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Brian Baggett Trio – Groovin’ And Swingin’ At Green Lady Lounge (Jazz Daddy Records): “With the album officially slated for release on November 7, Baggett and his unique Gibson-brand Howard Roberts Fusion guitar is captured in rare form on this four-sided, two-disc vinyl set.” (Dr. Wayne Goins) I regret I am not able to find a sample from this release.

Roberta Donnay – Blossom-ing (Village Jazz Cafe): “Roberta was always considered a “musician’s musician.” From the beginning of her career, when she moved to France in the early 50s, to the 60s when she was the darling of the Greenwich Village coffeehouse scene, to the 70s and beyond, she continued to push boundaries. Her voice was like no one else’s, a light girlish sound that belied the great depth and thoughtfulness of her phrasing. And though it was her voice that made her distinctive, her musicianship on the piano was unparalleled and often overlooked. She described herself as “a jazz musician, learning to be a jazz singer.” …She has captured Blossom Dearie’s gift for playful storytelling and interplay between vocalist and instrumentalist.” (Ricky Pope) Click here to listen to Up a Lazy River.

Ruthie Foster – Healing Time (Blue Corn Music): “Ruthie Foster’s ninth studio album represents a new high water mark for the veteran blues artist—a collection of songs possessing pure power, like a tidal wave of musical generosity. Healing Time finds Foster pushing her boundaries as a singer and songwriter more than ever before, creating a truly live-sounding atmosphere with the help of her band, who sound refreshingly loose and lived-in throughout these 12 songs. We’ve all been in need of some healing in recent times, and Foster’s latest provides a guide for how to move through the world with equal parts compassion and resolve.” Musicians: Rebecca Coupe Franks (trumpet), Luis Perdomo (piano), Larry Grenadier (bass) and Johnathan Blake (drums). Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this set.

Rebecca Coupe Franks – Planets (Rebecca Coupe Franks): “Rebecca Coupe Franks is a talented trumpet player from California who has paid her dues in New York. She has worked with her friend and mentor, the late Joe Henderson, as well as Javon Jackson, Ben Riley, Herb Ellis, and Bill Cosby…Rebecca Coupe Franks’ trumpet style can most be likened to that of Chet Baker, as she plays with a relatively sparse, relaxed style, and she favors playing in the middle and lower registers of her instrument.” Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this set.

Chris Glassman – Living The Dream (Clef Records): “Hailed by International Trombone Journal as someone whose “ warm sound, beautiful phrasing, and ability to perform in various styles convincingly sets him apart as a truly exceptional musician”, Chris Glassman is a rising star jazz performer on bass trombone, and a Michigan based musician.” How about a trombone lesson.

Tomislav Goluban – 20 Years On The Road (Blue Heart): “Croatian blues singer, songwriter and harmonica player, band leader, blues educator, radio DJ, festival organizer and recording artist, the inexhaustible Tomislav (Tomi) Goluban celebrates his two decades as a performer by bringing some of those friends together for his 14th studio album, ’20 Years On The Road.’…”This is my ‘best of’ album after 20 years in the business. I’m so pleased to have such tremendous guest singers, mainly from my Blue Heart/Nola Blue/Blind Raccoon family, with whom I’ve collaborated the last few years,” says Goluban.”” Click here to listen to Goluban’s take a trip down “Express Ride”.

Bridget Kelly Band – Winter’s Coming (Alfa Sun Records): “The Gainesville-Florida based Bridget Kelly Band (BKB), two-time International Blues Challenge Semifinalists (2015, 2016), have six top-10 RMR charting albums/CDs to their credit. Their latest CD (11/1/2022) entitled “Winter’s Coming”, marks the 7th offering in a catalog of all-original music albums. Singer Bridget Kelly, teamed up with husband/guitarist/producer Tim Fik to form the Bridget Kelly Band in 2012 — a Blues-Rock quartet that continues to explore their musical roots and grow their international fan base as they celebrate their 10th Anniversary. Click here to listen to songs from this album.

Martin Lang & Rusty Zinn – Mr. Blues, Mr. Blues (Random Chance Records): “In August of this year, I had the honor of reviewing for the Chicago Blues Guide what, in a perfect world, would be my candidate for the best blues release of the year to-date, the superb The Dig 3 by The Dig 3. Now, along comes Mr. Blues, Mr. Blues by Martin Lang and Rusty Zinn, and the resulting impact of this astonishing blues collection is that I now have two candidates for the best blues release of 2022.” (Curt Brown) Click here here to listen to partial songs from this release.

Charles Lloyd Trios – Sacred Thread (Blue Note): “On November 18, Charles Lloyd will release Trios: Sacred Thread, the third and final album in his ‘Trio of Trios’ series, an expansive project that presents the legendary saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master in three different trio settings…For more than 6 decades the legendary saxophonist and composer has loomed large over the music world, and at 84 years old he remains at the height of his powers and as prolific as ever.” Click here to listen to a sample of Desolation Sound from this release.

Russ Lossing – folks (Sunnyside): “Pianist/composer Russ Lossing has been interested in the expressive power of simplicity in folk music from throughout the world. Lossing brought together his trio of bassist John Hébert and drummer Michael Sarin to record an album inspired by his study on Folks. Lossing’s focus on creating music that is accessible and open to wider development through improvisation led him to study folkloric music. His findings led him to focus more and more on the development of strong melodies and the use of call and response. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.

Mud Morganfield – Portrait (Delmark): “As the son of Muddy Waters, it should come as no surprise that Morganfield has recruited the best of the best musicians to appear on the album. Rick Kreher (Muddy Waters’ final guitarist), Billy Flynn, Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith, Barrelhouse Chuck, Bob Corritore and Harmonica Hinds are among the talented roster contributing to Portrait. “Mud Morganfield has grown into a superstar on the blues circuit. Certainly, there will be comparisons to his dad, but that can be expected and rightly so,”said Kreher in a statement.” Click here to listen for Mud Morganfield’s “Praise Him”.

Dario Napoli Trio – Gypsy Nights (Blue Night): “Many selections feature Dario’s Django-influenced acoustic guitar leads, tastefully accompanied by solid, creative rhythm guitar passages from Tommaso Papini.  The bottom end is driven by bass guitar virtuoso Tonino De Sensi.  Equally adept on fretless and fretted instruments, Tonino bathes each track with either percussive authority or ethereal, floating tones, always enhancing but not overpowering the other instruments.  Together, their music is at once fluid and tightly knit.” Click here to listen to songs from this disc.

Ostara Project – Ostara Project (Cellar 20): “…Ostara’s goal is to put the spotlight, both literally and figuratively, on women until jazz gets to a place where gender parity isn’t a rarity…She reached out to a wishlist of women she herself had always wanted to work with and started Ostara. The lineup has been fluid, with musicians rotating in and out as their individual careers allow. This fall, when The Ostara Project visits the Yukon, it will feature Proznick, along with Shruti Ramani, Virginia MacDonald, Allison Au, Rachel Therrien, Amanda Tosoff and Valerie Lacombe.” Click here to listen to the Ostara Project.

Vanessa Racci – Jazzy Italian (Soho): “Vanessa Racci is a jazz and cabaret singer of Italian American descent with a passion for retro jazz and music made famous by Italian Americans. She has produced an album and currently performs several shows that celebrate American jazz composers, Italian American music and their contributions to jazz and pop in the US.” Click here for a sample.   

Garrett Saracho – 15 (Jazz Is Dead): “…Garrett Saracho has lived many lives, from being a fresh-faced signee to Impulse Records in the early 1970s to working on blockbuster films to touring with his cousins’ iconic rock group Redbone decades later. But while his stories have always been pushed to the background, this next chapter finds him standing tall at center stage.” Click this for a sample.

Jae Sinnett’s Zero to 60 Quartet w/ Symphonicity Orchestra – Live at the Sandler Center (Symphonicity): “Zero to 60 is Jae Sinnett’s 14th album as a leader.  It marks his return to straight up jazz featured in the classic jazz quartet setting…tenor saxophone, acoustic piano, acoustic bass, and drums.  It also showcases the growth of the composer with nine original compositions by Jae and one classic standard, Never Let Me Go.” Click here to listen to a video on the making of this disc.

The Winston Brothers – Drift (Colemine): ‘Hot on the heels of their debut 45 released on Colemine Records, German funk powerhouse The Winston Brothers re-up with their first-ever full length LP. “DRIFT” is the name of the game, presenting eleven versatile cuts to invite listeners on an all-instrumental trip back to the future of funk.” Click here to check out some of the songs on this disc.

Kopasetically,

Professer Bebop