New Jazz Adds – 7/18/2017
New Jazz Adds – 7/18/2017
JD Allen – Radio Flyer (Savant): Tenor sax player JD Allen has a unique style of open and somewhat derivative playing, which borders on free jazz, but only in fringe way. Nonetheless, the fringe is where this disc lives. Allen’s history includes a lengthy tenure with Betty Carter and work with legends Lester Bowie, George Cables, Ron Carter, Louis Hayes, Frank Foster Big Band,Dave Douglas, Cindy Blackman, David Murray, Wallace Roney, Rufus Reid, and Geri Allen. Allen composed all of the pieces on this disc, his fifth. Supporting musicians include Liberty Ellman (guitar), Greg August (bass) and Rudy Royston (drums). The group is tightly in tune with each other, creating an inventive and accessible set, just right for those ready to take a listen just beyond the mainstream. Click here to listen to the title track.
Ben Allison – Layer Of The City (Self-produced): Bassist Ben Allison is a composer, educator and founder of the Jazz Composers Collective and a member of the Teaching Artists Collaborative, which brings musical instruction to students in Harlem schools and assisting them to compose their own music. He has also released numerous recordings over the past twenty years. This disc features seven original compositions by Allison and features Jeremy Pelt (trumpet), Steve Cardenas (guitar), Frank Kimbrough (piano) and Allan Mednard (drums). The songs create a varied soundscape, from moderately straight ahead jazz to electronically and harmonically reaching outside of the realm of standard jazz. At times, it’s dreamy or spacey with short touches of soft psychedelia. That being said, this music is quite approachable and it is always beautifully performed. Pelt’s trumpet is often reminiscent of Miles Davis in the era of “In A Silent Way”. Click here to listen to the title song.
Francesco Buzzurro & Richard Smith – One World, Two Guitars (Self-produced): Though guitarists Francesco Buzzurro and Richard Smith have been performing guitarists for some time, this is their first collaboration as a duo. The two acoustic guitars blend ever so wonderfully as they shift from their own compositions (two from each) to covers ranging from jazz classics like Chick Corel’s “Spain” and Herbie Hancock’s “Cataloupe Island” to Pat Metheney’s “Phase Dance” and Joe Zawinul’s “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy”. They even include covers of Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely” and Pete Townsend’s “Pinball Wizard”. Their performance is delightful and full of joy. Click here and click the arrow to listen to samples of the songs on this disc. Click once and it will move from one song to the next automatically.
Kellye Gray – Rendering / Standards In Gray (Grr80010): Kellye Gray began her singing career over 25 years ago, singing standards and re-interpreting such jazz greats as “All Blues”. She has a full and expressive voice and strong control with a touch of road wear these days. This particular set features a currently produced disc and a copy of her first release, “Standards In Gray”, recorded in 1990. Backing on the current disc is provided by Pamela York (piano), David Craig (bass), Andre Hayward (trombone), Sebastian Whittaker (drums), and Warren Sneed (sax). The second and earlier disc also featured Whittaker and Sneed and is a great addition to this set. It truly shows off her voice in full flower. Make no mistake, she is a jazz singer throughout both discs regardless of her age and she has made adjustments to maximize each point in her vocal life. She has a lot of style. The remaining musicians on the earlier are Dwight Sills (guitar), Dave Catney (piano), Tom Anastacio (bass). This release is unreservedly recommended for fans of jazz vocals. Click here and scroll down to listen to the songs on both discs. Note: the newer performance is songs 1-9 and the remainder makes up her first performance.
Allen Hinds – Fly South (Self-produced): Jazz rock guitarist Allen Hinds offers his melange of guitar styles on his fourth disc as a leader. He composed all songs on the disc and provides all of the guitar playing. Hinds crosses through a wide variety of styles, but the performances are truly a mixture of styles forming a hybrid. There are moments that lean more strongly toward rock or jazz rock, but the sound here is highly blended. Backing musicians include Matt Rohde (keys), Abe Laboriel or Jimmy Johnson (bass) and Vinnie Colaiuta (drums) with one vocal appearance each by Rogerio Jardim, Genevieve Artadi, and Maxayn Lewis. Hinds is a fluid and commanding player. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Bruce Jackson – Just Left Of Center (Southpaw): This is Jackson’s second disc as a leader and it is solidly focused on the hard bop side of jazz. The performances are straightforward with some nice beats and a feeling of a cafe band from some years ago – steady and nothing too fancy. In addition to Jackson on drums, the band includes Mike Mullan (tenor, alto sax), Bob Himmelberger (piano) and Steve Varner (bass). Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Barbara Morrison – I Wanna Be Loved (Savant): Having worked as a singer with Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson and Johnny Otis in the 1970s, Barbara Morrison became a fan and devotee of Ella Fitzgerald. She, like Ella, had a passion for the great American songbook. On this disc, Morrison tackles several selections from that list, including “I Wanna Be Loved”, “Skylark” and “September In The Rain” with a few side steps like “Perdido” and “Work Song”. Morrison’s voice is not what it once was, most noticeably in her reduced range, but on a song like “When Sunny Gets Blue” she sounds terrific. Morrison is supported by Houston Person (tenor sax), Stuart Elster (piano), Richard Simon (bass) and Lee Spath (drums). Click here to listen to a song on this disc.
William Parker Quartets – Meditation / Resurrection (Aum Fidelity): Often looking for a new experience, composer/bassist William Parker decided to record in two quartet settings on the same day. Parker composed and plays on all of the songs on this set, giving himself the challenge of recording with “two systems of music on the same day”. Group one features Jalalu-Kalvert Nelson (trumpet) while the second features Cooper Moore (piano) as lead instrumentalists. The trio supporting each includes Rob Brown (alto sax), William Parker (bass) and Hamid Drake (drums). The trumpet – alto connection is really tight on the first disc and is generally more centered on melody and drive, though there are some outside sections. The second disc starts in a more adventurous vein from the beginning. Both Parker and Brown head for the edges right off on this one. It’s more challenging than the first disc, but not as challenging as some of his work. Click here to listen to a series of samples from each disc.
Errol Rackipov Group – Distant Dreams (OA2): Marimba/vibraphonist/composer Errol Rackipov studied with Gary Burton while at Berklee and also holds a Masters from the University of Miami. He composed all of the songs on this disc. The group includes Lubomir Gospodinov (tenor, soprano sax), David Leon (alto sax), Martin Bejerano (piano), Peter Slavov (bass) and Ludwig Afonso (drums). Burton describes this disc, Rackipov’s second, as “a real triumph from the great original compositions to everyone’s performance. It is both delightful and engaging. The band simply glides together throughout this journey.” So, if Gary Burton’s word isn’t enough for you, click here to watch and listen to samples of four performances from this disc.
Scenes – Destinations (Origin): Veteran trio Scenes have performed together for 15 years and the melding of their individual and trio play is wonderful. Everyone has a voice and they blend together beautifully. This is their fifth release. The players are John Stowell (guitar), Jeff Johnson (bass) and John Bishop (drums). Stowell composed five songs and Johnson two and the covers are Miles Davis’ “Solar”, Tommy O’Donnell’s “Psalm” and Schwartz and Dietz’ “You And The Night And The Music”. New variety and wonderful originals. Melodic and moving and an unqualified “must” for trio fans. Click here to listen to samples of the first two songs on this disc.
David S. Ware Trio – Live In New York, 2010 (Aum Fidelity): This live performance by David S. Ware took place two years before his passing. He played his antique stritch (straight saxophone, also tenor sax) for the occasion. Ware was a part of the experimental musicians like David Murray, Sam Rivers and Arthur Blythe among others who sought to expand the expressive nature of jazz through atonal and other experimental approaches. He was accompanied on this performance by William Parker (bass) and Warren Smith (drums). The music is intense. Click here to listen to a stream of excepts of this performance.
Ken Wiley – Jazz Horn Redux (Krug Park Music): Wiley’s first acoustic Jazz CD, “Jazz Horn Redux”, features West Coast musicians including Bob Sheppard (tenor, soprano sax), Mike Miller (guitar), Chuck Findley (trumpet), Gary Grant trumpet, flugelhorn), Dan Higgins (flutes, alto, tenor, soprano sax), Luis Conte (percussion), Kendall Kay (drums), Wally Minko (acoustic, electric piano) and Trey Henry (bass). The group performs songs from Freddie Hubbard (“Little Sunflower”); Milt Jackson (“Bag’s Groove”); Miles Davis (“All Blues”, Freddie Freeloader”); and many other primetime greats. It’s all a very pleasant and swinging affair. You won’t hear much that’s new here, but it is very nicely played. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Kopasetically,
Professor Bebop
