Directed by Dick Oatts, the venerable Vanguard Jazz Orchestra gives tribute to the jazz orchestra that essentially set the standard for all followers, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. Essentially created in order to give a bit of complexity and modernity…
Month: October 2024
Ben Sutin: Mr. Inevitable AD
Violinist Ben Sutin bridges the link between the gypsy feel of Stephane Grappelli with modern post bop ideas on this enchantingly swinging session. He’s teamed with Ben Rosenblum, who provides both bopping piano and bohemian accordion, along with bassist Chris…
Eric Jacobson: Heading Home
Vintage hard bop in the realm of Horace Silver and Art Blakey is served up by trumpeter Eric Jacobson and his quintet of Geof Bradfield/ts, Bruce Barth/p, Dennis Carroll/b and George Fludas/dr on this album of Blue Note-based originals. Barth…
Russell Haight: Go Forth
Playing tenor and soprano sax, Russell Haight leads a team of Sean Giddings/p, Ryan Hagler/b and Daniel Dufour through a mix of originals and standards. Of the latter, his soprano goes modal over Dufour’s Elvin Jones-inspired drums on “Night and…
The Rare Sounds: Introducing
The quartet of Eddie Roberts/g, Robert Walter/org, Chris Stillwill/b and Zak Najor/dr focus on songs that sound like a soundtrack for Shaft or something starring Pam Grier. There’s a funky boogaloo a law the Famous Flames on jumpers like “Half…
THREE’S NOT A CROWD…Ize Trio: The Global Suites, Daniel Garcia Trio: Wonderland
A pair of threes… A wide world of sounds is delivered by Chase Morrin/p, George Lernis/p and Naseem Alatrash/cel along with guests John Patitucci/b with Farayi Malek-Heiraza/voc for a collection of 2-3 movement suites. The 3 part “Break G4S” includes…
Pontchartrain Shakers: Pontchartrain Shakers
Made up of Amedee Frederick/v-g-b, Jojjo Wight/g-v, Luciano Leaes/p-org, Red DeVecca/b and Earl Smith Jr/Dr, Pontchartrain Shakers stomps hrough some swampy blues on this release. Wight’s got a bit of spice in her voice, snarling out the shuffling “Miss You…
WOMEN AT THE MIC…Cass Clayton Band: Midnight In A Bottle, Suzanne Pittson: Emerge Dancing
Female forms… Playing guitar and singing, Cass Clayton leads a core team of Taylor Scott/g, Joe Wirtz/key, Larry Thompson/dr, Jiho Han/b and a collection of guests to give hints of Bonnie Raitt and Tedeschi Trucks. The team can get down…
Alex Sipiagin: Horizons
Playing trumpet and flugelhorn, Alex Sipiagin brings together an A-list of gents in Chris Potter/ts-ss, John Escreet/p-key, Eric Harland/dr and Matt Brewer/b for an album of originals and a pair of Metheny tunes. The selection of Metheny material is interesting,…
Jacob Christoffersen Trio: A Good Day
Playing piano and Fender Rhodes, Jacob Christoffrsen forms a trio with Thomas Fonnesbaek/b and Rasmus Kihlberg/dr from a collection of mostly standards. He does a rich solo read of the Gaellic classic “Danny Boy”, with his Rhodes on a clever…