Vocalist and composer Jacqui Naylor released her eleventh album back in February of the year but I never got to it until recently. Jacqui is a remarkable vocalist and songwriter. Her voice is soulful and full with deep tones that are unusual on today's music scene. She is well known for her ability to interpret a diverse repertoire, bringing together music from different genres and generations. Jacqui has coined a name to describe her arranging technique, "acoustic smashing". This technique involves singing the lyrics and melody of a Jazz standard over the music of a well-known rock anthem. I have attached a brilliant example of this technique with Jacqui singing the Coldplay song "Fix It" while the band plays background support of a Miles Davis-inspired "It Never Entered My Mind".
There is a synergy that listeners will hear immediately when listening to this CD between Jacqui Naylor and her talented band. The band leader is Art Khu on Piano and has this to say about the synergy of the band, "Each member of this band is an accomplished musician and storyteller, sensitive to Jacqui's mission and lyrics, supportive, intuitive and compassionate. Decades of work culminate in "The Long Game" as each band member uses their individual talents to contribute, shine and support each other. Jacqui's interpretations are deep, thoughtful but also human and unpretentious." The second "YouTube" I have attached will instantly broadcast the synergy of all the players performing the Van Heusen and Burke classic, "Like Someone In Love". Joining Jacqui and Art are Jon Evans on Bass and Guitar and Josh Jones on Drums and Percussion.
The playlist listed below is worth studying. It's new and old, diverse and familiar all at the same time. If you like soulful singing and interpretations you really need to buy this CD!
"Fix You"
"Like Someone In Love"
PLAYLIST:
1. Like Someone In Love
2. Give Me One More Chance
3. Fix You
4. I'll Be Loving You
5. Love Look What You've Done
6. Walkin' Out The Door
7. Smile
8. The Thrill Is Gone
9. Space Oddity
10. The Long Game
11. Don't Give Up
12. Speak Low
13. It's The Right Time
14. All My Life
PLAYERS:
Jacqui Naylor-Vocals, Compositions
Art Khu-Piano, Arrangements, Organ, Rhodes, Guitars
Jon Evans-Basses, Guitar #2 and #3, Background Vocals, Arrangements
Musician, Multi-Instrumentalist, Composer and Arranger Benjamin Schnake is at the top of his musical game as proven by the wonderful music he has composed for his new CD, "The Joy Of Playing". The album released in late October proves that he is 100% right about his title "The Joy Of Playing". Listening to his Ensemble and his compositions, one gets the feeling of musical joy. Benjamin has a colorful and wide-ranging musical history. Born in Santiago de Chile, he started classical and popular guitar lessons at the age of 10. In 2017 Benjamin started his Masters in Music at Howard University in Washington, DC. His next stop was at New York University in Manhattan, NY studying guitar and composition with some of the greatest musicians of the New York scene: John Scofield, Peter Bernstein, Adam Rogers, Alan Ferber Gil Goldstein and Alan Broadbent.
According to Schnake "My deepest musical background comes from Latin American music, particularly folk music form the Andes". He earned a Master of Music in Instrumental Performance with a focus on Jazz Studies in February 2019. I have listed only a short list of his studies and experience in the music world. He is no casual student of music. His life is totally entwined with music and the music he creates proves he has learned his lessons well. I particular like the way he creates his songs with heavy involvement with Jazz but never forgets the importance of strong melody.
I have attached two "YouTube" videos for you to sample. The first is an irresistible Latin rhythm tune entitled "Marisol" that takes only one hearing to love. The arrangement is musically perfect and I fell in love with it before it even ended. The second is a beautiful ballet entitled "She's Gone". Benjamin has always loved Jazz ballads and his composition is very emotionally moving.
"Marisol"
"She's Gone"
PLAYLIST:
1. Marisol
2. The Joy Of Playing
3. Fragment
4. She's Gone
5. Aju
6. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
7. Lakitas
PLAYERS:
Benjamin Schnake-Nylon-string Guitar, Electric Guitar, Mandolin, Compositions and Arrangements
Multi-talented David Larsen is one of only a few superb Baritone Sax players recording these days. But David Larsen's talents don't stop at Baritone Sax. David is an exceptionally good composer. His compositions have won many awards and has been performed and recorded by a wide variety of groups around the US and abroad. He is also a noted educator who is currently the director of instrumental studies at Spokane Falls Community College. He holds a PhD from Washington State University and degrees from Pacific University, University of Oregon and Western Oregon University.
This CD was started as a COVID-19 escape and you will see the four players performing in the first "YouTube" song, "He Who Getz The Last Laugh" all in separate spaces. David credits the compositions on this CD originated from his life experiences in the last four years of his life. During these four years he earned his doctoral degree and had more exposure to Jazz composers from a variety of eras and genres.
Composing music has never been easy but David Larsen makes it look easy. His compositions are new and creative but still are anchored in the tradition of great Jazz composers of the past.
I have attached two videos from "YouTube" for your listening pleasure. The first one is titled, "Who Getz The Last Laugh" and David wrote this as a nod to the great Stan Getz. It's a sparkling composition and the video shows the group in action. The second cut is "Augmented Reality" that features Jazz master Ken Peplowski on Clarinet. I think you will like both of these David Larsen originals.
"Who Getz the Last Laugh"
"Augmented Reality"
Players:
David Larsen- Baritone & Tenor Saxophone. Compositions
Antonio Adolfo creates beautiful music: his Piano and his Arranging are a pleasure for the ears! I fell in love with his last release and published a review of "BruMa" that was a tribute to the wonderful composer Milton Nascimento. Now Adolfo released his latest tribute CD, a tribute to one of the most influential stars in modern day Jazz, Antonio Carlos Jobim. Jobim introduced the Bossa Nova sound in the USA in 1964 with his multiple Grammy Award winning CD, "Getz/Gilberto". Jobim's writing has had an effect on almost every Jazz player since 1964 including some special treatment from Francis Albert Sinatra. Putting together 9 Jobim compositions and making them sound new is no small task. However, Adolfo's Arranging and performance by his highly talented musical group brings us a fresh new feel to Jobim songs that we all know well. This is a romantic album but it will satisfy any Jazz buff listener with its Arrangements and Jazz improvisations. The sounds from this delicious album are fresh, lush and the band really swings. You will fall in love with Antonio Adolfo the first time you listen to this CD.
Antonio Adolfo is a Pianist, Arranger, Composer and Bandleader. He has recorded over two dozen albums as a leader in the US and Brazil. More than 200 of his original compositions have been recorded by major artists like Sergio Mendes, Earl Klugh, Herb Alpert, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick and many others. Adolfo chose Jobim's songs from the 1960s because he wanted to celebrate a great era of music which was when Jobim's innovations helped make Rio de Janeiro an important capital of world culture. Now we all can celebrate with him!
Falling in love with the songs on this CD was easy but picking just two songs to share with you was almost impossible. I truly loved every song on this CD. Every song will be going on my "Jazz favorites" playlist. Please buy this CD; you will be playing it for years to come. My first "YouTube" is the first greatest hit from Jobim, "The Girl From Ipanema" with some great alto Sax work from Danilo Sinna. The Second attachment is "Agua De Beber" that translates to "Water To Drink". We are treated to a fine Trombone solo from Rafael Rocha on this standard.
Vocalist Roseanna Vitro has just released her new CD, "Sing A Song Of Bird" that is a celebration of Alto Sax player Charlie "Bird" Parker. She conceived and created this project because of her desire to develop new lyrics to Charlie Parker tunes. The results provide all of us with some wonderful and creative Jazz sounds and lyrics. Roseanna is joined vocally on this CD by three truly outstanding Jazz Vocalists, Sheila Jordan, Bob Dorough and Marion Cowings, all three favorites of hers. Together these four Jazz Vocalists, all Charlie Parker admirers put together new lyrics to six of his compositions.
"Sing A Song Of Bird" is more than a celebration of Bird's music. This CD is very special because at the time it was recorded Bob Dorough was 94 and has since pasted while Sheila Jordan is 89 and is still going strong.
Roseanna Vitro is a brilliant musician still performing and creating new and exciting Jazz ideas. Everything she touches is performed at the highest professional Jazz level. She remains a major link for all Jazz fans to our rich American Jazz history which helps to keep Jazz alive forever!
I have attached two "YouTube" selections of this fun Album. The first one, "Grapple With The Apple" is a solo by Roseanna Vitro scatting at her usual high level. She is joined by Mark Gross on Sax, Jason Teborek on Piano, DeanJohnson on Bass and Bill Goodwin on Drums. The Second selection is "Parker's Mood" a terrific Blues tune sung by Marion Cowings. Marion is joined by special guest Gary Bartz on Alto Sax. Gary provides some wonderful Sax work along with the always great AlanBroadbent on Piano, Dean Johnson on Bass and Alvester Garnett on Drums.
Composer, Arranger and Bassist Mauricio J Rodriguez writes and performs Latin Jazz that he reinvents with fresh musical ideas that he combines with only the very best musicians. This winner formula produced his new and terrific CD, "LUZ". Mauricio has composed 4 original songs on his CD that includes 4 original songs by Venezuelan composer Vicente Vilora who also co-produced the project.
Mauricio has spent many years living and playing music in Cuba and then Venezuela before coming to the US in 2001. In addition to Composing and Arranging the songs on his CD, Mauricio performs brilliantly on his six-string E. bass and his fretless E. bass. His Composing, Arranging and performing result in invigorating Latin Jazz with a lighter than-expected ensembles, subtle by virtuoso solos and rich new melodies.
I have selected two "YouTubes" to open a window to Mauricio's work. The first selection is called "Vocalize" that features very inventive piano playing by Gabriel Hernandez Cadenas. The second song attached is a Mauricio J. Rodriguez original entitled "Danzon No. 1 Opus 1 con Cha" that features Clarinetist Jose M Sardinas leading on Clarinet. It's a lilting "Cha Cha" that I am sure everyone will love.
"Vocalize"
"Danzon No. 1 Opus 1 con Cha"
Playlist:
1. Casualty
2. Monday
3. Es el Amor
4. Tuesday
5. Claudia
6. Luz
7. Wednesday
8. Danzon No. 1 Opus 1 can Cha
9. My Funny Valentine
10. Vocalize
Players:
Mauricio J. Rodriguez- Composer, Arranger, Six-string E. Bass, Double Bass
Adrianna Foster, Jorge Quintero, Big Johnny Boffa- Vocals
Singer/Songwriter Sheila Jordan is still going strong at the age of 92. She was unknown to me before I received a review copy of a CD Sheila recorded on June 10, 1960. You might think that it would be hard to be impressed by a CD recording made over 60 years ago but you would be wrong. Shelia Jordan is one of the few singers I have heard who knows what Jazz singing is all about. What a pleasure to listen to her unique voice and effortless Jazz phrasing. According to Sheila, most of her musical influences have been instrumentalists rather than singers. This is not the first time that I have heard this comment coming from an outstanding Jazz singer. Her greatest influence, and mine also by the way, was Charlie Parker. She married pianist Duke Jordan and studied with Lennie Tristano. She did not begin recording until the early 60's.
This CD recording was lost for a long while but was unearthed by record dealers Jeremy Sloan and Hadley Kenslow who purchased it among a large collection of acetates several years ago. Jordan has no recollection of the names of her accompanists who are wonderful. The CD was released by Tom Burns, the owner and founder of Capri Records who had this to say about the supporting group of musicians, " Whoever is playing on it is really good. The group seems to have an empathic relationship with her".
I wanted to mention a quote from another world-class singer from this same period for whom I recently published a review of a new release of one of her old CDs, Roseanna Vitro. Roseanna had this to say about Sheila Jordan, "Sheila Jordan is a one-of-a-kind artist who possesses the power to captivate audiences, inviting all to join her on a magical mystery tour of Jazz history".
This CD was re-released on September 17, 2021 on Capri Records and I highly recommend it. I have attached a YouTube of Sheila singing the title tune from the CD, "Comes Love". It's just terrific! I also found another you TubeTube of Sheila singing "I Thought About You" that was from her CD "StraightAhead" which was released on October 13, 2015. It will give you a wonderful comparison between the younger and older Sheila Jordan. Spoiler, she is great on both cuts!
Playlist:
1. I'm The Girl
2. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
Kenny Shanker is one of the young alto saxophonists on today's Jazz scene who loves to perform music from Bebop to traditional standards. Shanker released his fourth CD in August of 2021 entitled "Beautiful Things" that contains original compositions and some Jazz standards out of the "Great American Songbook". The common element that brings all these diverse songs together is that they are all beautifully written songs. Kenny Shanker is just not a great alto player, he is an award-winning composer, pianist and vocalist. His compositions are melodic and accessible; two important traits that I look for when enjoying Jazz.
Shanker lives in NYC and has played at almost all the Jazz venues in the city starting with Carnegie Hall, Birdland, Dizzy's Club, Smoke, Smalls, Fat Cat, and Jazz at Kitano just to name a few.
I remember being fascinated with Cannonball Adderley in the 60's. He played a lot of Bebop but then Adderley released an album entitled, "Cannonball Adderley with Strings" that covered standards. I remember how impressed I was with his ability to perform Bebop and still have an emotional feel for some great standards. Shanker possesses the same skills; he can do it all and makes his alto come to life on everything he plays. His compositions are remarkably good, and will be heard for years to come.
Joining Shanker to create this CD is a talented group of musicians who have been performing with Shanker for a long-time. Bill Mobley on Trumpet, Daisuke Abe on Guitar, Mike Eckroth on Piano, Yoshi Waki on Bass and Brian Fishler on Drums.
I have attached two "YouTube" tracks from Shanker's new CD. The first is an original composition entitled "Prestissimo". Shanker was inspired to write this composition by the early Bebop recordings that he loved. The second, another Shanker original, is a total change of pace that shows Shanker's versatility; it's called "Beautiful Things".
Pianist, Composer and Arranger Michele Faber recently published a couple of wonderful Jazz albums a few years ago that I recently received. Michele is a classic Jazz Pianist who performed for many years in the LA area and then 12 years ago moved to Barcelona, Spain. She fell in love with Barcelona and the outstanding Jazz environment there and decided to make it her permanent home. A good friend and wonderful singer, Beverly Jenson who has known and performed with Michele Faber told me about her. I received two CD's that Michele Faber has published and I fell in love with both of them. The one that I am reviewing is "Journey Back" and it was recorded in Barcelona. It's a classic Jazz album that includes 6 songs that Michele wrote, two standards and one song written by Guitarist DougMacDonald. Michele's compositions are beautiful and are matched perfectly by her outstanding Jazz Piano playing. I have attached a YouTube of one of her compositions from the CD, "Here We Go Again" so you can judge for yourself. Michele is joined on this cut by Fredrik Carlquist on Tenor Sax and Bassist Pete Loewe. For me this composition brings to mind the cool Jazz scene of Barcelona as I invision it. The second song that I have attached is the Duke Pearson Jazz classic "Jeannine" that features Doug MacDonald on Guitar and Pete Loewe on Bass.
Michele Faber is a master composer and musician in the traditional American sense. She creates music that is fresh, new and understandable on many levels. You don't have to be a Jazz buff to appreciate her writing or her improvising, she just produces beautiful music! Michele has CD's available for sale that you can add to your Jazz collection and I highly recommend them all. The second CD I received was titled, "Barcelona Encounter" and it's just as good as "Journey Back".
Master Bassist, Composer and Producer Henry "The Skipper" Franklin has just released his new CD, "Showers of Blessings". The theme for Franklin's latest musical effort is a heartfelt tribute to significant people and events that have touched his remarkable life. As the leader of this band, a musically perfect sextet, he selected 6 renowned Jazz professionals to join him. Franklin has gifted us with brilliant Jazz music that is new and refreshing to hear. Henry Franklin has musically done it all, but I am so glad he put this sextet together. I understand that this recording was put together without any prerehearsals which in itself is a tribute to the master level of all the musicians involved. Theo Saunders is on Piano and he composed 3 of the songs on the CD. I am attaching one of his compositions "The Return of The Skipper" at the end of this review. Dr. Teodross Avery is on Tenor and Soprano Sax, Ryan Porter is on Trombone, Nolan Shaheed is on Trumpet and Flugle Horn and Willie Jones III is on Drums. Franklin also invited three guest artists to join the group: Benn Clatworthy playing Alto Flute "The Valley of Search", Najite Agindotan percussion on "Message to Marjorie" and Yaakov Levy Wooden Flute on "Message to Marjorie". I amalso attaching a "YouTube" of one of Henry Franklin's compositions, " Little Miss Laurie".
Multi-talented Henry Franklin continues to create the highest level of Jazz music for all of us to enjoy. His formula is simple, great Jazz composing and great musicians playing straight ahead Jazz. It sure works Henry! Henry Franklin performs frequently in the Southern California area so next time you are in the area look for him and don't miss seeing him live!
Guitarist, Composer, Arranger and Radio personality, Doug MacDonald has recently released his latest CD, "Live In Hawaii" and it's a beauty. MacDonald has been praised many times over the years for his beautiful and sensitive renditions of some of the great ballads from the Great American Songbook, but he has taken off the gloves for his new CD and comes out swinging! He has put together a super, talented group of musicians for this up-tempo CD. As soon as I listened to the first song on this CD, "My Shining Hour" it reminded me of one of my very favorite Jazz groups from the past, the Modern Jazz Quartet. I have to say adding the very talented Noel Okimoto on Vibraphone to Doug's usual configuration of Drums and Bass gives the quartet the room they need to swing out. Darryl Pellegrini is on Drums and Dean Taba is on Bass.
This new CD takes no time to get used to, instant gratification for any Jazz buff. It's so great to hear a Vibraphone playing in a Jazz quartet again! Doug has written two of the 7 songs on this CD, and they are both terrific Jazz tunes, "Cat City Samba" and "Bossa Don". The arrangements are classic Doug MacDonald, new, exciting and understandable.
I have been very fortunate to know and hear Doug play for many years in the California desert, mostly in a Jazz Club in Cathedral City, CA where I am sure the inspiration for "Cat City Samba" was born. Doug performs all over the country including in Hawaii where he lived for several years. This CD was recorded live at the Hawaii Public Radio's Atherton Performing Arts Studio in Hawaii. Doug has performed with most of the giants of jazz during his long successful Jazz career including the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Rosemary Clooney, Jack Sheldon, Ray Brown and Buddy Rich just to mention a few.
If you love to listen to a swinging Jazz quartet this CD will thrill you. Thank you Doug MacDonald for all your efforts to bring us the best in Jazz in this CD and all your other great releases!
I have attached two cuts from this CD, the first is "My Shining Hour" and the second is a Doug MacDonald original "Cat City Samba".
Ok, all you Trombone lovers, here is a treat especially for you. Alan Goidel and Howard Levy and their quintet Slide Attack have just released their new CD, "Road Trip". The CD is a nod to the great J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding whose musical while recordings made over 60 years ago under the group name "J & K" and are still popular today. I still have the album they recorded in the late 50's, "J & K at Newport". At first blush, a recording with two Jazz Trombone players might seem unusual. But fear not, these two bone players can really play and all of the music on this CD were composed by Goidel and Levy with the exception of one from their Piano Player, Hiroshi Yamazaki. The CD really cooks with straight ahead Jazz. Both of these top-level Jazz musicians went to music school in New York. Alan is a graduate of the State University of New York and received a masters in Jazz/Commercial music from the Manhattan School of Music. Howard is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music and received his master's degree from the Lehman College in Applied Music. Both of these gentlemen have extensive musical resumes performing with many of the most outstanding big bands of the last 60 years.
Players:
Howard Levy- Trombone
Alan Goidel- Trombone
Hiroshi Yamazaki- Piano
Michael Goetz- Bass
Chuck Zeuren- Drums
Playlist:
1. Spring Roll
2. Road Trip
3. Clauditti
4. Struttin
5. Look Within
6. Owens
7. A Walk In The Park
8. Early Morning
9. Bluedemic
I know you will enjoy the two songs that I have attached from this CD. The first song is called "Struttin" written by Howard Levy. His inspiration for this composition came from Herbie Hancock's classic "Watermelon Man". The selection is the title tune from the CD "Road Trip" written by Alan Goidel. It's a fun piece that relates to the great feeling of getting away on a road trip.
Singer Jonathan Karrant and Pianist Joshua White are two of the most brilliant young performers on the Jazz scene today and have just released their new album, "Shadows Fall". The CD is a collaboration between two very talented musicians. The playlist is intriguing with songs of traditional standards joined by some contemporary songs. All the songs while different are brought to life by the refreshing new voices of Karrant and White. Jonathan Karrant's vocal phrasing and lush voice work perfectly with these unusual paring of songs. Joshua White would be treasured by any vocalist. His playing is always sensitive and he is careful to keep the spotlight away from his wonderful piano performances and on the singing of Karrant. And ,yet, he is able to blend together with Karrant's voice to make it one voice.
Jonathan Karrant has paid his dues to reach his current level of vocal performance. He has studied privately under the direction of Marilyn May and Kurt Elling two of the greatest Jazz Vocalists of our times. Jonathan has received many awards for his singing as you would expect. He has learned his lessons well and his phrasing and warm rich voice are as good as any Jazz singer could hope for. Joshua White is a creative and technically accomplished pianist. Herbie Hancock called White an "Immense
Talent" and lauded him for his daring and courageous approach to improvisation. He placed in the top two of the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition.
I highly recommend this new album to anyone who appreciates the very best in Jazz singing and performance.
Players:
Jonathan Karrant- Vocals
Joshua White- Piano
Playlist:
1. Simply the Best
2. My Romance
3. Detour Ahead
4. I Try
5. Stop This World
6. Lush Life
7. Wrap You Troubles in Dreams
8. So In Love
9. Your Smiling Face
10. I'm Afraid the Masquerade Is Over
11. I Thought About You
12. My One and Only Love
13. Being Me
I had a tough time picking just two songs because every song on this album is so unique and so pleasurable to listen to. If you are a fan of Jazz vocals you must add this CD to your collection. I have to mention that I was blown away with Jonathan singing on the Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life". In my opinion this great classic is one of the hardest songs for any singer to conquer. It's complicated and yet produces a simple story of romance, pain and reality. My favorite is the Johnny Hartman cover and it's almost unfair to compare any other performance to his version. But Jonathan and Pianist Joshua White do a mighty fine job with this song. The two songs I have attached from YouTube are "I'm Afraid the Masquerade is Over" and a Mose Allyson classic, "Stop This World".
Multi-talented Judy Wexler has just released her sixth album, "Back To The Garden" and it has already received high marks in the JazzWeek radio charts. "Back To The Garden" is a departure from Wexler's previous albums which featured modern Jazz songs and songs from the best of the Great American Songbook. This album selections are some of the great songs from the 60s and Judy has applied her creative ability to reimagine these wonderful tunes. According to Wexler, "I was a bit young in the 60s to be completely aware of the great music going out, but my older brother bought all the new records, and I have such great memories of hanging out in his room and listening to him play guitar and sing along with Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel. I could feel the powerful messages of the music even if I didn't fully understand the context. Music of the 60s is truly a reflection of the times, and the music reflected the turbulence engendered by war, political protests, and the rise of important social movements like feminism and racial justice." Sadly we are still struggling with these issues today!
In her new album Wexler has done a masterful job of re-imaging 10 of the best songs from the 60s to reflect her interpretation of these songs and bring forth their messages of hope, love and change again. This is what truly outstanding Jazz musicians do. They take great music and lyrics and give them a re-birth while never sacrificing the integrity of the original brilliance of the music and lyric. Wexler has a lot of tools in her musical bag that allow her to succeed with her re-interpretation of these golden songs. She has near perfect pitch, her voice is clear and strong, her phrasing is always perfect and she puts forth a real understanding of the issues that the lyrics cover.
The arrangements are sparkling and new and the group of musicians Wexler has gathered together to record this album are spectacular by any measure. She started with her long-time pianist and arranger Jeff Colella whose resume is extremely long and distinguished. He toured with Lou Rawls for 16 years and was Musical Director for Jack Jones, just to mention two. She called upon the brilliant young Pianist and Composer Josh Nelson who contributed two arrangements. World-class Guitarist Larry Koonse was joined by Bass player Gabe Davis, and Drummer Steve Hass. They were joined by Bob Thiele, Jr on Electric and Baritone Guitar, Danny Janklow on Alto sax, Jay Jennings on Trumpet and Hendrik Meurkens on Harmonica. The string section included Violinists Joel Pargman and Carrie Kennedy,Rodney Wirtz on Viola, and Cellist Stefanie Fife. Erin Bentlage arranged and contributed background vocals on four tracks. As you can see from this list of master musicians, Wexler has spent whatever money was necessary to produce the finest musical product she could. She has succeeded! "Back To The Garden" is an outstanding new album that deserves all the praise that it is receiving already by the music press. The music and lyric on these old songs are still as enjoyable as when I first heard them played over 60 years ago and that's a tribute to the musical talent of Judy Wexler.
The songs on "Back To The Garden" include two written by Bob Dylan, one by Paul Simon and one by Stephen Stills. They will bring back memories of Joni Mitchel, the Youngbloods, Harry Nilsson and Judy Collins. If you are too young to remember these original songs of the 60s, I think you will fall in love with them now. If you do remember these original songs from the time they were recorded, you will fall in love with Judy Wexler and her interpretations.
Players:
Judy Wexler- Vocals
Jeff Colella- Piano, Melodica, Background Vocals
Larry Koonse- Nylon String and Electric Guitar
Gabe Davis- Bass
Steve Hass- Drums
Bob Thiele, Jr- Electric and Baritone Guitar
Erin Bentlage- Background Vocals
Danny Janklow- Alto Sax
Jay Jennings- Trumpet
Hendrik Meurkens- Harmonica
Sara Caswell- Violin
Rodney Wirtz- Viola
Stefanie Fife- Cello
Talley Sherwood- Background Vocals
Playlist:
Get Together (Chet Powers)
Up On The Roof (Gerry Goffin and Carole King)
American Tune (Paul Simon)
Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell)
The Times They Are A-Changin (Bob Dylan)
Since You've Asked (Judy Collins)
For What It's Worth (Stephen Sills)
Everybody's Talking (Fred Neil)
Forever Young (Bob Dylan)
Who Knows Where The Time Goes (Sandy Denny)
I have attached two wonderful YouTubes for your listening pleasure. The first one, "Everybody's Talking" thathas some tasty Harmonic work provided by Hendrik Meurkens. The second one is still very popular today "Up On The Roof" from Gerry Goffin and Carole King.Judy Wexler's voice and phrasing and Jeff Colella's terrific Piano work show us how to turn a great R & B rock and roll tune into a delightful Jazz tune!
Band Leader, Composer and Arranger, Ian Charleton has just released his second big band CD, "A FreshPerspective" and it is a great big band album on many levels. First, the compositions written by Charleton are impressive. Second, the inspiration for the CD name, "A Fresh Perspective" was selected because Charleton has taken some classic standards and redressed them with some brilliant new arrangements. And lastly, Charleton has assembled a surpurb 18-piece band that plays swinging music that is crisp and clear. It's so great that big bands are still recording great albums like this one. According to Charleton, "It's a matter of picking out the best players one can while also making sure that the musicians have the right attitude, enthusiasm, and work well together." Well, Ian Charleton accomplished his musical mission. This 18-piece band plays tight and terrific like they have been together for years. I have attached two songs from this CD from "YouTube". The first is a swinging "Basie-like tune titled "1 West 67th Street". It is a Charleton original and features Bart Kuebler on Piano and Trombonist John Lloyd. The second is a pure instrumental of the standard "When Sunny Gets Blue" with a wonderful Latin arrangement by Charleton. There are great solos from Trombonist John Lloyd and Tenor Saxophonist Keith Philbrick.
MUSICIANS:
Ian Charleton- Leader, Arranger, Composer
Saxohones: Richard Garcia, Jason Hammers, Keith Phibrick, Michael Ferrante, David Fatek
Trumpet and Flugelhorn: Mark Oates, Pete Sutorius, Mark Nixon, Kerry Moffit
Trombones: John Lloyd, Lisa Drefke, Carl Lundgren, Dandrick Glenn
Vocalist/Songwriter Bruce Brown has recently released his new CD, "Death of Expertise" that contains 14 original songs. He wrote both the music and Lyrics. To get right to the point, Bruce Brown is "Hip" man! I'm not sure that the word hip is still allowed to be used, maybe it has been cancelled, but it's a perfect word to describe Bruce Brown's highly creative and clever writing. Brown's songs have wonderful melodies, but it's his lyrics that really hit home with the listener.
Brown's compositions are full of wit, wisdom and incisive social commentary that reminds me of some of the writing that occurred in the 60's, 70"s and 80's. Brown's fresh lyrical creativity is like a refreshing breeze coming through an open window. His lyrics give clarity to issues of the day without hitting you with a hammer. A much better and I, would guess, a more effective way of sharing social commentary than what we have seen recently in our society. Brown states, "Those ideas are always fleeting, like quick movements of a paintbrush, so the goal is to capture them quickly. Great lyrics have the capacity to get inside and tweak the heart". Brown's melodies are beautiful and written with carefully observed lessons Brown has learned from the Songwriting greats of the past.
Bruce Brown's soft and sensitive voice will surprise you and bring the voice of Chet Baker to mind. His voice is the perfect instrument to allow the listener to focus on the stories the lyrics are expressing. His lyrics are sometimes funny, sometimes emotional but always thought-provoking.
Bruce Brown has lived in New Zealand for over 20 years, and he also lived in Los Angeles for a long period and the LA music scene influence shows and has influenced his writing.
The sidemen Brown has chosen to support him on this CD are all highly established professionals, and they add immensely to the allover enjoyment of this CD. I highly recommend this CD and especially to any lyricists and composers. There is a lot that can be learned from listening closely to Bruce Brown's work.
I have attached two "YouTube" videos for you to listen to. The first is the title track, "The Death of Expertise". I think you will understand Brown's humorous look at where "Googling" has brought us and its unintended consequences. The second attachment "Doreen" is funny, strange and sarcastic but at the same time, a poetic story about human nature.
PLAYLIST:
1. Death of Expertise
2. They're Everywhere
3. Find Three Things to Be Grateful For
4. Love Makes Us Who We Are
5. A Mind Is a Terrible Thing
6. Back in the Day
7. Doreen
8. Love Always Wins
9. To Find Things Out
10. We Click
11. Losers Are People Too
12. Giving Up Is Not an Option
13. The Music Plays Again
PLAYERS:
Bruce Brown- Vocals, Compositions. "Love Always Wins" Music & Lyric by Bruce Brown & Roger Frankham
The Yoko Miwa Trio has released their new CD, "Songs Of Life". Like all of us, pianist Yoko Miwa found the year2020 a tough period to live through. The recording of this album was delayed and her long time home base for performing, Les Zygomates Wine Bar & Bistro in Boston closed its doors for good. Sadly, the pandemic has had the same effect on most musicians. No place to perform and a lot of Jazz venues closed down forever. In addition to this bad news, Yoko's father also passed away. To Yoko's credit she never let these serious roadblocks stop her from continuing her musical creativity. "Once the pandemic started, I decided to write something every day. I just tried to sit down at the piano and play whatever I felt on that day. Of course I was frustrated, but I tried to stay positive". The result of her super positive spirit was the birth of some uplifting emotional and optimistic music that is contained in the five original songs she composed for this CD.
Yoko Miwa plays piano with a Jazz-inspired spontaneity and when it is combined with her classically-trained virtuosity she moves to the top with the list of today's great pianists. Legendary pianist Ahmad Jamal had this to say about Yoko playing, "At 90 years plus, I have known and heard most of the great pianists, including Art Tatum, Oscar Dennard, Phhineas Newborn, Nat Cole, Dodo Marmarosa, Johnny Costa, and Erroll Garner. Yoko is amazing and will continue to grow."
The Yoko Miwa Trio has been performing together for more than 15 years and consists of Yoko Miwa on Piano, Will Slater on Acoustic Bass and Scott Goulding on Drums. When this trio plays they seem inspired and produce music sounds that are a joy to hear. This CD was inspired by Billy Preston's"Song of Joy""With every note I play, I play with love...With all the happiness this melody brings".
MUSICIANS:
Yoko Miwa- Piano
Will Slater- Acoustic Bass
Scott Goulding- Drums
Brad Barrett- Acoustic Bass-Track 11
PLAYLIST:
1. Freedom
2. Largo Desolato
3. Song of Joy
4. Small Talk
5. The Lonely Hours
6. No Problem
7. The Rainbirds
8. Think of Me
9. Inside A Dream
10. Tony's Blues
11. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
I have attached two "YouTube" songs from the CD for your listening pleasure. The first is the BillyPreston's tune, "Song of Joy" and the second is a Yoko Miwa original "The Rainbirds".
I enjoyed and reviewed Albare's last CD, "Albare plays Jobim" a while ago. He has now published "Albare Plays Jobim Vol 2", and it is just as good as his first Jobim CD. Guitarist and Composer, Albare was born in Morocco and grew up in Israel and France. Amazingly his musical development was completely self-taught. Albare was 14 when he first heard the music of Jobim but he waited until he was in his 60's to produce his tribute to Jobim's music. Why the wait?, a reporter once asked him. He started thinking about the question and first answered "I liked the music and it's Samba rhythms". But as he thought about his quick first response, he knew the answer was deeper than this. "When I first started recording in the 90's, it was not Bossa Nova. As much as my love for the music kept growing, I assumed that everything in that genre was already said and done. As I got older, I felt a tinge of nostalgia and romance for my earlier years. Jobim's music was clearly in the past. So I decided that "if I was going to honor the music of my youth that I loved , I had to find my own voice".
So glad Albare came to this decision because great music never gets old. His sensitive Guitar playing brings new life into the wonderful music world of Antonio Carlos Jobim.
MUSICIANS:
Albare- Co-Producer, Acoustic and Electric Guitar
Joe Chindamo- Arranger, Orchestra Conductor, Piano
Pablo Bencid- Drums (Except for Once I Loved and Dindi)
Luisto Quintero- Percussions
Ricardo Rodriquez- Bass
Phil Turcio- Co-Prodiucer, Mixing, Mastering
Guest Musicians:
Randy Brecker- Fluglehorn (On Favela and So Dance Samba)
Nestor Turres- Flute (On Summer Samba and How Insensitive)
Antonio Sanchez- Drums (On Dindi and Once I Loved)
PLAYLIST:
1. Dindi
2. Summer Samba
3. A Felicidade
4. So Danco Samba
5. Caminhos Cruzados
6. How Insensitive
7. Triste
8. Girl From Ipanema
9. Once I Loved
10. Favela
11. Meditation
I have attached two beautiful and romantic "YouTube" videos for your listening and viewing pleasure. The first is "So Danco Samba" featuring guest artist Randy Brecker playing Flugelhorn and the second is "How Insensitive" featuring guest artists Nestor Torres on Flute.
Guitar Master and ComposerDoug MacDonald has just released a new CD, "Toluca Lake Jazz". The CD is a string Duo with Doug and world-class Bassist, Harvey Newmark. This talented Duo had some creative fun interpreting 7 standards and 6 original tunes composed by Doug. The inspiration for the CD came from the long history of live Jazz in the area. The Lakeside Golf Club was a place where many musicians performed regularly. The Club was also a destination for old Hollywood where many famous Hollywood giants were members including Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and W.C.Fields. This CD is meant to be a tribute to the wonderful Jazz that was performed here and in local Jazz clubs in the area and to a wonderful tradition of live Jazz music.
Doug MacDonald and Harvey Newmark are two of the most in-demand musicians in the country but especially in the Southern California area where they both reside.
Doug MacDonald has an interesting music background. He started in career in Hawaii and then relocated to Las Vegas where the music scene was bursting with opportunities to perform. While in Vegas, Doug performed with many of the Jazz greats like Joe Williams, Carl Fontana, Jack Montrose and Carson Smith. After many years performing in the Vegas scene, Doug moved to LA and performed with Bill Holman, Ray Anthony and John Clayton. He recorded with Jake Hanna, Rosemary Clooney, Jack Sheldon, Bob Cooper, Ross Tompkins, Ray Brown Buddy Rich and Ray Charles. You won't find any musician busier than Doug MacDonald! He has a regular Wednesday gig at AJ's on the Green inCathedral City California and still finds time to compose and tour participating in 300 performances a year from coast to coast. He also broadcasts a Jazz radio show on KAJI, a terrific local Jazz station in Palm Desert, CA.
Harvey Newmark was born in Hollywood California and startedlearning the Bass while he was in middle school. It was love at first sight of the Bass, and by the time Harvey entered Hollywood High School he was working with Bands playing for private events on weekends. After graduating from college, Harvey joined the Buddy Rich Band and at the age of twenty was asked to join the Lawrence Welk Band. Harvey has toured and or recorded with Terrence Blanchard, Carmen McRae, Joe Henderson, Anita O'Day,Cal Trader, the Baja Marimbo Band, Milt Jackson, Eddy Jefferson, Pepper Adams and Terry Gibbs.
The joining of these two wonderful experienced musicians together has produced a delightful musical Duo of great music! It is fun sitting back and listening to how they interpret old standards and also experience Doug MacDonald's creative composing.
I am already hoping to hear more from this talented Duo in the future with the appearance of "Toluca Lake Duo II". I have attached two "YouTube" videos for your listening pleasure. The first is an interesting MaxDonald original titled "New World". Doug shared that he wrote this song based on the changes of "It's a Blue World". The second song is the standard "Easy Living" with some outstanding Bass work from Harvey Newmark.
PLAYLIST:
MUSICIANS:
Doug MacDonald-Guitar and Composer for cuts 5, 6, 7, 9. 11, & 13
