New Jazz Releases – 09/23/2024
Author: Russell Perry
Michael Dease
Some very exciting music came in this week. Trombonist Michael Dease has another volume of music by Gregg Hill and it’s a killer. Trumpeter David Weiss brings in tenor player Nicole Glover for a wonderful set. And the debut from alto saxophonist Sarah Hanahan is a winner.
Michael Dease – Found In Space: The Music of Gregg Hill, Origin Records, released 09/20/2024). Matt White – trumpet, Michael Dease – trombone / baritone sax, Nanami Haruta – trombone, Sharel Cassity – flute / alto sax, Virginia MacDonald – clarinet, Rudresh Mahanthappa – alto sax, Jason Hainsworth – tenor sax, Bill Cunliffe – piano / Rhodes, Katie Thiroux – bass, Colleen Clark – drumset, Gwendolyn Dease – marimba, percussion
Eleven strong, trombonist / baritone saxophone player Michael Dease has put together a juggernaut of a little big band – seven horns in the front line! By my count, this is the ninth release of music by the Michigan-based composer Gregg Hill in the last five years, mostly from faculty at Michigan State (Rodney Whitaker, Micheal Dease, Randy Napoleon) – the composer is good enough and prolific enough to warrant this attention. It sure is great to hear from alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa (his last date Hero Trio came out in 2020) one of my favorite alto players. I loved this record from start to finish. I can easily see this on my list of “Best of 2024.” Highly recommended.
Reviews: Jazz Weekly, AllAboutJazz, Paris Move
OJT – Ground Level (Jazz Daddy Records, releases 09/23/2024). Ken Lovern – organ, Brian Baggett – guitar, Kenny Watson Jr – drums.
Kansas City-based OJT (Organ Jazz Trio) is exactly what it advertises. Expect more Booker T Jones than Jimmy Smith. Good time party music – nothing wrong with that.
Review: Plastic Sax
Alice Zawadzki – Fred Thomas – Misha Mullov-Abbado – Za Górami(ECM, releases 09/20/2024). Alice Zawadzki – voice / violin, Fred Thomas – piano / vielle / drums, Misha Mullov-Abbado – bass.
Primarily a vocal – bass – drums or vocal – piano – bass session (with a little violin), this one requires an expansive definition to bring it into the “jazz” fold. Arguably, that’s what jazz is about. It has a very folk feel with a fair dose of haunting mystery. Sonically, this clear and quiet recording is solidly in the ECM wheelhouse.
Review: AllAboutJazz
David Weiss Sextet – Auteur (Origin Records, released 09/20/2024). David Weiss – trumpet, Myron Walden – alto saxophone, Nicole Glover – tenor saxophone, David Bryant – piano, Eric Wheeler – bass, EJ Strickland – drums.
Trumpeter David Weiss (The Cookers) channels the classic Blue Note sound in the company of long-time collaborators Myron Walden (alto) and EJ Strickland (drums) plus newer partners Nicole Glover (tenor) and David Bryant (piano). Glover (Plays previewed 04/23/2024) is showing up everywhere (Ben Wolfe, Artemis, George Colligan) these days and she continues to impress with a big deep sound that is articulate at speed. Through five originals and covers of Freddie Hubbard (Rebop) and Slide Hampton (One For Bu), this band respects and extends a great tradition. Highly recommended.
Review: Making A Scene, Paris Move, AllAboutJazz, Jazz Weekly
Tord Gustavsen Trio – Seeing (ECM, released 09/20/2024). Tord Gustavsen – piano, Steinar Raknes – double bass, Jarle Vespestad – drums.
Pianist Tord Gustavsen has reassembled his trio from his well-received 2022 release Opening and put himself back in the able hands of Manfred Eicher for another classic ECM release. There is a liturgical theme running through the set with a Norwegian hymn, an English hymn and two church works from Bach, interspersed with Gustavsen’s own prayerful ruminations. It is easy to imagine this playlist inhabiting an ECM sonic world and it works really well.
Review: Jazz Trail, Jazz Weekly, AllAboutJazz
Anne Sajdera – It’s Here (Bijuri Records, released 09/20/2024). Mike Olmos – trumpet, Miroslav Hloucal – trumpet, Jesse Levit – alto saxophone, Jan Fečo – alto saxophone, Rita Thies – flute, Anne Sajdera – piano, Joyce Lee – violin, Gary Brown – bass, Deszon Claiborne – drums.
Pianist Anne Sajdera is a strong lyrical player who writes lovely charts – five of the eight tunes in this set are hers. Two of the tracks are solo piano and this is where her playing really shines. There is one trio piece and the rest expand to a quintet with trumpet and alto. Recommended.
Review: Making A Scene
Delia Fischer – Beyond Bossa (Origin Records, released 09/20/2024). Diogo Gomes – trumpet / flugelhorn, Elias Correa – trombone, Aline Gonçalves – flutes, Jeferson Souza – flute, Levi Chaves – woodwinds, Marcelo Neves – clarinet, Delia Fischer – piano, Fender Rhodes / Wurlitzer Piano / bass synthesizer / vocals, Sacha Amback – loops / keyboards / programming, Rodrigo Campello – guitars / percussion / bass / programming, Claudio Nucci – acoustic guitar, Chico Pinheiro electric guitar, Pretinho da Serrinha cavaquinho, Gretel Paganini – cello, Pedro Mibielli – violin, Matias Correa – bass / voice percussion / beatbox / vocals, Antonio Fischer-Band – bass / keyboards / programming, Eugene Friesen – cello, Marcelo Costa- drums / percussion, Kim Pereira – drums / percussion, Sebastian Notini – drums / percussion, Rafael Maia – drums / percussion, Mafram Do Maracanã – drums / percussion, Matias Correa – voice, Márcio Nucci – voice, Luciana Souza – voice, New York Voices: Kim Nazarian – voice, Lauren Kinhan – voice, Peter Eldridge – voice, Gretchen Parlato voice, Mario Biondi voice, Marcos Valle – voice, Budapest Scoring Orchestra, Strings of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic.
After a dozen releases in Portuguese for the Brazilian market, singer / songwriter / pianist Delia Fischer has released her first disc in English.
Review: AllAboutJazz
Jason Stein – Anchors (Tao Forms, released 09/13/2024). Jason Stein – bass clarinet, Boon – guitar, Joshua Abrams – bass, Gerald Cleaver – drums.
Chicago clarinetist Jason Stein has been off the scene for a number of years dealing (successfully) with medical issues. His return consists of two duets with a mystery guitarist identified only as “Boon” and five trio pieces with Joshua Abrams (Nicole Mitchell, Dave Rempis – Tomeka Reid) on bass and Gerald Cleaver (East Axis, William Parker, Erico Rava – Joe Lovano) on drums. Other than one chaotic burst on Cold Water, the set is very controlled and personal. Stein brings forth a whole sonic world on the bass clarinet using a variety of extended techniques.
Review: Jazz Trail, AllAboutJazz
Louis Sclavis & Benjamin Moussay – Unfolding (ECM, released 09/13/2024). Louis Sclavis -clarinet / bass clarinet, Benjamin Moussay – piano.
Clarinet maestro Louis Sclavis travels a decidedly avant-garde path through the music world. This release of three of his compositions and six from pianist Benjamin Moussay is a lyrical affair featuring uncanny communications between the two players.
The Dam Jawn featuring Dick Oatts – Forward (Cellar Music, released 09/06/2024). Dick Oats – alto saxophone / soprano saxophone, Martin Diaz – alto saxophone, Frank Groenendijk – tenor saxophone, Joan Fort – guitar, Philip Lewin – bass, Nitin Parree – drums.
These young Dutch musicians (that’s the “Dam” part) spent a semester in Philly (hence “Jawn”) under the tutelage of saxophonist Dick Oatts and have incorporated him into their second release. Eight of the nine tracks are composed by members of the band with one cover of John Hicks (who rarely gets covered). With Dick Oatts, the front line has three saxophones for a rich sound. Recommended.
Sarah Hanahan – Among Giants (Blue Engine Records, releases 06/21/2024) digital only. Sarah Hanahan – alto saxophone, Marc Cary – piano, Nat Reeves – bass, Jeff “Tain” Watts – drums, Bobby Allende – percussion.
Alto saxophonist Sarah Hanahan (Ulysses Owens, Jr, Anthony Hervey) has, at 27, put out her debut on Jazz at Lincoln Center’s prestigious house label, Blue Engine Records. She is a hard hitting player who has learned lessons from Jackie McLean and Kenny Garrett – she can pray, whisper, sigh, race and stomp with equal facility. Half of the tunes in the new release are well-conceived originals and half are covers of Trane, Bacharach / David, Ferd Grofé and Hoagy Carmichael. Hanahan has surrounded herself with pros – Marc Cary (Lakecia Benjamin, David Murray, Stephon Harris) on piano, Nat Reeves (Ron Blake, Jim Snidero, Harold Mabern) on bass, “Tain” Watts (everybody) on drums. Hanahan should join Immanuel Wilkins and Lakecia Benjamin on the short list of young alto players to watch. Keep an eye on this player. Highly recommended.
Review: UK Jazz News, Paris Move, Making A Scene, Jazzwise
I hope that something here tickles your eardrums.
Russell Perry, Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
