New Jazz Releases – 02/17/2025
By Russell Perry
Chris Potter / John Patitucci / Brian Blades
A couple of discs really stood out this week. Bassist John Patitucci has a great trio with Chris Potter and Brian Blade. Noah Preminger has followed in the footsteps of many (Mark Turner, David Murray, John Coltrane) putting out a collection of ballads with a tenor quartet.
Noah Preminger – Ballads (Chill Tone Records, release 02/21/2025) digital only. Noah Preminger – tenor saxophone, Julian Shore – piano, Kim Cass – bass, Allan Mednard – drums.
I prefer my tenor ballads tender and restrained. Apparently, so does saxophonist Noah Preminger (Jeff Cosgrove / Noah Preminger / Kim Cass – Confusing Motion For Progress, previewed 12/23/2024). From the last release, bassist Kim Cass is back and pianist Julian Shore (Caroline Davis, Dave Stryker) enriches the mix along with a very gentle Allan Mednard (Caroline Davis, Michael Wolff, Chien Chien Lu). Highly recommended
Review: AllAboutJazz, Paris Move, Audiophile Audition
Jon Irabagon – Server Farm (Irabbagast Records, release 02/21/2025) digital only. Peter Evans – trumpet, Jon Irabagon – tenor saxophone, Matt Mitchell – piano / keyboard, Miles Okazaki – guitar, Wendy Eisenberg – guitar, Mazz Swift – violin / vocals, Chris Lightcap – electric bass, Michael Formanek – acoustic bass, Dan Weiss – drums, Levy Lorenzo – percussion / electronics.
Two years ago, I saw Jon Irabagon and his dectet at The Stone in NYC as they prepared for a recording session two days later. The show was a dress rehearsal in so many ways. The result was rough and prospects for the upcoming recording seemed questionable. Now the set has been released and it is much more coherent than it promised to be. Irabagon takes the all-star ensemble in many different directions, often to change course quickly and go off somewhere else. The playing is awesome but the music drifts towards the chaotic (except of course when it doesn’t). Challenging.
Review: Paris Move, AllAboutJazz
Alan Chaubert – Just the Three Of Us (Pacific Coast Jazz, release 02/21/2025). Alan Chaubert – trumpet / piano, Belden Bullock – bass, Jon Di Fiori – drums, Luis Quintero – percussion.
Pianist and trumpeter Alan Chaubert has released an unusual disc where he plays both trumpet and piano simultaneously, without overdubs. With the addition of bass and drums (plus percussion on a couple), the band tackles a familiar playlist of Monk, Bill Evans, Charlie Haden and the like. Clearly a skilled player on both instruments, the dominance of unison playing of the two instruments clues the listener that something different is going on here.
Review:” JW Vibe, Skope Magazine, Making A Scene
Yellow Jackets – Fasten Up (Mack Avenue, release 02/21/2025) digital only. Bob Mintzer – tenor saxophone / EWI, Russell Ferrante – piano / keyboards, Dane Alderson – bass / MIDI, Will Kennedy – drums with Raul Midon – vocals / guitar
Since the late 70s, the Yellowjackets have kept the fusion flame alive and their 27th release follows a familiar playbook. Featuring 10 originals and one cover, the band is still exciting. It is hard to believe that Charlottesville’s Dane Alderson has been with the band now for almost a decade.
Review: Paris Move
Mark Scott III – Soft Light (Self Produced, release 02/21/2025). Mark Scott III – guitar, Ben Triesch – bass, Mike Gordon – drums.
Austin-based guitarist Mark Scott brings a solid trio to a set of eleven originals for his recording debut.
Review: Paris Move, Making A Scene
John Patitucci – Spirit Fall (Edition Records, release 02/14/2025) digital only. Chris Potter – soprano saxophone / tenor saxophone / bass clarinet ,John Patitucci – acoustic bass / electric bass, Brian Blade – drums / percussion.
For the last almost twenty years of his recording career, Wayne Shorter fronted a quartet that included the great bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade. In the past decade, the two have continued to have opportunities to play together, notably on Chris Potter’s great 2024 release (Eagles Point, previewed 02/19/2024). Now Blade and Potter join Patitucci on his new disc that lives up the potential of these three giants. Highly Recommended.
Review: Jazz Trail
Duo B. – Luminous Axis (Queen Bee Records, release 02/14/2025) digital only. Lisa Mezzacappa – acoustic bass, Jason Levis – drum set.
For twenty years UVa Jazz Ensemble alumnus bassist Lisa Mezzacappa and drummer Jason Levis have been exploring the creative music world lead by sherpas like Anthony Braxton, Cecil Taylor, and Henry Threadgill. Their latest interprets a score by Pulitzer-prize winner Wadada Leo Smith that consists of shapes, loops, curves and colors. Ambitious. This is the first of one release per month in 2025 planned to commemorate Mezzacappa’s 50th birthday.
Yuval Cohen – Winter Poems (ECM, release 02/14/2025) digital only. Yuval Cohen – soprano saxophone / melodica, Tom Oren – piano, Alon Near – double bass, Alon Benjamin – drums.
Saxophonist Yuval Cohen may currently be the least known of the first family of Israeli Jazz with brother / trumpeter Avishai Cohen and sister / clarinetist Anat Cohen. His debut on ECM is a quiet, chamber jazz affair that features his substantial chops on soprano.
Review: UK Vibe
Sachal Vasandani – Best Life Now (Patron Saint Records, release 02/10/2025) digital only.
Dayna Stephens – saxophone / EWI, Jon Cowherd – piano / Fender Rhodes, Charles Altura – guitar, Brian Cockburn – bass, Nate Smith – drums, Sachal Vasandani – vocal, Gretchen Parlato – vocal, Shayna Steele – vocal.
Vocalist Sachalk Vasdandani has made a habit of recording with top-flight jazz musicians and his latest continues this trend bringing on saxophonist Dayna Stevens (Lux Quartet – Tomorrowland, previewed 10/28/2024 & Closer Than We Think, previewed 04/23/2024), pianist Jon Cowherd (David Bixler, Dave Mullen, Steve Cardenas, Brian Blade) guitarist Charles Altura (Tom Harrell, Terence Blanchard, Ambrose Akinmusire) and bassist Brian Cockburn. The disc is produced by drummer Nate Smith who has a history of supporting great singers (Michael Mayo, Kurt Elling). Vasandani complements this ensemble with powerful and emotive vocals in a suite of originals and covers looking at love from a variety of angles.
Review: Paris Move
Jeremy Pelt – Woven (High Note Records, release 02/07/2025). Jeremy Pelt – trumpet, Marie-Ann Hedonia – synthesizer, Jalen Baker – vibraphone, Misha Mendelenko – guitar, Leighton Harrell – bass / bass guitar, Jared Spears – drums, Mar Vilaseca – vocals.
Jeremy Pelt is maybe the greatest hard bop trumpeter since Freddie Hubbard. His new release with his road tested quintet builds on that reputation and drifts off into a Miles Davis electric vein. Admittedly, this is not my favorite Miles period and, while Pelt performs admirably, his forays with synth and background sounds don’t add to my appreciation of his discography.
Review: Marlbank, Jazz Times
I hope you find something here to nurture your ears.
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
