CD Review: Trish, Hans & Phil, "Greatest Hits Volume #2

 

Superb Volcalist Trish Hatley has recently released a new CD featuring her Jazz Vocal Trio, Trish, Hans & Phil.  Her new CD is titled "Trish, Hans & Phil, Greatest Hits Volume #2" and it is a musical work of art.  Trish Hatley is a well-known and loved singer on the West Coast music scene from Vancouver to Seattle to Palm Springs.  Trish has a sparkling personality and when combined with her beautiful voice and superb phrasing and understanding of lyric make her one of the most sought-after vocalist performing today.

Joining Trish on this CD is Pianist, Vocalist, Arranger and Musical Director Hans Brehmer.  Hans is based inn Seattle where he actively performs on Piano and Vocals.  In addition, Hans is an accomplished composer whose Songs and Lyrics relate current-day experiences.  His arranging skills are wildly recognized in the music scene today.

Phil Demaree is the third part of this trio.  Phil has been playing bass and singing for over 40 years appearing with notable artists like Ray Charles, The Mills Brothers, Dianne Schuur, Joe  Williams and John Gary.

Trish, Hans & Phil have honored the Great American Songbook and the artists who have lived in this sonngbook for their entire careers and continue to perform at the highest levels.  Their musical sounds are always crisp and new and their arrangements breathe new life into the classic standards they sing.  

I have attached a live performance "YouTube" of Trish, Hans & Phil singing Duke Ellington's classic, "Just Squeeze Me" with a terrific arrangement by Hans Brehmer.  Enjoy!
   

                     "Just Squeeze Me"

PLAYERS:

Trish Hatley- Vocals, Arrangements

Hans Brehmer- Vocals, Piano, Arrangements

Phil Demaree- Vocals, Bass, Arrangements

John Anderson- Sax

Brad Boal- Drums

PLAYLIST:

1. Wizard of Oz Medley

2. On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe

3. The Fool On The Hill

4. The Nearness of You

5. I Wan'na Be Like You

6. These Boots Are Made for Walking

7. Red Top

8. Let's Face The Music

9. Hello Walls

10. All Or Nothing At All

11. Unchain My Heart

12. Just Squeeze Me

13. Slow Down/Nice and Easy

14. Beautiful Love

15. Sixteen Tons

16. Utah Moon

                                                              

CD Review: Lisa Rich, "Highwire"

Lisa Rich has an interesting story to tell.  In the 1980's she was one of the most promising Jazz singers in the US.  She and her lush voice performed in some of the most prestigious Jazz settings in the US including a series of concerts in China and India. It was not only her voice that brought her into a national focus, her ability to handle sensitive lyrics and melodies were near perfect.  She recorded two CD's before recording "Highwire" in 1987 but never released.  Lisa Rich experienced serious health issues that caused her to stop performing and pause her career.  She then opened up a music studio and worked as a Vocal teacher and gave private lessons and conducted workshops.  It was not until 2018 that Lisa returned to the music she had begun so long ago and remixed the "Highwire" CD and released it in August of 2019.

"Highwire" is really a tribute to the writing genius of Chick Corea.  A chance encounter with Chick Corea moved him to present Lisa with several of his songs.  Lisa interprets five of Corea's songs on this CD and also two songs by Ralph Towner, one by Duke Ellington, Ornette Coleman and Loonis McGlohon and the standard, "We'll Be Together Again" by Carl Fischer and Frankie Laine.

The supporting musical cast on "Highwire" is terrific starting with outstanding Piano work from Marc Copland, Bassist Drew Gress and Drummer Michael Smith.  David Kane also provides great piano support on tracks 3 and 6.

This CD remix was recorded 32 years ago but proves again that good music is timeless.  Lisa Rich has a natural ease and smoky lush voice that reminds us what Jazz Vocals are all about.  All the songs included in this CD are difficult but sensitive and Lisa sings everyone flawlessly.

Playlist:
1. "High Wire The Aerialist"
2. "Contessa" 
3. "Celeste/Prelude To A Kiss"
4. "Bud Powell"
5. "Stardancer"
6. "Lonely Woman"
7. "Songbird"
8. "The Jinn"
9. "We'll Be Together Again"
10. "The Silence Of A Candle"

Players:
Lisa Rich-Vocals
Marc Copland-Piano
Drew Gress-Acoustic Bass
Michael Smith-Drums
David Kane-Piano (Track 3 & 6) 

I have selected two YouTubes for you to review that showcase Lisa Rich's wonderful Vocal talents. The first one is "High Wire The Aerialist", music by Chick Corea, Lyric by Tony Cohan.  The second is a terrific version of the standard, "We'll Be Together Again", Music by Carl T Fischer, Lyric by Frankie Laine.

CD Review: "Sarah King and The Smoke Rings"

The "Smoke Rings" are a relatively new Jazz group that revives the elegance and charm of the Swing Era.  This group features the unique singing of Sarah King and covers songs from the heart of the "Great American Songbook".  For the past several years, the group has been performing weekly in "The Boom Boom Room" on the top floor of New York's Standard Hotel to rave reviews.  This group is nothing like your standard Jazz group.  They specialize in bringing back the delicious and magical sounds of old recordings of great standards.  If you are under 50 years of age, this CD may be a new interest for you.  But for those of us who grew up listening to the great sounds and songs of the 30's and 40's, I think this CD will quickly become on of your favorites.

The members of this group, Sarah King on Vocals and Ukulele, Alex Levin on Piano, Scott Ritchie on Bass and Ben Cliness on Drums are all relatively young and they sound wonderful together, far beyond their ages.

Sarah King has a wonderful voice and she handles lyrics as perfectly as any seasoned singer with sensitivity and understanding of these great standards.  Along with her three talented sidemen, they produce a wonderful rebirth to these song gems of yesterday and makes them fresh and new again.

            PLAYLIST:
1. "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing:
2. "Tea For Two"
3. "Jersey Bounce"
4. "I Won't Dance"
5. "Smoke Rings"
6. "Caravan"
7. "Some Other Spring"
8. "Love Is Here To Stay"
9. "I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)"
10."Up The Lazy River"

For your listening pleasure, I have attached a "YouTube" video of Sarah King and The Smoke Rings singing "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing" composed by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills.  I bet it brings a simile to your face!

CD Review: Five Plus Six "Such Sweet Thunder"

Jazz is alive and well in all parts of the USA.  Most of the new Jazz CDs I am asked to review, especially big bands are either the West Coast or the East Coast.  However, Vance Thompson's new Jazz band, Five Plus Six direct from Knoxville, Tennessee proves that great Jazz is being creative all over the USA.  Vance Thompson is an outstanding Jazz Trumpet player, and he has provided some  sensational arrangements of classic Jazz composition from the masters of Jazz: Thelonious Monk, Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington.  And believe it or not Vance has arranged a gem from the musical pen of Dolly Parton that would knock Dolly off her chair, "Little Sparrow".

The heart of this new eleven-piece band combines Vance Thompson's core quintet with six additional horns.  The additional horn players while younger musicians, play with seasoned musicianship and add a noticeable excitement to the overall big band sound.  Five Plus Six has produced a terrific Jazz product and would thrill anyone who loves the big band Jazz sound.

As a side-note, this CD was made possible through a fund raising project done in coordination with the site, "Pledgemusic.com".  Its great that we have so many sites now where musicians can get financial support to record new CDs that benefit all music lovers.  The world is a better place because musicians like Vance Thompson can share their creative talents with us.

        The Lineup:
       
        "The Five"
Vance Thompson- Trumpet & Flugel and all arrangement except "Four in One".
Michael Wyatt-Trumpet
Joe Jordan-Trumpet
Tylar Bullion-Trombone
Sean Copeland-Tenor & Bass Trombone

         "The Six"
Keith Brown-Piano & Fender Rhodes
Jamel Mitchell-Alto & Soprano Sax
Taylor Coker-Bass
Greg Tardy-Tenor Sax & Bass Clarinet
Nolan Nevels-Drums
David King-Baritone and Soprano Sax

"Four and One" arrangement by Donald Brown and Keith Brown
Executive Producers: Barbara and Jeffrey Crist
Associate Producers: Bill and Elisabeth Rukeyser

Playlist:
"Pannonia"-Thelonious Monk
"Isfahan"-Billy Strayhorn
"Little Sparrow-Dolly Parton
"Ugly Beauty"-Thelonious Monk
"Such Sweet Thunder"-Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn
"Prelude To A Kiss"-Duke Ellington
"Rocklin In Rhythm"-Duke Ellington
"Four In One"-Thelonious Monk
"He's Gone Away"-Traditional Appalachian Folk Song

I found a "YouTube" of Five Plus Six playing "Rockin In Rhythm" that is guaranteed to make you feel good!

CD Review: Mark Meadows "Something' Good"

Mark Meadows' new album, "Somethin' Good" could also have been titled "Somethin' Cool".  This Cd highlights Jazz at its best! Mark is not only a talented Jazz pianist but has also mastered the art of composing, educating and putting a great band together. Mark is not a casual musician, he is a student and now a teacher of Jazz Piano at the Peabody Conservatory where he recently completed his Graduate Performance Degree in Jazz Piano. Mark started playing the keys when he was only three years old. He has not stopped playing since or studying his trade.  In 2011, Mark earned degrees in Jazz Piano from The Peabody Conservatory and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from The John Hopkins University.

I was not only impressed by his suburb, creatively-interesting piano playing but also his composing and arranging talents.  Most of the songs on this CD were written by Mark, and he produced a wonderful fresh and new arrangement for all songs including "Come Together" the Lennon-McCartney gem. The arrangement of this song while true to its "root" construction allows it to be re-born into a great new Jazz piece. Mark brings similar great new arrangements to "Rock With You" by Rod Temperton, "Groovin' High" by Dizzy Gillespie and the great Ellington classic, "Lush Life".

The supporting cast that Mark has gathered for this CD is of the highest level of musicianship. As a past Alto Sax player, I was especially impressed by the contribution from Brent Birckhead in particular. Joining Brent and also contributing wonderful sounds was Paul Bollenback, Guitar,  Warren Wolf, Vibes, Christine Dashiell, vocals, Lean Seikaly, vocals, Eric Kennedy, Drums and Eric Wheeler, Bass.

I found a "YouTube" of Mark playing his own composition "Somethin' Good" that I have attached.

                                                      Mark Meadows "Somethin' Good"

                                  PLAY LIST
1. "Come Together"                     2. "Just Imagine"
3. "Rock With You"                     4. "Somethin Good"
5. "Once Upon A Purple Night"  6. "Less Catchy"
7. "Way Up Here"                        8. "For You"
9. "Groovin' High"                       10. "Get Lost"
11. "Lush Life"

CD Review: "Absinthe" The Music of Billy Strayhorn From Joe LoCascio and Woody Witt

Billy Strayhorn is well known to any lover of Classic American music. He is remembered by many for his collaborations with Duke Ellington which at times tend to put him in the shadow of "The Duke".  However, many music historians credit Strayhorn for much of the inspiration that Ellington turned into some of the greatest American songs ever recorded. Joe LoCascio, a marvelously talented Pianist, did extensive research into some of the lesser known songs in the Billy Strayhorn songbook and selected 9 of his gems! There is genius in song writing and Billy Strayhorn is certainly in that class. Even the lesser known songs stand up perfectly to the test of time. They are brilliantly written and sound new even more than 50 years after Strayhorn wrote them.

Joining Joe LoCascio on this CD is the very talented Saxophonist Woody Witt. Woody plays Tenor, Alto and Soprano Saxophones on this beautiful CD and the chemistry between Woody and Joe is remarkable. The level of improvisation from both of these world-class musicians is thrilling. Even better is that they improvise with a closeness you would only expect from brothers. The result is they have given life to the Strayhorn masterpieces they have chosen for this CD. The music is new, soft and sensitive. Exactly what you would expect from the brilliant song writing of Billy Strayhorn. The CD was mixed and mastered by Blue Bamboo Music. Chris Cortez was the executive producer and did wonderful job overseeing the recording and mix of this CD.

This CD is really good, and I highly recommend that you pick up a copy.

     Song List
1. My Little Brown Book
2. Charpoy
3. A Flower is a Lovesome Thing
4. Rain Check
5. Chelsea Bridge
6. Lotus Blossom
7. Isfahan
8. Absinthe
9. Daydream

I have attached a video from Facebook of Joe and Woody playing the first cut from the album, "My Little Brown Book".

 

Dorothy Doring and Phil Mattson: CD Review: "Compositions By Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn

Dorothy Doring

Vocalist Dorothy Doring and Pianist and arranger Phil Mattson are each recognized performers with long and outstanding resumes.  These two talented musicians have gotten together on a project called "Compositions By Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn" and the results are what you would expect: a simply wonderful new CD that captures the brilliants of Ellington and Strayhorn.  The duo reviewed 30 songs and settled on 11 gems that are sure to please even the most serious Jazz devotees. Most of the songs they selected will probably be known by most Jazz buffs like "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good", "Love You Madly", "In A Mellow Tone", and "Lush Life" but included several other s that might be new to some listeners. If you love hearing Jazz vocals with just a piano, this is a CD for you.

Dorothy Doring has been singing for several decades and is at home and comfortable with a wide variety of music from  Country to Rock, Blues and Jazz. She had been recording new CDs about every six to seven years and every effort is always sterling and always different.  She never just sings words, she understands the message of the lyric and uses her own style to present it to the listener. She is a true pro.

Phil Mattson is a two-time Grammy nominee, and his resume includes being an arranger including commissions for: Manhattan Transfer, Chanticleer, The Dale Warland Singers, The Four Freshmen among others. He has been an accompanist for Mark Murphy, Bobby McFerrin, Sunny Wilkinson, Barbara Morrison, Richie Cole, Carmen Lundy and Ernestine Anderson.  He is a true pro.

Together these two splendid musicians have produced a wonderful study of two of the most cherished American Songwriters with some of their best material. This CD was released on March 28, 2013 and is available on iTunes, CDbaby.com and Amazon.com.

Dorothy Doring on Vocals and Executive Producer
Phil Mattson on Piano, Arranger and Producer

1.  Day Dream                                                         6. In A Mellow Tone

2.  Everything But You                                         7. Lush Life

3. Something To Live For                                     8. I'm Just A Lucky So And So

4.  Love You Madly                                               9. I Didn't Know About You

5.  I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good                   10. Heaven

Wynton Marsalis And The Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra: Jazzmen Exceptional

Take one part Billy Strayhorn, add one part Duke Ellington, one part Stan Kenton, one part Maynard Ferguson, and one part Arturo Sandoval and what do you get?  "The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra", that's what!  Friday night November 12,  I had the listening pleasure of hearing and seeing Wynton Marsalis and the "Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra" at NJPAC.  This group is comprised
of 15 of the best soloists I have ever heard in one place at any time in my musical life.  With most jazz orchestras of this size, maybe you get to see four or five of the members playing a solo, but not in this orchestra.  Every one of the 15 had their shot at a solo before the one hour and forty-five minute show was over.  The orchestra consisted of five saxes, four trumpets, three Trombones, one bass, drummer and piano player.  The highlight of the evening for me was when the orchestra played the Duke Ellington's arrangement of "The Peanut Vendor".  This song brought me back to the late 50's, a time when I listened to this song over and over again played by the great Stan Kenton band with Maynard Ferguson on trumpet.  Here it is 50 years later and the song, the arrangement and the orchestra never sounded better.  Wynton Marsalis is clearly a musical genius by any measure and one of the good guys of jazz.  His resume is just unbelievable. He began his classical training at the age of 12 and attended the Julliard School at age 17. He made his recording debut in 1982 and has since recorded more than 70 Jazz and Classical albums.  He has won nine Grammy Awards and in 1983 became the first artist to win both a Classical and Jazz Grammy in the same year and he repeated this feat in 1984.  It's clear he is a classic jazz gentleman. He still loves to play and play he did,  preferring to sit with the trumpet section and be one with the band. All and all, a totally enjoyable evening!