CD Reviews on projects by Jazz artists
Skip and Dan Wilkins Quartet Someday Deer Head Just as this recording form the Skip and Dan Wilkins Quartet is essentially an homage to the Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap, PA, my review is a kind of homage that same venue, relatively local for this writer. Yes, it’s a rather unlikely spot to […]
Jackie Allen A Romantic Evening With – Live at the Rococo Avant Bass This live concert from renowned jazz vocalist Jackie Allen is available as a CD or with an accompanying Blu-ray disc. You may have already seen this as it has aired on several PBS outlets across the country. There’s a bit of a […]
Matthew Snow Iridescence Self-released Matthew Snow’s Iridescence stands apart from most straight-ahead jazz albums due to that unusual instrumentation. Delivering hard bop and ballads without tenor sax, trumpet or piano is rather heady stuff but Snow’s combination proves intriguing. Joining Snow who is an emerging composer and bassist based in NYC is joined by fluent […]
Roger Kellaway The Many Open Minds of Roger Kellaway IPO The brilliant, versatile pianist Roger Kellaway may often be dismissed as “too mainstream” or generally an accompanist for vocalists singing standards or orchestrated pop material. Yet, the pianist who turns 80 this month, has a love for straight-ahead jazz from bebop to hard bop. On […]
Eric Hofbauer and Dylan Jack Remains of Echoes Creative Nation Music Guitarist Eric Hofbauer and percussionist Dylan Jack have put together an album of one of the most eclectic mix of covers ever. It’s a guitar and drum exploration into what is possible when two creative minds go to work. The goal of the Boston-area […]
Staci Griesbach My Patsy Cline Songbook Independent Staci Griesbach was a former Vice President of Publicity at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. After returning from vacation she found herself downsized. She decided then to place her corporate career on hold and fulfill her long standing desire of becoming a jazz vocalist. Virginia Patterson Hensley a.k.a. Patsy […]
Bonsai Universe Too Many Ghosts Self-released Too Many Ghosts, the latest title from renowned guitarist Woody Aplanlap, is the second project from what he’s dubbed Bonsai Universe. It’s a beautiful mess. In other words, depending on your mood his inventive psychedelic sounds can joyously transport you but if you’re looking for something more cohesive and […]
The Bad Plus Activate Infinity Edition Activate Infinity is the second album from The Bad Plus since Orrin Evans replaced co-founder Ethan Iverson in the piano chair. This widely popular jazz trio who has gathered a wide fan base drawing on pop and rock audiences, has delivered an album almost every year since their inception […]
Matt Ulery Delicate Charms Woolgathering Matt Ulery, Chicago-based bassist-composer, casts a mysterious, dense, often warm spell with his quintet called by the same name as the album, Delicate Charms. The unit is unusual in that the front line features alto saxophonist Greg Ward and violinist Zach Brock, each capable of inventive melodic lines, ensemble work, […]
John Allee Bardfly Portuguese Knees Music There have been a couple of other Shakespeare related efforts to cross this writer, a former English major no less, desk’s recently, and for reasons of those albums being a bit esoteric or somehow unconvincing, we didn’t bring ink to these pages. So yes, John Allee, veteran stage and […]
Fima Chupakhin Water Self-released The Ukraine is in the news often lately as it becomes a central focus in the impeachment proceedings but musically we can all be on the same side welcoming Ukrainian-native, Brooklyn-based pianist Fima Chupakhin who is presenting his first album as leader, Water, accompanied by a group of stellar international musicians […]
Chris Madsen Bonfire Outside in Music Saxophonist and band leader Chris Madsen leads his Chicago-based quartet on Bonfire, and album of eight originals, stretching nearly an hour. These compositions have been a long time in the making but allow for plenty of improvisation and interplay. Befitting the album title, there are plenty of moments when […]
Snave and the Third Stream Tin Can Fish House In 1957, Gunther Schuller described the Third Stream as a place where jazz and classical music meet halfway. For Snave and the Third Stream, that definition expands. It is where jazz, pop, country, blues, Cajun, folk and rock come together. And they do merge beautifully on […]
Guillaume Muller Sketches of Sound Self-released Even before listening, one should give a wink to Guillaume Muller for the word play of the album title, playing off one of Miles Davis’ many great records. Guitarist Muller is a relative newcomer to the NYC jazz scene beginning in 2016. This is his debut as a leader […]
Karl Berger-Jason Kao Hwang Conjure True Sound Recordings We have covered the outstanding violinist and composer Jason Kao Hwang on these pages before with his Burning Bridge band and the album Blood, Delivering very edgy and highly creative sounds. Here he is paired with avant-garde vibraphonist Karl Berger, certainly a collaboration that in some ways […]
Makar Kashitsyn Jazz Animals Rainy Days There’s a revolution going on in Russia, a jazz revolution that is. We’ll get to the mission and some of the projects of the label, Rainy Days but first we’ll talk about the debut recording of alto saxophonist and composer Makar Kashitsyn, the 19-year-old prodigy from Moscow with Jazz […]
Big Beat Sounds Good, Feels Good Self-released Jazz education is thriving in many fine colleges and universities these days. In fact, there are so many talented players coming on the scene that supply is outrunning demand. There are just not enough venues and gigs for these youngsters to play. Nonetheless, the musical inspiration and joy […]
Paula Harris Speakeasy Paula Harris is the sort of vocalist you would expect to find, in fact, in a classic speakeasy or in a ritzy nightclub. Her voice is full and sometimes haunting, as it is on the first song, “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight. It is also capable of getting naughty on a song […]
Kenyatta Beasley Septet Frank Foster Songbook Sony/The Orchard Trumpeter Kenyatta Beasley leads an explosive session with his septet, through the compositions of renowned saxophonist, the late Frank Foster, Beasley’s mentor. These burning cuts, stretched over twos discs, were recorded during a two night stand at Brooklyn’s Jazz 966 in 2013. There are only 11 compositions […]
Lisa Rich Highwire Tritone This is vocalist Lisa Rich’s third album, coming now a mere 32 years later, recently remixed and released for the first time. Yes, there’s a story here. Rich sings so purely and this recording is so pristine in sound that it deserves to be heard. Not only that, it features compositions […]
Clark Gibson Tri-Colored Eyes Self-released This is saxophonist Clark Gibson’s fourth release as leader and reunites him with one of his earliest collaborators, the in-demand B3 master, Pat Bianchi. It’s their mission on Tri-Colored Eyes, all Gibson compositions, to honor the hard bop organ trio sound of past years while con-temporizing it. When most folks […]
Fabrizio Sciacca Quartet Getting’ It There Self-released Italy-born, NYC-based bassist Fabrizio Sciacca makes his debut as a leader with Getting’ It There. Fabrizio studied under his mentor, the most prolific jazz bassist of them all, Ron Carter, and recruited the pianist from Ron Carter’s Trio, Donald Vega. Joining Vega and Sciacca are drummer Billy Drummond, […]
Mike Pachelli High Standards Full Blast World-class, versatile guitarist Mike Pachelli, who has logged considerable time in Nashville, pulled together a rather impromptu trio for this upbeat jazz album. Playing his 1993 Gibson L5 Wes Montgomery and a 1967 Fender Princeton Reverb, Pachelli called on friends – bassist Tony Levin and drummer Danny Gottlieb for […]
Nicholas Bearde I Remember You: The Music of Nat King Cole Right Groove Nicholas Bearde is a renowned jazz vocalist with a silky baritone voice that lies somewhere between Nat King Cole and Billy Eckstein. He’s the ideal one to pay tribute to Nat King Cole in celebration of Cole’s 100th birthday with I Remember […]
The Curtis Brothers Algorithm Truth Revolution You will find several common elements between The Curtis Brothers’ Algorithm and the excellent hard bop disc, the recently issued Ralph Peterson & The Messenger Legacy’s Legacy Alive Volume 6 At The Side Door. Both were recorded at the Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme, CT. Both feature […]
Bill O’Connell and the Afro Caribbean Ensemble Wind Off the Hudson Savant Surely Bill O’Connell’s name would not immediately scream “Latin Jazz” to those unfamiliar with his career. Yet, for over four decades now, O’Connell has been considered one of the top pianist/composer/arranger/band leaders in NYC in both jazz and Latin jazz. Importantly, this could […]
Chase Baird A Life Between Soundsabound A Life Between, coming eight years after his debut Crosscurrents. The album follows Baird’s graduation from Julliard and a chance meeting with master pianist Brad Mehldau in New York City where Baird now resides and works, (at least when he can). Baird is one of too many young artists […]
The Session Collusion Bubble Bath Collusion, their third album, marks the return from a brief hiatus of the New Orleans-based quartet, The Session. The four members got their start with Jason Marsalis’ Vibes Quartet, but soon found synergy amongst themselves. They are bassist Jasen Weaver, trumpeter Steen Lands, pianist Andrew McGowan and drummer Darrian Douglas. […]
Mark Winkler I’m With You Mark Winkler Sings Bobby Troup Café Pacific Mark Winkler certainly counts Bobby Troup among his leading mentors. This is Winkler’s second full album in tribute to the great songwriter, known best for the iconic “Route 66.” Winkler issued Mark Winker Sings Bobby Troup in 2002, before he was as widely […]
Mark Doyle Watching the Detectives – Guitar Noir III Free Will Mark Doyle’s guitar album, Watching the Detectives – Guitar Noir III, is a unique and defyingly challenging merging of jazz, rock, and soundtrack. There cannot be many like this out there although Doyle will clearly admit to drawing from a few major influences. The […]
Ricardo Peixoto Scary Beautiful Self-released Guitarist and composer Ricardo Peixoto originally hails from Brazil but has developed a cross-pollinating music style that encompasses different cultures and genres. Scary Beautiful, his third CD as a leader, is an ambitious project involving 27 musicians in the credits, playing just about all modes of woodwinds, brass, and strings, […]
Antonio Adolfo Samba Jazz Alley AAM Music We’ve brought you plenty of Latin jazz on these pages in the past year, but Antonio Adolfo is one the founders of Brazilian jazz from the early ‘60s, taking the bossa in a slightly different direction with samba, and thus, should not go unnoticed. On Samba Jazz Alley […]
Melbreeze Amethyst MCC This is the second release for avant-garde vocalist Melbreeze, following the success of her last year’s largely Latin Animazonia. This writer is usually not interested in an album of covers, especially one that hits so many familiar tunes but Melbreeze’s approach is just so refreshingly different that it merits some commentary. First […]
Maryjo Mundy The Fourteenth Confession – Songs of Laura Nyro Bluejazz Sometimes it takes a tribute or interpretations from another artist for one to truly appreciate the beauty and power of the songs left behind by the original. Thus is the case for this live performance by Maryjo Mundy last year at the Gardenia in […]
Joe Restivo Where’s Joe? Blue Barrel Records Joe Restivo was raised in Memphis, the son of a local mom and Brooklyn born navy veteran. At the age of twelve he was playing guitar in punk bands, but by the time he graduated high school he was hanging out on Beale watching the legendary blues and […]
Lyn Stanley Favorite Takes – London With a Twist- Live at Bernie’s ATM We introduced you to jazz vocalist Lyn Stanley back in December 2017 with her double CD-set of the Great American Songbook classics., Moonlight Sessions Vol. 1 and Vol 2. You may want to reference that for her amazing back story. In 2018 […]
Patrick Barnitt Sway Self-released Vocalist and actor Patrick Barnitt is releasing his second album, Sway, backed by the 17-piece Paul McDonald Big Band and featuring a varied collection of swing, pop, and blues tunes. At times Barnitt, with his robust tenor voice, will remind you of those classic male singers of the Great American Songbook. […]
Lauren Desberg Out for Delivery Self-released Out for Delivery is a different kind of jazz vocal album because songstress Lauren Desberg wants to be anything but predictable You may not even think it’s jazz as you know it. It’s an album that doesn’t rely on standards although there are two of them transformed into almost […]
Blind Lemon Jazz After Hours OFEH Sometimes a format change can make a big difference. James Byfield aka Blind Lemon Pledge has made several straight-ahead blues albums that this writer deemed ordinary. After Hours, as the name implies, is a set of late night jazzy fare, with all tunes written by Byfield but mostly sung […]
Mark Morganelli & The Jazz Forum All-Stars Brasil! Jazz Forum When we think of Brazilian music, we probably first envision guitars or maybe those iconic Stan Getz/ Gilberto collaborations. In fact, the music lends itself to all kinds of instrumentation and this 2CD offering from trumpeter and flugelhornist, bandleader Mark Morganelli, is as a good […]
Hazel Mitchell-Bell Stronger Than Ever Self-Released Based on several recent releases, the Washington D.C. jazz scene if full of talent and thriving. Just last week we reviewed saxophonist Jordon Dixon. Recently this writer also was moved by D.C.’s Coniece Washington’s tribute to her idol, Shirley Horn, on Shades of Shirley Horn. Key to that album […]
Dave Wilson Quartet One Night at Chris’ Self-Released This live album from saxophonist Dave Wilson and his quartet at Philly’s Chris’ Jazz Café is a different kind of jazz album due to the choice of rock cover songs, not often heard in a jazz format. They include the Grateful Dead’s “Friend of the Devil,” The […]
Judy Wexler Crowded Heart Jewel City Jazz L.A. vocalist Judy Wexler is releasing her fifth album, Crowded Heart, in which she presents a forward look at the Great American Songbook, jazz standards for the 21st Century. In some ways it’s comparable to Chris Stamey’s forthcoming project, due at the end of the month, New Songs […]
Chanda Rule Sapphire Dreams PAO/Blujazz Amazing, multi-talented Chanda Rule is a singular talent that may escape the attention of many because the Chicago-born, New York-experienced artist is now living in Vienna where this jazz vocal album, Sapphire Dreams, was recorded about 20 months ago and originally released on a European label. Rule recorded with the […]
Rebecca Dumaine and the Dave Miller Combo Chez Nous Summit Jazz vocalist Rebecca Dumaine is the daughter of pianist Dave Miller and they collaborate for a generous program of mostly standards, several done rather inventively. Joining are bassist Chuck Bennett, drummer Bill Belasco, and on eight of the 14, guitarist Brad Buethe. This is Bay […]
Jordon Dixon ON! Self-released Jordon Dixon is a Washington-D.C. based emerging tenor saxophonist with a big fat sound that owes in part to Stanley Turrentine and Dexter Gordon. As a bandleader on this, his second album, he fronts a quartet/quintet that includes the brilliant Allyn Johnson on piano and the rhythm duo of bassist Herman […]
Pablo Lanouguere Quintet Eclectico Self-released Pablo Lanouguere is a native-born Argentinian bassist and composer and this is the recording debut of his quintet, Eclectico. These are a dozen originals, 11 by Lanouguere. Their music is unique, for lack of a better term, world fusion, combining modern jazz, tango, Argentinian, and classical music. Lanouguere has been […]
Elizabeth Tomboulian Love’s In Need of Love Today Self-released It’s never too late. Elizabeth Tomboulian has been singing since the ‘70s but this is her debut CD, Love’s In Need of Love Today. In keeping with her career, it’s an eclectic mix of blues, bossa nova, and jazz – all styles that she has covered […]
Ellynne Rey The Birdsongs Project Self-produced Jazz vocalist Ellynne Rey delivers this interesting project of bird songs by a wide array of writers including Blossom Dearie, Joni Mitchell, Hoagy Carmichael, Abbey Lincoln, Franz Shubert, and the Beatles. Looking at that list, you could likely guess some of the songs, but you might be wrong on […]
Ernest Turner My Americana Self-released Veteran pianist Ernest Turner hails from Durham, NC but has soaked up plenty of jazz through his university studies as well as playing in New Orleans before returning home and establishing himself as a mainstay in Durham’s burgeoning jazz scene. My Americana is his solo debut album after spending years […]