CD REVIEW: Chris Rottmayer & Kelsey Wallner Create Pure Jazz Magic on Playing Favorites

          Chris Rottmayer & Kelsey Wallner Create Pure Jazz Magic on Playing Favorites

 

"Playing Favorites" is a terrific new Jazz CD recently released by Pianist Chris Rottmayer in collaboration with Vocalist Kelsey Wallner. The idea for this album emerged from a 2025 festival booking in Madison, Wisconsin. Chris and Kelsey had worked together previously in Madison and decided it was time to do an album together.

Chris brought in two very talented friends to join him and Kelsey on this CD; Bass player Clark Sommers and Drummer Matt Endres. I have to admit that when Chris Rottmayer, Clark Sommers and Matt Endres are playing together the sound is as good as it gets for Jazz Piano trios. These three musicians are at the top of their Jazz game. And when you add in the glorious voice of Kelsey Wallner, the music becomes magic.

I liked everything about "Playing Favorites". The playlist is loaded with great Brazilian music from Ivan Lins, Antônio Carlos Jobim, and Dori Caymmi plus some outstanding standards. The album has a very natural and intimate feel, almost like sitting in a small jazz club listening to four musicians completely locked in with one another.

I particularly liked how the standard, "Everything Happens To Me" was arranged and sung by Kelsey. Her phrasing is relaxed and confident, and she never over-sings the tune. Chris’s piano playing throughout the album is sensational. His touch, voicings and harmonic ideas constantly push the music forward while still leaving room for the melody to breathe. Clark Sommers and Matt Endres are equally impressive, creating grooves that swing hard while also bringing tremendous subtlety and taste to the quieter moments.

The second tune that really caught my attention was Jobim’s "One Note Samba", which highlights Kelsey’s personal love for Brazilian music. The rhythm section settles beautifully into the Latin groove and Kelsey sounds completely at home with the material. There is an elegance and sophistication throughout the performance that makes the track one of the highlights of the CD.

I also enjoyed the trio performances on Kenny Barron’s "Voyage" and Cedar Walton’s "Firm Roots". These instrumental tracks allow Chris, Clark and Matt to stretch out and demonstrate just how well they communicate musically. The interplay between these musicians is first class Jazz playing.

Another pleasant surprise on the album is hearing Kelsey Wallner’s original compositions, “I’m Too Sweet” and “Love Ain’t Free.” Both songs fit naturally alongside the standards and Brazilian classics, and they give listeners another look at her talents as both a vocalist and songwriter.

"Playing Favorites" is one of those albums that feels timeless from the very first listen. The performances are classy, swinging, melodic and filled with genuine emotion. If you are a fan of great piano trio Jazz, outstanding vocals, and Brazilian influenced arrangements, this CD deserves a spot in your collection.

Players

• Chris Rottmayer – piano
• Kelsey Wallner – vocals
• Clark Sommers – acoustic bass
• Matt Endres – drums

Playlist

1. Everything Happens To Me
2. One Note Samba
3. Voyage
4. Velho Piano
5. On The Street Where You Live
6. Firm Roots
7. Sail Away
8. I’m Too Sweet
9. Love Ain’t Free
10. Love Dance
11. Never Will I Marry 

 

                                                        "Everything Happens To Me"

            

"One Note Samba"    

    

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"

CD Review: Ben Rosenblum Nebula Project "Kites and Strings"

 

Pianist, Composer, Arranger and Accordionist Ben Rosenblum has just released his debut CD of the Ben Rosenblum Nebula Project, "Kites and Strings".  The CD playlist covers a special group of composers and music from Leonard Bernstein to Neil Young to Ben Rosenblum originals.  It also includes a great group of relatively new and brilliant Jazz musicians including Trumpeter Wayne Tucker, Guitarist Rafael Rosa, Reed man Jasper Dutz, Bassist Marty Jaffe and Drummer Ben Zweig.  One of the main reasons this CD caught my musical attention was the diverse influences that Rosenblum has joined together in the playlist.  Rosenblum's creative fingerprints can be felt on every aspect of this CD.  The music is new, fresh, beautiful and yet listener friendly.

Rosenblum has established a national profile for himself as a bandleader performing at over 100 gigs annually.  He has experimented with all forms of music and it's easy to pick up the New York Jazz feel embedded in "Kites and Strings".  Rosenblum was brought up in New York and earned a BA from Columbia University while also studying piano at Juilliard in a joint degree program. Rosenblum shared this about his educational experiences "I needed to hear about getting my left hand together and being rhythmically solid,  how to lead a piano trio, the importance of listening to certain recordings.  I'm surrounded with great young musicians who are never shy about telling me if they hear something different".  It's one thing for a musician to experiment with a wide spectrum of musical compositions and style but to be able to join these compositions and styles into one playlist is a rare and treasured event.

This CD is loaded with beautiful music.  Trying to pick two tracks for my readers to listen to was no easy task.  The first tune I have selected is a Rosenblum original titled "Cedar Place".  The composer has this to say about it "a hat tip to the inestimable pianist/composer Cedar Walton. The propulsive bass line and one-chord vamp section bring to mind the deceptively simple elegance and forceful swing of Walton's standard Bolivia."   The Second tune I have attached is wonderful Neil Young composition "Philadelphia" played as a Jazz Ballad.  Music doesn't any more beautiful than this!

Playlist:

1. Cedar Place

2. Kites and Strings

3. Halfway to Wonderland

4. Motif from Brahms (Op. 98)

5. Fight or Flight

6. Somewhere

7. Philadelphia

8. Bright Above Us

9. Laughing on the Inside

10. Izpoved

Players:

Ben Rosenblum- Piano (except 4,6) Accordion

Wayne Tucker-Trumpet

Jasper Dutz- Tenor Sax, Bass Clarinet

Rafael Rosa- Guitar

Marty Jaffe- Bass

Ben Zweig- Drums, Percussion (5) Conductor (10)

Jake Chapman- Vibraphone (2,8)

Sam Chess- Trombone (7,8)

Jeremy Corren- Piano (4,6)

                                                                  "Cedar Place"

                                                                           "Philadelphia"