Jazz Tuba Player Jim Self has joined musical forces with Guitarist John Chiodini to record their new CD, "Hangin' Out". I have been a fan of Jim Self ever since I heard an absolutely beautiful CD he recorded with master Harmonica player, Ron Kalina. The CD was titled "The Odd Couple" and it's still one of my favorites. Let's be serious, how many Jazz CDs feature a Tuba player? And yet, the talented John Self continues to produce wonderful Jazz. Self is joined by the talented Guitar player, John Chiodini and while paring of a Tuba with a Guitar which is certainly unusual, I think they pull it off perfectly. "Hangin Out" contains an unusual assortment of tunes that is not surprising considering the long list of well-known artists both Self and Chiodini have performed with over the years. Both performers also included one of their original compositions.
This CD is a very sensitive and intimate musical conversation between the two master-class musicians. In addition, they have asked four equally master musicians: Scott Whitfield on Trombone, David Angel on Baritone Sax, Tom Peterson on Tenor Sax and Ron Stout on Trumpet & Flugelhorn, to join them on several songs.
I want to mention that in addition to playing the Tuba on this CD, Self also plays an instrument called a Fluba. Self describes this instrument as a tuba-sized Flugelhorn.
I have attached two "YouTubes" of two cuts from the CD. The first one will surprise you, a Tuba and Guitar playing Stevie Wonder's gem "Sir Duke". The second one is the classic "It Could Happen To You" with Self and Chiodini joined by their four special guests. It's a treat!
Vocalist Beverley Church Hogan was ready to kick-off her singing career at the age of 21when she relocated from Montreal to Los Angeles. She was offered a recording contract with Capitol Records that required her to tour for 58 weeks. At this time she was married and had a one-year-old baby. After much thought and discussion, Beverley surprised everyone including Capitol Records by turning down the contract. For the next forty years she dedicated her focus on being a mother, a wife and a businesswoman. It was a decision she never regretted!
Then in 2002, she found her way back to music when she was invited to sing at the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood. The night was a huge success and she surprised many of her friends who never knew about her talent for singing. The Catalina event has since become an annual event with every seat always filled. She continued singing for the next 12 years and when she turned 83, she decided it was time to make her debut CD.
Beverley enlisted the help of musicians she had the highest respect for and the first one she asked was John Proulx who was asked to arrange, produce and play for the project. Many readers of this blog know how talented John Proulx is because he has preformed live at Pete Carlson Golf and Jazz Club in Palm Desert many times. Proulx gathered some of the "Best of the West" for this CD starting with Trumpet and Flugelhorn master Ron Stout. Ron Stout is joined by the great young guitarist, Graham Decter, Reedman Doug Webb, Bass Player Lyman Medeiros, Drummer ClaytonCameron and Percussionist Kevin Winard. Beverley also asked Producer Barbara Brighton to help produce her vocals.
The mix of songs on this CD are outstanding. A few songs from the "Great American Songbook', including one from Bobby Troup, "You're Looking at Me". Plus some contemporary composers including Chris Caswell, Rene Marie and Stephen Sondheim's famous "Losing My Mind". Also on the CD is a terrific song composed by John Proulx with Lyrics by K. Lawrence Dunham, "Stuck in a Dream".
Beverly's primary focus is on presenting her own special interpretation of the Lyrics. "I want to connect to the listener, and I hope the story I'm telling in song evokes memories and emotions that are meaningful to the audience".
Remarkably, at 83, Beverley's voice is strong and clear. While it is sad that she waited so long to record her first CD, at the same time, Jazz vocal lovers should rejoice to have the chance to hear her sing on her CD, "Can't Get Out Of This Mood". Please keep singing, Beverley, I can't wait to get to listen to your next CD!
PLAYLIST: 1."Take My Breath Away" 2. "Losing My Mind" 3. "You're Looking At Me" 4. "Can't Get Out Of This Mood" 5. "Wait Till You See Me" 6. "I Know You By Heart" 7. "I'm Through With Love" 8. "Speak Low" 9. "Stuck In A Dream" 10. "Time After Time" I located a "YouTube" of Beverley singing the Stephen Sondheim gem, "Losing My Mind".
I try to attend as many of the Jazz dates at Pete Carlson's Golf and Tennis Store as I can because I have never been disappointed in the high quality of the musicians that perform live for these events. TheKen Peplowski Quartet that performed on February 18, 2019 was certainly one of the best groups I have heard in the "Jazz for Jazz Lovers" series. First, the group was made up of seasoned Jazz veterans, Ken Peplowski and special guest Ron Stout who were joined by some younger but spectacularly talented professional musicians, Josh Nelson on Piano, Katie Thiroux on Bass and Matt Witek on Drums. For tonight's performance, Ken Peplowski picked some traditional Jazz tunes along with several songs from the "Great American Songbook".
Ken Peplowski is a giant in the Jazz world and for good reason. He is certainly one of the best Jazz Clarinet players performing today. Also, at Monday's performance, he proved he is one of the best Jazz Tenor Sax players also. You don't hear many Clarinet players these days but listening to Ken's warm tones was so wonderful that you had to be thinking, we need to hear more Clarinet sounds in the Jazz world. I know this is what I was thinking! Ken's improvising is just about perfect, it's creative, spontaneous, soft and simply beautiful!
Ken put together some suburb younger musicians in his Quartet, and he made sure that each member of his group had their time to shine. And shine they did starting with the remarkably talented JoshNelson on Piano. I have had the pleasure of seeing Josh play several times in different venues and as good as he is, he seems to get even better each time I see him. Josh also makes an effort to help younger musicians by supporting them on live performances and on CD's. I see his name on many of the new CD's I review every month.
On Bass was Katie Thiroux, one of my favorite Bass players. I reviewed Katie's first, very successful CD on this site and encourage you to look-up the review up to find out more about Katie. Katie reminds me of my favorite all-time Bass players, starting with the great Ray Brown. She knows the importance of melody and when she improvises she makes sure that her creative lines never forget the melody. I think it puts her into a class of her own when it comes to Bass playing. Katie also has a unique voice and even though she did not sing tonight, you should check out her two CD's to hear her sing,
Matt Witek was on Drums tonight. I had never heard Matt play before but shortly after he started playing, any listener would realize he is a special player. Too many of today's Drummers think that loud is the only way to stand out. What a pleasure to hear a Drummer that works with sounds and understands the purpose and use of brushes. Matt used his hands several times to produce some great support for the group which was very enjoyable. In addition, the percussion section of Katie and Matt were perfect together.
Veteran Trumpeter Ron Stout was an announced special guest tonight, and he was indeed very special. I have heard Ron play many times and he is a treat. No drama here. Ron can solo anytime he is called; he understands Ballads and he never overshadows the other players in the band. If I had a band, Ron Stout would be the Trumpeter I would want to join me!
If you are in the Palm Springs area, Pete Carlson's is the best place for live Jazz with music events every week throughout the winter season.
I have attached a live video of the Ken Peplowski Quartet playing "I Wish You Love".
I would venture that any real Jazz fan living in Southern California knows that on Saturday nights the only place to be is at Peter Carlson's Golf and Tennis Store in Palm Desert, CA. During the day, Pete's place is one of the biggest and best golf and tennis stores in the country but on most Saturday nights, Pete's team cleans out the golf bags and golf clubs in one room and as if by magic, it turns into a Jazz Club! Pete rolls out a baby Grand and then it's straight-ahead Jazz for the night. Pete has been hosting these world-class Jazz sessions since 2010. The proceeds from these 30 or so concerts each season go to support music education and scholarships for young musicians in the Coachella Valley and the American Jazz Institute. It's a great win for everyone. Jazz lovers get to hear the best current live Jazz in the Country, and the kids get financial support to keep music playing in their schools! It's a lot of work for Pete and his wife Edna, but it is a labor of love!
Pete is also a founder, director and broadcaster at a new local 24-hour Jazz radio station right here in Palm Desert, KAJI 95.3 FM. For anyone not living in this area, you can tune in to the station by logging onto your computer at www.amjazzin.org. The radio broadcasting legend, Alan Schulz is the program director for KAJI and also hosts his own show. Alan has spent the major part of his life involved in the Jazz world and has wonderful stories he shares about every Jazz great, past or current.
Tonight Pete hosted "The Phil Norman Tentet" one of the most talented and respected Jazz bands playing today. The musicians in this band are stellar, every single one is multi-talented and a Jazz star in his own right. Take a look at the advertisement posted above and you are sure to know most of the veterans who play in this band. This wonderful band filled the house wall to wall with Jazz fans from all over the Valley and they were not disappointed. From the first downbeat, these masters of Jazz performed one great Jazz tune after another. The arrangement charts were also as good as it gets bringing memories of the great bands from years ago. Mark your schedule for next week, Saturday, January 26 when the outstanding flutist, Holly Hofmann, will be joined by the Mike WoffordQuartet.
The band played many great songs last night, but I particularly enjoyed their arrangement of "Surrey With The Fringe On Top" and I have attached a "YouTube" of the band performing it.
Arranger/Bandleader Mark Masters has released a terrific new CD, "Blue Skylight" that reimagines the music of iconic Jazz Composers Charles Mingus and Gerry Mulligan. The beauty of this CD is in the beautiful Jazz music of the Mark Masters Ensemble and the Masterful recomposition work that Mark Masters has achieved. According to Masters " In many ways, Charles Mingus and Gerry Mulligan couldn't have been more different. One was notoriously fiery and confrontational; the other understated, the epitome of cool'. Mark was very careful in selecting the players for this CD believing that "It's all about the players. There are very few people who can be successful when writing music without knowing who's going to play it. The overriding factor for me is creating a framework for the players to be successful in."
"Blue Skylight" was born of a pair of 2015 concerts performed by the ensemble in Palm Desert, California: a "Gerry Mulligan Songbook" evening and a program entitled "Blues by Mingus". Both featured a trio of undersung elder Jazz statesmen that Masters wanted to feature and celebrate: Bassist Putter Smith, Saxophonist Gene Cipriano and Alto Saxophonist Garry Foster. Master proudly states "They're true veterans, they're some of my heroes". The seven-piece ensemble includes some of the West Coast's most in-demand musicians, most of whom have enjoyed long relationships with Masters, Saxophonist Jerry Pinter, Baritone Saxophonist Adam Schroeder, Trumpeter Ron Stout, Trombonist Les Benedict, Pianist Ed Czach and Drummer Kendall Kay.
The music and arrangements in this CD are immediately comfortable even for someone that did not follow Mingus or Mulligan. For Jazz lovers, this is a real treat as the music seems like having an old friend come over to visit. This is what Jazz music is all about, new experiences but with the feeling that you have lived here before!
Playlist: 1. "Monk, Bunk And Vice Versa" Mingus 2. "Out Back Of the Barn" Mulligan 3. "So Long Eric" Mingus 4. Wallflower" Mulligan 5. Peggy's Blue Skylight" Mingus 6. "Strayhorn 2" Mulligan 7. "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love" Mingus 8. "Apple Core" Mulligan 9. "Eclipse" Mingus 10. "Birds of a Feather" Mulligan 11. "Motel" Mulligan
I know you will enjoy listening to the "YouTube" of the Mark Master Ensemble playing Mulligan's composition, "Apple Core".
Ron Boustead has a long and solid reputation as one of the most talented Vocalist and Lyricist performing today. For the past 34 years, Ron has been performing and writing lyrics since he was just 16. His many past credits include recording a vocal CD featuring lyrics he had written to tunes by the likes of Chet Baker, Chick Corea, and Freddie Hubbard. Over his career, he released three more CDs and learned a new trade. He became a top-notch mastering engineer, worked at the legendary Precision Mastering where he cut CD and vinyl masters for artists like Prince, Rolling Stones, Seal, Kiss, R.E.M., and many others. After all of these achievements, Ron thought it was time for him to make a CD that reflected his evolving tastes and growth as an artist. His new CD "Unlikely Valentine" is cool and hip. Ron put together a mix of tunes that include lyrics he provided and a fresh take on lesser-done standards. When Boustead began thinking about this project, he decided he wanted the music to be upbeat and bebop-oriented, yet accessible to people who aren't necessarily hard-core Jazz fans. In my opinion, he has reached these goals! His new CD is fresh and live and his lyrics seem real and natural. His performance on the tune he wrote, "Coffee" is outstanding in style and lyric and Ron's vocal is perfect and "Sinatra-like". If you like straight ahead Jazz vocals, you will love this new CD that is being released on February 14, 2017. It will be available on Amazon, iTunes and CD Baby.
The Band:
Ron Boustead, Vocals and Lyrics
Bill Cunliffe, Piano and Arrangements
Mitchel Forman, Piano and Arrangements
Pat Kelly, Acoustic and Electric Guitar
Bob Sheppard, Sax and Flute
Bob McChesney, Trombone
Ron Stout, Flugelhorn
John Leftwich, Bass
Jake Reed, Drums
Playlist:
1. "Unlikely Valentine"
2. "Love Potion # 9"
3. "Coffee"
4. " I Won't Scat"
5. "Til Now"
6. "Autumn Leaves"
7. "Love's Carousel"
8. "Along Came Betty"
9. "I Love My Wife"
10. "Love Came On Stealthy Fingers"
I found and attached a couple of "YouTube" videos that I think you will enjoy. The first is Ron telling his story about his new CD and the second I just had to share, Ron singing my number one greatest song, "The Nearness of You". Enjoy!
Ron Boustead Tell the Story of His New CD, "Unlikely Valentine"
Jazz Vocalist Cat Conner has released a new CD that all lovers of Jazz singing need to acquire. I was not familiar with Cat Conner until I received the new new CD with a request to review it. The first thing that got my attention was the playlist of songs Cat had picked for this CD. She includes an in-depth explanation of why each song was chosen which also explains why she sings with such a great understanding of the lyrics. Each song links to a part of Cat's life experience both from the past to present day. A lot of serious thinking was done by Cat to develop this playlist and the results will please anyone that loves a singer who understands how to transform words into an emotional experience for the listener. Cat has a wonderful voice and performs perfectly whether a swing song, ballad, blues or Latin groove. She is simply a seasoned and skilled professional Jazz singer!
Being the seasoned Jazz singer that she is, Cat has selected an outstanding cast of supporting musicians:
John Chiodini- Guitar and did most of the arrangements Gene Cipriano- Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Tenor and Bass Oboe Tom Ranier- Piano Chuck Berghofer- Bass Joe LaBarbera- Drums Ron Stout- Trumpet Dick Nash- Trombone Stephanie O'Keefe- French Horn Bob Carr- Bassoon, Bass Clarinet, Alto Flute
Playlist 1. "Everything I Love/Everything I Desire" 2. "Handsome Man" 3. "Sans Souci" 4. "Giant Steps" 5. "Throw Me Away" 6. "Remind Me" 7. "Baltimore Oriole" 8. "Heart's Desire" 9. "Wishing On The Moon" 10. "You're Driving Me Crazy" 11. "Come On Strong" 11. " Come On Strong" 12. "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" 13. "People Say"
I also want to add that I was delighted to find that Palm Springs resident, Michael Dees, has one of his great songs on this CD, "Throw Me Away". Michael is a wonderful singer and even better songwriter whose lyrics are always new, clever and deliver an emotional message.
You can hear the songs on this new CD by going to Cap's Website: www.catconner.com.
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 BillEvans for years and a Horn section comprised of A-list players including Bob Sheppard, ClayJenkins, 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".
Judy Wexler has just finished recording her 4th album, "What I See". Judy has a marvelous, pure, clean voice, but that's only one part of what makes her such a special singer. First and foremost, Judy is a wonderful storyteller. When you hear Judy sing any of the songs that she carefully hand picks, she brings life to the lyrics. She has the rare ability to magically combine the story with her beautiful voice and captures the full attention of the listener. The songs Judy recorded on this album cover a wide range of times and styles; and, yet, Judy has been able to put them together as if these songs were written just for this album. There are few singers who have the ability to select the songs Judy has and bring them to life as she does. After selecting her songs, Judy applies the final magic to her CD by bringing together some of the most talented sidemen on the West Coast: Larry Koonse on Guitar, Bob Sheppard on Bass Clarinet and Alto Sax, Ron Stout on Trumpet and Flugelhorn, Scott Whitfield on Trombone, Billy Hulting on Percussion, Chris Colangelo on Bass, and Steve Hass on Drums. These are a lot of parts to pull together and make it all fit together perfectly. So Judy, brings in her long-time Pianist/Arranger, Jeff Colella to co-produce the album. Jeff who spent almost two decades as the Music Director for Lou Rawls put together all the beautiful arrangements that make this CD one of the best Jazz albums of the year.
