WTJU 91.1 FM

New Jazz Adds – 12/18/2018

Shelly Berg & Jose Serebrier – Gershwin Reimagined: An American In London (Decca Gold): Pianist/arranger/producer and conductor/composer Jose Serebrier have joined forces with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to give a new expression to the works of George and Ira Gershwin. Berg opens with his trio featuring his piano, Chuck Berghofer (bass) and Greg Field (drums), but is joined or replaced by various elements of the Royal Harmonic from there on out. There is even a taste of blues featuring Monica Mancini. Beautifully performed throughout. Click here to listen to performances from this disc.   

Roger Davidson – Music From The Heart (Soundbrush): Veteran pianist/composer Roger Davidson has had a lifelong fascination with recognizing and blending the music from various parts of the world. On this disc, he is focused on Brazilian styles. He has partnered with Hendrick Meurkens (vibes, harmonica) for the second time and added a rhythm section featuring Eduardo Belo (bass) and Adriano Santos (drums). All songs are Davidson’s original Brazilian compositions. The music is bright and uplifting throughout. Davidson states that his purpose is to get people to focus on the positive aspects of all music forms. Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.   

Julian Gerstin Sextet – The Old City (Self-produced): Percussionist Julian Gerstin dedicates his focus, composing and playing to the “music of Africa, the Caribbean and the African Diaspora…For over 40 years, I’ve performed and studied a wide variety of music. My main styles are traditions of Martinique, Cuba, Ghana (Ewe) and Brazil; popular music from those same countries as well as Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and other Caribbean islands; Balkan music; and jazz. I’ve performed styles ranging from punk to choral music, Mexican son to zydeco. But the main styles are the Caribbean and jazz, with a taste of the Balkans.” (https://juliangerstin.com/bio/) Gerstin composed all of the songs on this disc. He plays tanbou bele, congas, bells and shakers on this disc with the players in the sextet: Anna Patton (clarinet), Don Anderson (trumpet, flugelhorn), Eugene Uman (piano), Wes Brown (bass), and Ben James (drum set), with guests Jon Weeks (tenor sax), John Wheeler (trombone), Carl Cements (flute), Lisa Schneckenburger (violin), Keith Murphy (guitar), Matt “Max” Fass (accordion) and Todd Roach (dohala, Iranian drum). The disc is melodic and rather mellow with a nice flow. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.   

Jeff Goldblum – Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra (Decca): Jeff Goldblum joins forces with the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra and special guests vocalists including Till Bronner, Haley Reinhart, Sarah Silverman and former rocker Imelda May. “This is a live show in the Capitol studio. those unfamiliar with his long-running jazz sideline may fear this is yet another kitschy prank, an ersatz-Sinatra sorta thing, a wayward golden-voice pantomime in the grim tradition of Seth MacFarlane or Joe Pesci but cue up Track 1, luxuriate in the soulful groove of the old Herbie Hancock chestnut “Cantaloupe Island”…(liner notes). Goldblum is a solid pianist and sounds like a veteran night club performer. The band includes Alex Frank (bass), Joe Borg (organ), John Storie (guitar), Kenny Elliot (drums), James King (sax), and Till Bronner (trumpet, flugelhorn). Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.   

Walter Gorra – In Due Time (Self-produced): Pianist/composer Walter Gorra graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder Magna Cum-Laude with honors in May 2017 with the following three degrees – MS Structural Engineering, BM Jazz Piano and BS Civil Engineering. He has also performed with several well-known musicians, including Art Lande and Dave Liebman. This is his first release and it is a winner. In edition to Gorra, the group features Gonzalo Teppa (bass), Manuel Lopez (drums) and Greg Tanner Harris (vibes) with Josh Quinlan adding tenor sax on four of the eight songs. The players play together quite well and they feel quite at home with a blend of American and Latin jazz. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.  

Wayne Horvitz – The Snowghost Sessions (Songlines): “Wayne Horvitz is a composer, pianist and electronic musician who has performed extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. He is the leader of the Gravitas Quartet, Sweeter Than the Day, Zony Mash, The Four plus One Ensemble and co-founder of the New York Composers Orchestra. He has performed and collaborated with Bill Frisell, Butch Morris, John Zorn, George Lewis, Robin Holcomb, Fred Frith, Julian Priester, Michael Shrieve and Carla Bley, among others.” (http://www.waynehorvitz.com/about/) On this disc, Horwitz plays a large number of keyboards from piano and Wulitzer electric piano to Hammond B3, mellotron and various other electrics. Geoff Harper (bass) and Eric Eagle (drums, percussion) are the rhythm section. The songs range from sweet to weird and pretty rhythmic at times. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.  

Francois Houle – You Have Options (Songlines): Clarinetist Francois Houle offers his unusual technique on clarinet and his dedication to showing its flexibility. “I studied at McGill University with Emilio Iacurto (the legendary, long-time principal clarinetist of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra) and at Yale University with Keith Wilson (whose contribution to the clarinet world is unparalleled)….It was Alan Hacker who actually opened the door for me to explore new technical and musical possibilities on the clarinet…It was during this period that I discovered the music of Steve Lacy. Steve Lacy’s career actually began as a dixieland clarinetist, eventually shifting to the soprano saxophone, an instrument very few jazz musicians had investigated since the great Sydney Bechet….Steve dedicated his life to bringing this instrument at the forefront of creative music (legend has it that he turned John Coltrane on to the soprano’s expressive qualities (https://www.francoishoule.ca/about/) This trio includes Alexander Hawkins (piano) and Harris Eisenstadt (drums). The sound is unusual but also compelling even if it may take a few listens to get used to. Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.   

Roberto Magris – World Gardens (JMood): “International jazz pianist and composer Roberto Magris (b. 1959) from Trieste, Italy, has over 31 recordings to his credit and has toured in over 42 different countries in Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Australia, performing at top jazz clubs, theatres and festivals around the world. Since 2006, Magris has mainly focused his musical interests in the USA by becoming the leading recording artist and musical director of JMood Records….” (http://www.jazzitalia.net/artisti/robertomagris_eng.asp#.XBMWPxNKjOQ) He composed three songs on this disc and arranged two others. His style is unique and draws listeners in with his melodic and rhythmic style. Magris is accompanied by Dominique Sanders (bass), Brian Steever (drums) and Pablo Sanhueza (percussion). Magris has beautiful touch and sensibility and the other players support him wonderfully. He also plays a killer rendition of “Stella By Starlight”! Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.   

Dave Sewelson – Music For A Free World (FMR): The title tells the story. This is free jazz. The players are Dave Sewelson (bari and sopranino sax), Steve Swell (trombone), William Parker (bass) and Marvin Bugalu Smith (drums). Sewelson composed the opener and closer, he and Swell composed two, and the whole quartet are credited with composing the other two songs on offer. The set is certainly free jazz, but there is variety on this disc than in many. Songs range intense to not so far off the beaten path, meaning one can find more sonic and harmonic span from song to song. Song lengths also vary significantly from just over three minutes to just over twenty-one. Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.  

David Ullman Group – Sometime (Self-produced): New York based guitarist / composer David Ullman, was initially a rock guitarist, “The improvisational nature of jazz drew Ullmann out of the rock world, as did the profound experience of taking lessons at the Philadelphia home of legendary guitarist Pat Martino. Ullmann studied more formally at the acclaimed jazz program at the New School, where his teachers included such six-string masters as Peter Bernstein, Gene Bertoncini and Vic Juris and pianist Garry Dial. The Indian music influences that continue to permeate his music were sparked by studies of the tabla with Misha Massud and the sitar with future Joe Zawinul guitarist Amit Chatterjee.” (https://www.davidullmann.com/bio/) There are many styles and shades in Ullman’s palette. All of the songs, except for Wayne Shorter’s “Adam’s Apple”, were composed by Ullman. Musicians on this disc include Vin Scialla (drums), Joe Ashlar (organ), Rex Benincasa (percussion), with a variety of other players coming and going to create many overall sounds. That group includes Brian Drye (trombone), Mike McGinnis (tenor, alto sax), Jeff Hermanson (trumpet), Oscar Noriega (alto sax, bass clarinet), Josh Plotner (tenor and alto sax, flute), Bryn Roberts (Wurlitzer, synth), Ben Lapidus (tres), Snehasish Mozumder (mandolin), Neel Murgai (sitar, daf, tamboura), and Chris Dingman (vibes).  A terrific set! Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.   

Various Artists – Live At Little Gym Saloon (Basin Street): Basin Street Records is celebrating 20 years in the recording business down in NOLA and they offer a terrific live set featuring Jason Marsalis, Kermit Ruffins and Irvin Mayfield, Los Hombres Calientes, Dr. Michael White and Dave Crawford with backing provided by a shifting set of backing musicians. This is a wonderful celebration of the music of New Orleans and of this NOLA based recording label. The groups play originals like Jason Marsalis’ “Bourbon Street Ain’t Mardi Gras” and Dave Crawford’s “Don’t Ever Be Blue / Ode To Louisiana” and oldies like “On The Sunny Side Of The Street”, “Summertime” and “Autumn Leaves”. Some performances are stronger than others, but the love and dedication shines through all of them. Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.   

Way North – Fearless and Kind (Self-produced): This is the second release from this “roots and jazz” band. The band loves older jazz but also pushes out to more modern styles as well. They welcome improvisation. Group members include Rebecca Hennessy (trumpet, composer of 3 songs), Petr Cancura (tenor sax, composer of 3 songs), Michael Herring (bass, composer 2 songs) and Richie Barshay (drums, composer of 2 songs). They also offer their take on the Jelly Roll Morton Medley featuring “Buddy Bolden’s Blues” and “The King Porter Stomp”. Nice performances throughout! Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.  

Kopasetically,

Professor Bebop