Exciting Latin music is performe by Ali Bello, who alternates between acoustic and baritone violins on this album with a sizzling team of David Santiago Jr/fl, Alec Castro-Cesar Oroxco-Marcus Persiani-Gariel Chakarji-Silvano Monasterios/key, Abraham Saenz/g, Luis Mangual-Manuel Marquez/perc and vocals shared…
Category: Reviews
TENORS, ANYONE? Jed Levy: Faces and Places
Jed Levy plays a warm and clean tenor on this collection of originals with Luis Perdomo/p, Alvester Garnett/dr and Peter Slavov//b. His bop chops are impressive on “Leading Tone” and “St. Simons” while his dotted eights get fun and percussive…
Eric Scott Reed: Out Late
The first epiphany about this album is that veteran pianist Eric Reed has a middle name, which (to my knowledge) has not been on one of his albums before. Besides that, all else is what’s expected of this underappreciated pianist…
OLDS SCHOOL R&B…Ruth Brown: Secret Love
I caught Ruth Brown belting it out at a club in Hollywood back in the 1990s, and was amazed by the power she still packed. This collection of two of her albums from the 1970s shows that, even after hits…
Reggie Watkins: Rivers
Trombonist Reggie Watkins brings back ideas from late 60s Blue N ote, with this post bopping and modal album that swings with the cerebellum. He’s teamed with the flexible Michael Bernabe/p, Eli Naragon/b and Jason Washington Jr.dr, and his rich…
Sandro Norton: Flying High At The Heart Of It
This is the first album I’ve taken in of Portuguese guitarist Sandro Norton, and once you imbibe the feel, you’ll agree that it’s a logical step to have famed vibist Gary Burton guest on one of the pieces, the dynamic…
Cyrus Chestnut: Rhythm, Melody and Harmony
Hard bopping pianist and worship leader for his church, deacon Cyrus Chestnut goes into rare quartet territory on this album, adding the preaching of saxist Stacy Dillard/ts-ss to the pulpit of Gerald Cannon/b and Chris Beck/dr. As with most of…
Madre Vaca: Yukon
Comprised of Jarrett Carter/g, Jonah Pierre/p-key, Thomas Milovac/b and Benjamin Shorstein/dr, the collective Madre Vaca keep a foot in the tradition while jogging forward. Carter’s guitar gives a rich African feel to his “Dormant” while his strings are sterling and…
JazzFunkSoul: Simpatico
There’s no fusion like old fusion, as three vets of plugged in jazz, Everette Harp/ts, Jeff Lorber/key and Paul Jackson Jr/g bring their 100+ years of collective experience to form a band and produce an album that bears the title…
Adam O’Farrill: For These Streets
Playing trumpet and flugelhorn, Adam O’Farrill leads a semi-large ensemble conducted by Eli Greenhoe on this latest release. The band of Mary Halvorson/g, Patricia Brennan/vib, David Leon/as-fl, Kevin Sun/ts-fl, Kalun Leung/tb-euph, Tyrone Allen II/b and Tomas Fujiwara/dr veers between loose…