New Jazz Adds – 5/7/2018
New Jazz Adds – 5/7/2018
Joey Alexander – Eclipse (Motema): Fifteen year old Joey Alexander presents his fourth disc and it is delightful. Alexander’s piano flows and is beautifully joyful. He also composed six of the eleven songs and draws from compositions by Coltrane, Lennon and McCartney, Ray Noble and Bill Evans to fill out the disc. Most of the performance is a trio with Alexander being backed by Reuben Rogers (bass) and Eric Harland (drums). Joshua Redman (tenor sax) joins the group on three songs. This is a fine set throughout. Click here to listen to three songs from this disc.
Don Braden – Earth Wind And Wonder (Creative Perspective Music): Don Braden (tenor sax, flute and alto flute) offers a jazz tribute to the music of Earth, Wind and Fire and Stevie Wonder. His mission was to honor the original works while transforming them into straight up jazz takes and he has pulled it off beautifully. Supporting musicians include Brandon McCune and Art Hirahara (piano), Joris Teepe and Kenny Davis (bass), and Cecil Brooks III and Jeremy Warren (drums) with Kahlil Kwame Bell (percussion). This set is a complete success from beginning to end. Click here to listen to samples of some songs on this disc.
Tom Bruner – Homage To A Hero: Tom Bruner Plays The Ballads of Wes Montgomery (Gresco): Guitarist/arranger Tom Bruner offers this homage to the ballad performances of Wes Montgomery backed by a string orchestra. The result is lovely and certainly recalls the work of great guitarist. The covered songs include “Far Wes”, “In A Sentimental Mood”, “‘Round Midnight”, “Body And Soul” and many others. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this collection.
Kait Dunton – Triokait 2 (Self-produced): Composer/keyboard player and UVA Alum Kait Dunton offers her fourth release and the third of predominantly original pieces. Dunton shifts the feel of her material by moving from piano to Fender Rhodes to Wurlitzer and synthesizer, however the tone of this disc is overall rather mellow. The other members of the trio are Cooper Appelt (electric bass) and Jake Reed (drums, percussion). The range of tempos does shift significantly, but this disc is a far cry from the electrified jazz we hear more frequently these days and makes the music sound fresh. Click here to listen to a sample song from this disc.
Nick Finzer – No Arrival (Posi-Tone): Trombonist Nick Finzer is a rising star in the jazz world. Over time, he has concentrated on his composing and teaching, while doing a bit of recording when he can. This disc appears to be his second full fledged release as a leader. The music covers a range of styles from compositions by Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and Prince to four of his own originals. The players supporting Finzer are Lucas Pino (tenor sax, bass clarinet), Victor Gould (piano), Alex Wirtz (guitar), Dave Baron (bass) and Jimmy Macbride (drums). There are lots of style shifts and fine performances. When Finzer gets down on the trombone, his style really steps to the foreground. Click here to listen to Finzer’s version of Prince’s “The Greatest Romance Ever Sold” from this disc.
Tia Fuller – Diamond Cut (Mack Avenue): Saxophonist / teacher Tia Fuller holds degrees from Spelman College and the University of Colorado and, in addition to performing, is a full time professor at Berklee College of Music. This is Fuller’s fifth release and it is dazzling. She composed all but three of the compositions on this disc and covers a terrific range of styles with super fluidity and exquisite tone. Backing musicians are Jack DeJohnette and Bill Stewart switching off on drums, James Genus and Dave Holland (bass), Adam Rogers (guitar) and Sam Yahel (organ on two cuts). Click here to listen to the songs on this disc.
Benito Gonzalez – Passion Reverence Transcendence (Whaling City Sound): Pianist Benito Gonzalez leads a trio featuring Gerry Gibbs (drums, percussion) and Essiet Essiet (bass) in celebration of the art of McCoy Tyner. The first nine tracks are Tyner compositions and are followed by one of Tyner’s favorites, Coltrane’s “Naima” and then one original composition by each member of the trio. The performances are not imitations of the originals, but rather reflect the sensibilities of the current performers themselves and the results are terrific. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Erin McDougald – Outside The Soiree (Self-produced): Chicago’s Erin McDougald (vocalist, bandleader, composer-lyricist and producer) is often compared to Anita O’Day in terms of her style and arrangements. This would appear to be her fourth release since 2000. In addition to her own writing, McDougald transforms many well known songs into brand new interpretations that work with the lyrics in her own style and tempo. Supporting musicians on this disc are Dave Liebman (soprano & ten sax), Tom Harrell (trumpet, flugelhorn), Mark Sherman (vibes, percussion), Rodney Green (drums, cymbals), Chembo Corniel (percussion), Rob Block (piano, guitar), Dan Block (alto sax, flute, clarinet) and Cliff Schmitt (bass). Fans of a variety of jazz singers should definitely check this one out. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Jamie Shew – Eyes Wide Open (Self-produced): This is singer / teacher Jamie Shew’s third release. In addition to teaching at Fullerton (Vocal Jazz Styling and Improvisation courses, Music Theory, History of Rock and Roll and directing two groups in the award-winning vocal jazz ensemble program), she has been busy releasing her own discs. She is accompanied by Larry Koonse (guitars), Joe Bagg (piano, Hammond B3), Darek Oles (bass) and Jason Harnell (drums). She has a direct and rather mellow vocal style and focuses on the lyrics and getting the message across. I regret I am unable to find a sample from this current disc. Click here to listen to samples of her previous release.
Leo Sidran – Cool School (The Music Of Michael Franks): Leo Sidran has numerous releases over the years under his own name or as a member of a group. He sounds a good deal like his father musically, but not as loose. This disc is a tribute to Michael Franks, who wrote all of the songs on the disc. It’s a nice tribute, but doesn’t add much to the originals. Nonetheless, it could serve as a fine introduction to both Sidran and Franks. Click here to listen to a duo by the two on the title song.
Alister Spence / Raymond MacDonald – Sound Hotel (Self-produced): Alister Spence (piano) and Raymond MacDonald (alto, soprano sax) performed and captured this disc in a single performance. As the liner notes describe it,“Sound Hotel focuses and extends the mesmerising, sympathetic, detailed sound world that MacDonald and Spence began to explore in their first release, Stepping Between the Shadows (Rufus Records RF095, 2013). Sound Hotel demonstrates the commitment, depth and development in the musical relationship of this duo since their first collaboration over 10 years ago.” (https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/alisterspence2) This is a challenging performance. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Joanne Tatham – The Rings Of Saturn (Cafe Pacific): Vocalist Joanne Tatham offers her fourth disc, a collection of standards such as Donaldson and Kahn’s “Love Me Or Leave Me”and Van Heusen and Burke’s “It Could Happen To You” to more modern songs from Michael Franks’ “Summer In New York”, Phoebe Snow’s “Poetry Man”, Todd Rundgren’s “Can We Still Be Friends?”, Stephen Sondheim’s “Anyone Can Whistle” and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Jazz ’n’ Samba”. She is supported by Max Haymer (piano), Lyman Medeiros (bass), Dan Schnelle (drums), Larry Koonse (sax), Bob Swartz (trumpet), Kevin Winard (percussion) and Marcel Camargo and Dan Schnelle (guitar). There is a nice variety of material and Tatham handles the vocals with style and expressiveness. Click here to listen to the songs on this disc.
Kopasetically,
Professor Bebop
