sophisticated sounds. David, known also as a clarinetist, plays a mean soprano sax with this band, while contributing superb arrangements of originals and standards that evoke echoes of great predecessors (for example, the Maynard Ferguson band, as well as shades of Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, and the Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band, perhaps its closest ancestral cousin), while maintaining a distinct sound of its own. That sound has the precision, timing, and expression of a small group along with the dynamic energy of a big band."

SAMMY FIGUEROA (@congas88, FB, YouTube)& HIS LATIN JAZZ EXPLOSION - "Urbannature" (Jazzy latin, straight-ahead).

Digital Jazz News:
Sammy spent roughly two decades in New York working with the likes of Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins with whom he is currently touring. One day Sammy decided to roll the musical dice and he headed to South Florida. Figueroa landed firmly in the middle of one of the hottest Latin jazz scenes anywhere which naturally jump started his musical creativity which has earned the two Grammy nominations previously mentioned and with this release perhaps the third time will indeed be the charm!

MIKE GARSON (@MikeGarson, FB) - "THE BOWIE VARIATIONS" (Nice solo interpretations of the music of David Bowie, for whom Mike used to play).

Independent Ethos - Mike Garson talks about David Bowie Variations (interview with Hans Morgenstern: "
I had been thinking about the Bowie album for a very long time, and I was thinking of doing it as a jazz treatment with a band and guitar and sax, but that didn’t feel good. I was thinking of doing covers with a lot of great singers I worked with, and that didn’t fly for me. So each time I’d let it go for months and months. I even talked, 10 years ago, to Tony Visconti [a longtime producer of Bowie’s albums] about a concept, and he was into it, but some record company at the time, I don’t know who they were, they didn’t have the budget I was looking for, and I was not going to do it with a small budget. It had to be done right. Then, a good friend of mine who’s a journalist in France and also a singer/songwriter and has written a book on David Bowie, his name is Jérôme Soligny, he said, ‘Mike, the obvious thing is playing solo piano. Just play the music how you feel,’ and I said, ‘Jesus, why didn’t I think of something so simple?’” (laughs).So it’s a very honest album, Hans … because that’s all I do. I’m an improvising musician."

GIACOMO GATES - "THE REVOLUTION WILL BE JAZZ" (Vocalist, with straight-ahead interpretations of the music of Gil Scott-Heron).

Jazz Wax (Marc Myers):
You listen to this album and it could easily have been recorded Inside_guide_sm in 1964. Giacomo brings a Greenwich Village feel to this music—the summer strum of acoustic guitars in Washington Square, the gentle energy of Vespa scooters and the toy-like grind of the old VW Bug engine accelerating at a traffic-light change.

DONALD HARRISON / RON CARTER  / BILLY COBHAM (@GladBash)- "THIS IS JAZZ" (These three go pianoless, recorded live at The Blue Note).

Amazon.com:
For their second Half Note issue, the power trio of Donald Harrison, Ron Carter and Billy Cobham declare themselves spokesman for a kind of exploratory improvisation and interplay known only to seasoned jazz professionals. Staunch individualists all, they come together with a unified voice - at once steeped in jazz's richly variegated traditions yet forward-thinking in the cause of new creative expression. The group play here is all about a stylized vision of call and response, featuring guys with excellent listening skills and the means to keep the conversation compelling.

ROGER HUMPHRIES - "KEEP THE FAITH" (Drummer, leading mostly a quintet, in a straight-ahead session).

CDUniverse:
"It's not about me. It's about the music," says Roger Humphries. "I've had the idea to do this album for a long time. It was just a matter of getting the right tunes and the right flow." The album is entitled "Keep the Faith" and appropriately reflects Roger's deep and abiding respect for the musical gift he has and his ability to share that gift with others. His name and his musical reputation as a national and international icon are why we as a listening audience or fellow musicians understand Roger when he says, "It's about the music."

RUSS MULLEN AND THE JAZZ ASSOCIATES - "CITYSCAPE" (Mix of straight-ahead, contemporary and latin grooves).

CDBaby:
The CITYSCAPE album is like a musical tour through the neighborhoods of a major city. THE WALK is a jazz-rock piece with a catchy melody and a good beat. SPENDING TIME WITH YOU is an upbeat Bossa Nova with a good hook. You will find yourself singing this melody. GLIDING is a Jazz Waltz that is free-flowing similar to a bird soaring through the air. BAJA CALIENTE is Hot, Hot, Hot. This Latin Jazz piece makes you want to get up and dance. CITY LIGHTS is a Straight Ahead jazz piece that gives you the feel of going out for a night on the town. SANTA MONICA SUMMER is a Bossa Nova with a happy sound that feels a summer vacation. LONELY CITY has a haunting melody and beat. It gives you the feeling of being alone in a new city and not knowing anybody yet. BLUES FOR DARLENE is not really a blues but rather an upbeat Samba that is sure to have you dancing in your seat. WALKIN' THE PARK is just what the title says like a walk in the park. This Reggae-Swing piece will have you visualizing a day in the park with all of the families having picnics and enjoying the day. TIME SQUARE is like a trip back into the city with all the hustle and bustle you might find in Time Square. FUNKIT is a funk tune that sounds like it could have come out of the 70's, it's got a good strong beat that's sure to get you moving. LA CABANA is a Bolaro that was written on a beach in Mexico during a vacation.

SWINGADELIC (FB, YouTube) - "THE OTHER DUKE-TRIBUTE TO DUKE PEARSON" (Big band versions of Duke Pearson compositions).

AllAboutJazz.com (Dan Bilawsky):
Another Duke served as an A&R man for Blue Note records from 1963 to 1971, performed as a sideman on piano on a slew of recordings for the label during this period, wrote such classics as "Cristo Redentor" and "Idle Moments," and released a string of fabulous, but underappreciated recordings under his own name. This Duke often gets slighted or overlooked, but not this time." "The genesis for this project was bassist Dave Post's love for Pearson's music, but the entire band and its regular audience at Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey, had no trouble buying into the pianist's compositions, so an album-length tribute seemed to be in order."

CEDAR WALTON
(FB)- "THE BOUNCER" (Pianist, leading a quintet, in another solid straight-ahead session, doing mostly originals).

BBC (Martin Longley):
The Bouncer "is totally not a security guy," says Cedar Walton, the venerable 77-year-old Texan jazz-pianist who’s played beside John Coltrane, Max Roach and Art Blakey. This latest documentation of his art opens with a title-track that’s spirited and, yes, bounces along with a bright, airily optimistic swagger, rippling with ebullient horns. This is how Walton's using the term, and his description remains apt for the entire disc.

MIGUEL ZENON (FB, @MiguelZenon, YouTube )- "ALMA ADENTRO: THE PUERTO RICAN SONGBOOK" (Saxophonist, doing mostly latin tunes, with some orchestral backing).
Schedule: Playing UCSD in November!

AllAboutJazz.com (Dan Bilawsky)
: While calling somebody a "star" in jazz might seem like an oxymoron, when considering the lower-than-deserved profile of the genre on the national and international stages, Zenon fits the bill like few others. As of the recording of this 2011 album, Zenon, only in his early thirties, has already carved out a place as one of the defining saxophone voices of his generation. Having already received a Guggenheim Fellowship and MacArthur Fellowship (a.k.a. the "genius grant") at such an early age, some feel that he has been wrongfully fast-tracked in a genre where the experience of elders is usually prized over the enthusiasm and creative spirit of youth; but his solo albums and continuing work with the SFJAZZ Collective, as the only remaining charter member of that groundbreaking group, have confirmed how deserving he really is of all of the positive press, awards and honors that have been thrust upon him.


2011-08-15 Adds To the Jazz 88 Music Library

Blog Name:Jazz 88.3 Library Blog - New This Week

Blog Author:

Posted on:August 13, 2011

Here are the discs we are adding to the Jazz 88 Playlist and Library the week of August 15, 2011. Great to see San Diego represented well with new discs by Russell Bizzett and Candy Kayne / Sue Palmer, along with some personal favs like Avishai Cohen and Sam Yahel.

I will be debuting as much of this new as possible on The New Jazz Thing, Monday, August 15, 2011 between 6 and 8 PM PT, so tune in!!

JOHN BASILE (– “AMPLITUDE” (Guitarist, playing solo with overdubs, with a mix of
old & new standards and originals).

AllAboutJazz.com: Though initially intended as references for performances with perhaps another guitarist or instrumentalist, the process became so creatively challenging and intriguing, that I ultimately decided to seize this opportunity to overdub all the tracks in what made musical and conversational sense. Years ago, Bill Evans' Conversations with Myself was a great inspiration in this regard With the iPhone revolutionizing our pop-culture, I thought why not use it and see where it takes me?

RUSSELL BIZZETT
– “DREAM STREET” (Local trio, doing all standards, straight-
ahead).


AVISHAI COHEN (FB, @AvishaiCohen, YouTube) – “SEVEN SEAS” (Bassist, leading a straight-ahead session with
vocals, doing mostly vocalise tracks).

AllAboutJazz.com (NeNad Georgievski): Seven Seas is another exceptional chapter in the Cohen catalog, one that showcases a willingness to stretch itself to the breaking point and open up the music to a wider array of approaches. It is one of his most spontaneous recordings, with both disciplinarian and freewheeling sense of adventurous interaction. In general, there is a spirit of true exploration on his records which is also evident here, with adventurous improvisation added to that blend of Mediterranean melodies (with touches of Ladino/Judeo-Spanish heritage) and the art of jazz.

TIM COLLINS – “CASTLES AND HILLTOPS” (Vibraphonist, leading a quartet, doing
all but 2 originals, those 2 were written by Bjork and Tom Petty).


MIKE COTTONE
(@MikeCottone)– “JUST REMEMBER” (Trumpeter, leading a quintet, in a straight-
ahead outing).


GEORGE GILLIAM – “STEPPIN’ LIGHTLY” (Straight-ahead guitar trio).


JERRY GONZALEZ – ‘Y EL COMANDO DE LA CLAVE” (Latin jazz trumpeter, with
some vocal tracks, can also be played straight-ahead).


CANDYE KANE / SUE PALMER (FB, @SuePalmer_Piano, YouTube)– “ONE NIGHT IN BELGIUM” (The 2 ladies,
performing live).

Candy Kane and Sue Palmer's telepathic musical rapport (George Varga): Kane, a boisterous, sometimes bawdy singer, with a big voice and an even bigger heart, first began playing with ace pianist Palmer in 1991 at the Belly Up in Solana Beach. Their near-telepathic musical rapport was immediately apparent, fueled by their shared passion for blues, boogie-woogie, swing, jump-blues and other earthy American music styles.You can savor that rapport on the recently released “One Night in Belgium,” an intimate live duo album Kane and Palmer recorded in 1999 in Eeklo, Belgium.

CHUCK LOEB (@ChuckLoeb)– “PLAIN ‘N’ SIMPLE” (Smooth jazz guitarist, in a straight-ahead,

organ trio session, with some horns and vocals).

SmoothJazzDaily: Tweety Records is proud to present Chuck Loeb’s latest CD Plain ‘n’Simple, his seventeenth as a solo artist. It is an organ trio project, featuring Pat Bianchi on the keys and pedals, and Chuck’s fellow Fourplay band member Harvey Mason on drums. The CD represents a new direction for Chuck, while at the same time harkening back to his earliest influences as a jazz guitarist. From the beginning, he was drawn to the organ trio sound by his love for the early Wes Montgomery records, as well as the hallmark Jimmy Smith recordings of the 1960’s. The repertoire includes eight Loeb originals, two gems penned by Mason, and a couple of standards too. The music is swinging, funky, lush and exciting from note one, and stays that way to the very last drop. Chuck’s fans will find the excellence in playing, sound, and production that they have come to expect from him, as well experiencing a side of the artist that they may have never heard before.

LARRY VUCKOVICH – “SOMETHIN’ SPECIAL” (Pianist, leading a quintet, doing
jazz standards).

Amazon.com: Something Special, this newest offering from Larry Vuckovich, creates a strong 'Blue Note' flavor of soulful, swinging jazz. The selections reflect the pianist's important early influences, honoring the jazz masters who inspired him when he first began playing jazz. Vuckovich runs his deft fingers across the keys on some rare compositions, such as Horace Silver's languid Enchantment and Sonny Clark's Somethin' Special, the album's title track. He presents guest artist, classic tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton, in a slightly different light from Scott's past recordings. Hamilton shines as he plays compositions of the bebop masters, newly introduced to him, such as Dexter Gordon's Cheese Cake, as well as the Clark piece, and the funk classic of Ben Tucker's Comin' Home Baby. This studio recording developed out of a 2011 Northern California tour Vuckovich helped arrange for Hamilton.

WESTCHESTER JAZZ ORCHESTRA (FB) – “MAIDEN VOYAGE SUITE” (Big band
versions of Herbie Hancock tunes).

NYTimes.com (Philip Lutz)
: The recording made last month at Bennett Studios, “Maiden Voyage Suite,” will consist of original arrangements of tunes from Mr. Hancock’s 1965 album “Maiden Voyage.” The suite was enthusiastically received twice in concert, though it became a candidate for recording only when the orchestra won a $10,000 grant from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music. The award was announced last June. The recording session, Mr. Holober said, was “definitely overdue.”

SKIP WILKINS – “AFTER” (Pianist, following up his standards release, with an edgy
collection of originals).

Philly.com: The current Lafayette College jazz professor, who is relocating to Europe, says he made After for his grown children who had left home. The intuitive set with drummer Jeff Hirshfield and bassist Scott Lee projects a warm, rich tone and a questing vibe at times. The title track certainly produces righteous heat.

WARREN WOLF – “WARREN WOLF” (Vibraphonist, leading a straight-ahead
session).

The Urban Music SceneIt's no exaggeration to state that the release of Warren Wolf, the eponymous debut album for Mack Avenue Records by Warren Wolf, will make it as apparent to jazz fans as it already is to jazz insiders that the 31-year-old vibraphonist is the next major voice on his instrument. Joined by a unit of authoritative swingers (bassist Christian McBride, pianist Peter Martin, drummer Greg Hutchinson, alto and soprano saxophonist Tim Green, and, on two tracks, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt), Wolf offers a ten-piece program that admirably represents his singular blend of efflorescent chops, muscular attack, lyric sensibility, harmonic acumen, encyclopedic knowledge of hardcore jazz vocabulary, tireless groove and downright musicality. 

"I'm trying to bring forth what most cats did back in the day, coming out right at you swinging, nice and hard, not a lot of hard melodies or weird time signatures," Wolf says. "I like to play really hard, fast and kind of flashy. I like to take it to a whole other level."


SAM YAHEL – “FROM SUN TO SUN” (Pianist, playing organ on some tracks, doing
mostly originals. A little on the edgy side).

Origin REcords: After establishing himself as one of the world's foremost organists over the last decade, Sam Yahel showed off a new side in 2009 with a critically acclaimed piano trio recording that highlighted his broad musical interests and the dynamic interplay of his seasoned band. Now in their tenth year, bassist Matt Penman and drummer Jochen Rueckert again join Yahel as he engages with both the Hammond B3 and piano for an inspired album of fresh originals, and classics including "So in Love" and "A Beautiful Friendship." "...as elegant as anything you've ever heard from an organist. Larry Young would be proud." JazzTimes

2011-08-08 The Latest Adds To The Jazz 88 Music Library

Blog Name:Jazz 88.3 Library Blog - New This Week

Blog Author:

Posted on:August 8, 2011

Here are the new discs being added to the Jazz 88 Music Library for play starting Monday, August 8, 2011 and being debuted on The New Jazz Thing from 6 to 8 PM PT, Monday, August 8, 2011!

CHARLIE APICELLA & IRON CITY (FB)– “THE BUSINESS” (Guitar/organ ensemble, groovin’ straight-ahead to originals and jazz tunes).

AllAboutJazz.com (Greg Simmons): "In places it seems as much indebted to rock 'n' roll as to jazz, with Korzin pumping out solid grooves—playing with the same economy as Apicella, sticking with keeping time, but almost never throwing in so much as an accent roll. It's that restraint—the precedence of the group over the individuals—that makes The Business a good record. This is simple, toe-tapping, head-nodding music—mostly blues and R&B-based. It's not flashy or especially innovative, but it is fun, and that seems more to the point."

RICK BRAUN (FB, @RickBraun9, YouTube) – “SINGS WITH STRINGS” (Smooth jazz trumpeter takes a shot at singing standards, not bad) 

Allmusic.com (William Ruhlmann): There is a long tradition of jazz trumpeters putting aside their horns and singing into the microphone, dating back to Louis Armstrong and including Chet Baker, and Rick Braun belatedly joins this confraternity on Sings with Strings. " Braun certainly doesn't embarrass himself as a singer. He has a light, breathy tenor that marks him as a sort of little brother to Mel Tormé, and he is sufficiently assured to try a few note substitutions and time variation..." The album is not the revelation that Chet Baker Sings was, and it does not suggest that Braun should hock his horns. But it is a more than respectable side project.

DEEP BLUE ORGAN TRIO“WONDERFUL!” (@DeepBlueOrgan3o, FB) (Organ/guitar trio, swinging the tunes of Stevie Wonder).


The Jazz Word: "the disc is a toe tapping, swinging affair with nine interpretations of classic Wonder material, featuring the soulful renderings of guitarist Bobby Broom, organist Chris Foreman and drummer Greg Rockingham.Wonder's reputation as a master craftsman of melody and harmony has been secured for some time and jazz musicians recording his music is nothing new. What makes this recording stand out is the convincing and seemingly natural way the trio presents familiar pop tunes in a straight-ahead manner. The groovy swing heard on "If You Really Love Me" and "As" and the crawling ballad tempo of "My Cheri Amour" bring freshness to the material, enhanced by the band's signature, greasy allure. The dirty funk treatment given to the Wonder-penned hit for Rufus "Tell Me Something Good" is worth the price of admission."

ORRIN EVANS“FREEDOM” (@PosiTone) (Pianist, in a straight-ahead session, with a sax on 2 tracks, doing mostly originals) 

AllAboutJazz.com (Dan Bilawsky): "The music itself, despite a title that might indicate otherwise, is actually Evans most conventional output in quite some time. The spiky intensity of The Captain Black Big Band and the left-leaning, in-and-out esthetic of Tarbaby's work is nowhere to be found on this date. While Evans still injects his own personality into these pieces, his mission here is to honor others. Swing is a central element on a large number of the tracks, but it isn't all that Evans has to offer. Dewy balladry built with glacial grace (Evans' "Dita"), a rhythmically engaging workout on Shirley Scott's "Oasis," and an album-closing, solo piano take on Herbie Hancock's "Just Enough" all exhibit different sides of the indefatigable Orrin Evans."

SIR ROLAND HANNA – “COLORS FROM A GIANT’S KIT” (Previously unreleased solo piano collection of mostly originals).

JazzTimes.com (David Whiteis): "These selections were recorded during the 1990s and as late as 2002 by IPO’s Bill Sorin, before his label came into being. They showcase pianist Sir Roland Hanna, the label’s first artist, at the height of his powers. Hanna’s playing resonates with an authoritative, almost regal forcefulness yet it’s also graceful. Despite his deft technique, he never sacrifices meaning for display, and there’s a sense of joy and discovery at every turn—life-affirming melodic and harmonic richness, deep emotion without bathos." "Hanna brings to bear the full arsenal of his technical and imaginative gifts, yet his playing is infused with an emotional immediacy that cuts to the core of blues expression. A balance of strength and soul this effective was remarkably rare, and makes Hanna’s absence—he died in 2002—all the more unfortunate."

RANDY JOHNSTON – “PEOPLE MUSIC” (Random Acts Records FB) (Guitar/organ trio, doing originals and jazz tunes, with Randy singing on 2 tracks). 


NICK RUFFINI – “PRESSIN’ ON” (FB, @Nick_Ruffini, YouTube) (Drummer-led session, with guitarist Johnny DeFrancesco, again, an organ oriented sound…edgy).


RICHARD UNDERHILL (@richardunderhill, FB, YouTube) – “KENSINGTON SUITE” (Saxophonist, leading a variety of ensembles, doing all originals, on the edgy side, with 4 tracks featuring…you guessed it…the organ). 

JazzReviews.com (Samira Blackwell): "The unexpected, elastic sparkle of brilliance shimmers through every song - an endless tingle that dances down your spine and begs repeated listening over and again. Kensington Suite makes such contribution and Richard’s artistry positively equals the transcendent peaks made by Parker, Coltrane, Henderson and Brecker. This is jazz at its finest and being a veritable collector, I make no apologies for these comments."

TOM WOPAT (@tomwopat, FB, YouTube) – “CONSIDER IT SWUNG” (Former “Dukes of Hazzard” star, singing a collection of old and new standards and originals.  Well done).

JazzTimes.com (Christopher Loudon): Now, another five years having passed (since 2006 Harold Arlen tribute Dissertation On the State of Bliss), Wopat is back with Consider It Swung, a far more wide-ranging album. New York Times music critic Stephen Holden, whose knowledge of jazz and cabaret singers is likely unequalled, has aptly compared Wopat to the later-career Sinatra. His gravelly baritone is singularly engaging and, like Sinatra, he has an actor’s ability to fully embrace a lyric, digging to the roots of each song’s story. "...Wopat is equally, if not more, appealing when he ventures beyond the Great American Songbook. Bobbie Gentry’s delta mini-drama “Ode to Billie Joe” is particularly well suited to his story-weaving skills, as are Joni Mitchell’s wistful “2 Grey Rooms” and “You’d Rather Have the Blues,” Dave Frishberg’s delightfully cynical portrait of a perpetual pessimist. His bluesy retelling of Delbert McClinton’s “Maybe Someday Baby” is a first-rate scorcher that swings with Joe Williams gutsiness, his hazy reading of “Deacon Blues” is earthier than the Steely Dan original and there’s plenty of soulful swagger in his “A Natural Man.”