Pianist Geoffrey Dean brings together a strong and swinging post bop team of Justin Copeland/tp, Harish Raghaven/b and Eric Binder/dr for some updated versions of classic jazz tunes. Copeland took his Kenny Dorham pills for this outing, gliding on “Cyclic…
Author: George W. Harris
Richard Nelson and Makrokosmos Orchestra: Dissolve
Composer Richard Nelson puts together a jazz orchestra to mix modern classical and jazz concepts in a three piece opus. The fifteen minute “Dissolve” is a fragmented kaleidoscope of sounds with reeds and brass fighting for center stage. “Float” includes…
Commodore Trio: Communal
Guitarist Joel Tucker teams up with Brendan Keller-Tuberg/b and Justin Clark/dr for some impressionistic ambience. . There’s a poem read by the seaside on the dreamy “We Are Surprised”, with some delicate pickings on ‘Switzerland”. The pair of “Soundscapes” hover…
Tucker Brothers: Live At Chatterbox
Guitarist Joel Tucker teams with bass brother Nick along wit Sean Imboden/ts and Carrington Clinton/dr for a rollicking concert performance in Indianapolis. They stick to well known tunes as a rule, but put their own modern ideas into the fold,…
Vanisha Gould and Chris McCarthy: Life’s A Gig
Confident and swinging vocals a la Carmen McRae are delivered by Vanisha Gould, teaming with pianist Christ McCarthy on this collection of standards, originals and clever covers. Gould covers the waterfront of genre, ranging from a fragrant take of Dolly…
Ches Smith: Laugh Ash
Playing a wide collection of per4cusion, drums and electronics, Ches Smith creates a surreal sound mix with Sharon Lulnon/voc, Anna Webber/fl, Oscar Noriega/cl, James Brando Lewi/ts, Nate Wooley/tp, Jenifer Choi/vi, Kyle Armbrust/va, Michael Nicolas cel and Shahzad Ismaily/b-key on this…
THIS IS ELLINGTONIA…Cootie Williams: Concerto For Cootie-Selected Recordings 1928-61
One of the most definitive and sui generic sounds of the trumpet has been that from Cootie Williams, who helped define the original “jungle” sound of Duke Ellington’s Orchestra. This four disc, 92 song anthology covers the famed horn man…
Advancing On A Wild Pitch: Disasters Vol II, Acceleration Due To Gravity: Jonesville
Bassist Moppa Elliott is caught here in a pair of recordings in which he is the leader, and while both teams and albums swing, they do so in wildly divergent ways. On Jonesville, Elliott gives a tribute to legendary bopping…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Zach Rich: Solidarity
Yes, there are tones of “jazz and strings” albums out there, but this one by trombonist Zach Rich is vastly different. First, it’s not just a musician blowing around the strings, but the quartet of Anton Smirnov/vi, Rachel England/vi, Mathew…
Chris Potter: Eagle’s Point
It seems apropos that Chris Potter has teamed himself with 2/3 of Wayne Shorter’s rhythm section in John Patitucci/b and Brian Blade/dr, along with pianist Brad Meldau. This album has a feel of Shorter’s albums circa Miles Davis ESP and…