New Jazz Adds – 1/3/2017
New Jazz Adds – 1/3/2017
Willie Bobo – Bobo’s Beat (Roulette Jazz): This is a reissue of timbales/percussionist Willie Bobo’s early recordings as a leader. Having played and recorded with Tito Puente, Cal Tjader and Herbie Mann, Bobo signed a deal with Roulette Records and these sessions from 1962 and 1964 feature Clark Terry (trumpet), Joe Farrell (tenor sax), and Frank Anderson (piano, organ) among others. The beat certainly shifts the sound to the Latin zone with the jazzers adding a “middle of the road” hybrid with pop and jazz. Bobo would, of course, record with many jazz greats, including Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock, during the 60s and 70s. The sound is very pleasant, while rather dated. That being said, it is a harbinger of things to come. Click here and scroll down to listen to samples from this recording.
George Burton – The Truth Of What I Am > The Narcissist (Inner Circle Music): This disc is diverse and strikingly compelling. The music is all composed and performed by Burton (piano, Rhodes) and the rhythm section features Noah Jackson (bass) and Wayne Smith, Jr (drums). Other musicians are added in varying groupings: Terell Stafford (trumpet, 1 track); Jason Palmer (trumpet, 3 tracks); Tim Warfield (tenor, soprano sax, 6 tracks); Chris Hemingway (alto sax) and Ilan Bar-Lavi (guitar) together on 3 different tracks. The group bops well, swings and covers quite a variety of styles with amazing skill and unity, while allowing for significant improvisation. The title relates to a quote from Charles Mingus: “In my music, I’m trying to play the truth of what I am. The reason it’s difficult is because I’m changing all the time.” Click here to listen to a song from this disc.
Marc Hannaford – Knuckleball (Gold Bolus): Knuckleball is a jazz trio based in NYC that features Marc Hannaford (piano), Daniel Levine (trumpet) and Devin Gray (drums). They describe their style as “…dynamic and unpredictable. Daniel Levine’s compositions are often dense, fully-notated miniatures, which the group skillfully de-and-reconstructs. There is plenty of structure in the pieces, but the trio interprets it non-linearly, drawing on it as material for improvisation.” That does mean it can be difficult listening at times. Nonetheless, this is an intriguing performance. Click here to listen to the songs on this disc.
Peter Kavanaugh – Look For The Silver Lining (Self-produced): Guitarist Peter Kavanaugh focuses on songs from the American songbook (Kern, DeSylva, Arlen, Koehler, Rodgers and Hart) and adds a couple of pop classics (“Sunny” and “Our Day Will Come”), then finishes up with an original composition. Kavanaugh has a swinging and melodic style and his accompanying players support him well. That includes Paul Eckman (bass); DJ Bonebrake and Mark San Filippo (trading of and on on drums); and Jonathan Dane (trumpet), Kayle O’Donnell and Javier Vergara (sax) with David Tobocman (electric piano) stepping in and out of the set. All in all, this is a lovely set, well served by the variety of styles. Click here to listen to the songs on this disc.
Bill Laurance – Live At Union Chapel (Verve): Keyboard player Bill Laurance (Snarky Puppy), presents this concert with the backing of bandmates Michael League (bass) and Robert “Sput” Searight (drums) with a full string section, French horn, and percussionist Felix Higgenbottom. In doing so, he cuts a wide swath of sounds from acoustic to electronic. The audience thoroughly enjoyed this melodic melange. Click here to listen to and watch a selection from this performance.
Azar Lawrence & Al McLean – Frontiers (Cellar Live): Boppers awake! Tenor sax players Azar Lawrence and Al McLean turn it loose on this new release. Lawrence, once a student of Elvin Jones, was invited to join McCoy Tyner’s quintet on tour in the early 70’s. He was nineteen and jumped at the chance. He met McLean at a jam session in Harlem in 2012 and was immediately invited to continue the association. Their musical relationship is supportive while it’s also competitive, making each play at his best. The band is filled out by Adrian Vedady (bass), Paul Shrofel (piano) and Greg Ritchie (drums). Lawrence contributes two originals, McLean one and the remaining songs are essential bop classics from Coltrane, Monk and Freddie Hubbard. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Charles Lloyd – The Call (ECM): This is a 1993 recording by Charles Lloyd (tenor sax) featuring Bobo Stenson (piano), Anders Jormin (bass) and Billy Hart (drums). Lloyd describes it as follows: “In 1966, when I was a young man journeying in the South of France, a group of mystics with saxophones initiated me into their society…They took me to the gravesite of one of their own, Bechet, who had died there in exile….Their leader said: ‘Take that boy under your wings – because if he keeps stirring this soup, one day he’ll have something.’ …I don’t know if I have something, but I do know that during this recording they were there.” Moody and, at times, reaching farther out. Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Jeff Oster – Live! (Retso): This is a live performance by West Coast brass man Jeff Oster (flugelhorn, trumpet, percussionist) with his funky jazz crew: Michael Manring (bass); Celso Alberti (drums, loop programming); Frank Martin (keyboards); Todd Boston (guitar); and guests Jeff Taboloff (sax on 3 songs); Melissa R. Kaplan (vocal loops on one song) and Roberta Donnay (vocals on one song). His style has at times been referred to as “Miles Davis meets Pink Floyd” and it is jazzy and electric with a dash of funk. This is an enjoyable set serving up it’s own recipe for this style. Click here to listen to the songs on this disc.
Phil Parisot – Lingo (OA2): Drummer Phil Parisot has been performing professionally for the past 15 years and now offers his second disc as a leader. His current group includes Steve Treseler (tenor, soprano sax), Dan Kramlich (piano, Fender Rhodes), and Michael Glynn (bass). The disc includes seven original compositions and the group glides through them, regardless of the stylistic shifts. Parisot is an inventive drummer and the hard bop blends are especially successful. Click here to listen to samples of some of the songs on this disc.
rallidae – turned, and was (Self-produced): This group has a unique and interesting aspect to their performance: everyone of the group members are singers and four of the five are musicians and the performance is a melange of both. The vocals are often designed just as horn parts would be and the instruments often harmonize with the vocals. The group includes Angela Morris (tenor sax, vocal), Alex Samaras (vocals), Dustin Carlson (guitar, vocal), Scott Colberg (bass, vocal), and Nico Dann (drums, vocal). I found the segments in which the vocals harmonize as an ensemble to be the most striking aspect of the performance. I’m not sure this approach is totally successful, but this disc is clear evidence that it can be. Click here to listen to the songs on this disc.
Harry Wilson – Harry Wilson (Self-produced): Fredericksburg’s vibraphonist Harry Wilson leads his group through five original tunes of “straight ahead jazz”. That is definitely an apt description. Other group members include John Buck (bass), Brian Barbre (drums), Steve Rabson (piano), and Larry Hinkle (ukulele) and occasional singers Karen Young and Mark D. The jazz is straight ahead, flowing and interestingly unique in style. BTW, Wilson formerly played and recorded with the Sun Ra Arkestra. This music is more earthbound, but still somewhat unique. Click here to listen to a song from this disc.
Rik Wright’s Fundamental Forces – Subtle Energy (Self-produced): Guitarist Rik Wright has been leading this group for five plus years, refining their concept of fusion to include jazz with rock in a way that jazz has the upper hand with a more fundamental sound and like the title of one of the songs here, a “Subtle Energy”. In addition to Wright on guitar, the group includes James DeJoie (clarinet, bass clarinet), Geoff Harper (bass), and Greg Campbell (drums, percussion). The sound comes from familiar territory but clearly establishes its own identity. Click here to listen to the songs on this disc.
Kopasetically,
Professor Bebop
