CD Review: Jorge Garcia "Dedicated To You"

 

Cuban-born master Guitarist, Composer and Arranger Jorge Garcia has released a new CD that is dedicated to many of the esteemed musicians he has collaborated with in past years.  The list includes Tony Bennett, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Chuck Redd, Jon Faddis and Ignacio Berroa.  On his new CD  released in February of this year, Garcia celebrates his collaborations with two other Jazz icons, the late alto saxophonist Richie Cole and Harmonica wizard Hendrick Meurkens along with some of his favorite local musicians from South Florida.

You may not be familiar with Jorge Garcia's body of work as I wasn't but after listening to just the two cuts I have attached from his new album, you will quickly become a big fan.  Garcia demonstrates on his new CD how he can brilliantly move from Be-Bop, Brazilian, Latin, Ballads and Standards seamlessly.  His perfomance skills are at the highest levels.  I was also very impressed with Garcia's compositions.  They are rich and have depth, clarity and melody.   No wonder all the super musicians I have listed above wanted to record with him.  

On the two songs from "Dedicated To You" that I have attached I need to mention the outstanding support that Drummer James Cotmon and Bassist Jamie Ousley contributed to Garcia and his new CD.  

Jorge Garcia has produced a first-class stylish Jazz CD and picking only two wonderful songs from this album was very difficult.  You need to add this CD to your collection. It's one of the best I have heard in many months.

The first tune I attached from "YouTube" was "This One's For Richie".  It was especially written by Garcia to showcase Richie Cole's alto melodic mood over a swinging medium tempo.  Garcia contributes a great solo using a hollow-bodied Guitar.  The second tune is another Garcia original "With You Always".  The song is a warm Brazilian composition that demostrates the fine chemistry between Garcia's Guitar and Hendrick Meurkens's Harmonica.  Also notable on this track is the contribution from Drummer James Cotmon and Bassist Jamie Ousley. 

PLAYERS:

Jorge Garcia- Guitar, Compositions, Arranging

Richie Cole- Alto Sax

Rick Doll- Bass on 1,2

James Cotmon- Drums

Jamie Ousley- Bass on 3,4,6

Gino Castillo- Percussion

John Yarling- Drums 4

Paul Banman- Piano

Hendrick Meurkens- Harmonica

Wendy Pedersen- Vocals

PLAYLIST:

1. Minority

2. This One's For Richie

3. With You Always

4. Somewhere Over The Rainbow

5. You Fascinate Me

6. S'Wonderful

7. Dedicated To You

         

                                "This One's For Richie"

                                                                   "With You Always"

CD Review: Owen Broder, "Hodges: Front and Center, Vol 1"

 

When I first started listening to Jazz the first saxophone player who captured me was Johnny Hodges. I discovered him entrenched in the Duke Ellington Orchestra.  I loved Johnny's alto sound and his melodic solos and that love has stayed with me over the years.   Saxophonist Owen Broder pays tribute to Johnny Hodges in his new CD "Hodges: Front and Center, Vol 1".  Broder has taken a deeper dive into Hodges' music world an focused not only with his work with Ellington but also into Hodges' work with small groups particularly two 1959 releases, "Back to Back and Side By Side".  

In developing the Hodges Project, Broder carefully selected some outstanding musicians that were well versed in both modern Jazz and the vintage styles that is this album's focus.  The band features trumpeter Riley Mulherkar, Carmen Staff on Piano, Barry Stephenson on Bass and Bryan Carter on Drums.  The result produced a totally enjoyable journey back to the golden years of Jazz and a overdue reminder of the brilliant Saxophonist Johnny Hodges.  The sounds on this CD will remind all Jazz fans that good Jazz never gets old!

Owen Broder is based in New York City and he is involved in multiple music projects. His debut album, "Heritage" was praised by DownBeat Magazine as a "Transcendent work of art".  His quintet Cowboys and Frenchmen has received critical acclaim for its three full-length recordings.  Broder is a member of the Grammy nominated Anat Cohen Tentet and the Manhattan Saxophone Quartet.  He teaches Jazz Theory and Jazz Arranging at Portland State University.

I have attached a "YouTube" video of a terrific Broder arrangement of Ellington's signature song "Take The A Train" that showcases his arranging skills and also his playing excellence.  All of the tunes on this CD are great, including his arrangement of "Royal Garden Blues' an"Ballade for the Very Sad and Very Tired Lotus Eaters".   The CD's release date is October 14 and would make a perfect Christmas gift for any Jazz lover.

                                                                      "Take The A Train"

PLAYERS:

Owen Broder- Alto and Baritone Saxphones, Arrangements

Riley Mulherkar- Trumpet

Carmen Staff- Piano

Barry Stephenson- Bass

Bryan Carter- Drums

PLAYLIST:

1. Royal Garden Blues

2. Viscount

3. 18 Carrots for Rabbit

4. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter

5. Digits

6. Ballade for the Very Sad and Very Tired Lotus Eaters

7. Take the A Train

8. Just a Memory

9. You Need to Rock.

CD Review: Joel Quarrington, "The Music Of Don Thompson"

 

World-class Classical Bassist Joel Quarrington has joined with Pianist, Bassist, Composer and Arranger Don Thompson to create a unique musical joining from the Classical and Jazz world.  All the music was specifically written by Don Thompson for this project with the exception of "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square".  

This CD is a master piece of beautifully composed music and Joel Quarrington's performance on Bass is beyond description.  Joel's improvisation, dexterity and tone are at a level that few Bass players can even dream of.  Joel Quarrington is a former bassist for the London Symphony Orchestra and one of the premier classical Bassists in the world.  In this new CD, "Joel Quarrington, The Music of Don Thompson" Joel gets to bring his Bass skills to the world of Jazz.  The result is a spectacular 45 minutes of wonderful, exciting music.

Don Thompson, the Pianist and Composer of the memorable music for this CD has also played Bass for over 60 years and had this to say about Joel Quarrington's Bass performance "I've played Bass for over sixty years and the problem for any Bass player, any musician actually is to make the music more important than the instrument.  Bass is, for most of us a difficult instrument that can be very hard to get along with.  My own Bass (and I have a great Bass) will only let me play when it feels like it and even then, my playing is a compromise between what I want to play, and what it will allow to play.  Joel is one of the very few Bass players I've ever heard, Jazz or Classical, that has the technique and the total understanding of the music he needs, to be able to put the music before himself."

John Patitucci had this to say after listening to this CD "Joel Quarrington is an incredible Bassist whose sound, virtuosity and emotional depth are striking.  His unique command and flexibility make playing Bass on this extremely high level sound so effortless and easy.  Indeed, it makes me want to throw my bow in the fireplace!!!!!"

I have attached two "YouTube" videos for you to enjoy.  The first is a joyous arrangement and performance of the standard "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square" that allows you to watch Joel and Don perform the full glorious 10 of music.  The second is a Don Thompson original composition, "Egberto" which was inspired by Don's love of Brizilian music and dedicated to the great Brazilian musician Egberto Gismonti.

                                                     "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square"

                                                                          "Egberto"

PLAYERS:

Joel Quarrington- Double Bass

Don Thompson- Piano, Compositions, Arranger

Travis Harrison- Double Bass 2

 Joseph Phillips- Double Bass 3

Roberto Occhipinti- Double Bass 4

PLAYLIST:

1. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square

2. Another Time, Another Place

3. Egberto

4. A Quiet Place

5. Quartet 89 for Bass Quartet