jazz adds april 18, 2016
By Ann Porotti
restroy. saturn return. milk factory. If you play just one thing from this week’s new adds, make it restroy‘s saturn return; local folks growing beautiful, inventive music. every track is a winner, though 11 eggrolls + chris&cathybffs4evevahever made me smile. the big cast includes leader/bassist chris dammann; nick anaya, tenor; james davis, trumpet; catherine monnes, violin/cello; gina sobel, flute; tim stine, guitar; daniel richardson + dylan andrews sharing drums; loren oppenheimer, tablas; matt wyatt, electronics.
bill charlap. notes from new york. impulse. Old school in the sense that this trio led by pianist bill charlap–with peter washington on bass, and kenny washington@drums–has been together twenty years. the playlist is discreet NYC glamour– like the bergman’s make me rainbows, warren/gershwin’s there is no music from fred & ginger’s barkleys of broadway, plus too late now from jane powell & astaire’s (again) cinematic romance royal wedding. terrific liner notes by vocalist carol sloane–though this is pure elegant instrumental.
adison evans. hero. aditone. Alto/baritone youngster (25 years) adison evans shows confidence and style in her debut–thanking her inspirations by covering their work: beyonce (blue) for whom evans played during the on the run tour; steve wilson (the epicurean), her saxophone mentor; stevie wonder (ribbon in the sky), her idol. great band: matthew jodrell, trumpets; mathis picard, piano; dan chmielinski, bass; roberto giaquinto@drums; melanie charles, vocals on blue, mama + do what’s best…
andy brown. direct call. delmark. Chicago guitarist with nuanced technique, andy brown plays alone ( soloist, 2015), or here with his working quartet: phil gratteau@drums; jeremy kahn, piano, joe policastro, bass. a fixture at the legendary Green Mill jazz club, brown conveys the warmth of joe pass, technique of george van eps…especially in vigorous cues like catch me, el cajon, and the django-based appel direct.
leslie pintchik. true north. pintch hard. Jazz pianist presides over a playlist weighted with her originals but showcasing several insightful covers–mancini/mercer’s charade; lennon’s imagine, and a live for all we know. band features steve wilson, alto & soprano; ron horton, trumpets; bassist scott hardy; michael sarin@drums; satoshi takeishi, percussion.
the new mastersounds. the nashville sessions. royal potato family. Funk & soul band from Leeds, U.K., dropped into the Welcome to 1979 Nashville studio and recorded this best-of-career collection. the new mastersounds–in business since 2000–are eddie roberts, guitarist & producer; simon allen@drums; joe tatton, B-3; pete shand, bass. their release comes as a 1000 vinyl record run now, and digital release in early summer. if you want to see them live, they play at The Broadberry, in RVA on April 26 with moon hooch opening. (homemade cd is in new drawer.)
yellowjackets. cohearence. mack avenue. Jazz fusion group, originally LA session musicians and named the robben ford group; current iteration features original member russell ferrante on keys; plus bob mintzer, saxophone; william kennedy@drums; and Australian bassist, dane alderson. my fav is eddie’s in the house, perhaps for eddie harris.
matt criscuolo. the dialogue. jazzeria. Quartet performance by saxophonist/leader matt criscuolo plays like a dialogue between him and the guitarist tony purrone. playlist mixes ellington, shorter, coltrane with criscuolo/ purone’s originals. with will calhoun@drums; dave anderson, bass.
steve wiest & the phrontrange. the high road. blujazz. Trombonist/composer steve wiest demonstrates his extroverted reputation in this almost all originals playlist for a small big band. with eric gunnison on piano; mike abbot, guitar. wiest came out of the UNT @Denton, and embraces their signature chart stylistics.
george coleman. a master speaks. smoke sessions. Smooth as silk, tenor saxophonist, george coleman shows off his blues/r&b roots as well as his rich command of bop innovation. he is, after all, on miles’ seven steps to heaven. mike ledonne on piano; bob cranshaw, bass; george coleman,jr @drums.
marty elkins. walkin by the river. nagel hayer. Chill jazz vocalist who still can swing , marty elkins began in Boston, gigging with pianist dave mckenna. now based in NYC, her latest release for German nagel heyer, generously jumps into a dozen beauties from the American song book. terrific work from howard alden, guitar; joel diamond, B-3; steve ash, piano; lee hudson, bass; taro okamoto@drums.
karl latham. living standards. dropzone. Time travel with iconic 60’s-70’s pop classics performed in a restrained jam band format. drummer & producer karl latham teams up with vic juris on guitar, and the ever-brilliant mark egan on electric bass to flesh out cinnamon girl, the two whites- rabbit and room, riders on the storm.… and more. a sleeper!