CD Review: Antonio Adolfo, "Love Cole Porter"

 

Renowned Pianist, Composer, Arranger Antonio Adolfo recently released his Brazilian-flavored interpretations of the music of Cole Porter.  Adolfo has released 25 albums as leader and every one of them has been inspiring!  In his new CD,  "Love Cole Porter" Antonio Adolfo has put together a big band that pays tribute to the genius of Cole Porter and adds a Brazilian flavor to Porter's beloved compositions.  Adolfo explains, "I started out by experimenting with different Cole Porter tunes on the piano, trying out different styles of Brazilian music. It took a while to bring them into my musical world and ideas".

I have reviewed several Antonio Adolfo CDs on my blog and I have to say that everything I have ever heard from him has been super good.  His Rhythms, his Arrangements, his Compositions, his choice of musicians has always been the best you can get.  Every Cole Porter song on this CD has been reimagined into a sparkling, exciting new adventure.  Antonio Adolfo is recognized internationally as a Brazilian Jazz master and for good reason; he is a brilliant musician! 

Picking a couple of cuts from "Love Cole Porter" was near impossible.  The big band sound and exciting Arrangements combined with our favorite Cole Porter makes every song on this CD a classic must-have for any Jazz collection.  After much listening I selected "Just One Of Those Things" and "Love For Sale" because I thought the Arrangements were so unique and Brazilian.  

PLAYERS:

Antonio Adolfo- Piano and Arrangements

Lula Galvao- Guitar

Jorge Helder- Double Bass

Rafael Barata- Drums, Percussion

Dada Costa- Percussion

Jesse Sadoc- Trumpet & Soprano Sax & Flute

Rafael Rocha- Trombone

Playlist:

1. Easy To Love

2. Every Time We Say Goodbye

3. I Concentrate On You

4. I Love You

5. I've Got You Under My Skin

6. Just One Of Those Things

7. Love For Sale

8. Night and Day

9. So In Love

10. You Do Something To Me.

                                                                 "Just One Of Those Things"

                                                                        "Love For Sale"

CD Review: Enrico Granafei, "It's Hard To Say Goodbye"

 

Harmonica virtuoso, Classical Guitarist, Vocalist, Songwriter, Arranger and Composer Enrico Granafei has recently released his fourth CD "It's Hard To Say Goodbye".  The CD is a collection of Latin-infused Jazz tunes featuring Granafei playing beautiful Chromatic Harmonica, Guitar and  doing some Vocals.  It's not everyday you come across world class Harmonica players and Granafei's new CD is a reminder of how beautiful Harmonica sounds can be.  I first met and heard Enrico Granafei play while visiting his New Jersey Jazz Club, Trumpets.  Granafei supported live Jazz at his club for over 20 years.  The club was a labor of love with Granafei helping to do everything from greeting customers,  booking great Jazz talent and running the kitchen.   Running a Jazz club in NJ is not a way to get rich but it was a way for Granafei to support the legions of Jazz musicians looking for a venue to perform.  In addition, Granafei was able to sit in frequently with his many musician friends who performed at his club.   

Granafei studied Classical Guitar in Italy at the Conservatory of I'Aquila.  It was there that he discovered Toots Thielemans' album "Infinity".  A short time after hearing this album, Granafei started teaching himself Jazz Harmonica and soon became good enough to perform in top Jazz clubs throughout Italy.  He landed a year-long gig playing in the orchestra of a very popular Italian television show.  He says,  "No one else in Italy played Jazz Harmonica back then, and every week I had 45 seconds of glory on National television as I got to play a short solo on every show.  Granafei moved to New York City in the early 1990's and began performing at The Blue Note, Birdland, and The Bottom Line where he got to play with many American Jazz giants.  He wanted to further his studies of Jazz Harmonica, however,  when he applied to the Manhattan School of Music;  he soon found out that there were no teachers of Jazz Harmonica at the school.   Because Granafei knew and had performed with several members of the admittance panel, he was accepted to the program.  Still in need of a teacher, Granafei called Toots Thielemans who was living in New York at the time.  Thielemans was reluctant to take on a student because of his busy touring schedule but Granafei persuaded him and then worked around Thielemans' schedule and received a master's degree in Jazz performance in 1992.  Granafei has surrounded himself with high level of musicians to support him on this CD.  They add great value to the overall enjoyment of this CD.

Enrico Granafei's passion and dedication to music and performance has been part of his heart and soul for his whole life and should be an inspiration to all young musicians who ever doubted themselves.  Nothing less than total dedication to your art is the key to unlocking success in the music world or any other world for that matter.

I have attached two cuts from "It's Hard To Say Goodbye".  The first tune is "Medo De Amar"  with Granafei singing in Portuguese and playing wistful and  romantic Harmonica.  The second tune is a nod to the spirit of Granafei's master teacher Toots Thielemans.  He performed the Thielemans classic hit, "Bluesette". 

                                                                        "Medo De Amar"
   

                                                                         "Bluesette"

PLAYERS:

Enrico Granafei:-Chromatic Harmonica, Guitar and Vocals

Claudio Roditi- Flugelhorn

Mike Longo- Piano

Amina Figarova-Piano, Keyboards and Fender Rhodes

Neil Alexander- Keyboards

Takashi Otsuka- Bass

Greg Jones- Bass

Christian Fabian- Bass

Gordon Lane- Drums

Sylvia Cuenca- Drums

Richie Morales- Drums

Diego Lopez- Tambourine

Annette Aguilar- Percussion

PLAYLIST:

1. Claudinlio

2. Night Train

3. Pia

4. Medo De Amar

5. L'ultima cialda

6. Calabrossa

7. What Goes Around Comes Around

8. Amico

9. Bluesette

10. To My Lady

11. It's Hard To Say Goodbye 

CD Review: Dred Scott, "Cali Mambo"

Dred Scott's musical journey has been a whirlwind of exploration from collaborating with iconic artists like Liza Minelli and Nina Hagen to holding down a decade-long residency at New York's Rockwood  Music Hall.  He has always had a restless musical spirit.  In recent years he traded the frenetic energy of the clubs for the polished elegance of acclaimed restaurants, but his passion for the pulsating rhythms of Latin Jazz never faded.  The release of "Cali Mambo" represents a return for Dred Scott back to the vibrant world of Jazz clubs.

Dred Scott has selected a group of super high level Musicians to join him that have deep credentials in the New York music and Latin music scene.  Vibraphonist Tom Beckham is simply perfect.  Matt Pavolka brings 25 years of New York musical experience on Bass.  And Moses Patrou provides years of international experience in sounds from the Caribbean and South America.  Leading this muti-talented group is Pianist Dred Scott who provides the glue that turns four unique and talented musicians into one vibrant and fresh voice.   The playlist that Dred selected for his CD,  "Cali Mambo" will bring you back to your early Jazz roots and remind you why Latin Jazz was always one of your favorite schools of Jazz.  I can't say enough about Dred Scott's performance on this CD.  His solos are clean and fresh and filled with creativity and his Arrangements will delight any Latin Jazz fan. 

I selected two "YouTube" tunes from "Cali Mambo" that will give you a solid clue as to why I loved this CD so much.  The first tune is also the title tune "Cali Mambo".  This song is a George Shearing gem that he wrote in 1952.  It's bursting with Latin energy.  According to Dred Scott, "this great songs was built on just two chords but listeners will find the song hard to forget.  The second song I selected was the Schwartz and Dietz classic "You And The Night And The Music".  This Scott uptempo Arrangement is amazing and brings new life and imagination to this evergreen!

I just could not finish without letting you hear one of my all-time favorite songs performed perfectly.  The song is "Poinciana" and it has been performed by so many outstanding musicians from George Shearing to the Four Freshman.

PLAYERS:

Dred Scott- Piano, Arrangements

Tom Beckham- Vibraphone

Matt Pavolka- Bass

Moses Patrou- Percussion

PLAYLIST:

1. Cali Mambo

2. Star Eyes

3. Poinciana

4. LaEnganadora

5. Danza Cubana#2

6. Guachi Guaro

7. You And The Night And The Music

8. Lulu

9. Footprints

10. Manteca

 

                                                                    "Cali Mambo"

                                                           "You and The Night And The Music"

                                                                           "Poinciana"

                                            

 

Veronica Thomas, "They Say It's Wonderful"

I have the pleasure of listening to many great musicians as part of my blog reviews but I have always had a special place in my music for Jazz Vocalists.   I know that most of us think we could be a pretty good Jazz Vocalist with enough practice.  After all, we all sound pretty good singing in the shower, right?  But the truth is becoming a truly top shelf Jazz vocalist is one of the hardest accomplishment to master.   

Veronica Thomas makes my last statement seem untrue because she sings and swings with utter ease and style making it seems easy.  And that's the mark of a true professional not only in the music world but of all worlds.  This summer, Veronica Thomas released her second CD, "They Say It's Wonderful".  The CD has a collection of 12 classic Jazz standards and these evergreens never sounded better.  Veronica has a velvet, soulful voice that she weaves around perfect storytelling phrasing that any of the great composers of these songs could have ever wished for.  When I first listened to this CD it seemed to have a certain balance in emotion that I could not get my brain around.  After several more listening sessions and a chance to consider the supporting cast of players on "They Say It's Wonderful' the light finally went on.   Veronica lives and performs in New York City and New York Jazz musicians have a slightly different approach to Jazz compared to West Cost Jazz players.  I live in the New York Metropolitan area for 6 months and the California desert area for 6 months and listen to live Jazz as much as possible so I can tell you there is a different approach to Jazz on each coast.  What I was feeling when listening to Veronica Thomas' CD "They Say It's Wonderful" was the coming together of this New York City Vocalist singing with a group of top West Coast players.   So it's East coast meets West coast.  The leader of the West Coast group is Pianist, Vocalist, Arranger and Producer, John Prouix.   John Prouix is still young but his skills are terrific.  He would surely be in the group of top 10 pianists in the country who a Jazz Vocalist would kill to have on the piano playing for them.  Also, supporting Veronica and Prouix is Bob Sheppard on Sax and Flute.  Bob Sheppard is and has been one of the top Sax and Flute players performing today and adds greatly to this CD.  The rhythm section is also superb with Mike Gurrrola on Bass and Kevin van den Elzen on Drums.  "They Say It's Wonderful"  is a first class Jazz CD and Veronica Thomas has given us a marvelous performance that makes us want more of her!

I have attached two cuts from Veronica Thomas' CD.  The first is an underplayed standard written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston, "Almost In Your Arms".  John Prouix provides a swing arrrangement for this gem.  The second is a classic written by Irving Berlin, "They Say It's Wonderful".  Bob Sheppard shows us why he is considered one of the best reed men performing today with some great Tenor support.

PLAYERS:

Veronica Thomas- Vocals

Piano, Arranging- John Prouix

Bass- Mike Gurrola

Sax and Flute- Bob Sheppard

Drums- Kevin van den Elzen

PLAYLIST:

1. Almost In Your Arms

2. Get Out Of Town

3. Invitation

4. They Say It's Wonderful

5. If I Were A Bell

6. Dindi

7. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered

8. Speak Low

9. Stuck In A Dream

10. A Sleepin' Bee

11. Too Late Now

12. Two For The Road

                                                             "Almost In Your Arms"

  

                                                                 "They Say It's Wonderful"                         

CD Review: Noah Haidu, "Standards II"

Listeners who miss the live piano mastery of Keith Jarrett, you have amply reason to celebrate Noah Haidu's performance of "Standards II" with his two soul mates, Bassist Buster Williams and Drummer Billy Hart.  I reviewed and loved Haidu's first masterpiece "Standards" that was released in 2023.  Haidu's second album is without question another masterpiece of musical greatness.  All three of these master musicians share their own sensitive perfect understanding of the seven standards on this album. 

This Jazz trio could possibly be the best trio performing today.  I know that's high praise but everytime I listen to this album, it seems to get better.  It's got the emotion, energy, creativity and sensitivity that is missing from so much of the new Jazz music I hear today.  It's a musical interruption of 7 aclaimed standards that we all know by three master Jazz musicians.  This CD is the lastest in a five-decade collaboration between Pianist Noah Haidu, Bassist Buster Williams and Drummer Billy Hart.  Haidu offers, "With Standards II", I've committed to performing with my own Standards Trio as a regular part of my touring Schedule.  I'm grateful for the opportunity to build a voice in the canon, and for the amazing response from audiences on our recent tours.  While I'm still composing my own music and continuing with various projects outside of the American Songbook repertoire, my Standards Trio is an important statement for me and an integral part of my identity as a musician".

I have selected and attached two "YouTubes" for you to listen to.  Selecting just two was a difficult task as this talented trio brings so much to each standard on this album.  The first song selected is the George and Ira Gershwin gem "Someone To Watch Over Me".   The second selection is an uptempo verison of "After You've Gone".  I encourage you to add this CD to your Jazz collection,  it's worth every penny you pay for it and,  I promise you will be playing it for years to come.

PLAYERS:

Noah Haidu- Piano

Buster Williams- Bass

Billy Hart- Drums

PLAYLIST:

1. Over The Rainbow

2. Someone To Watch Over Me

4. Obsesion

5. Days Of Wine and Roses

6. After You've Gone

7. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)

CD Review: Piper & The Hard Times, "Revelation"

 

Wake up all Blues fans.  The focus of today's blog is the dynamic Blues band, Piper & The Hard Times and their national debut recording, "Revelation".  The band's leader is Al "Piper" Green who does the Vocals.  This band is intense and lives in the vintage Blues world and leaves nothing in the recording room.  The band's soul is strongly rooted in the Blues but they also mix in touches of R & B, Soul and Rock.  If you are new to traditional Blues, you will enjoy listening to "Revelation".  If you are already a true Blues fan you will not be disappointed with the 12 songs on this CD.  The recording is terrific and gives the listener the feeling he would get if he was listening to a live performance.

The core musicians consist of Al "Piper" Green, Steve Eagon and Dave Colella who have been playing together for  over 20 years.  Al "Piper" Green performs the vocal with intensity and earthiness.  Piper grew up in a muscially inclined family in Bolivar, Tennessee where he sang in gospel choir while being fascinated by the best of Soul, Pop and Rock on the radio.  He sings with strong emotion and authority that make the lyrics believable.

Guitarist Steve Eagon grew up in Northern Ohio and has been playing since his teen years.  He notes that his style developed from his early influences from artists Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Stevie Ray Vaughan.  Eagon also is the principal Composer for the band along with contributions from Piper and Colella.

Drummer Dave Colella is the only core member from the North, a New Jersey native.  But you would never guess he was not from the deep South when you listen to the strong and solid Blues foundation he provides for this group. 

"Revelation" is this band's debut recording but it's sure to become a classic Blues CD!

I have attached two "YouTube" videos so you can experience the flavor of this outstanding Blues CD.  The first is a New Orleans-flavored tune "Trouble Man" with a hard driving vocal from Piper.  The second is a slow Blues song filled with ache and emotion, "Twenty Long Years".

PLAYERS:

Al "Piper" Green- Vocals 

Steve Eagon- Guitar and principal Composer

Dave Colella- Drums

Amy Frederick- Keyboard

Parker Hawkins- Bass

Shaun Murphy, Lisa Oliver-Gray, Melissa Gardner- Background Vocals

Chris Floyd- Harmonica

Dick Aven- Tenor

PLAYLIST: 

1. Trouble Man

2. The Hard Times

3. Heart For Sale

4. Preacher Blues

5. Revelation

6. Working Farm Blues

7. Crave You

8. Come Back Knockin

9. Why Not Me

10. You're Gonna Miss Me

11. Walk With Me

12. Twenty Long Years

                                                                "Trouble Man"

                                                                    "Twenty Long Years"

CD Review: Rose Mallett, "Dreams Realized"

 I was delighted when I received a review copy of Rose Mallett's new CD from Jazz Promo Services.  I have had the pleasure of knowing  Jazz and Blues vocalist Rose Mallett for 15 years.  I first met her when I visited the Escena Country Club Lounge in Palm Springs California.  Rose had recently moved to the desert and was taking any gigs she could find.  I was immediately impressed with Rose's voice and her confidence as a performer.  The setting at a Country Club Lounge was not a perfect setting for Rose's soft lush voice but it was a gig and she knew that in order to improve, she had to sing wherever she had the opportunity.  I did a Rose Mallett Trio review at the Escena Lounge on February 28th, 2012.  Since my first review of Rose Mallett,  I have periodically done reviews on Rose and her progress as listed below:

   " Simply A Great Jazz Singer "  2/11/14

    "Rose Mallett's Favorite Top 10 Songs"  4/4/14  

    "Woody's in Palm Springs"  2/22/15

    "Vicky's of Santa Fe"  1/20/18

I encourage you to look up these past posts on my blog as they will provide you with a good feel of the hard work Rose has expended to reach her current level of accomplishment.  It brings to mind a comment I heard from Bobby Darin, "It's taken me 25 years to become an "Overnight" success".  The music industry has never been easy and I have personally witnessed many of the negative experiences Rose has had to face during her career and I can tell you that she handled every bump in the road with style and grace.  Unlike many vocalists I observe who reach a level of popularity and then stop their growth, Rose has always worked to improve her  voice, phrasing and performances.  The result has put Rose Mallett into the rare group of top Jazz and Blues singers performing today,  I encourage you to buy her CD and also next time you find yourself in the Coachella Valley desert area, I encourage you to look up Rose because she is still performing in several venues in the California desert. 

PLAYERS:

Rose Mallett- Vocals

Robert Kyle- Producer/Arranger/Sax/Flute

Jamison Trotter- Piano

Trey Henry- Bass

Mike Shapiro- Drums

"Munyungo" Jackson- Percussion

PLAYLIST:

1. Ain't Nobody

2. Feelin' Good

3. My Funny Valentine

4. Creepin

5. Send In The Clowns

6. The Snake

7. The Way He Makes Me Feel

8. Building Dreams

9. It's Impossible

10. Rock Me Baby

11. If I Never Sing Another Song

I have attached two "YouTube" videos that show Rose's versatility.  The first is a down and dirty Blues standard, "Rock Me Baby"  and the second is a tender ballad that Rose handles perfectly, "If I Never Sing Another Song".

                                                                    "Rock Me Baby"

                                                                "If I Never Sing Another Song"