DD McNeil

DAGGERBOARD ESCAPEMENT Wide Hive Records Erik Jekabson, trumpet/arranger/composer; Matt Clark, keyboard/piano; Gregory Howe, percussion/ composer; Mike Clark, drummer; Henry ‘the Skipper’ Franklin, bass; Mads Tolling, violin; Kasey Knudsen, alto saxophone; Mike Rinta, trombone/tuba; Ben Davis, cello; Jonathan Ring, French horn; William Winant, timpani/marimba. What better way to start the day than to put on some […]

LAWRENCE FIELDS TO THE SURFACE Rhythm N’ Flow Records Lawrence Fields, piano/composer; Corey Fonville, drums; Yasushi Nakamura, bass. A native of St. Louis, Missouri and currently based in New York City, pianist Lawrence Fields is making his debut recording for Rhythm N’ Flow Records.  After a long swim through the waters of great musicians like […]

PAT BIANCHI, COLIN STRANAHAN, TROY ROBERTS THREE Independent Label Pat Bianchi, organ; Colin Stranahan, drums; Troy Roberts, tenor saxophone. Anyone who knows me well knows that this journalist loves a jazz organ trio!  Pat Bianchi is carrying the torch for organ jazz in a magnificent way.  His trio opens with “Love for Sale” as they […]

SOFIA RUBINA I AM SOUL Independent Label Sofia Rubina, vocals/composer; Evgeny Lebedev, piano; Anton Revnyuk, bass; Ignat Kravtsov, drums. MAIN STRINGS: string quartet. Estonia is a small country in Northern Europe and the birthplace of Sofia Rubina.  This country, with a population of about 1.3 million people, is located bordering the Baltic Sea and the […]

ANTONIO GAVRILA TANGO SUITE BUENOS AIRES Zoho Records Antonio Gavrila, piano/composer; Walther Castro, bandoneon; Quique Sinesi, guitar; Horacio “Mono” Hurtado, bass. The opening composition by A. Piazzolla is arranged in a dramatic way, with Antonio Gavrila’s piano spraying like a powerful waterfall across the chord changes and demanding attention.  He builds this tune, starting with […]

GERALD CANNON LIVE AT DIZZY’S CLUB: THE MUSIC OF ELVIN & McCOY Woodneck Records Gerald Cannon, bass/composer; Lenny White, drums; Dave Kikoski, piano; Steve Turre, trombone; Joe Lovano, tenor saxophone; Sherman Irby, alto saxophone; Eddie Henderson, trumpet. When you put together an all-star group of musicians to play the music of Elvin Jones and McCoy […]

CONSTANTINE ALEXANDER FIRETET Independent Label Constantine Alexander, trumpet/flugelhorn/composer; Julius Tucker, piano; Greg Essig, drums; Ben Dillinger, acoustic bass; Roy McGrath, tenor saxophone. This album is ‘hard bop’ at its best!  Opening with a tune Alexander penned titled “The Show” I am swept into the energy and excitement of this Chicago-based trumpeter and his capable quintet.  […]