New Jazz Adds – 10/23/2018

New Jazz Adds – 10/23/2018

Jon Batiste – Hollywood Africans (Verve): Composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist Jon Batiste offers his most recent disc with five original compositions and various other performances of styles as broad as several standards including “What A Wonderful World”, “Saint James Infirmary Blues”, “The Very Thought Of You” and “Smile” and his interpretation of Frederic Chopin’s “Chopinesque” and his own “Nocturne No. 1 In D Minor”. There is obviously a wide range of styles and sounds from solos to accompaniment varied by many different musicians. I found this to be highly infectious and if you are fond of New Orleans or its near musical kinfolks, you will certainly want to check this out. Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.   

Bobby Broom & The Organi-sation – Soul Fingers (Clean Sweep Music): Veteran guitarist Bobby Broom most enjoys reshaping various songs – whether jazz or pop – into different instrumental entertainments. He has released a half dozen discs so far. This disc offers exclusively pop or rock songs, such as “Come Together”, “Ode ToBilly Joe”, “Summer Breeze”, “Get Ready” and “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”, among others. His intention is to offer a slightly new and enjoyable version of the original. He is accompanied by Ben Patterson (Hammond B3) and Kobie Watkins (drums, on all but 2 songs on which Steve Jordan takes over the kit); and guests Justin “Justefan” Thomas (vibes, 1 song); Sergio Pires and Luciano Antonio (acoustic guitars); Andrew Toombs (melodica); and Filipe Fraga (percussion). Broom also plays bass on one track. The disc is in the easy listening category mostly. Click here to listen to a sample of the opening song, “Come Together”.   

Cyrus Chestnut – Kaleidoscope (HighNote): Cyrus Chestnut offers his 23rd release, his fourth for HighNote, and it is a wonderful performance from beginning to end. While most of the selections are drawn from the classical world, such as Claude Debussy (2), Eric Satie (4), Ravel (1) and Mozart (1), Chestnut also performs “Darn That Dream”, “Lord I Want To Be A Christian” (spiritual), Deep Purple’s “Smoke On The Water” and two of his own compositions. Chestnut is accompanied by Eric Wheeler (bass) and Chris Beck (drums) on all but two tracks which are solos. Gorgeous from beginning to end. Click here, scroll down and click on “Golliwag’s Cakewalk” to listen to the opening track.   

Xavier Davis – Rise Up Detroit (Detroit Music Factory): Keyboard player Xavier Davis (piano, Rhodes) offers a set of original compositions guaranteed to connect the somewhat exotic mix of his own keys and rhythm section, Quincy Davis (drums) and Rodney Whitaker (bass), with an exquisite string section, including Regina Carter and Brad Phillips (violins); Leslie DeShazor (viola), and Nancy Chaklos (cello). The mix is lovely, unique as the players float across typical boundaries. The sound is” around the corner”, yet still quite accessible. As Davis explains, “When I think of a lot of my favorite recordings, John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme,’ Miles Davis’s ‘A Kind of Blue,’ they had concepts to them that tied the whole record together….My previous recordings, I would go into the studio first and then later think through it to discover what tied the music together. With this record, I went in already understanding what the connections were.” (http://www.detroitmusicfactory.com/artists/xavier-davis-rise-up-detroit) Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.      

Aaron Goldberg – At The End Of The World (Sunnyside Communications): Aaron Goldberg is a dazzling pianist whose philosophy about jazz is that it is supposed to be different each time it is performed and that is it’s magic. Ironically, the creation of recordings is contrary to that belief, but this recording was different than prior versions recorded or not. He obviously also prefers a wide span of styles as well. This disc begins with “Poinciana”, covers songs such as Bobby Hutcherson’s “Isn’t This My Sound Around Me” and “When You Are Near”, McCoy Tyner’s “Effendi”, and “Black Orpheus” among two of his own compositions. The supporting musicians are Matt Penman (bass) and Leon Parker (drums, vocal percussion and “EmbodiRhythm”). Unique but not crazy! Certainly recommended! Click here to listen to one song from this disc.    

Connie Han – Crime Zone (Mack Avenue): This is pianist Connie Han’s first release. She describes her preparation: “Learning the piano as a child was a gift. By the time I became interested in jazz at the age of 14, I had great technical proficiency on my instrument allowing me to focus all of my energy on the more sophisticated elements of jazz music. More importantly, I was able to tackle the social equation of learning how to play with others. It takes a lot of time and patience to internalize the essence and heartbeat of jazz.” She also plays both standard piano and the Rhodes, thus creating a wider pallet. Eight of the ten songs on the disc were composed by Han and Bill Wysaske, who is also the drummer. Edwin Livingston plays bass and additional variety is provided by Walter Smith III adding tenor sax on five of the ten songs and Brian Swartz on trumpet on the opening song. The music is quite energetic. Click here and then select “Tracklist” to listen to the songs on this disc.   

Humanity Quartet – Humanity (Cellar Live): “Deeply rooted in tradition, with an indelible emphasis on swing and infectious melody, the message of the Humanity Quartet represents a sharing of ideas and feelings that bring people together in an increasingly divided world.” (https://www.abartists.com/humanity-quartet/) The quartet’s members are Joel Frahm (tenor sax), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Sean Smith (bass) and Leon Parker (drums, percussion), with Marya Lawrence adding vocals on the song “Samba For Evandrea”.  All of the pieces are original compositions, six by Sean Smith and four by Joel Frahm. The music is harmonious and up-lifting. This is an outstanding performance! Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.    

Jonah Kane-West – One Hit at Bobby’s (Self-produced): One blink at the cover of this disc and you immediately know this will be a dazzling set! Jonah Kane-West (organ), Randy Johnston (guitar), Aaron Binder (drums) and Bobby Read (sax)! Is there anything else to say? Four fantastic musicians playing six original tunes that swing, uplift and put a dip in your hip and a glide in your slide! Everyone is in fabulous form! Click here to listen to three songs from this disc.   

John Scofield – Combo 66 (Verve): Guitarist John Scofield offers nine original songs and has rounded up Combo 66, featuring Gerald Clayton (piano, organ), Vicente Archer (bass) and Bill Stewart (drums), to complete the offering. This release has more of a straight jazz feel than many of Scofield’s have had. It is delightful to hear him in this zone – it’s such a fresh offering and everyone is in sync. The group sounds as if they were all fully locked in. Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.   

Jimmie Smith – Live in Music City: Jimmie Smith Plays Jimmy Smith (Woodward Avenue): Organist/keyboard player and singer Jimmie Smith offers this live set as a tribute to organist Jimmy Smith. He begins with “The Cat”, followed by “Get Yourself a Collage Girl”(sic), which Jimmy also played. Around half way through, however, the compositions are no longer connected, except by their being written by Jimmie or having the religious connection that is Jimmie’s. Jimmie’s voice lacks the power and his organ playing is much mellower than Jimmy Smith’s, but it is the thought that counts. Backing musicians include Paul Brown (Hammond organ, piano), Marcus Finnie (drums), Hamilton Hardin (bass), James DaSilva (guitar), Chris West (tenor), Jon-Paul Frappier (trumpet) and Chris Dunn (trombone). Click here to listen to Jimmie Smith playing Jimmy Smith’s “Root Down”.   

Alister Spence / Satoko Fujii – Intelsat (Self-produced): “Continuing her monthly releases for her 60th birthday, Japanese pianist Satoko Fujii meets Australian keyboard and electronic artist Alister Spence for their second meeting, touring Japan and recording this spellbinding album merging bells, gongs, electronics, and acoustic piano, inside and out, in a passionate album that balances melodicism and sound.” (http://www.squidco.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=S&Product_Code=26450) They describe their performance on this disc as, “Layers of acoustic and electronic sounds combine: beautiful, bold, and strange, as two long-time collaborators and improvisers meet, on piano and fender rhodes electric piano.” Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.  

Chip White – New Dedications and Latin Moods (Self-produced): Alan Chip White (drums, percussion, vibes) composed all of the music on this disc and wrote all of the poetry that makes up disc 2. Several of his musical compositions honor important particular jazz greats, such as Benny Golson, Wayne Shorter, Art Blakey and John Coltrane and these songs are performed by White, Terrell Stafford (trumpet), Wycliff Gordon (trombone), Bruce Williams (alto & Soprano Sax), Patience Higgins (flute, soprano sax), Renee Rosnes (piano), Peter Washington (bass) and Steve Kroon (conga drums, Latin percussion). The poetry honors such greats as Count Basie, Ron Carter, Dexter Gordon, Ray Charles and Quincy Jones among others. Nice music and dedications. This seems to be volume 5 in a series. I regret that I am unable to find any samples from this release.

Kopasetically,

Professor Bebop

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