New Jazz Adds – 7/23/2019
New Jazz Adds – 7/23/2019
Mike Clark – Indigo Blue Live At The Iridium (ropeadope): “”Ice is made of water, but it is colder than water. Blue dye comes from the Indigo plant, but when something is repeatedly dyed in it, the color is deeper than the plant itself. The phrase, greater than the sum of its parts, suggests a thing is better than you would expect from the individual parts, because the way they combine adds a different quality. This principle describes the synergy which exists between individuals working together in a cooperative effort. Collectively, they are able to achieve an outcome superior to individual efforts. Of course this concept is exemplified in music, and sometimes the results defy expectation, explanation, or definition. When legendary drummer Mike Clark was asked to reprise the stellar band he assembled and presented a few months before for an encore at New York’s famous Iridium Club, all felt he had to record it.” (https://mikeclark.bandcamp.com/) It’s easy to see why when you listen to this disc. The group blends wonderfully. In addition to drummer Mike Clark, the players are Christian McBride (bass), Donald Harrison, Jr (alto sax), Rob Dixon (tenor sax), Randy Brecker (trumpet) and Antonio Farao (piano). The drive and blends are really fine. Click here to listen to the songs on this disc.
Chick Corea / The Spanish Heart Band – Antidote (Self-produced): “Throughout his storied career, iconic pianist/keyboardist Chick Corea has explored a wealth of music from across borders both geographical and stylistic. Time and again over the decades he’s returned to what he calls his “Spanish Heart” – the Spanish, Latin and flamenco traditions that have indelibly shaped his unmistakable sound. Now, with his new album Antidote, recorded with his brand-new Spanish Heart Band, Corea once again delves deeply into the Latin side of his musical heritage with a stunning collection of musicians from Spain, Cuba, Venezuela and the U.S….“My genetics are Italian,” Corea says, “but my heart is Spanish. I grew up with that music. This new band is a mix of all the wonderful and various aspects of my love and lifetime experience with these rhythms that have been such a big part of my musical heritage.” (http://chickcorea.com/discography/antidote/) His new band includes Flamenco guitarist Niño Josele and saxophonist/flutist Jorge Pardo, bassist Carlitos Del Puerto from Havana, Cuba who also played on Chinese Butterfly, Corea’s 2017 collaboration with legendary drummer Steve Gadd – as did Venezuelan percussionist Luisito Quintero. This release is one of the best Latin sets in Corea’s career. Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Dave Douglas / Uri Caine / Andrew Cyrille – Devotion (Greenleaf): “Trumpeter Dave Douglas and pianist Uri Caine continue their long-time musical association with a new album featuring master drummer Andrew Cyrille. The sequel to the 2014 Douglas / Caine album Present Joys that centered on renditions of Sacred Harp tunes and which the New York Times called, “an album of duologue that manages to be at once intimate, soulful and irrepressibly buoyant,” Devotion features new original compositions by Douglas in devotion to many of today’s greatest composers.” (https://greenleafmusic.com/devotion/) The music is airy and sparse, but the melodies are engaging. Click here to sample three selections from this disc.
Rick Germanson – Turquoise Twice (WJ3): This is pianist/composer Rick Germanson’s fifth release. In addition to his work as a leader and sideman, he has conducted numerous clinics and master classes at such institutes as New York University, The Julliard School, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Germanson composed half of the songs on this disc and covers other compositions by Charlie Parker, (“Dexterity”) and Bill Evans’ (“Very Early”). His rhythm section includes Gerald Cannon (bass) and Willie Jones III (drums). This is mainstream jazz: engaging and beautiful. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Remy LeBoeuf – Light as a Word (Outside In Music): “Alto Saxophonist Remy Le Boeuf Aims For Intimacy & Restraint on his bandleader debut, Light as a Word (Outside In Music). Out May 24, 2019, the album features longtime friends & collaborators, Walter Smith III (tenor sax), Aaron Parks (piano), Charles Altura (guitar), Matt Brewer (double bass) & Peter Kronreif (drums). As he explains, Light as a Word is, in essence, the sound of complete creative freedom. ‘I didn’t need to compromise on this album…There was no resistance. I could just do what I do…value conversation, interaction, intimacy, authenticity and the ability to capture emotion. I chose this band specifically because they help me achieve that. To keep the interplay fresh and intriguing, Remy made a point not to over-compose.” (http://www.remyleboeuf.com/music) This is a wonderful set. Click here to listen to the songs on this disc.
Dave Robbins Sextet – Joan Of Art (Cellar Music): “Dave Robbins is one of Canada’s premier jazz drummers and a first-rate composer, arranger and jazz educator. Though well known as a sideman for his exciting big band work and sensitive trio playing, Robbins also leads his own bands.” (http://daverobbins.com/bio/). In fact, this is his third release as the leader, though it required a bit of persuasion to prod him into making a disc with the group he was working with at the time. He loved the group and the idea, but felt he didn’t have enough material. Joan’s reply was, “OK, write some more and we’ll record when there’s enough. So, with Joan Mariacher (Of Art) whose energy joined up with Cory Weeds (executive producer) this disc became a reality. Robbins wrote nine of the eleven songs and also offers two interesting remakes – McCartney and Lennon’s “Can’t Buy Me Love” and Paul Desmond’s “Take Cinco”, a new arrangement of a terrific classic. Allen and Robbins are joined Steve Holy (bass), Chris Gestrin (piano), Brad Turner (trumpet) and Rod Murray (trombone). Very interesting! Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Marcus Shelby Orchestra – Transitions (MSO): “In 1999, Marcus Shelby’s interest in composing for big band orchestra and his work in collaboration with the Bay Area multidisciplinary arts organization Intersection for the Arts led him to form the Marcus Shelby Orchestra. The Marcus Shelby Orchestra is comprised of some of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most respected musicians….” (https://marcusshelby.com/bio) He had begun playing in his teen years, but it was attending a Wynton Marsalis concert with his father, which inspired him to rededicate himself to music. This is his fifth originally composed and arranged program, featuring four originals by Shelby and several wonderful arrangements of songs including Charles Mingus’ “Remember Rockefeller”; Cole Porter’s “Begin The Beguine” and “It’s All Right With Me”; and Duke Ellington’s “On A Turquiose Cloud”, “Solitude” and “Mood Indigo”. One of the highlights is Tiffany Austin’s satin and sassy singing on five songs. The other band members are James Mahone (alto flute), Tom Griesser (alto sax), Patrick Wolff (tenor sax, clarinet), Danny Brown (tenor sax), Fil Lorenz (baritone sax); Mitch Butler, Rob Ewing and Charles Hamilton (trombones), Bill Thereur, Bill Ortiz, and Rafa Postel with Mike Olmos (1 song) trumpets, Matt Clark (piano), Jeff Marrs (drums) and Mads Tolling (violin). This is a dazzling uptown program! Click here to listen to the songs on this disc.
Zhenya Strigalev & Federico Dannemann – The Change (Rainy Days): Zhenya Strigalev (saxophones, voice) and Federico Dannemann (guitar, vocals) join together for their second disc with back-up from Luques Curtis (double bass) and Obed Calvaire (drums). Everyone is obviously having a good time and the result feels like a wonderful jam that doesn’t care totally what the label is, but rather lives as a hybrid. At the same time, the rough or odd moments are present, just as they would be if the group were playing a live gig where no correction would be changeable. And, it’s obvious these players are having a good time! Both Strigaley and Dannermann offered four songs. When the jazz and rock sides blend, it’s as good as you could find anywhere. Click here to listen to samples of three songs on this set.
The Verve Jazz Orchestra – Night Mode (Verve): From its beginnings as a proudly straight ahead unit, the Verve Jazz Ensemble has been motivated by a desire to address a common complaint among jazz followers: that too many jazz artists play music to which the mainstream audience can’t relate. As VJE leader Josh Feldstein puts it, his band strives to appeal “to everyone from people in their twenties who know nothing about bebop to people in their ’80s who grew up in the swing era.” (https://www.verve-jazz.com/) The music on offer spans from new arrangements of Sy Oliver’s “Opus One” to Jobim’s “Vivo Sonhando” to music from Art Farmer, Benny Golson and Wayne Shorter. There are also offerings from players on this disc, including drummer Josh Feldstein and tenor sax player Jon Blanck, both of whom did arranging as well. Other members of the band are Tatum Greenblatt (trumpet); Steve Einerson (piano); Alexa Tarantino (alto / flute); Willie Applewhite (trombone); and Elias Bailey (bass). I regret I am unable to find a sample from this release.
Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet – The Rhythm Of Invention (Patois): “After leading his Latin Jazz Quintet on six GRAMMY-nominated albums, Wayne Wallace broke with tradition in 2016 to co-lead a chamber orchestra – horns, winds, an double string quartet, and an array of vocalists – on the critically adored Canto América. For the new Rhythm of Invention, he set himself a potentially even more ambitious goal of combining these two approaches. I wanted to come up with way of coherently mixing the quintet with the brass and strings from Canto, he explains. ”I wanted to have the energy of that record without repeating it”. The result is a dazzling set of new compositions and old standards, on which Wallace uses the added resources to highlight the strengths of his core conjunto.” (https://www.amazon.com/Rhythm-Invention-Wayne-Wallace-Quintet/dp/B07QN8NWK6) The difference some say is shifting the eighteen guest players from one performance to the next. Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Lauren White – Life In The Modern World (Cafe Pacific): Vocalist Lauren White offers her fourth release and though the disc ends with her version of Paul Simon’s “American Tune”, the setlist is mostly made up of lesser known songs. She goes back as far as Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer’s “How Little We Know” and Lionel Hampton and Johnny Mercer’s “Midnight Sun”, but the lesser songs are well performed and a breath of fresh air. Titles include “Life In The Modern World”, “Monk’s New Tune” (Michael Franks), “Coffee”, “Slow Down”, “Ellington’s Sound Of Love” (Charles Mingus) and “In A New York Minute”. Back-up musicians include Quinn Johnson (piano); Kevin Axt or David Finck (bass); Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Chris Wabich and Kevin Winard trade off on drums; Grant Geissman (guitar); Alex Budman (horns); Francisco Torres (trombone); Tatum Greenblatt (trumpet); Michael Stever (flugelhorn, trumpet); David Mann (flute); and Mark Winkler (vocals on 2 songs). Great material and a breath of fresh air! Click here for a teaser by Lauren White.
Lucy Yeghiazaryan – Blue Heaven (Cellar Music): “Lucy Yeghiazaryan was born in a small province of Armenia and moved to The United States in 2001 at the age of 11. She has been an active member of the jazz community in and outside of the country since her teenage years.” (http://lucyjazznyc.com/#!about) She is based in New York and performs at Smalls, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, Smoke and The Kitano. She is supported on this recording by Greg Ruggiero (guitar), Grant Stewart (tenor sax), Daniel Duke (bass) and Steve Williams (drums). Excellent control and style! Click here and scroll down to play songs from “Blue Heaven”.
Kopesetically,
Professor Bebop
