CD Review: Radam Schwartz, "Saxophone Music"

 

Radam Schwartz is a well-known Jazz organist in today's Jazz world.  He has performed with many Jazz greats including Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Al Hibbler, David "Fathead" Newman, Russell Malone and Cecil Brooks III.  In his lastest CD, "Saxophone Quartet Music", Schwartz puts his spotlight on his composing and arranging.  Using a quartet of four saxophones, Schwartz has written and arranged nine original songs.  The words that come to mind when listening to Schwartz's compositions are beautiful, lush tones, new, fresh and swinging.  On his new CD, Schwartz utilizes three of his most skilled former students from the Jazz Institute of New Jersey,  Marcus G. Miller on Soprano Sax, Irwin Hall on Alto Sax and Anthony Ware on Tenor Sax.  The forth member of the quartet is Schwartz's long friend Max Schweiger on Baritone Sax.  

Radam Schwartz's was born and raised in New York City and played Saxophone and Keyboards in high school, and for a time settled on Piano. Early on he played with Altoist Charlie Mariano's fusion group, Tenor -Saxophonist Jimmy Ford, The New Jersey Contemporary Orchestra, and Al Hibbler. He has led ten albums of his own, appeared on over 40 as a sideman, and been very busy as an Organist, Educator and Arranger-Composer. 

I have attached two "YouTube" videos of two of the songs from the CD.  The first is "Many Seasons Wise One".  The inspriation for this ballad tribute was to the unheralded giants of the Newark Jazz scene who early on inspired Schwartz.  The second tune, "Validation" utilizes the chord changes of Charlie Parker's "Confirmation" and has a bebop feel to it.

PLAYLIST:

1. Let's Hear It For The Boy

2. Sway In Rincon

3. The Ancients

4. Hands/With These Hands

5. Validation

6. As Long As You're Remembered

7. Many Seasons Wise One

8. My Ship

PLAYERS:

Radam Schwartz: Compositions & Arranging

Marcus G Miller: Soprano Saxophone

Irwin Hall: Alto Saxophone

Anthony Ware: Tenor Saxophone

Max Schweiger: Baritone Saxophone

Misha Josephs: Guitar (Track 2)

Carrie Jackson: Vocals (Track 4)

Andrew Atkinson: Percussion (Track 6) 

                                                        "Many Seasons Wise One

                                                                   "Validation"

CD Review: A Message From The Flying Horse Big Band

I have followed the The Flying Horse Big Band and their super talented musical director Jeff Rupert for a long time and they never disappoint.  They have just released their 8th CD, "A Message From The Flying Horse Big Band" and it's a four-star winning "straight ahead" Jazz album.  The focus of this new CD is on the style of music performed by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messenger.`  All the songs on this CD were composed by Jazz Messenger members.  The Jazz Messengers group was formed in 1947 by Drummer Art Blakey and really shot into high public attention when Trumpeter Horace Silver joined the group in the mid-fifties.  Blakey and Silver were at the forefront of developing Bebop music while incorporating elements of rhythm and blues and soul music.  The Jazz Messenger members who composed songs on this CD reads like a list of Jazz giants out of a Jazz history book: Horace Silver, Benny Golson, Wayne Shorter, Cedar Walton and Hank Mobley.

Sadly, Jazz lovers don't get to hear this kind of big band music and arrangements much these days.  However, even someone new to Jazz would quickly recognize that the sound of this music and  arrangements are special.  I want to thank Jeff Rupert and the "The Flying Horse Big Band" for producing this amazing new CD.  You are helping the new generation to discover how good this kind of music is!

I also have to mention the high quality of professional players that perform this wonderful music on this CD.  The full group is listed below and each one of the players are at the top of their musical game and contribute to the superb music on this CD. 

PLAYLIST:

1. Free For All

2. Hipsippy Blues

3. Room 608

4. This Is For Albert

5. Mosaic

6. Peace

7. Gregory Is Here

8. Lester Left Town

9. Whisper Not

10. On the Ginza

PLAYERS:

Saxophones:

    Paul Van Wormer- Lead Alto (Solo Tracks 4,7,10)

    Micah Silverstein- 2nnd Alto (Solo Track 9)

    Edmund "Quint"- Johnson Lead Tenor (Solo tracks 1,3,5,6,8,9)

    Steven Grant- 2nd Tenor (Solo track 2)

    Noan Mosca- Baritone

Rhythm Section:

    Jack Hoag- Piano and Fender Rhodes

    Noah Charles- Guitar (Solo tracks 3,7,8)

    Michael Santos- Bass

    James Fortune-  Drum Set (tracks 1,2,5,8,9)

    Jamesly Jean-Mary- Drum set ( tracks 3,4,6,7,10) and Congas (track 2)

Trumpets & Flugelhorns:

    Josh Mercado- (Solo tracks 1,2,3,5,6,10)

    Adam Zapf-

    Robert Schmidt

    Phebe Rich

    Elijah Simmons

Trombones:

    Dan Parish (Solo tracks 4,6,7)

    Ralph Rodriguez

    Gabe Funk

    Ben Fuller- Bass Trombone

 

I have attached two "YouTube" videos from "A Message From The Flying Horse Big Band".  The first song is a Wayne Shorter composition that was arranged by former Jazz Messenger, Michael Mossman.  It's swinging and hot!  The second song was composed by Hank Mobley with a great arrangement by Harry Allen.  It doesn't matter if you are a Jazz Messenger fan or new to this kind of music, if you love Jazz you will love these songs and this CD!

                                                                   " Free For All"

                                                                        "Hipsippy Blues"