While they don’t tour like they used to, Big Bands are still popular in the studio. If any of these orchestras come to town, check them out, as if for no other reason to help subsidize the efforts. Luckily, there’s…
Month: April 2018
ITALIAN ART…Cecilia Sanchietti: La Terza Via, Vito Liturri Trio: From Beyond, Sofia Trio: Sofia
Not all Italian art is in the Uffizzi gallery. Italy has long been a tavola calda of some incredibly creative jazz. I lived there in the 80s, and was impressed by the talent and variety. Here are three recent samples……
MODERN QUARTETS…Sergio Galvao/Lupa Santiago/Clement Landais/Franck Enouf: 2×2, Hal Galper Quartet: Cubist
You could argue that the jazz quartet is the quintessential jazz setting. Here are two that show the flexibility of the setting. The co-op team of Sergio Galvao/ts-ss, Lupa Santiago/g, Clement Landais/b and Franck Enouf/dr deliver 9 fresh originals. The…
Eliot Zigmund: Time Was
I’m a sucker for an album that creates a singular mood, and is able to carry it through the entire session. This one succeeds, with all star drummer Eliot Zigmund teaming with Chris Cheek/ts-ss, Mike Eckroth/p and Morrie Louden/b for…
David Bertrand: Palmyra & Other Places
Flutist David Bertram teams up with Rafal Sarnecki/eg, Rus Wimbish/b and Carter Bales/dr for a lovely collection of lively compositions. Guest soprano saxist Chris Bacs joins in for lovely unison lines on a dreamy “South 1st,” but the rest of…
James Hall: Lattice
Trombonist James Hall delivers post bop moods with the clever teaming of flutiest Jamie Baum along with Deanna Witkowski/p-key, Tom DiCarlo/b and Allan Mednard/dr. Alto saxist Sharel Cassity joins in for a couple of tunes, the boppy “Brittle Stitch” with…
Kaze: Atody Man
The unorthodox quartet Kaze consists of a two trumpet lead with Christian Pruvost with Natsuki Tamura leading the way with piano legend Satoko Fujii and Peter Orins/dr. The music consists of six originals, almost all of them sounding like spontaneous…
Samo Salamon & Howard Levy: Peaks of Light
The mix of guitar and harmonica could easily turn into a one dimensional treatise on the blues, so Howard Levy wisely uses the more flexible diatonic harps as he teams with guitarist Samo Salamon for this collection of originals. The…
Joe Kye: Migrants
Oregon-based composer and violinist Joe Kye teams up with Chris Frank/b, Matt Berger/dr and a string section of Hasan Abualhag, Zach Banks, Timothee Bert Renou, Viet Block, Tricia Bogdan, Jonathan DeBruyn, Chris Fotinakis, Amanda Lawrence and Matt Meeks to mix…
PRE-ROOTSY ROOTS…Geoff & Maria Muldaur: Pottery Pie, Sweet Potatoes, The Lyman Family w/ Lisa Kindred: American Avatar
Before it became a current day fad, artists in the 60s and 70s delved into what is now termed “roots” music. Basically going back to traditional sounds like folk minstrels and getting away from the psychedelic electronica, these three albums…