Descarga For Monk; Alex Conde, piano.
The unique and timeless music of Thelonious Monk has been examined and presented in a multitude of settings. Think about Carmen McRae’s heroic vocal session, and go all the way to Bill Holman’s bombastic big band. In between there have been piano settings, guitar trios and even a brilliant quartet called “Sphere,” Monk’s middle name! But what I do not recall is an example of Monk “goes Latin.” Don’t raise your eyebrows!
I’ll tell you why this works so well. First of all, pianist Alex Conde spins out very true and swinging Latin rhythms but never sounds like he’s threatening our Monk sensibility. His colleagues, respectively on bass, drums and additional percussion, play the same game. They never go overboard into the extreme which, when done, can often over-decorate Latin music. And Monk fans will undoubtedly recognize titles like “Think Of One,” “Ugly Beauty,” “Evidence,” “Monk’s Dream,” “Ruby, My Dear,” “Pannonica” and more. A solo piano version of “Round Midnight” is quite enthralling. So here it is: a fresh new approach to the compositions of a true jazz original. It all fits together with a heavy helping of creativity and a sprinkling of affection.
Zoho; 2015; 53 min.
Great American Songs; Jeff Hamilton Trio. Just when I begin to suffer from the notion that America’s greatest melodies are slipping from our consciousness, an album such as this comes along and lifts my spirits. Thankfully, drummer Jeff Hamilton and his trio see the light, and it shines brilliantly here. Indeed, now and then they do make ‘em like they used to. In my opinion, Hamilton’s pianist, Tamir Hendelman, is the best of his generation. Dedicated to this era of superb songs, he plays with tenderness on the ballads and swings with total dedication to the tradition on brisk tempos. Bassist Christoph Luty completes this highly communicative trio to perfection. All I can say is that we’re in trouble if we ever lose sight of tunes like “Tenderly,” “The More I See You,” “It Could Happen to You,” “Thou Swell,” “I Thought About You,” “How Long Has This Been Going On” and more. It’s been in the neighborhood of 80 years since these tunes were written. Ah ... I feel better already.
Capri; 2014; 53 min.
Sunday Strollin’”; Marcus Parsley, trumpet and vocals.
This is something of a mixed bag — great playing and a couple of questionable decisions. Parsley’s choice of six standards (of the nine tunes) shows some classy consideration. One of them, “Solitude,” is played up tempo. Taking liberties is always encouraged in jazz, but Parsley’s quintet should have left “Solitude” the exquisite ballad that Duke Ellington kindly gave us. Ir- ving Berlin’s “Change Partners” is given an R&B-like backbeat. So much for the snafus.
Matt Dennis’ “Will You Still Be Mine” bring things back to the way they were intended to sound, and the record continues from that point on as a most satisfying session! Donald Byrd’s “Slow Drag” (with a “Song For My Father” intro) is an album highlight. A Parsley original, “Delta Queen,” provides a second line sort of feeling, and the rarely heard “Travelin’ All Alone” features Parsley’s pleasant vocal. Ditto on the old warhorse “Isn’t This a Lovely Day.” Another Parsley original, “Done Toldja,” is a Blue Note-style burner, and the album concludes with a Jack Sheldon-ish “You’ve Changed.” Just re-think those first two tunes and this would be a prized album. Even so, the rest of it is a major winner.
Rondette Jazz; 2014; 55 min.
Balafonics; Pascal Bokar, guitar.
I think the phrase that applies here is “too much frosting on the cake.” Bokar plays well and with a frequent tip of the hat to Wes Montgomery. And who would argue with choices like “Lester Leaps In,” “Cherokee,” “Bye Bye Blackbird,” “Have You Met Miss Jones,” “Bags’ Groove” and “Song For My Father.” I would like to have more of Bokar’s guitar, though, and less of the flute player who shares the lead role. In addition, there are two sabar players. For those who would like to know, a sabar is a specialized west African drum. And a vocal on “Solitude” wasn’t quite an award winner. Lots of well-chosen tunes and solid musicianship. But next time, how about Mr. Bokar’s guitar and a rhythm section? Now that would be something!
Sugo Music Group; 2014; 40 min.
Portraiture; Brian Swartz, trumpet and flugelhorn.
The respected magazine Jazz Times compares Brian Swartz’s silvery trumpet and flugelhorn sound to the likes of Art Farmer and Tom Harrell. Pretty good company, wouldn’t you say? On this well-conceived recording, Swartz leads a sextet on eight original compositions, each of which is a jazz portrait of either a family member, a friend, or a fellow musician. Hence the album title. In addition to Swartz, the sextet is comprised of tenor sax, trombone and standard rhythm section. Tenor sax is split between Matt Otto and Robby Marshall, both of whom account very well for themselves.
Although there are some up-tempo moments here and there, most of Swartz’s writing might be described as thoughtful, intricate, passionate and lyrical. Tempos are mostly moderate and melody lines often very beautiful. His own sound is highlycrafted and respectful of the tradition of greats who surely must have influenced him. This is a set of eight original compositions well worth hearing.
Summit; 2014; 72 min.
Conundrum; Ian Sims And Divergent Paths, Ian Sims, tenor saxophone.
Over the last decade or so, I’ve noticed an increase in the number of quartet or quintet records utilizing a guitar in place of a piano. I don’t know if this is simply a preference or if the current lack of a piano in many venues is a contributor. On his debut CD, Ian Sims, a young and fiery tenor sax player, uses Paul Bollenback on guitar. The very fluid Alex Norris is on trumpet and flugelhorn, with bassist Ed Howard and drummer E.J. Strickland rounding out the quintet.
The program is made up of nine originals by the leader. The use of the guitar (rather than a piano) sometimes gives the music a contemporary edginess, at times a plus and occasionally a less pleasing factor. Sims, it should be noted, has advanced degrees in both engineering and music performance, and brings a very impressive resume to the bandstand. This is pulsing, searching modern music. It’s very 2015 one might say, and some stirring musicianship calls for you to give it a shot.
Self-produced; 2014; 53 min.
Close Enough For Love; Calvin Keys, guitar.
The notes with this CD tell us that Calvin Keys is a guitarist who has worked in many genres of music for over 50 years! And considering that his first love is jazz, why is it that I am making his acquaintanceship for the first time? I guess some things defy explanation and simply end up in the “oddity” category. Be that as it may, Keys plays a host of good tunes in all kinds of settings. His choices range from solo guitar on “Close Enough for Love” to strings and flutes on a Burt Bacharach rarity called “Last One to Be Loved” — and everything in between: duos; piano trios; a Hammond B3 cut; saxophones and trumpets here and there; and to top it off, some live and some studio cuts. A compilation in just about every sense of the word. But Keys’ guitar is heard throughout on “Dolphin Dance,” “I Can’t Get Started,” “Old Devil Moon,” “Emily,” and “Honeysuckle Rose.“ A few lesser known items complete this menu. Keys plays with great taste and often provocative ideas throughout. So where’s he been keeping himself all these years?!
Life Force Jazz; 2015; times not indicated.
NYC Sessions; Dave Bass, piano.
Okay, let’s forego the jokes about a guy named Dave “Bass” playing the piano. There are more important things to address here. One of them is the path of this pianist. Early on it took him to venues with pop entertainers. An accident that restricted his playing eventually led to law school and ultimately hew became Assistant Attorney General for the state of California! But the jazz thing always called to him.
So here he is, back with his trio and guests Phil Woods on alto and Karin Allyson on a few vocals. How about that! Eight of the eleven cuts are his own compositions. Among the standouts are “Lost Valentine,” a plaintive entry on which Allyson sings Bass’ lyric. The ageless Phil Woods blows alto as well as ever on “Basic Bolero,” one of several tunes here with a Latin touch. Another singer, Paulette McWilliams, hits the mark on two more Bass originals, the whimsical “Since I Found You” and the bluesy “Just A Fool”. Standards “My Foolish Heart” and “Dark Eyes” round out a versatile and enjoyable release. There are plenty of lawyers. The world needs a solid pianist-composer-lyricist. Welcome back, Dave Bass!
Whaling City Sound; 2015; 60 min.
Event Horizon; Mark Wade, bass.
This is a debut album for New York bassist Wade. He indicates a preference and fondness for piano trios, so it’s no surprise that he enlisted the lyrical and lovely touch of Tim Harrison on piano and the subtleties of Scott Neumann, drums. This is as much pianist Harrison’s album as it is Wade’s. And Harrison’s versatility and gentle approach made these compositions “sing.”
Wade writes long lines that give all three players breathing room and opportunity to make attractive musical statements. I was particularly drawn to “Valley and Stream” with its classical feeling and a crystalline bowed solo from the leader. The one standard on the session is a playful and fresh look at “If I Only Had a Brain,” the classic Harold Arlen tune from “The Wizard of Oz.” There’s a lot of beauty mixed with a little whimsy here. What a delightful debut!
Self-produced; 2014; 54 min.
The Journey; Charles McPherson, alto sax.
The life-in-jazz journey of alto sax great Charles McPherson has found him in the company of Charles Mingus, Barry Harris, Art Farmer and loads of other heroes. That road also put him on the soundtrack to “Bird,” the Clint Eastwood film on the life of Charlie Parker. But it was a routine Denver gig that found him in the presence of such gifted locals that McPherson knew he just had to record with them. And this CD is the result.
McPherson’s bop chops remain firmly rooted as he explores a program of standards and originals with Keith Oxman, tenor sax; Chip Stephens, piano; Ken Walker, bass; and Todd Reid, drums — all first cabin players. A few highlights: his engaging alto and tenor meeting with Oxman on his original, “Manhattan Nocturne”; a fanciful flight on Parker’s classic bop line “Au Privave”; “I Should Care” is one of those “forever” ballads, and McPherson’s alto is appropriately sweet and tender; the title tune, with some tricky passages and bop-drenched lines, is fresh and vita; finally, another original, “Bud Like,” puts McPherson on a bebop horse race which of course he wins! His dedication to Parker is clear. Yet throughout a long career, McPherson has made his own unique place in the story of jazz.
Capri; 2015; 55 min.
Family Dedications And More; Chip White, drums, poetry, vibes, and compositions.
This is one of those jazz rarities that works to perfection. White is a drummer with a resume that includes gigging and recording with many of the greats of bebop. He is also blessed with the talent of creating brief poetic vignettes or biographical sketches of past masters of jazz. On this two-CD session (one is music, the other is poetry), he plays a scintillating set of originals with respected colleagues, and then waxes poetic with loving tributes to no less than 19 jazz icons. Among them are Jobim, Louis, Billie, Nat, Sarah, Cedar, Chet, McCoy and Bill Evans. And believe it or not, this is Volume 4 of these combinations of music and poetry. On the music disc, White welcomes Eddie Henderson, Wycliffe Gordon, Renee Rosnes, Peter Washington and other luminaries. Pretty good company, right?
The 10 original White compositions are energetic items with vigorous solo space for all and melodies that zip by like rush hour traffic. You gotta hand it to White, a double artistic talent who just keeps on keepin’ on.
Dark Colors; 2014; two CDs, total time 87:53.
New Jazz Standards; Sam Most, flute, alto flute, clarinet, baritone sax, vocals and scat.
Along with Frank Wess of Basie band fame, Sam Most was a pioneer in the use of the flute in a bebop setting. This beautiful session turned out to be Most’s final recorded document and — no pun intended — he went out on a high note. Every note, every phrase, every challenging boppy twist and turn is accomplished flawlessly — even though Most’s health had begun to slip at the time of the recordings. The 12 tunes here are the creations of one of my favorite trumpet players, Carl Saunders. He writes bright, buoyant lines with real melodies, and Most, one might say, makes the “most” of them. Perhaps a bit surprisingly, Saunders does not play on the session. That honor is given to a superb veteran L.A. rhythm section headed by the in-demand pianist Christian Jacob. If you want to check out some pure fun, try “Is That Asking too Much.” Most scats up a storm in this high velocity delight. And don’t miss his baritone playing here and there — you’ll hear the spirit of Gerry Mulligan lingering nearby. All the players make this a happy, upbeat date. Sam Most couldn’t have asked for a more fitting final musical statement.
Summit; 2014; 61 min.
Reunion Trios; Paul Yonemura, drums.
An active drummer in San Francisco Bay Area circles, Paul Yonemura actually works here with three different groups — all trios, with different players in every trio. Of the ten selections, three are standards: “Stella By Starlight,” “There Is No Greater Love” and Johnny Carisi’s “Israel.” Six tunes represent formidable works by various trio members, and there’s one hit from the pop world called “Fire And Rain.”
Space and sanity doesn’t allow us to cover every name from all three trios. But for the record, the three pianists are Rick Helzer, Frank Martin and Michael Wolff. All three account very well for themselves in a straight ahead fashion. Although the CD is in Yonemura’s name, the drummer keeps it all solid with no over-the-top bravado. Perhaps my favorite is the Carisi classic “Israel,” which features Wolff at the piano. This is the kind of real deal piano jazz that you’d love in a club setting. Kudos to Yonemura. He knew just what he wanted. And he got it!
Girod Records; 2014; times not indicated.
Sugar Blues; Crescent City Quartet; Alex Belhaj, guitar.
Hats off to guys like this! It’s an iron clad fact that “early” jazz such as this should be preserved for future generations to enjoy. I would guess that most of these tunes date back to the 1920s, some perhaps even older. The Quartet is led by guitarist Belhaj. His dedicated colleagues include Ray Heitger, clarinet, Dave Kosmyna, cornet, and Jordan Schug, bass. It’s easy to pick up on the joy these players take in performing these delectable old melodies. Some are instrumentals and others include vocal choruses. Some of the better known melodies include the title tune, the traditional opus “Careless Love,” Sidny Bechet’s “Viper Mad,” and Jelly Roll Morton’s “Tiger Rag.” “Four or Five Times” is a lesser known gem featuring some of the old time vocal harmonizing. And “Sitting on Top of the World” is the ancient “Sitting,” not the “rolling along” one! On these and more, these four guys are having a ball playing and singing charmers from long ago.
Self-produced; 2013; 66 min.
Timely; Glenn Wilson, baritone sax.
It was the 1960s, and baritone ace Pepper Adams found a big, burly sound with trumpet players like Donald Byrd, Thad Jones, Stu Williamson and Lee Katzman. That very satisfying baritone and trumpet combination is revisited here with Glenn Wilson’s bari and the trumpet and flugelhorn of John D’earth. Completing the quintet are John Toomey, piano, Jimmy Masters, bass, and Tony Martucci, drums. Their set, recorded live in a Virginia jazz club, actually includes two Pepper Adams compositions, “Dylan’s Delight” and “Diabolique II.” Other prominent composers include Wayne Shorter (“Sightseeing”) and pianist Larry Willis (“To Wisdom, The Prize”). Trumpet man D’earth also contributes two originals. The surprise of the set, however, is Bob Dorough’s charmer “Nothing Like You.” These guys have nothing to prove. This is an ever-swinging high power session in the best of that tradition. I wish that more records were being made this way.
Cadence Jazz Records; 2014; 64 min.
Brian Pareschi & The BP Express.
Does anyone out there remember the name Marty Paich? He was a West Coast pianist who assembled a ninepiece little big band and excelled at writing exclusively for his talented players. They also dabbled in established standards. Well, 3000 miles away in New York, trumpet player extraordinaire Brian Pareschi has latched onto that concept with his own octet/nonet. Most of the tunes are his original compositions, and like Paich did decades ago, Pareschi writes distinctive flowing melodies and turns over very generous solo space to his skilled colleagues. As for Pareschi himself, his tone can move from fiery to subtle and serene. But the common thread is his outstanding control and depth at any tempo. Incidentally, the standards here are “I Believe in You” and “I Cover the Waterfront.” They’re very different from each other, that’s for sure. But it’s nice to reacquaint with a couple of underdone, well-written tunes. All told, this is a very impressive CD which, in a just musical world, would sell a zillion copies!
Self-produced; 2014; 56 min.
The Way; John Petrucelli, tenor saxophone.
Whoever says that jazz is fading from the scene might be well advised to understand how many hundreds (maybe thousands) of young hungry players find their way to New York alone. One of them is tenor sax man John Petrucelli. His debut CD is a two-disc affair, and right off the bat I like the fact that he plays tenor throughout. No doubling on soprano this time. Hooray! His quintet is completed by Peter Park, guitar, Victor Gould, piano, Alex Claffy, bass, and Gusten Rudolph, drums. All are new to me, but they certainly bring strong support for Petrucelli’s tenor. As a guest on three tunes, veteran drummer Victor Lewis pays a visit.
Of the 11 selections, eight are the leader’s compositions. His writing often takes the quintet in rather unexpected directions, resulting in tricky melodic maneuvers that challenge the listener. But that’s a good thing in that Petrucelli and his bandmates are totally up to the task. Incidentally, the three non-originals are “I Hear a Rhapsody,” “Early Autumn,” and the lesser known Monk tune, “Gallop’s Gallop.” There’s always room for another formidable tenor player. Just consider giants like Eric Alexander and Grant Stewart. Having said that, watch out for John Petrucelli.
Self-produced; 2014; two CDs; 44 and 43 min.
Certain Relationships; Art Lillard’s Heavenly Big Band.
Art Lillard’s Heavenly Big Band has been dishing up swinging, accessible sounds since 1987. And what versatility! These tunes range from Pete Johnson’s “Carolina Shout” to the Billie Holiday opus “God Bless the Child” and from “Girl From Ipanema” to Albert Ammons’ “Boogie Woogie Stomp.” There are actually three sets of personnel at work here, and a handful of singers add their distinctive contributions. All were surprisingly capable, but I was really impressed with the scat singing and Chet Baker-like pitch of Pete McGuinness. His two tunes, “Just You, Just Me” and “Let’s Get Lost” are standards. The much underrated Dominique Eade, a singer I’ve admired for years, heats it up on “Pennies from Heaven.” Lillard’s charges head right down the center of the mainstream big band boulevard.
Summit Records; 2015; 73 min.
Introducing Katie Thiroux; bass and vocals.
I’ve posed this question to you before, but it’s worth one more rewind: Why is it that singers who accompany themselves seem to have a special appeal for me? Think of Cole, d’Ambrosio, Horn, Greco, D’Rone, Proulx and occasionally even Carmen McRae. Well, you should hear the debut set from Thiroux and her quartet. Her singing is warm and completely natural — nothing forced or “manufactured” here. With Roger Neumann, tenor sax, Graham Dechter, guitar, and Matt Witek, drums, Thiroux weaves a special magic on such great choices as “There’s a Small Hotel,” “A Beautiful Friendship”,’ “I’m Old Fashioned,” “The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else,” “Shiny Stockings,” “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” and a few more delightful surprises. It sure is nice to sample the work of a young singer-bassist just out of the gate and sounding great!
Bass Kat Music; 2015; 48 min.
SHORT TAKES
Caprichos; Hamilton De Holanda, guitar.
This two-CD set concentrates on the guitar brilliance of De Holanda on 24 intricate tone poem originals. The style he incorporates touches on classical, Spanish, Brazilian and other world influences. Every cut, all under four minutes in length, is a gui- tarist’s dream come true. Lots of guests appear here and there to compliment De Holanda. It’s not specifically a jazz record, but one which will be appreciated by anyone with an ear for virtuosity.
Adventure Music; 2014; 35 min.
Three Rivers; Richie Goods, fretless bass.
Despite the decline of fusion and smooth jazz over the last 10 years, Goods persists in what I’ll just call electronic mush. Synthesizers, keyboards, Fender Rhodes, out of control guitars and formula singers who don’t enunciate well. One day this will disappear completely. And someone will ask, “Fusion? What was that?”
Richman Music; 2015; 62 long min.
Good Troubles; 200 Mondays Band.
Here’s a band that adheres to the idea that one can improve the stew by tossing in a multitude of ingredients. So, on a program of mostly originals and a few standards, we hear some Latin grooves, some strings, cool scatting, a pinch of pop offerings and more. If stew is your dish, happy dining.
Self-produced; probably 2014; 77 min.
Georgia Sunset; Joe Alterman, piano.
An album of both familiar and obscure material with the classy New York pianist Joe Alterman at the helm. Tenor man Houston Person drops by on several cuts, and Big Apple vets Reuben Rogers and Gregory Hutchinson help out on bass and drums. My two favorite cuts? That’s easy! “Other Voices” is a rare Errol Garner piece from the 1950s, and “That Day, That Summer” was a standout from a hard-to-find Sarah Vaughan- Jimmy Rowles session. On these and ten more, Alterman caresses the keys with elegant taste and lyricism.
Self-produced; 2014; 57 min.