CD Review: Andy Ezrin, "I Was Here"

 

The title of Andy Ezrin's new CD, "I Was Here" was picked because Andy Ezrin was a prodigy on Piano since childhood.  When other boys were saving up for Strats and collecting Hendrix recordings, Ezrin was already in love with the Piano.  His first professional gig was at the age of 12, and with the advantage of starting his learning career so young, he was able to listen and acquire musical knowledge with many different schools of music provided by major Jazz players like Andre Previn, Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett and the Fusion years players like George Benson and Herbie Hancock.  He learned his lessons well as you will hear on "I Was There" where Ezrin showcases not only his playing skills but also his brilliance in composing.  Ezrin composed the 13 songs on this CD.  The playing and the composing of Ezrin's music is outstanding.  Sometimes when listening to new music,  it requires hearing it more than once before you can understand the greatness of the composing.  Not with Ezrin's compositions; while they possess tenderness they also project happiness that allow the listener to assimilate the music at first hearing.  

"I Was There" is a powerhouse of Jazz music!  I would like to share some of the promotion notes written by Adam Gopnik that were given to me with this CD because they are so wonderful and so true.  "No Instrument in Jazz has been more fertile, adaptable and misleadingly evasive than the piano.  The most workaday of all instruments-the lectern or drawing board where musicians teach, singers learn, songs get composed, recomposed, arranged and rearranged.  It has also been the place of the most sublime flights into personal ecstasy, as with Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett.  The Piano also displays the most virtuosic technique as with Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, or the place of the most profound pure thoughts in Jazz, as with Bud Powell, Lenny Tristano and John Lewis."  These wonderfully written words were prompted after listening to the music of Andy Ezrin.   

PLAYERS:

Andy Ezrin- Piano, Rhodes, Compositions, Arrangement, Leader

Randy Brecker- Trumpet

Donny McCaslin- Tenor Sax

John Patitucci- Bass

Marcus Gilmore- Drums

Ari Hoenig- Drums

PLAYLIST:

1. Grapes

2. This Is What It Is

3. Greenwoman

4. Luna

5. Siren Song

6. Snowfall

7. Ain't That Some Shit

8. If I Don't See You

9. Wiggle Room

10. Never Enough

11. I'm Runnin' Outta Time

12. Lost Days

13.. Cascades- Andy Exrin Solo

    

                                                                            "I Was There"

"Never Enough"

 

CD Review: Roger Tilton Trio, "Mostly Bossa"

 

Jazz Pianist Roger Tilton has just recently released his second album featuring his talented Trio consisting of Roger Tilton on Piano, Henry Franklin on Bass and Yayo Morales on Drums.  When Tilton started to put some ideas together for this album, he did not start with Bossa Nova music as the overall theme.  His first thoughts were to put together music that he loved and enjoyed playing.  He has always loved the music of Brazil and especially the beautiful music of Antonio Carlos Jobim.  So as he gathered songs for his new CD it turned out that 7 out of the 9 tunes that made the final cut were Bossa Nova songs.  That explains the title of this CD,  "Mostly Bossa".

Roger Tilton is a classically trained pianist studied at the University of Redlands and took personal lessons with concert Pianist Johanna Harris, wife of American composer Roy Harris.  He first became interested in Jazz listening to Stan Getz playing "Desafinado" and Ramsey Lewis playing "The In Crowd".   While at the University of Redlands, Tilton met Bass Player Rob Fisher who introduced him to the music of Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, and Denny Zeitlin.  Joining The Roger Tilton Trio on this album is the legendary Bassist Henry Franklin.  Franklin has a star-studded musical career including being a member of the Trumpeter Freddie Hubbert's group.  He also was a part of Drummer Shelly Manne's group and Woody Shaw's band.  In addition to performing regularly,  Franklin also runs his own production company, recording studio and label.  The third member of this talented trio, Drummer Yayo Morales was born in Bolivia and is an exceptional Jazz Drummer in the rhythms of South America and is a perfect addition to the Bossa songs on this CD. Morales also  did the mastering of the songs for this CD.

The Music on "Mostly Bossa" is like most Bossa music,  comfortable and enjoyable.  It is so soothing and relaxing to listen to and the listener can move through the entire CD and still be looking for more. 

The three members of this Trio are all so exceptional and they make the listener feel that playing Bossa Nova music is easy.  This is what really professional Jazz talents do, they interpret complicated songs and rhythms and turn them into attractive and understandable music for their audiences.

I have attached two "YouTube" songs from this CD.  The first tune is "Dindi" the Antonio Carlos Jobim gem.  Tilton mentioned that he had not heard many instrumental versions of it but only vocal renditions.  So glad he did because his instrumental captures the excitment of this wonderful Jobim tune and Brazilian music in general.  The second tune is "Tokyo Blues" the Horace Silver Jazz classic that is titled as a Blues but it is actually based on Boss Nova Rhythms. 

                                                                            "Dindi"
       

                                                                            "Tokyo Blues"
 PLAYERS:

Roger Tilton- Piano

Henry Franklin- Bass

Yayo Morales- Drums

PLAYLIST:  

1. Dindi

2. Tokyo Blues

3. Bossa For Debbie

4. What Is This Thing Called Love

5. 500 Miles High

6. Blue Bossa

7. Brigas Nunca Mais

8. Hackensack

9. Dreamer

 

CD Review: The Dave Miller Trio, "The Mask-erade is Over"

If you like to listen to a great traditional straight ahead Jazz piano trio playing, Dave Miller's new CD "The Mask-erade is Over" will be perfect for you.  Dave Miller who has his own playing personality can at times remind you of some your favorite Jazz pianists like George Shearing, Bill Evans and Ahmad Jamal.  Bill covers a lot of ground in this CD and brings his Jazz personality center stage on a great selection of standards. 

Dave's daughter is the super-talented singer Rebecca DuMaine and Dave and his trio have often recorded with Rebecca on her CDs.  

I have selected two YouTubes videos for your listening pleasure.  The first song is "Be Careful It's My Heart".  Dave was inspired by Peggy Lee's version with one of his Piano heroes, George Shearing.  The second song is a Dave Brubeck gem, "In Your Own Sweet Way".  The playlist of songs on this CD are from a diverse outstanding group of composers:  Charlie Parker, Bill Evans, Noel Coward, Irving Berlin and Ray Henderson.   Take a moment to review the fun playlist below.

                                                              "Be Careful It's My Heart"

                                                               "In Your Own Sweet Way"

PLAYLIST:

1. Anthropology

2. Be Careful It's My Heart

3. The Masquerade Is Over

4. The Opener

5. Someday I'll Fine You

6. You Don't Know What Love Is

7. Yardbird Suite

8. Estate

9. In Your Own Sweet Way

10. The Blue Room

11. Dusty

12. Why Did I Choose You

13. Hallucinations

14 Just Imagine

PLAYERS:

Dave Miller- Piano

Andrew Higgins- Bass

Bill Belasco- Drums

 

CD Review: "Janice Friedman Trio: Live At Kitano"

Pianist/Composer Janice Friedman has recently released her first live CD, "Janice Friedman Trio: Live At Kitano".  I first met Janice when I was doing a review of "Diva" Rose Kingsley's Cabaret debut at Cafe Noctambulo at Pangea in New York City a few months ago.  I was impressed by the way Janice played Piano in support of Rose's unique vocal approach to standards.  In talking with Janice after the show, she mentioned that she had just cut a CD, and I knew it would be something I would like.

I certainly was correct.  In fact, there was a bonus for me on her CD.  Janice does Vocals, Arranging and Composed four wonderful songs. What I like the most about Janice is her unique approach to music.  When she plays you can hear little parts of the best Jazz Pianists in history, and yet she has the ability to create music that is totally her own.  Her touch on the Plano is soft and thoughtful as are her vocals.  Her arranging skills are also remarkable.  The first cut on the CD is an original composition, "Get Set", and Janice constructed an Oscar Peterson-inspired arrangement that is terrific.  Janice also brilliantly co-wrote a Chopin Nocturne in a beautiful Jass style.  According to Janice "I took Chopin's beautiful nocturne, changed it into a Jazz waltz, straightened up the form to make it comfortable to improvise on, adjusted the rhythms and phrases to have them swing, used my own chords, put in an improvised recitative spot where Chopin had one written and voila!"

Supporting Janice on her live CD are: Victor Lewis on Drums and Ed Howard on Bass.  Both of these musicians are highly talented and clearly fit together with Janice's style perfectly.

I have attached a "YouTube" of Janice Friedman's sensitive and beautiful rendition of Bill Evan's "Turn Out The Stars" live at Kitano in NYC on March 18, 2015.  And after you listen to this performance, just think, she also does Vocals, Arranging and Composing!  Janice Friedman is a super-star musical talent!

  

CD Review: Julie Kelly "Happy To Be"

My first listening introduction to Julie Kelly was by way of her new CD "Happy To Be".  After listening to just the first few songs, it became clear why Julie is one of the most respected Jazz singers on the West Coast.  If anyone ever asks you to define Jazz singing, save your time and theirs by simply telling them to listen to Julie Kelly and her CD "Happy To Be". Julie's pure warm voice has a sensibility to melody and lyric that's very rare.  Her selection of songs on this CD reinforces her perfect taste in the best in melody and her wonderful lyric writing abilities.  She wrote the lyrics for two songs on the CD, "The Blues According to Orpheus" and "For Joni".   "For Joni" began as a poem she wrote for Joni Mitchell.  Tierney Sutton the marvelous Jazz singer in her own right calls this tune nothing less than a "gorgeous anthem" to all who love Joni Mitchell.

One of the essential talents that all Jazz singers need to develop is the ability to pick the best  musicians who will lift the singer to higher levels.  The musicians Julie has selected to support her on this CD are spectacular!  Bill Cunliffe has worked with Julie on other projects and is a widely respected pianist and Grammy Award-winning arranger, Anthony Wilson the outstanding guitarist who works with only the best musicians including Diana Krall, Tom Warrington known as one of the best Bass players in the country, world-class Drummer Joe LaBarbera who worked with Bill Evans for years and a Horn section comprised of A-list players including Bob Sheppard, Clay Jenkins, Ron Stout and Bob McChesney.  Also, there is an additional contribution made by the following fine musicians:  Walter Rodriguez, Percussion, Kim Richmand, Saxophone and on Vibes the "superb" Nick Mancini.

Julie Kelly has given the Jazz world a wonderful gift of great music that validates that Jazz singing still has a special place in today's music scene!

I have attached a "You-Tube" video of Julie singing "You're The Dangerous Type" from her CD "Happy To Be".

Pamela Hines "3.2.1." Pre-Release CD Review

Pamela Hines

If you are a fan of superb Jazz piano, especially when it's part of a great Jazz trio, then a new CD from Pamela Hines, is made just for you.  This is my first experience hearing Pamela Hines and I became a fan after the first time I listened to the 9 cuts on her new CD, " 3.2.1.".  In my opinion, the quickest way to determine the talent of any Jazz musician is to listen to how the musician approaches the great standards. On this CD, Pamela presents the listener with truly inspiring renditions of three classic gems.  The first two are ballads that never seem to get old, "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most" and "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry". Pamela approaches both of these great songs with emotion and understanding and her performance is marvelous by any Jazz measure. The third standard is an up tempo version of "East Of The Sun" that is fresh and exciting.
To balance these standards, Pamela chose several Bill Evans compositions that would test the ability of most piano players. The first cut is "34 Skidoo" that Evans has lots of fun with by changing the time signature throughout the song. The other two Evans compositions were "B Minor Waltz" and "Loose Blues".

Pamela Hines has been very busy in the last three decades performing in clubs, concerts and festivals in New York, Boston and nationally.  She is a Jazz treasure, and I look forward to hearing lots more from her.  Pamela is joined on this CD by two wonderfully talented musicians, David Clark on Bass and Yoron Israel on Drums.  This CD will be released on January 15, 2013.