Month: January 2018

Jacques Schwarz-Bart: Hazzan

One of the best kept secrets in jazz is the influence of Jewish melody and rhythms. Benny Goodman and Ziggy Elman incorporated Klezmer into the Swing Era with songs like “And The Angels Sing,.” Here, tenor/alto saxist Jacques Schwarz-Bart takes…

Roy McGrath: Remembranzas

Tenor saxist Roy McGrath uses his rich tone to lead a post bop sextet through a collection of originals. The band has an Miles Davis ESP feel on the bluesy Latin “Burgos en Vida” with bassist Josep Kitt Lyels leading…

The Billy Lester Trio: Italy 2016

Pianist Billy Lester gets together with Marcello Testa/b and Nicola Stranieri/dr for some swinging originals on this recent album. He’s got a cozy tap on the ivories on “An Evening With Friends” and is stately on the pulsatingly uptown “Consolidation.”…

Reggie Young: Young Street

Paul John Jr/dr, Darwing Noguera/key and Andrew Swift/g along with a boatload of fun and funky guests. He shows his jazz bonafides along with Darwin Noguera/p and Bill Holloman/sax and James Cage/tp on a flowing take of John Coltrane’s “Naima,”…