New Jazz Releases – 08/26/2024
Author: Russell Perry
Jonathan Powell
I’m not sure what is going on, but the Latin jazz releases piled up this week with discs from Jonathan Powell (Mambo Jazz Party), Diego Figueiredo (I Love Samba), Gino Amato (Latin Crossroads), Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding (Milton + Esperanza). Plus excellent releases from Tom Harrell, Danny Jonokuchi and Warren Wolf.
Jonathan Powell – Mambo Jazz Party (Circle 9 Records, released 08/09/2024). Jonathan Powell – trumpet /lugelhorn / EVI, Jimmy Bosch – trombone, Doug Beavers – trombone, Andrew Gould – alto saxophone, Jeremy Powell – tenor saxophone / flute, Itai Kriss – flute, Louis Fouché – alto saxophone, Axel Tosca – piano / fender rhodes / synth, Manuel Valera – fender rhodes / synth, Nir Felder – electric guitar, Luques Curtis – bass, Camilo Molina – drums / timbales / shekere / clave / maracas / guiro / bongos / bata, Marcos Lopez – congas, Marcos Torres – congas, Luisito Quintero – bongos / guiro / campana / miscellaneous percussion, Ariacne Trujillo – vocal, Anthony Almonte – vocal / coros, Jeremy Bosch – coros.
Veteran Latin Jazz sideman trumpeter Jonathan Powell (Sonia Solar, Spanish Harlem Orchestra) has brought out his own release and it is a dancing affair. With a couple of mid-tempo tracks and a ballad or two, the record’s highlights are muy calliente scorchers. The ensemble (including Doug Beavers on trombone and Manuel Valera on keys) ranges from 5 to 11 and the more the merrier. Those pieces with three or four horns up front are among my favorites. The compositions come from good stock – modern masters Chick Corea (You’re Everything), Herbie Hancock (Butterfly), Joe Henderson (Inner Urge), Lee Morgan (Totem Pole) plus Eddie Palmieri, of course (Un Dia Bonito). I love this. Highly recommended!
Review: Jazz Views
Thom Rotella – Side Hustle (HighNote, released 08/23/2024). Jeremy Pelt – trumpet, Eric Alexander – tenor saxophone, Bobby Floyd – organ, Gregg Karukas – organ, Thom Rotella – organ, Roy McCurdy – drums, Kendall Kaye – drums, Lenny Castro – percussion.
Veteran LA guitarist Thom Rotella and his trio / quartet have released a solid soul jazz disc with help on a couple of tunes each from tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander (who sounds great in the organ trio context) and trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. Six strong originals and five covers, including a sweet version of Hoagy Carmichael’s Georgia On My Mind.
Diego Figueiredo – I Love Samba (Arbor Records, released 08/23/2024). Itai Kriss – flute, Diego Figueiredo – guitar, Nilson Matta – bass, Duduka da Fonseca – drums.
Brazilian guitarist Diego Figueiredo is back with an acoustic trio date with occasional support from Itai Kriss (see Jonathan Palmer – Mambo Dance Party below) on flute. As with Figueiredo’s last release (My World, 2023) the trio is completed by fellow Brazilians Nelson Matta (Kenny Baron, Vincent Herring, Don Pullen) on bass and Duduka da Fonseca (Yes!!, 2022) on drums. The program is 13 originals, mostly at a slow pace. This is a quiet affair like soft winds through the palms. I love samba, too.
Tom Harrell – Alternate Summer (HighNote, released 08/23/2024). Tom Harrell – trumpet, Dayne Stephens – tenor saxophone, Mark Turner – tenor saxophone, Luis Perdomo – piano / Fender Rhodes, Charles Altura – acoustic guitar / electric guitar, Ugonna Okegwa – bass, Adam Cruz – drums.
Trumpeter Tom Harrell (last heard guesting on protégée Wayne Escoffery’s Like Minds previewed 04/10/2023) put out a fine quartet disc in 2022, Oak Tree, and is back now with a trumpet – tenor quintet. He has had his pick of saxophonists in the past, recording with Bob Berg, Joe Lovano, Don Braden, Dewey Redman, Greg Tardy, Jimmy Greene, Wayne Escoffery and Mark Turner. This time out, Turner returns and splits the tracks with Dayna Stephens. Bassist Ugonna Okegwa and drummer Adam Cruz have been with Harrell for a decade and pianist Luis Perdomo is back from the last release. Together they make a formidable ensemble on this set of Harrell originals featuring Harrell’s warm burnished tone. Recommended.
Danny Jonokuchi – A Decade (Bandstand Presents, released 08/23/2024). Danny Jonokuchi, Terell Stafford, Nick Marchione, John Lake, Scott Wenholt, Bruce Harris, Sam Hoyt, James Zollar, Noah Halpern – trumpets, Robert Edwards, Sara Jacobin, Jason Jackson, Reginald Chapman, Andrew Gould, Chris Oats, Christopher McBride, Jon Beshay, Chris Lewis, Andrew Gutauskas – reeds, Jeb Patton – piano, Samuel Harris – bass, Kevin Congleton – drums, Victor Pablo – percussion.
Trumpeter / bandleader, and now singer, Danny Jonokuchi released a fine vocal-forward set last year (Voices previewed 08/14/2023) and now has another rich big band record out, this time with a setlist of standards and surprises like Tadd Dameron’s Lady Bird. Jonokuchi sings on a couple of tracks and I cannot say those are my favorites, but his arranging continues to grab the most from an ensemble that tops out at 22 players. Trumpeter Terrell Stafford guests on one track and both Jonokuchi and tenorist Jon Beshay solo convincingly from the ensemble. Recommended.
Gino Amato – Latin Crossroads (Ovation Records, released 08/23/2024). Randy Brecker, Lew Soloff, Manuel “Maneco” Ruiz, Chris Rogers, Mike Rodriguez, Mike Mossman, Sean Jones, Kevin Bryantn Raul Agraz, Bob Millikan – trumpets, Luis Bonilla, Doug Beavers, Ozzie Melendez, Dave Bargeron, Dan Levine, Gary Valente – trombones, Dave Valentin, Jeremy Bosch, Andrea Brachfeld, Lou Marini, David Mann, Ken Hitchcock, Tom Timko, Bobby Porcelli, Mitch Frohman, Roger Rosenberg – reeds, Oscar Hernández, Hector Martignon, Gino Amato – piano, Joe Locke, Bryan Carrott – vibes, Ira Siegel, John Benthal – guitar, Alan Grubner – violin, Ruben Rodriguez, Will Lee -bass, Vince Cherico, Clint de Ganon – drums, Samuel Torres, Pablo “Chino” Nunez – percussion, Janis Siegel, Robin McKelle, Margo Rey, Claudette Sierra, Arnold McCuller, Kevin Osborne – vocals.
There are a ton of great players buried in this vocal-heavy big band release by pianist Gino Amato. Despite the credentials, the result is mostly latin soft pop. Not for me, but maybe for you…
Warren Wolf – History Of The Vibraphone (Cellar Music, released 08/23/2024). Tim Green – alto saxophone / soprano saxophone, Warren Wolf – vibraphone, Alex Brown – piano / Fender Rhodes, Vicente Archer – bass, Carroll “CV” Dashiell III – drums.
Vibraphonist Warren Wolf has released an overview of the vibraphone in jazz to date, starting with a bebop piece from Terry Gibbs and moving on to Lionel Hampton, Cal Trader, Milt Jackson (reverently), Bobby Hutcherson (who he must adore), Gary Burton, Roy Ayers, Dave Samuels (Spiro Gyra) and Joe Locke. Quite a journey and expertly played by Wolf and his quartet on five tunes with saxophonist Tim Green (Leigh Pilzer, Eric Reed) added on six. Highly recommended.
Reviews: The Jazz Word, AllAboutJazz, Making A Scene, The Jazz Word
The Crew – The Crew(Self Produced, released 08/23/2024). James Suggs – trumpet, Jeff Coffin – soprano saxophone, John C O’Leary III – piano / Rhodes / organ / talk box, Alejandro Arena – electric bass / acoustic bass, Jean Bolduc – drums / congas / percussion, Scott Rogues – vocals, Theo Valentin – vocals.
A very straight ahead release from a trumpet quartet with a vocalist. Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band) guests on soprano on one tune. The program of ten selections is all familiar jazz and R&B covers.
City Of Four – Vistas (Self Produced, released 08/15/2024). Mike Caudill – tenor saxophone / EWI, Cat Tremblay – keyboards, Eric Falter – bass, Steve Wilkinson – drums.
New England-based quartet City of Four combines jazz and funk onto an attractive groove-oriented fusion.
Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding – Milton + Esperanza (Concord Records, released 08/09/2024). Shabaka Hutchings – saxophone / flute, Elena Pinderhughes – flute, Leo Genovese – organ / piano / vocals, Justin Tyson – keyboards / drums / vocals, Corey D King – synthesizer / vocals, Matthew Stevens – guitar / vocals, Guinga – guitar / vocals, Lula Galvao – guitar, Orquestra Ouro Preto – strings, Esperanza Spalding – bass / vocals, Eric Doob – drums / vocals, Kaina Do Jeje – drums, Ronaldinho Silva – percussion, Milton Nascimento – vocals, Paul Simon – vocals.
Brazilian singer / songwriter Milton Nascimanto first recorded in 1967, but burst onto the jazz scene when he collaborated with Wayne Shorter on Native Dancer in 1974. Now singer / bassist Esperanza Spalding, another Shorter collaborator, has teamed with Nascimento on a disjointed release that also includes contributions from tenor / flute player Shabaka Hutchings, flutist Elean Pinderhughes and singers Dianne Reeves and Paul Simon. The dominant vibe is of respectful vocal duets between a high and reedy Spalding and a low and sonorous Nascimento. Most of the musical underpinnings are nondescript. Sorry, it had potential.
Review: The Guardian
Ben Sidran – We The People (Ballads For The Ballots) (Bonsai Music, released 08/09/2024). Anthology.
Pianist / vocalist Ben Sidran is the spiritual son of the wry commentator on the human condition Mose Allison, so a collection of political(ish) pieces from his back catalog is a welcome anthology.
Al Di Meola – Twentyfour (earMusic, released 07/19/2024). Al Di Meola – guitars / bass / keyboards / percussion, Derek Wieland – piano / keyboards, Rodrigo G. Pahlen – harmonica, Hernan Romero – guitar / piano, Siuxx (Ivan Lopez) – vocals, Pere Munuera – drums, Tommy Brechtlein – drums, Amit Kavthekar – tabla, Gisella Giufra – cajon, Gumbi Ortiz – congas.
Guitarist Al Di Meola brings us more acoustic guitar and flamenco-scented jazz than scorching electric runs and the result is much more interesting to me. The arrangements are largely spare with liberal doses of percussion and tabla, to the point that the few highly orchestrated pieces with strings and backing vocals seem out-of-place.
Reviews: Jazz Views, Glide Magazine
Shelly Berg – Alegria (ArtistShare, released 07/19/2024). Melvin Butler – tenor saxophone, Shelly Berg – piano, Carlitos Del Puerto – bass, Dafnis Prieto – drums.
Miami-based pianist / composer and Dean of the Frost School of Music has released a joyful (“alegria” is Spanish for “joy”) piano trio recording with longtime collaborators Carlitos Del Puerto (Chick Corea) on bass and Dafnis Prieto (2022’s Cantar & 2020’s Transparency) on drums. Melvin Butler joins for two selections on tenor. The program is mostly originals with one cover each from Bernstein and Lennon / McCartney. Looking for straight ahead jazz? Give this a listen.
Review: AllAboutJazz, Jazz Views
I hope that something here tickles your eardrums.
Russell Perry, Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs.
