Want to try something that’s got some extra flavor and originality. Here are a couple for you!
Rondi Charleston is one of the few jazz singers that also writes a good portion of her own material. She’s got a chocolate tapioca texture of a voice, and uses it well on her own reflective “DNA” and title track. Along with a stellar team of Dave Stryker/g, Brandon McCune/p, Ed Howard/b, Clarence Penn/dr and Mayra Casales/perc, she does some nice work with Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints,” which also includes Ted Nash’s tenor. Gregoire Maret’s harmonica adds depth to “The Wind Speaks.” Arrangements by Stryker make Paul Simon’s “Spirit Voices” and Monk’s “Reflections” into fresh bouquets of sound. Impressive!
Billed as “Piano Prince of New Orleans” Crescent City native Davell Crawford explores the gumbo flavored sounds that permeate the air of Basin Street. This tribute to Louisiana includes appearances by Donald Harrison, Bobbi Humphrey, Nicholas Payton, Nicholas Payton and Steve Riley among others. His remaking of Allen Toussaint’s “Southern Nights” is wondrous, while the intriguing take of Steve Winwood’s “Can’t Find My Way Back Home” is a surprise success. Even Mr. Mellow James Taylor gets a nod with a lovely reading of “Fire and Rain.” Every mood you’d want is covered, like red beans over rice. Pleasant as a mint julep.
Motema Music
Basin Street Records
www.basinstreetrecords.com