Here’s a young lady that sounds like she was weaned on Hank Crawford albums. Hailey Niswanger plays alto and soprano sax, and along with Thara Memory/tp-voc, Janice Scroggins/key, Errick Lewis/b, AG Donnaloia/g, Louis Pain/B3, Brian Foxworth-Israel Annoh/dr-Christopher Brown/dr and a…
Month: June 2015
Ryan Truesdell Present Gil Evans Project: Live At Jazz Standard
Conductor Ryan Truesdell delivers a well tuned tribute to legendary band leader Gil Evans by returning to material from the visionary’s catalogue. The big band includes a rhythm section of Frank Kimbrough/p, Jay Anderson/b and Lewis Nash/dr as well as…
Michael Vlatkovich Septet: Ask 7, Matt Criscuolo: Headin’ Out
A pair of post bop sessions. Trombonist Michael Vlatkovich brings together a forward looking team of Ron Miles/ct, Wade Sander/bstb, Mark Harris/as-cl-bcl, Glenn Nitta/ts, Kent McLagen/b and Chris Lee/dr for a collection of originals. There’s a free form New Orleanish…
SINGERS, MALE AND FEMALE…Tad Robinson: Day Into Night, Lainie Cooke: The Music Is The Magic, Mark Weber & Carol Sawyer: Elasticity
It’s a battle of the sexes at the microphone! Tad Robinson. Who IS this guy? He’s got a husky voice, sometimes sounding like Tom Garrett of the Classics IV, other moments like a blue eyed Al Green. He’s teamed up…
DEM ‘BONES…The Jiggs Whigham International Trio: Live At Nighttown, Joe Fiedler Trio: I’m In, John Fedchock Quartet: Fluidity
Usually associated with big bands or Dixieland/Chicago styled trad, the trombone can also be used for modern small band sounds. Here are a few examples… Jiggs Whigham brings his trombone along with Florian Weber/p and Decebal Badila/g for a collection…
TRIOS TWO WAYS…Jeff Cosgrove/Frank Kimbrough/Martin Wind: Conversations With Owls, Janice Friedman Trio: Live At Kitano
Same instruments, different vibes. Jeff Cosgrove/dr teams up with Frank Kimbrough/p and Martin Wind/b for a mix of originals and standards that are so quiet and subtle that you’re going to think your speakers or headphones aren’t working. Barely imperceptible…
SUBTLE AND SOFT…Christian Artmann: Fields of Pannonia, Giancarlo Mazzu’ & Luciano Troja: Tasting Beauty
Jazz also has its delicate and tender side. Here are a couple examples from recent releases… Flutist (flautist? Flaunt it if you’ve got it-ist?) Christian Artmann teams up with Gregg Kallor/p, Johannes Weidenmueller/b and Jeff Hirshfield for a pastoral collection…
Kermit Ruffins & The Barbecue Swingers: #imsoneworleans
Kermit Ruffins has taken the mantle as being the Ambassador of New Orleans Music. His wonderfully earthy voice and joyful trumpet exude everything good about the sounds of the Crescent City. This latest album has him with Kevin Morris/b, Jerry…
Jenna Mammina & Rolf Sturm: Spark
Here’s a cozy duet session between vocalist Jenna Mammina and guitarist Rolf Sturm. Mammina’s voice has a sweetness similar to Blossom Dearie and uses it well on cute deliveries like “Betcha By Golly Wow” and the winsome “Do You Know…
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: The Treasury Shows Vol. 19
Storyville Records continues its release of WWII and post war broadcast recordings of Duke Ellington’s Orchestra, and each two disc set so far has had its own reasons for ownership. Sure, there are plenty of tunes that the Ellington fan…