CD Review: Owen Broder, "Hodges: Front and Center, Vol 1"

 

When I first started listening to Jazz the first saxophone player who captured me was Johnny Hodges. I discovered him entrenched in the Duke Ellington Orchestra.  I loved Johnny's alto sound and his melodic solos and that love has stayed with me over the years.   Saxophonist Owen Broder pays tribute to Johnny Hodges in his new CD "Hodges: Front and Center, Vol 1".  Broder has taken a deeper dive into Hodges' music world an focused not only with his work with Ellington but also into Hodges' work with small groups particularly two 1959 releases, "Back to Back and Side By Side".  

In developing the Hodges Project, Broder carefully selected some outstanding musicians that were well versed in both modern Jazz and the vintage styles that is this album's focus.  The band features trumpeter Riley Mulherkar, Carmen Staff on Piano, Barry Stephenson on Bass and Bryan Carter on Drums.  The result produced a totally enjoyable journey back to the golden years of Jazz and a overdue reminder of the brilliant Saxophonist Johnny Hodges.  The sounds on this CD will remind all Jazz fans that good Jazz never gets old!

Owen Broder is based in New York City and he is involved in multiple music projects. His debut album, "Heritage" was praised by DownBeat Magazine as a "Transcendent work of art".  His quintet Cowboys and Frenchmen has received critical acclaim for its three full-length recordings.  Broder is a member of the Grammy nominated Anat Cohen Tentet and the Manhattan Saxophone Quartet.  He teaches Jazz Theory and Jazz Arranging at Portland State University.

I have attached a "YouTube" video of a terrific Broder arrangement of Ellington's signature song "Take The A Train" that showcases his arranging skills and also his playing excellence.  All of the tunes on this CD are great, including his arrangement of "Royal Garden Blues' an"Ballade for the Very Sad and Very Tired Lotus Eaters".   The CD's release date is October 14 and would make a perfect Christmas gift for any Jazz lover.

                                                                      "Take The A Train"

PLAYERS:

Owen Broder- Alto and Baritone Saxphones, Arrangements

Riley Mulherkar- Trumpet

Carmen Staff- Piano

Barry Stephenson- Bass

Bryan Carter- Drums

PLAYLIST:

1. Royal Garden Blues

2. Viscount

3. 18 Carrots for Rabbit

4. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter

5. Digits

6. Ballade for the Very Sad and Very Tired Lotus Eaters

7. Take the A Train

8. Just a Memory

9. You Need to Rock.

CD Review: Joel Quarrington, "The Music Of Don Thompson"

 

World-class Classical Bassist Joel Quarrington has joined with Pianist, Bassist, Composer and Arranger Don Thompson to create a unique musical joining from the Classical and Jazz world.  All the music was specifically written by Don Thompson for this project with the exception of "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square".  

This CD is a master piece of beautifully composed music and Joel Quarrington's performance on Bass is beyond description.  Joel's improvisation, dexterity and tone are at a level that few Bass players can even dream of.  Joel Quarrington is a former bassist for the London Symphony Orchestra and one of the premier classical Bassists in the world.  In this new CD, "Joel Quarrington, The Music of Don Thompson" Joel gets to bring his Bass skills to the world of Jazz.  The result is a spectacular 45 minutes of wonderful, exciting music.

Don Thompson, the Pianist and Composer of the memorable music for this CD has also played Bass for over 60 years and had this to say about Joel Quarrington's Bass performance "I've played Bass for over sixty years and the problem for any Bass player, any musician actually is to make the music more important than the instrument.  Bass is, for most of us a difficult instrument that can be very hard to get along with.  My own Bass (and I have a great Bass) will only let me play when it feels like it and even then, my playing is a compromise between what I want to play, and what it will allow to play.  Joel is one of the very few Bass players I've ever heard, Jazz or Classical, that has the technique and the total understanding of the music he needs, to be able to put the music before himself."

John Patitucci had this to say after listening to this CD "Joel Quarrington is an incredible Bassist whose sound, virtuosity and emotional depth are striking.  His unique command and flexibility make playing Bass on this extremely high level sound so effortless and easy.  Indeed, it makes me want to throw my bow in the fireplace!!!!!"

I have attached two "YouTube" videos for you to enjoy.  The first is a joyous arrangement and performance of the standard "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square" that allows you to watch Joel and Don perform the full glorious 10 of music.  The second is a Don Thompson original composition, "Egberto" which was inspired by Don's love of Brizilian music and dedicated to the great Brazilian musician Egberto Gismonti.

                                                     "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square"

                                                                          "Egberto"

PLAYERS:

Joel Quarrington- Double Bass

Don Thompson- Piano, Compositions, Arranger

Travis Harrison- Double Bass 2

 Joseph Phillips- Double Bass 3

Roberto Occhipinti- Double Bass 4

PLAYLIST:

1. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square

2. Another Time, Another Place

3. Egberto

4. A Quiet Place

5. Quartet 89 for Bass Quartet

   

 

CD Review: Orlando Haddad & Patricia King, "Minas Beatles in Bossa

Orlando Haddad and Patricia King Haddad are long time partners in marriage and music.  They formed their group Minas in 1978 at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.  They began playing in the Eastern United States before moving to Brazil.  They returned to the US in 1984 to continue building their reputation as one of the most sought-after Brazilian groups of its kind.  Multi-talented Orlando and Patricia Haddad are Composers, Vocalists and Instrumentalists who are comfortable in Brazilian Jazz, Folk and Classical genres. 

I have always been a fan of good covers of great music.  In their new CD "Minas Beatles in Bossa" this talent duo presents the case very well.  Combining songs written by the Beatles with the Brazilian sounds and American Jazz touches has produced a beautifully listening CD that will please any audience.  The arrangements on this CD are terrific, new and creative, taking traditional rock and roll song to a new level for a new generation.

American Patricia King Hadad's earlist musical influences were formed listening to Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 while Brazilian Orlando Haddad fell in love with the Beatles and credits them as the inspriation for becoming a musician and later immigrating to the the US.   Together they have creative a terrific sound and given new birth to some of our favorite Beatles songs.

PLAYLIST:

1.Blackbird

2.Come Together

3, She Loves You

4. Day Tripper

5. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

6. I Will

7. Can't Buy Me Love

8. Eleanor Rigby

9. Within You Withhout You

10. Here Comes The Sun

11. Norwegian Wood

12. With A Little Help From My Friends

13. In My Life

14. Get Back

PLAYERS:

Orlando Haddad-Vocals, Guitar, Berimbau

Patricia King Haddad-Vocals, Piano, Keyboards

Jim Stager-Acoustic and Electric Bass

Tom Cohen-Drums

John Swana-EVI, Flugelhorn, Trumpet

Andrew Neu-Saxes and Flute

Cyro Baptista-Percussion, Berimbau

Jordan Haddad-Vocals

Rob Hyman-Accordion

I have attached two "YouTube" videos for your listending pleasure that will give some the satisfying sounds on this CD.  The first is "Eleanor Rigby" and the second song is "Get Back". 

                                                                       "Eleanor Rigby"

                                                                        "Get Back"

CD Review: Nica Carrington, "Times Like These"

 This month's review is focused on Jazz Vocalist Nica Carrington and her debut album, "Times Like These".  A native New Yorker, Nica was exposed to Jazz by her father who was a Jazz enthusiast and worked on the promotional side of the music business but also played several instruments.  Nica was lucky to have access to her father's vast record collection and was always drawn to musicians she considered more lyrical, like Chet Baker, Miles Davis and Wes Montgomery.  She also loved Jazz singers but was especially drawn to Frank Sinatra.  "I fell in love with Sinatra when I was 10 years old and especially withh his "Only The Lonely" album.  I really love his phrasing and ability to tell a story without vocal acrobatics."  Perfectly said in my opinion and Nica has followed the Sinatra roadmap in developing her own style.  

Nica has selected a group of "Great American Songbook" classics for "Times Like These".  Mostly torch songs that require great phrasing and sensibility in order to make them believable for the listener.  Nica does a great job on all the songs in her album and is helped along by three of the most talented and sensitive professional musicians performing today.  During the Covid lockdown Nica had been taking voice lessons via "JazzVoice.com" with Los Angeles-based Vocalist, Pianist, Composer and recording artist, John Proulx.  She choose Proulx to be her Pianist, Arranger and Producer for her debut album and then added Bassist Chuck Berghofer and Drummer Joe LaBarbera to complete her trio.  These three seasoned professionals mix perfectly with Nica's rich deep voice and contribute greatly to her wonderful phrasing.  They support but never overwhelm Nica who performs in the spotlight by herself in bringing new life to these old chestnuts. 

I have attached two "YouTubes" for you to listen to.  The first is "When Sunny Gets Blue" written by Marvin Fisher and Jack Segal and the second is a standard written by Carl Fischer and the great Frank Lane, "We'll Be Together Again".  

If you love the beautiful standards and great Jazz singing, you will love "Times Like These".

PLAYLIST:

1. Skylark

2. Left Alone

3. When Sunny Gets Blue

4. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

5. We'll Be Together Again

6. The Summer Knows

7. You Don't Know What Love is

8. Angel Eyes

9. The Shadow Of Your Smile

10 Here's To Life

PLAYERS:

Vocals- Nica Carrington

Piano, Arranging- John Proulx

Bass- Chuck Berghofer

Drums- Joe LaBarbera

                                                           "When Sunny Gets Blue"

                                                             "We'll Be Together Again"
                                                           

CD Review: Manny Kellough And Friends Speaking of Jazz (East Coast to West Coast)

 

Drummer Manny Kellough has had a wide-ranging career including performances with Billy Preston, Ray Charles, Freddie Hubbard, Carmen McRae, Quincy Jones and even the Rolling Stones.  On his new CD Manny has gathered some of his favorite Jazz instrumentalists and singers from both the East and West coasts.  The results are a delightful mix of Jazz sounds that fit perfectly in the finest traditions of American Jazz.  It's always nice to listen to some of the newer Jazz performers of today who are experimenting with new styles, sound and phrasing, but it's so nice to come home to good old American Jazz.   Manny Kellough has led his own band during the past 20 years, is always enthusiastic about uplifting the playing of his sidemen and being an integral part of music rather than feeling compelled to feature himself excessively.   

I have selected two cuts from this great album from "YouTube" for your listening pleasure.  The first song is the Jazz classic "How High The Moon" performed by the musicians from the West coast made up of Gary Brown on Bass, Matt Clark on Piano, Mann Kellough on Percussion and vocalist Azure McCall whose voice and phrasing is perfect for this song

The second song is "Happy Swing in "F" written by Manny Kellough and William Knowles and performed by the East Coast group of Manny Kellough on Percussion, Antonio Parker on Alto Sax, Michael Thomas on Flugel Horn, William Knowles on Piano, Wes "Suga" Biles on Bass.  I hope you can detect some differences in style between East coast and West coast Jazz when listening to this CD.

PLAYLIST:

1. Generosity

2. Secret Love

3. Nothing From Nothing

4. Katrina Ballerina

5. I Thought About You

6. Smile

7. Happy Swing in "F"

8. When I Fall In Love

9. How High The Moon

10. East Of The Sun

11. Foggy Day

PLAYERS:

East Coast:

William Knowles-Piano, Co-Producer

Wes "Suga" Biles-Bass

Antonio Parker-Alto Sax

Michael Thomas-Trumpet, Flugel Horn

Jullian Hipkins-Vocals

Manny Kellough-Percussion

West Coast:

Matt Clark-Piano

Gary Brown-Bass

Azure McCall-Vocals

Ashley Kellough-Vocals

Manny Kellough-Percussion

                                                                  

                                                                "How High The Moon"

                                                              "Happy Swing in "F"                        
  

CD Review: Craig Davis, "Tone Paintings"

 Pianist Craig Davis is a major player in the Pittsburgh Jazz scene.  He recently released his new CD, "Tone Paintings: The Music of Dodo Marmarosa". Dodo Marmarosa was a major performer in the 1940s and was compared to the giants of bebop pianists like Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk.  He worked in bands led by most of the major swing-era bandleaders, including Tommy Dorsey, Gene Krupa and Artie Shaw.  He worked with legendary musicians including Lester Young, Barney Kessel, Lionel Hampton, Slim Gaillard and Mel Torme.  But things changed quickly by the end of the decade for Marmarosa due to health reasons and he became a near recluse for much of the rest of his life 

 Craig Davis has been on a mission to raise Dodo's profile in Jazz history.  Both Davis and Marmarosa perform by blending both classical influences and progressive Jazz into one voice.  On his new album,  Davis offers his beautiful interpretations to ten classic Marmarosa tunes as well as a new song he wrote dedicated to Marmarosa.  Davis explains "Dodo's story really resonated with me because he was such an enigmatic figure.  He never got the recognition he deserved beyond having a flurry of fame in the forties.  I thought maybe I could help bring his music to light".  Davis goes on to say "We share similar stylistic interests.  I love bebop and of course he was a bebop innovator, and we're both classically trained and bring those influences to our music. He also tried to push the art form forward a little bit and not just kind of settle on what was popular. Dorsey didn't like him because he was too progressive, but Artie Shaw loved it.  All the music on this CD is musically beautiful! 

Davis brought two of the finest musicians in modern Jazz today to join him,  John Clayton one of the most accomplished Bass players in Jazz history and Jeff Hamilton one of the tecnically proficient Drummers in the Jazz world.  I am sure most of you are more than familar with John and Jeff and know that if they agree to participate in a new CD, it will always produce great sounds.  

I found two cuts from the CD on "YouTube" for your listening pleasure.  The first is "Dodo's Bounce" which gives both Clayton and Hamilton a lot of room to show their stuff.  The second one is "Mellow Mood" a song written by Marmarosa when he was 14 years old.

                                                                  "Dodo's Bounce"

                                                                   "Mellow Mood"

Playlist:

1. Mellow Mood

2. Dodo's Bounce

3. Dodo's Blues

4. Escape

5. A Ditty For Dodo

6. Opus No. 5

7. Compadoo

8. Dary Departs

9. Tone Paintings

10. Battle of the Balcony Jive

11. Dodo's Lament

Players:

Piano-Craig Davis

Bass-John Clayton

Drums-Jeff Hamilton

CD Review: Juan Carlos Quintero, "Table For Five"

 If you are a big Latin music fan or are new to Latin music, I think you will enjoy Juan Carlos Quintero's  CD, "Table For Five".  This CD was released in January of this year but I didn't get a chance to listen to it until recently. Quintero was born in Medellin, Colombia and his sound reflects the colorful sounds and diverse rhythms of his birthplace.  What attracts me to Quintero's music is his clarity when improvising on his Guitar.  His playing always seems to have direction and planning even when he is improvising.  His music is beautiful, jazzy and understandable.  His latin rhythms are enjoyable and happy.

Quintero is extremely musically talented.  He started his own label called Moondo Records in 2000. The purpose of his label was to create a nurturing, supportive environment for artists. In 2021, he released the critically acclaimed "Caminando"  about which the London Jazz News said, "The music in question is spirited, uplifting and dance-inflected and will surely have broad appeal, within and beyond the boundaries of Jazz".  I wish I could have written such a dead on description of Quintero's music because that's what I felt when I listened to his CD for the first time.

The musicians Quintero gathered to join him on this album are longtime friends and master Latin musicians.  Their playing fits Quintero's style of music perfectly.   Eddie Resto on Bass, Joe Rotondi on Piano, Aaron Serfaty on Drums and Joey DeLeon on Percussion.  

The CD playlist contains Jazz standards, two Quintero original compositions and a few gems from the Great American Songbook.  It all works wonderful together!

I have picked two cuts from the CD that are on "YouTube".  The First is "Mambo Balahu" written by legendary Cuban percussionist Armando Peraza.  The second is a Quintero original "Table For Five" and it's beautiful.    

                                                            "Mambo Balahu"    

                                                                   "Table For Five"

THE PLAYLIST:

1. Alone Together

2. Mambo Balahu

3. The Gentle Rain

4. Manha De Carnaval

5. Table For Five

6. Song For My Father

7. Porque Si Quieres

8. Days of Wine and Roses

9. Giant Steps

10. Beautiful Love

PLAYERS:

Juan Carlos Quintero- Guitar

Aaron Serfaty-s Drums

Joey DeLeon- Percussion

Joe Rotondi-Piano

Eddie Resto-Bass