Golden toned trumpeter Warren Vache’ gives a well conceived tribute to Benny Carter by revisiting some of his tasty compositions here with the likes of Houston Person/ts, Nicki Parrott/b-voc, Todo Hammer/p and Leroy Williams/dr. Mainstream heaven is in force here,…
Month: May 2015
Larry Coryell: Heavy Feel
Legendary guitarist Larry Coryell is caught in an interesting session here. He’s teamed with Matt Montgomery/b, George Brooks/ss and Mike Hughes on a collection of originals. What makes this album so fascinating is that most of the songs clock in…
Petros Sakelliou: Visual Music Circus
Greek artist Petros brings together a mix of strings, reeds and old world charm here on a collection of originals. He combines Mediterranean sounds with jazz and classical, and like a good cook, lets the flavors do all of the…
HARD BOP HEAVEN…Benny Sharoni: Slant Signature, E.J. Strickland Quintet: The Undying Spirit
Ah, music with no leaven from rock or electronics! If you like your jazz straight up with no filter, tenor saxist Benny Sharoni is your guy. He leads a no frills bop team with Jim Rotondi/tp, Joe Barbato/p, Mike Mele/g,…
PIKET’S CHARGE…Billy Mintz: The 2 Bass Band…Live, Roberta Piket: Emanation
East Coast pianist Roberta Piket is creating an impressive catalogue via a variety of environs. Her own piano releases are noteworthy, other times she’s a sideman (Sidewoman? Sideperson? Sidepianist?) for a mix of small ensembles, and here she shows her…
TRIOS! Duduka Da Fonseca: Jive Samba, Samo Salamon Bassless Trio: Litter River
Few ensembles mix the flexibility of a trio. Here are a couple of ‘em. Drummer Duduka Da Fonseca teams up with David Feldman/p and Guto Wirtti/b for a mix of American jazz standards interpreted with a heart of Brazil. Feldman…
Keep On Keepin’ On: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
I haven’t seen this movie that is based on the friendship between the late jazz legend Clark Terry and pianist Justin Kauflin, but this disc of music and dialogue makes me want to put it on my Netflix list. What…
Mikko Innanen w/ William Parker & Andrew Cyrille: Song For a New Decade
Lots of free formed improvisation here between legendary drummer Andrew Cyrille, bassist William Parker and Mikko Innanen who keeps things interesting by switching between a plethora of woodwinds ranging from saxophones to whistles, Indian clarinets and things like the nose…
Chris Lightcap’s Epicenter: Clean Feed
Bassist Christ Lightcap leads a reed heavy team of Tony Malaby/ts and Chris Clark/ts along with a rhythm secton of Craig Taborn/key and Gerald Cleaver/dr through a collection of originals sans a take of the Velvet Underground’s “All Tomorrow’s Parties.”…
LATIN RITMO…Nilson Matta: East Side Rio Drive, Simone Sou-Guilherme Kastrup-Benjamin Taubkin: Sounds of Life, Pedro Giraudo Big Band: Cuentos
Think all Latin music is salsas and polkas? Here are three ways the “tinge” adds spice to jazz. Bassist Nilson Matta mixes passionate straightahead jazz with sensuous sambas and salsas here. He teams up with Romero Lubamba/g, Craig Handy/ts, Anne…