Judy Wexler, "No Wonder"

Multi-talented Jazz Vocalist Judy Wexler has been studying and performing for over 20 years and has become one of the most compelling Jazz Vocalist on the West Coast.  She has learned her lessons well over the years and always surrounds herself with the finest West Coast musicians.  And when she combines these talented musicians with her ability to selecting songs that are wonderful but not played frequently, Jazz magic occurs. Judy has an intense love for lyrics and takes joy in creating her own interpretations.  When she adds her warm voice to a lyric the results create beautiful reborn musical gems.  On "No Wonder" Judy unveils a range of emotions and combines her astute blend of storytelling with subtle melodic variations and rhythmic shifts.  The arrangements on "No Wonder" were created by Judy's longtime Pianist and Arranger Jeff Colella and they are hip and fresh and fit Judy's vocal style perfectly.  This is Judy's first CD of standards and when these songs are combined with Judy's warm voice, her spot- on phrasing and Colella's creative arrangements, the songs seem re-born again.

Judy preforms in Jazz clubs in the LA area to the delight of her many fans.  She has also headlined at performing arts centers and Jazz festivals in Montreal, Dubai, Tel Aviv, San Jose and Temecula where she opened for the legendary Mose Allison,  If you know anything about Mose Allison, then it will help you understand Judy's long-time love of "Off the beaten path" songs and lyrics.

The list of supporting musicians is an A-listing of the best LA musicians.  So, what do you get when you gather a group of fine Jazz musicians in a recording room with a veteran Jazz Vocalist with a beautiful voice and a love for interpretation and phrasing of lyric?   You get a beautiful Jazz CD titled "No Wonder"!

I have attached a "YouTube" video with two songs from "No Wonder". The first song is a long-time favorite of mine composed by Leonard Cohen, "Dance Me To The End of Love".  The lyric for this Cohen gem has always fascinated me, and I always thought about it as a lovely love poem.  I learned from Judy that the lyric is about the Jewish musicians in the Nazi concentration camps who were forced to perform as their fellow prisoners were marched to their deaths.  Now, the lyric of the songs takes on a new, deeper emotional meaning for me.  Bob Sheppard adds a beautiful Clarinet solo and Larry Koonse has a captivating Guitar solo also.  The second song I attached was Judy's up-tempo version of the the 1940 standard, "You Stepped Out of a Dream".  

                                                                "Dance Me to the End of Love"

                                                                    "You Stepped Out of a Dream"

PLAYLIST:

1. No Wonder 

2. The Summer Knows

4. Never Will I Marry

5. Wish You Were Here

6. Firm Roots

7. Slow Hot Wind

8. I Wish You Love

9. Dance Me To The End of Love

10. That Sunday, That Summer

11. A Weaver of Dreams

12. The Night We Called It A Day

PLAYERS:

Judy Wexler- Vocals

Jeff Colella- Piano, Melodica, All Arrangement except, "No Wonder" Luciana Souza and "I Wish you Love" Brian Swartz

Danny Janklow- Alto/Tenor Sax, Flute/ Alto Flute 

Bob Sheppard, Soprano Sax, Clarinet

Jay Jennings- Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Larry Koonse- Electric/Acoustic Guitar

Gabe Davis- Bass

Steve Haas- Drums   

CD Review: Tania Grubbs Quintet, "The Sounds of Love"

 

If you are a fan of Jazz Vocals, you will fall in love with Vocalist Tania Grubbs and the Tania Grubbs Quintet.  Tania has a smooth, velvety soft voice and phrasing that would please any Sinatra fan.  The songs Tania has included in her playlist are not just nice songs.  The carefully selected songs on this CD represent examples of the work of some of the greatest lyricists and composers embedded in the  Great American Songbook.  Lyric and Melody are important to Tania because she has the rare ability to use her voice and phrasing skills to turn word stories into beautiful music.  Tania Grubbs is a wonderful storyteller,  using her vocal skills to bring written words to life for the listener.  As I listened to the 14 songs on this CD, I kept thinking about how great these songs are but also how difficult they are to sing.  This list of songs would make a great final exam for a vocalist master class.  The members of the Tania Grubbs Quintet supported Tania's singing seamlessly with no gaps or spaces.  The group has ties to Pittsburg, Pa and has played together for several years.  This amazing CD was recorded by these stellar musicians in one day; one impressive accomplishment!

I have attached two "YouTube" videos for your listening pleasure.  The first song is the Gershwin gem, "But Not For Me".  The second song is an incredible performance of the Leslie Bricusse and Henry Mancini classic, "Two For The Road". 

PLAYLIST:

1. But Not For Me

2. Slow Hot Wind

3. This Time

4. Duke Ellington's Sound of Love

5. Strange Meadowlark

6. The Sculptor's Hands

7. Something to Live For

8. Blackbird

9. Sunshine on My

10. I Can Tell You Are Always There

11. Four

12. Dreamsville

13. If You Could See Me Now

14. Two For the Road

PLAYERS:

Tania Grubbs- Vocals

David Budway- Piano

Jeff Grubbs- Bass

Ron Afffif- Guitar

James Johnson III- Drums 

                                                                    "But Not For Me"

                                                                        "Two For The Road"

CD Review: Planet D Nonet, "Echoes Of Harlem, A Salute To Duke Ellington, Vol 2"

 

Big band Planet D Nonet has released their new CD, "Echoes Of Harlem: A Salute to Duke Ellington Vol 2" which is a tribute to Duke Ellington and a follow-up to highly successful 2023 CD "Blues To Be There: A Salute to Duke Ellington".  While touring and performing songs from their 2023 CD,  the group received very positive responses from their audiences and continued to add new charts to their repertoire.  These new charts became the playlist for their Vol 2 CD.  The players in Planet D Nonet are skilled musicians who are dedicated to performing a musical review of the Ellington genius while allowing some contemporary interpretations .  Listening to this CD gives even young Jazz fans the exact Ellington sound and arrangements experience.  A lot of the songs on this CD were unfamiliar to me but welcome additions to my Ellington education.  If you are an Ellington fan or new to the Ellington musical world "Echoes Of Harlem" will be a musical present for you!

I have attached two "YouTube" videos so you can sample some of the great sounds on this CD.  The first cut is a sensational arrangement of Ellington's classic Jazz composition, "Caravan".  The second cut is a less known Billy Strayhorn song, "Blood Count" with a terrific arrangement by Jeff Cury.

PLAYLIST:

1. Happy Anatomy

2. Flirtbird

3. Rocks in My Bed

4. Echoes of Harlem

5. Addi

6. Blood Count

7. Juniflip

8. Azalea

9. La Belle

10. Caravan

11. Frustration

12. I'm Gonna Go Fishin'

13. Happy Reunion

14.. The Shepherd

15. Sophisticated Lady

PLAYERS:

James O'Donnell- Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Vocals & Maracas, Co-leader

Charlie Miller- Trumpet, Flugelhorn

John "Tbone" Paxton- Trombone, Vocals

Alex Colista- Alto Sax, Clarinet

Christopher Tabaczynski- Tenor Sax & Clarinet

Goode Wyche III- Bari Sax, Alto Sax

Michael Zaporski- Piano

Trevor Lamb- String Bass

Sean Perlimutter- Drums, Cowbell

RJ Spangler- Congas, Small Percussion Instruments, Bandleader

SPECIAL GUESTS:

Camile Price- Vocal

Kurt Krahnke- String Bass Tracks

                                                                    "Caravan"

                                                                    "Blood Count"
  

 

CD Review: Dave Stryker, "Stryker WIth Strings Goes To The Movies"

Master Guitarist Dave Stryker and Arranger and Composer Brent Wallarab joined forces to create a beautiful new CD, "Stryker With Strings Goes to the Movies".   In addition to the outstanding playlist of songs, Wallarab and Stryker decided to employ an unusual instrumental configuration of a 30 piece studio orchestra featuring a Jazz Quartet, Strings, and Trombones, punctuated by solo work from Violinist Sara Caswell, Saxophonist Greg Ward, Flugelhornist Mark Buselli, and Trombonist Jim Pugh.  The Arrangements and musical sounds on this CD are perfect for all Jazz lovers who like to listen to Jazz that respects melody while at the same allows musicians room to show their musical skills.

Stryker picked some outstanding movie songs for his CD; some you will know well but there is a good chance you missed a couple along the way.  One example would be "Flirtibird" from the movie "Anatomy Of A Murder".  This song was composed by Ellington and Strayhorn and the sensational Wallarab arrangement features Dave Stryker on Guitar, Mark Buselli Plays a great Flugelhorn solo, Greg Ward adding some wonderful Sax work and master Trombone player Jim Pugh.  This cut alone is worth the cost of the Album in my opinion.  I have attached a YouTube video of this cut below.

                                                                    "Flirtibird"

PLAYERS:

Dave Stryker- Guitar

Brent Wallarab- Arrangements and Conducting

Xavier Davis- Piano & Fender Rhodes

Jeremy Allen- Bass

McClenty Hunter- Drums

Featured Soloists:

Sara Caswell- Violin

Greg Ward- Alto Ssxophone

Jim Pugh- Trombone

Mark Buselli- Flugehorn

PLAYLIST:

1. In Your Eyes

2. Cinema Paradiso

3. You Only Live Twice

4. Taxi Driver

5. Theme From Shaft

6. Cavatina

7. Flirtibird

8. Low Key Lightly

9. Moonglow

10. Dreamsville

11. Edelweiss 

I have attached another song from the CD from composers Mancini annd Livingston that fits it's title perfectly; "Dreamsville".

                                                                        "Dreamsville"

CD Review: Gino Amato, :Latin Crossroads"

 

Pianist, Arranger and Vocalist Gino Amato has assembled a remarkable cast of Jazz greats for his new CD, "Latin Crossroads".   Amato has picked a wonderful mix of songs from Broadway, The Great American Songbook, Jazz and Pop music and transformed them into beautiful Afro-Cuban Jazz.  Amato's objective  for "Latin Crossroads" was to present Latin music in an accessible format that would spotlight Latin rhythms.  Amato has more than accomplished this objective.  His arrangements of these classic songs and his ability to fuse them with Latin rhythms is brilliant and fresh.  Looking over the playlist of songs,  one certainly wonders how he could accomplish this.  Injecting a Latin rhythum into Michel Legrand's "The Summer Knows" and Monk's "Round Midnight " is not an easy task.  But Gino Amato accomplished this challenge brilliantly.  Think about the difficulty of recording this CD using 46 different musicians.  That in itself is a remarkable achievement.  I can't image how long it took to finish this CD and the cost must have been considerable.  I am delighted to say that the results of Gino Amato's efforts have produced a sensational amount of Latin Inspired music.  I am already longing for a "Latin Crossroads II".

I have attached two "YouTube" videos so you can experience the Gino Amato experience for yourself.  The first song I choose was Paul McCartney's "Blackbird" that features vocalist Arnold McCuller, Pianist and co-producer Oscar Hernandez, Flutist Andrea Brachfeld and Trombonist Louis Bonilla.  The second song is Joaquin Rodrigo's "Concerto For Aranjuez".  This classic song was immortalized by Miles Davis and Gil Evans on their "Sketches Of Spain" album.

PLAYLIST:

1. Blackbird

2. The Summer Knows

3. On The Street Where You Live

4. Bewitched, Bothered & Bewilldered

5. Shower The People

6. Concerto For Aranjuez

7. Bad Things

8. 'Round Midnight

9. Tonight

10. Romeo and Jullet

11. Green Flower Street

  

                                                                        "Black Bird"                    

                                                                                    

                                                                   "Concerto for Aranjuez"

CD Review: John Ambrosini, "Songs For You"

 

I have a real treat for you today.  Singer, Pianist, Composer and Bandleader, John Ambrosini has recently released an inspiring new CD, "Songs For You".   I usually feature songs from the Great American Songbook on my blog but the popular songs that Ambrosini has included in the playlist for his new CD are going to enter the Great American Songbook as they meet the test of time.  John has a warm and wonderful earthy voice and style.  John plays piano as he sings and that produces a great melodic vibe that quickly puts the listener at easy.  This album is a tribute to some of the greatest songwriters of today who have inspired him.  The composers included on this CD are like the "Who's, Who" of greatest composers of the last 30 years.  Here is a list of these world class modern day Composers: Rickie Lee Jones, Colin Greenwood, Johny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Philip Selway, Thom Yorke, Greg Allman, Kim Payne, Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, James Taylor, Jackson Brown, Billy Joel, Stephen Sills, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. John Ambrosini is not just doing covers of these classic newer songs.  His style and Arrangements are uniquely his.  Ambrosini has added two of his own original compositions that fit perfectly with this classic composer playlist.  John has a busy career in NYC performing, Arranging, and Composing Music.  He is a brilliant musician and composer who will be at the top of his game for years to come.  Ambrosini wanted to pay homage to famous popular songs that inspired him, and you will be inspired after you listen to his CD, "Songs For You". 

The support cast of musicians who are featured on this CD are also terrific and make "Songs For You" one of the best new releases this year!

PLAYERS:

John Ambrosini- Piano,  Keyboard, Arrangements, Lead Vocals 

Steve Finkelstein- Percussion

Matt Miller- Drums

David Phelps-Acoustic & Electric Guitars

Zachary Swanson- Acoustic Bass

Christine Ambrosini, Amanda Bloom- Backing Vocals

PLAYLIST:

1. The Horses

2. Maybe I'm Crazy

3. High and Dry

 4. Midnight Rider

5. Rocket Man

6. Pretzel Man

7. Sweet Baby James

8. Lover

9. Doctor My Eyes 

10. New York State Of Mind

11. 4 + 20

12. The Long And Winding Road

                                                                        "Midnight Rider"

                                                                        "I'm Crazy"

CD Review: Andy Ezrin, "I Was Here"

 

The title of Andy Ezrin's new CD, "I Was Here" was picked because Andy Ezrin was a prodigy on Piano since childhood.  When other boys were saving up for Strats and collecting Hendrix recordings, Ezrin was already in love with the Piano.  His first professional gig was at the age of 12, and with the advantage of starting his learning career so young, he was able to listen and acquire musical knowledge with many different schools of music provided by major Jazz players like Andre Previn, Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett and the Fusion years players like George Benson and Herbie Hancock.  He learned his lessons well as you will hear on "I Was There" where Ezrin showcases not only his playing skills but also his brilliance in composing.  Ezrin composed the 13 songs on this CD.  The playing and the composing of Ezrin's music is outstanding.  Sometimes when listening to new music,  it requires hearing it more than once before you can understand the greatness of the composing.  Not with Ezrin's compositions; while they possess tenderness they also project happiness that allow the listener to assimilate the music at first hearing.  

"I Was There" is a powerhouse of Jazz music!  I would like to share some of the promotion notes written by Adam Gopnik that were given to me with this CD because they are so wonderful and so true.  "No Instrument in Jazz has been more fertile, adaptable and misleadingly evasive than the piano.  The most workaday of all instruments-the lectern or drawing board where musicians teach, singers learn, songs get composed, recomposed, arranged and rearranged.  It has also been the place of the most sublime flights into personal ecstasy, as with Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett.  The Piano also displays the most virtuosic technique as with Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, or the place of the most profound pure thoughts in Jazz, as with Bud Powell, Lenny Tristano and John Lewis."  These wonderfully written words were prompted after listening to the music of Andy Ezrin.   

PLAYERS:

Andy Ezrin- Piano, Rhodes, Compositions, Arrangement, Leader

Randy Brecker- Trumpet

Donny McCaslin- Tenor Sax

John Patitucci- Bass

Marcus Gilmore- Drums

Ari Hoenig- Drums

PLAYLIST:

1. Grapes

2. This Is What It Is

3. Greenwoman

4. Luna

5. Siren Song

6. Snowfall

7. Ain't That Some Shit

8. If I Don't See You

9. Wiggle Room

10. Never Enough

11. I'm Runnin' Outta Time

12. Lost Days

13.. Cascades- Andy Exrin Solo

    

                                                                            "I Was There"

"Never Enough"