CD Review: Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra, "Portraits and Places"

Scott Reeves is a Trombonist, Alto Flugelhornist, Composer and Educator. He has performed and recordered with some of the best Jazz Big Bands playing today like the Dave Liebman Big Band, Bill Mobley's Smoke Big Band, The Oliver Lake Big Band and the Chico O'Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra.  In addition to all his fine performing, Scott is Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at the City College of New York.  He was also on the faculty of the Juilliard School.  His textbooks on Jazz improvisation, "Creative Jazz Improvisation" and "Creative Beginnings" are widely used in leading colleges' Jazz curriculum.  Scott put his own 16-piece Jazz orchestra together in 2008 and this CD, "Portraits and Places" is the band's 2016 debut CD.  The album features seven Reeves' original tunes plus some other terrific Scott Reeves' arrangements, including the one I have attached of Jobim's "Aguas De Marco", "Waters of March". 

The seven original songs Scott Reeves has composed are beautifully written and brilliantly arranged.  They are as close to perfect that any composer could produce. Arranging music for a big band is a feat that few musicians can ever master, but Scott's arrangements are complex but clean and flow with relaxed ease.  It's clear to me that Scott gets his composing inspiration from his massive musical experience and years of study of musical composition of both Jazz and Classical music. Many years of musical education is one aspect underlying his talent but taking ones musical knowledge and turning out beautiful, complex music and big band arrangement puts Scott in a class of his own.  I chose to attach Scott's arrangement of Jobim's "Aguas De Marco" to highlight his ability to take a known classic evergreen and give it a new appearance and feel.  The work and effort that was required to compose and arrange the 3 movements of "L & T Suite" had to be massive.  According to Scott, "Woven in the fabric of the composition are thematic quotes from Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring", Igor Stravinsky's "Petrushka", Leonard Bernstein's "Age of Anxiety", and Bela Bartok's "The Miraculous Mandarin". If Stan Kenton was still alive and still recording, he would surely want to use Scott Reeves' arrangements.  On the lighter side,  Scott's "The Soulful Mr Williams" is dedicated to the memory of the great pianist James Williams.  Beautifully written, this arrangement was originally done for the Bill Mobley Big Band during Scott's tenure at the New York City Jazz club, Smoke.         

The members in Reeves band are all outstanding, accomplished musicians.  Only a musical pro would be able to execute these precise and carefully written arrangements. So there you have it, great players, great songs, great arrangements, the perfect formula for a great big band CD.

        Musicians

Scott Reeves: Conductor, Composer, Arranger, Alto Flugelhorn

Seneca Black: Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Nathan Eklund: Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Bill Mobley: Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Andy Gravish: Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Steve Wilson: Alto, Soprano Sax, Flute

Rob Middleton: Tenor Sax, Clarinet

Tim Armacost: Tenor Sax, Clarinet

Jay Brandford: Baritone Sax, Bass Clarinet (1,4)

Terry Goss: Baritone Sax, Bass Clarinet (2,3,5-8)

Tim Sessions: Trombone

Matt McDonald: Trombone

Max Seigel: Bass Trombone

Jim Ridl: Piano

Todd Coolman: Bass

Andy Watson: Drums

Sara Serpa: Voice (3.4)

Emi Miyuajima Nobe, Yuzuki Nobe: Japanese dialogue (3)

Playlist:

1. "The Soulful Mr. Williams"

2. "3'n 2"

3. "Osaka June"

4. "Aguas de Marco"

5. "L & T"

       a. Movement 1: "Who Wants to Dance"

       b. Movement 2: "A Trombonist's Tale"

       c. Movement 3: "Hip Kitty"

8. "Last Call"

I have attached a beautiful cut from the CD that was posted on YouTube.  I know you will enjoy the Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra playing Jobim's "Aquas De Marco".

Reflecting Back On Some Cherished Musical Friends Who Are Gone But Will Remain With Us Forever!

Summer Tulips Inspired by Master Painter, Max Horbund

Now that summer is over my thoughts wander to some of the wonderful performers that have left us in body but will never leave us in spirit because of the wonderful music they have gifted to us forever.  The majority of the music I review and discuss on this blog is performed by current performers,  and I love giving these talented musicians the much deserved public notice they deserve.  However,  there are some old friends whose music has had a profound effect on us, and we should revisit them every chance we can.  I would like to share a few of the performers who have played a part in shaping my musical life.

I would like to start with one of the best horn players in Jazz history,  John Coltrane.  John recorded with the very best American musicians in the history of Jazz,  playing hard-driving straight ahead Jazz.  For me, it was the soft, sensitive side of Coltrane's playing that never left me.  John's tone and feel for melody puts him in a special class of performers.  I found a "Youtube" of John playing one of the tunes on my "Top 10 Best Songs of All Time" list.  No vocals here,  but John's Tenor voice gives life to the lyric of "What New".      

The next performer Eva Cassidy died in her late 20's before she ever got to record and publish a single song.  After her death, her family put out a CD of some of her recorded but unpublished songs.  The CD sold over 1,000,00 copies.  We lost a musically brilliant singer before any of us ever got to know her.  She also recorded a song that is on my "Top 20 Best Songs of All Time" list, "You've Changed".  This song has been recorded by many great singers but Eva Cassidy's version is just outstanding! 

                                       

The last performer is one of the best and most influential Alto Sax players in American Jazz, the great Cannonball Adderley.  Like Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley could play straight ahead Jazz with anyone but in 1955 he recorded a CD entitled "Cannonball Adderley and Strings" in which Cannonball addressed some great American ballads with Jazz style and class.  As a former Alto Sax player,  the Album had a very deep affect on me that remains to this day.

So there you have it,  two of the best instrumentalists that ever played Sax and a young but super-talented singer.  And what do they all have in common?  All three had the ability and talent to project the emotion and beauty of great American ballads which touch listeners in ways that are always remained. 

                                    

CD Review: Jocelyn Michelle " Time To Play"

Now that Summer is over and we are entering the Fall season, I need to start catching up on some great,  new CD's that were released during the Summer that I never got to.  Jocelyn Michelle plays the Hammond B3 Organ as well as anyone I have previously heard,  and I am delighted that this review is my first Jazz Hammond B3 Organ Jazz trio CD.  In addition to the wonderful work she performs on the Hammond B3, Jocelyn also has included some great original compositions, including lyrics.  Multi-talented musician, Jocelyn Michelle also did all of the arrangements for her CD.

It's hard to pin down Jocelyn's style because she has been influenced by playing different styles for many years on the club circuit mostly in Florida,  Los Angeles and Hawaii.  On this CD, she explores a variety of musical styles including "Soul Jazz',  "The Bossa Beat", " A Funk Groove",  " A Latin Rock Thing" and a "Slow Gospel Mood".

Jocelyn has taken a great deal of care to select a group of some of the most talented Jazz musicians  on the scene today for each cut on this CD.  I have listed below each of the musicians and the songs they contributed to because they all are so outstanding,and I am sure you will want to know who they are.

PLAYERS:

Jocelyn Michelle: Organ, Piano, Guitar, Composer on cuts 1,2,4,5,10, Arranger
John Rack: Guitar 2,3,6,10
Bruce Forman: Guitar 1,4,5,7,8,9
Doug Webb: Tenor Sax 1,3,6,7,8
Steve Mann: Tenor Sax 2, Alto Sax 4, Soprano Sax 8
Stan Martin: Trumpet 1,3,6,7,8
Andrea Lindborg: Trumpet Intro 3
Sammy K: Drums, Percussion 2,10
Brad Dutz: Percussion 1,2,3
Gina Saputo: Vocals "On  No, I Could Be In Love"
Regina Leonard Smyth: Vocals "The Loss"

This CD was produced by Tony Monaco on "Chicken Coup Records" Label

PLAYLIST:

1. "Englewood Cliffs"                    2. "Sylvia's Song"
3. "Trouble Man"                           4. "A Sister's Love"
5. "Oh No, Could I Be In Love      6. "The Pink Panther"
7. " Last Tango In Paris"                8. "Sunnier Days"
9. "Never Let Me Go"                   10. "The Loss"             

I found a video of Jocelyn playing one of her compositions "Englewood Cliffs" on YouTube for your listening pleasure.  I also attached a second YouTube of Jocelyn playing her version of Gato Barbieri's classic tune "Last Tango" that you may also enjoy.

CD Review: Alison Lewis, "Seven"

Alison Lewis released her first solo CD, "Seven" on June 16, 2016.  In my role as a music reviewer, I usually receive about 25 to 30 new CDs each month.  Sometimes it is hard to get to each one, but I make the effort knowing that all these musicians have put their life and soul on the line composing and recording their songs.  The majority of these CDs are good, a few are excellent and every once in a while I find a gem that blows me away.  Alison Lewis' CD "Seven" is one of those gems, a new CD in a world of its own!

Alison Lewis is one of the best singers I have heard in quite a while.  Why you ask?  First, her voice is pure and strong, she has perfect pitch and a unique understanding of lyrics.  But what puts her over the top is her vocal and musical arrangements that are new, fresh and a treat for the ears!  Alison describes her arrangement method as a "re-imagining process" where she may alter a song's rhythm, melody and/or the underlying chords in order to uncover a new and deeper appreciation for its meaning.  She attributes the success of each composition to equal doses of intuition, thoughtful listening, and inspiration.  I could listen to Alison sing all day and so will you.  Get this CD; it's like listening to a master class in the art of vocal performance. There are 7 songs on the playlist, 5 great standards and 2 songs composed by Alison.

I had a difficult time picking just one cut from her CD for you to preview so I have attached two cuts.  First is a "YouTube" of Alison singing her fabulous take of "My Funny Valentine" and the second "YouTube" is Alison singing the Lennon and McCartney song "Blackbird".  Enjoy!

PLAYLIST:

1. Blackbird
2. Cheek to Cheek
3. Like a Rolling Stone
4. Mr Right for Right Now
5. Seesaw
6. Midnight Sun
7. My Funny Valentine

The Players:
Alison Lewis: Vocals and arrangements
Mitchel Forman: Piano (Tracks 1,2,7) Fender Rhodes (Track 3) Hammond B3 Organ (Track 4)
Kevin Axt: Bass (Tracks 1,3,4,6)
Ray Brinker: Drums (Tracks 1,3,4) and Hand Percussion (Track 3)
Andrew Synowiec: Lap Steel and Acoustic Guitars (Tracks 1,3,4)
Eddie Reyes: Cajon and Udu (Track 1)
Adam Shulman: Piano (Track 5)
Paul Eastburn: Bass (Track 5)
Ricky Carter: Drums (Track 5)
Jude Gold: Acoustic Guitar (Track 5)
Anne King: Muted Trumpet (Track 7)

  

CD Review: Socrates Garcia Latin Jazz Orchestra: "Back Home"

Hope everyone is having a good summer and surviving the heat!  Speaking of heat, this new CD from Socrates Garcia is really hot.  "Back Home" is a journey back to Socrates Garcia's roots in the Dominican Republic.   His compositions are strongly influenced by Bachata and Merengue, two styles that originated in the Dominican Republic. This project is a perfect blend of Caribbean flavors cooked just right.  Socrates Garcia is currently Director of Music Technology at the University of Northern Colorado.  He wrote and arranged the seven compositions on this CD and every one is a gem.

Socrates Garcia is a superbly talented Composer, Arranger, Producer, Recording Engineer, Guitarist, Keyboard player and Educator.  He just makes wonderful music!  This CD is an excellent example of what A Latin Jazz Orchestra is all about.  This CD was Composed, Arranged, Conducted and Produced by Socrates Garcia. The CD was released on Summit Records on March 4, 2016.

I have attached a "YouTube" cut from the CD, "Calle El Conde A Las 8:00"  The name of this tune comes from the name of a street that Garcia frequented as a youth,  The Street was a hub of artistic and commercial activity.  This was the place that Garcia entranced with Afro-Caribbean music that dominated the culture.  Enjoy!

CD Review: The Michael Blum Quartet, "Chasin' Oscar" a tribute to Oscar Peterson

Everyone that loves Jazz loves Oscar Peterson!  If not the best Jazz pianist of all times, he certainly would be listed as one of the top three greatest of all times.  I have always tried to expose young people to the Oscar Peterson's genius so they could experience the music and joy that older generations have enjoyed.  When I received Guitarist/Vocalist Michael Blum's tribute to Oscar Peterson I was very excited to hear what it was about.  Michael Blum is a young and very talented Guitarist/Vocalist who was inspired by the legendary Oscar Peterson.  According to Blum: " I wanted to learn to play guitar like Oscar Peterson played the piano".  "One of the things I really love about Oscar is his ability to do anything on his instrument. He could play fast or slow, hard or soft, pretty or nasty, bebop or blues.  I wanted to emulate his emotional range in my musical homage",

In my opinion, Michael Blum has achieved his goal and his new CD "Chasin Oscar" is wonderful.  Check it out for yourself.  I have attached two YouTubes, the first one is Michael playing  the Peterson original "Nightingale" and the second is " Tristeza" that features jaw-dropping, breakneck runs that highlight Blum's ability to keep pace with the famously fleet-fingered master.

Michael Blum's Trio consists of Michael Blum on Guitar, Jim Stinnett on Bass Brad Smith on Piano and Dom Moio on Drums.

Book Review: "Sinatra, The Chairman" by James Kaplan

Author, James Kaplan, has a new best seller out, "Sinatra, The Chairman" that covers Frank Sinatra's life from the early 1950's until his death in 1998.  I did a review of James Kaplan's first book on Sinatra, "Frank, The Voice", (that covered Frank's life from birth to the 1950's)  I posted January 17, 2011 that covered Frank's life from birth to the 1950's.

The material in both books has been meticulously researched by James Kaplan in order to give the readers the most accurate picture of one of the most written-about men in the history of entertainment.  The footnotes for this new book number 878 which gives you an idea of the care that was taken for accuracy with Sinatra's history.

There have been many books written about Frank Sinatra but "Sinatra, The Chairman" is,  in my opinion, the book to read on the subject.  Kaplan's first book was also terrific but it covered a period that only a few of my readers had lived through with him.  His new book, "Sinatra, The Chairman" contains wonderful stories about the Frank Sinatra we knew and all the stars we grew up with.  It allows the readers test our memories and belief circles against the real reality of what was actually happening behind the curtain.

This is a major book with over 887 pages of stories that will delight, upset and educate you on what was really going on in the entertainment world when we were growing up and watch behind the velvet ropes.  It never gets boring and most will have a hard time putting this book down.  Kaplan is very careful to let the reader know when he is guessing about what Sinatra is saying or feeling at times, but he is rigorous in comparing first person knowledge from multiple sources to test his opinions. The bonus in this book is all the information it gives the readers about other entertainment giants of the time that we followed and loved in addition to the Sinatra story.

If you grew up during the "Rat Pack" area and could only read one book on Sinatra and this period in entertainment history, this would be the book to read!

                                                                   BOOK REVIEW
                 The Music Man Awards This Book It's Highest Rating 

" 4 Quarter Notes" 

For anyone that might not remember why Frank Sinatra was such a great singer and perhaps the best  ever singer of songs from the "Great American Songbook" listen to Frank singing "Body and Soul".  

                                      " 4 Quarter Notes"