CD Review: Russ Anixter's Hipple Big Band, "What Is?"

 

For all my readers who like a hip big band sound,  a new CD "What Is?" from Arranger Russ Anixter contains tons of musical enjoyment for you!  "What Is?" is a collection of arrangements from Anixter that represents his love and background for big band jazz and rock groups that improvise.  Russ states, "Most of what you hear was written with specific players in the band in mind."  "I've selected 11 musical adventures that represent our breadth and depth in styles, that best feature the great solos in the band and the two prodigious great artists we have along for the wild ride."  

Russ Anixter has a master's degree in Jazz composition at the Manhattan School of Music where he studied with Manny Albam and developed his writing for Jazz bands and chamber ensembles.  He worked as a music copyist in New York for over 30 years which gave him a chance to study many great scores while getting paid.  According to Russ, "I learned a lot of craft on the job".  When listening to   "The Hippie Big Band" it's clear that the talented group of musicians are having lots of fun playing Russ' arrangements.  In addition to the band members listed below, Russ included two special guests, Steven Bernstein on slide Trumpet and Oz Noy on Guitar.  

I have attached a video performance by "The Hippie Big Band" that was recorded live at the "Cutting Room" on September 6, 2024.  They perform the title tune of this CD,  "What Is Hip".  This tune was made popular by the "Tower of Power" and it never sounded better!

PLAYLIST:

1. What Is Hip?

2. Dixie Chicken"

3. Free Man In Paris

4. She Said, She Said

5. Heaven On Their Minds

6. Saint Stephen/Turn On Your Love Light

7. Uncle John's Band

8. Hide Away

9. Into the Mystic

10. Whipping Post

11. Green Hornet

PLAYERS:

Russ Anixter- Arrangements and Orchestrations

Matt Hong: Alto Sax, Flute, Bass Clarinet

Stan Harrison- Tenor & Soprano Saxes, Alto Flute

Frank Vacin- Baritone & Soprano Saxes, Alto Flute

Matt Owens- Trumpet & Flugelhorn

Audrey Flores- French Horn

Dan Levine- Trombone

Jack Schatz- Bass Trombone

Bill Hayes- Vibes, Xylo, Congas

Michael Aarons- Guitar

Steve Count- Bass

Scott Neumann- Drums

SPECIAL GUESTS:

Steven Bernstein- Slide Trumpet

Oz Noy- Guitar

                                          "What Is Hip?" Live from the Cutting Room 9/6/24                                                                

CD Review: Mark Masters Ensemble, "Sui generis" Featuring TIm Hagans

Composer/Arranger Mark Masters continues his pursuit of Jazz excellence with the release of his new CD, "Sui Generis" that features Trumpet virtuoso Tim Hagans.  Mark discovered Trumpeter/Flugelhornist Tim Hagans when Hagans was playing in the Stan Kenton orchestra.  Mark says " I heard him and thought, Wow,  who is this guy?"  "Tim is a true original,  he's developed his own harmonic language, which not many people have done. The term "sui generis" is a Latin phrase meaning "one of a kind" which absolutely applies to him."

Mark Masters always puts together musicians who are of the highest level of musical skills.  On "Sui Generis" Masters in addition to Tim Hagans brought in Nicole McCabe on Alto and Jerry Pinter on Tenor and Soprano, Dave Woodley on Trombone, John Dickson on French Horn, Jeff Colella on Piano, Chris Colangelo on Bass and Kendall Kay on Drums.  Masters arranged to have each of these musicians contribute along side of Tim Hagans.

Master Composer Mark Masters composed and arranged all twelve songs  on this album and the music is Jazz at its highest level of excellence.  

PLAYLIST:

1.  Hud's Two Step

2. The Stoic 

3. Deep Pools

4. Velocity

5. Interlude

6. Waxing and Waning

7. Pebbles

8. Meet Me At Sal & Angie's

9.. The Hammer

PLAYERS:

TIm Hagans- Trumpet

Nicole McCabe- Alto Sax

Jerry Pinter- Tenor and Soprano Sax

John  Dickson- French Horn

Jeff Colella- Piano

Chris Colangelo- Bass

Kendall Kay- Drums 

Dave Woodley- Trombone

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"