New Jazz Releases – 04/14/2025
By Russell Perry
Charlie Ballentine (in Charlottesville 4/24, see below)
Good News – we have new releases from three artists who travel to Charlottesville from time-to-time – Lisa Mezzacappa with Jordan Glenn’s BEAK, Gustavo Cortiñas, and Charlie Ballentine. Note that Ballentine will be in Charlottesville at the Belmont Art Collaborative on Thursday April 24 at 7:30PM.
In addition, look for releases from trumpeter Igmar Thomas and his Big Band, drummer Leon Anderson, vocalist Jeffrey Gimble, and pianist Dave Hanson. We also received historic Record Store Day releases from Freddie Hubbard and Kenny Dorham.
See you at the Charlie Ballentine show!
Freddie Hubbard – On Fire: Live From The Blue Morocco (Resonance Records, release 04/18/2025). Freddie Hubbard – trumpet, Benny Maupin – tenor saxophone, Kenny Barron – piano, Herbie Lewis – bass, Freddie Watts – drums.
In early 1967, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard was perhaps the most in-demand trumpeter in jazz with recent sessions with Lou Donaldson, Duke Pearson, Sonny Rollins, Andrew Hill, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock, and Hank Mobley. Hubbard’s string of Blue Note issues was coming to an end, but he was at the peak of his powers, technically unsurpassed and fluid at blistering speed. Ably supported by tenor player Bennie Maudlin and pianist Kenny Barron, Hubbard is captured in a comfortable live set with a seasoned quintet. Highly recommended.
Review: Paris Move, AllAboutJazz, UK Vibe
Kenny Dorham – Blue Bossa In The Bronx: Live From the Blue Morocco (Resonance Records, release 04/18/2025). Kenny Dorham – trumpet, Sonny Red – alto saxophone, Cedar Walton – piano, Paul Chambers – bass, Denis Charles – drums.
By 1967, trumpeter Kenny Dorham had spent time in the bands of Charlie Parker (replacing Miles), Horace Silver / Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (as a charter member), and Max Roach (replacing Clifford Brown). He had recorded an influential series of his own records and had formed an alliance with Joe Henderson that introduced the tenor great to the jazz world. This date with an all-star hard bop band comes from the last stage of his career as his recorded output comes to a close. He died in 1972 of kidney disease. While this is well-recorded (except for the last track), Dorham’s tone is no longer as bell-like as it was in his prime. Regrettably this isn’t Dorham’s best work.
Review: UK Jazz News, Paris Move, AllAboutJazz
Charlie Ballentine – East by Midwest (Origin Records, release 04/18/2025).
Guitarist and Charlottesville favorite Charlie Ballentine (Falling Grace, previewed 04/24/2023) is back with a lean trio and a great sound. The trio is completed with two players with whom he has toured in the past, bassist Quinn Sternberg and drummer Dan Weiss (Even Odds, previewed 03/18/2024). The spare and resonant sound fits well with Ballentine’s slightly retro vibe on four originals and five covers (Monk, Ornette, Lennon McCartney). Charlottesville Jazz Society and WTJU are bringing Charlie Ballentine and this trio to the Belmont Art Collaborative on Thursday April 24 at 7:30PM – see you there. Highly recommended.
Review: AllAboutJazz
Ingrid Laubrock – Purposing the Air (Pyroclastic Records, release 04/11/2025). Fay Victor – vocals with Mariel Roberts – cello, Sara Serpa – vocals with Matt Mitchell – piano, Theo Bleckmann – vocals with Ben Monder – guitar, and Rachel Calloway – vocals with Ari Streisfeld – violin.
Composer Ingrid Laubrock sets her saxophone aside for this new release of her compositions. Using snippets of poetry from Erica Hunt, Laubrock has composed 60 vignettes which are performed by duos of vocalist Fay Victor with cellist Mariel Roberts, vocalist Sara Serpa with pianist Matt Mitchell, vocalist Theo Bleckmann with guitarist Ben Monder, and mezzo-soprano Rachel Calloway with violinist Ari Streisfeld. Varied and challenging.
Review: Jazz Views, Jazz Times, Jazz Trail
Zhengtao Pan Jazz Orchestra – Scenery In My Story (Outside In Music, release 04/11/2025). Andrea Guerrini – trumpet, Nick Frenay – trumpet, Mike Cordone – trumpet, Massimo Morganti – trombone, Bob Pilkington – trombone, Itai Kriss – flute, Pierpaolo Pecoriello – flute, Manuel Trabucco – alto saxophone / tenor saxophone / baritone saxophone / clarinet, Walter Smith III – tenor saxophone, Mattia Feliciani – bass clarinet, Isamu McGregor – piano, Zhengtao Pan – electric piano / bass, Chen Wang – guitar, Men Di – guitar, Zhengtao Pan – bass, Noah Justice – electric bass, Federico Gucciardo – drums, Kevin van den Elzen – drums, Ross Pederson – drums, Benny Benack – vocals.
Composer Zhenfgtao Pan has released his debut in an autobiographical project outlining impressions of his transition from a Chinese video game designer to a Boston-based jazz composer.
Review: AllAboutJazz, Making A Scene
Phil Brown – Rule of Three (Self Produced, release 04/11/2025). Bob Allison – trumpet / flugelhorn, Dick Kelley – reeds, Bradley Williams – piano, Tom Edgar – piano, Fareed Haque – guitars, Phil Brown – bass, Tom Hipskind – drums / percussion, Jimmy Beers – drums, Michael Wallace – percussion,Mel Goot – voice.
Bassist Phil Brown and five different ensembles recorded 11 original compositions in five sessions from 2019 – 2024. Guitarist Hareed Haque (Casseus, previewed 05/08/2023) is a standout on four quartet tracks. The balance of the tracks have a trumpet – saxophone front line in a quintet or sextet setting.
Review: Paris Move
Peter Smith – Smitty Straightens Out (Real Magic Records, release 04/11/2025). Aaron Janik – trumpet, Rickey Woodard – tenor saxophone, Peter Smith – piano, Trevor Ware – bass, Roy McCurdy – drums.
LA pianist Peter Smith (Dollar Dreams, previewed 3/23/2023) takes time off from his busy entertainment industry schedule to present a quintet date full of swing and boogaloo.
Review:” Paris Move
Steve Knight – For Years Gone (Self Produced, release 04/11/2025). Steve Knight – guitar, Justin Peterson – bass, Linard Stroud – drums.
The is the follow up to guitarist Steve Knight’s well-received 2022 release Persistence. Knight is a very melodic player who doesn’t try to be overpowering. The program is a mix of three originals and selections from Duke, Pat Martino, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison and others – quite a range.
Review: JW Vibe, Paris Move, The Urban Music Scene
Dave Hanson – Blues Sky (Origin Records, release 04/04/2025). Wil Swindler – alto saxophone / tenor saxophone, Dave Hanson – piano, Mark Simon – bass, Paul Romaine – drums.
Denver pianist Dave Hanson is often heard in the company of the H2 Big Band, but here he presents a tidy quartet with excellent participation from saxophonist Wil Swindler, The program is ten originals not without outside influences. Two Masters pays homage to Chick Corea and Bill Evans, and the title tune Blues Sky to Hendrix’s Up From The Skies. Well played, well composed. Highly recommended.
Review: Paris Move, AllAboutJazz
Jeffrey Gimble – Brand New Play (Cafe Pacific Records, release 04/04/2025). Josh Nelson – piano / organ, Larry Koonse – guitar, Dan Lutz – bass, Dan Schnelle – drums, Talley Sherwood – special effects, Jeffrey Gimble – vocals.
I am not sure what the wait was, but it was worth it… vocalist Jeffrey Gimble put out his debut Beyond Up High in 2013 and now his sophomore release is out. He brings with him some excellent LA cats with strong chops accompanying singers, including Josh Nelson (Nancy Erickson Lamont, Julie Kelly, Marina Pacowski, Angie Wells, Sara Gazarek) and Larry Koonse (Michelle Nicolle, Liz Cole, Judy Wexler, Julie Kelly, Marina Pacowski, Angie Wells). Gimble eschews safety as he agressively expands the phrasing of the lyrics, making him one of the more interesting interpreters around. He explores some standard standards (Rodgers & Hart, Johnny Mandel, Hoagy Carmichael) and some not so much, including John Phillips Somebody Groovy and Melanie’s Brand New Key, both of which he sings with funk and without irony. Highly recommended.
Review: JW Vibe
Jordan Glenn’s BEAK – The Party (Queen Bee Records, releases 04/04/2025). Mark Pascucci-Clifford – vibraphone / bundtmonica / gongs / tongue tube, David James – electric guitar / modified electric guitar, Karl Evangelista – electric guitar / modified electric guitar, Lisa Mezzacappa – acoustic bass / foot bass, Jon Arkin – drums / tongue tube /electronics, Robert Lopez – percussion / bundtmonica / tongue tube, Sudhu Tewari – no string guitars / YEMRS (Yasmin Electro Magnetic Rhythm Sequencer) / bundtmonica, Jordan Glenn – composer / conductor /spring box.
Eight Bay Area players live on maybe two dozen instruments following interesting scores by composer Jordan Glenn. UVa Jazz Ensemble alum Lisa Mezzacappa played bass and released the disc on her Queen Bee label as part of her planned release-a-month program to celebrate her 50th birthday. The compositions are complex and quite beautiful.
Hyldon & Adrian Younge – Hyldon JID 023 (Jazz Is Dead, release 04/04/2025). Adrian Younge – electric bass guitar / Fender Rhodes piano / electric sitar / Hammond B3 organ / rlectric guitars / nylon guitar / monophonic synthesizers, flutes, sopranino saxophone/ alto saxophones / percussion, Ivan “Mamão” Conti – drums, Hyldon – vocals.
Jazz Is Dead is back with veteran Brazil soul singer Hyldon.
Review: Stereogum
Leon Anderson – Live At Snug Harbor (Outside In Music, release 04/04/2025). John Michael Bradford – trumpet, Ricardo Pascal – saxophone, Oscar Rossignoli – piano, Rodney Jordan – bass, Leon Anderson – drums.
Drummer Leon Anderson has returned to the site of his jazz education, the legendary NOLA club Snug Harbor to record a swinging hard bop sextet set of eight originals. Strong playing from a cast of mostly Crescent city regulars. Recommended.
Review: Making A Scene, Paris Move
Paul Hecht – Pyrography (Eyes & Ears Records, release 04/04/2025). James Davis – trumpet, Paul Hecht – piano, Ben Dillinger – bass, Gustavo Cortiñas – drums.
Chicago pianist Paul Hecht is a polymath who is a poet, a historian of poetry and an English professor in addition to his musical adventures. I am not aware of any other recordings featuring his work, but trumpeter James Davis has recorded with Chris Dammann’s Restroy and drummer Gustavo Continas is a very active recording artist (see below). This is a quiet affair, perhaps half the tunes are from a piano trio. Hecht’s compositions are complex but coherent.
Gustavo Cortiñas – Crisis Has No Border (Desafino Records, release 03/11/2025). Jon Irabagon – tenor saxophone, Mark Feldman – violin, Dave Miller – guitar, Gustavo Cortiñas – drums.
Another strong release from Mexican-born, Chicago-based drummer Gustavo Cortiñas (Entre Amigos, previewed 11/18/2024) who was last in Charlottesville with Emily Kuhn. This is an unusual tenor – guitar – violin – drums line-up populated by players who love to experiment. Saxophonist Jon Irabagon (Server Farm, previewed 02/17/2025) is a familiar player as is once New York-, now Chicago-based violinist Mark Feldman (Three Story Sandbox with Mark Feldman – Artful Dodger, previewed 09/01/2023), but guitarist Dave Miller may need some introduction. We have been hearing him on several Chicago-based Calligram Records releases (Chris Varga, Chad McCullough, Arman Sangalong). This quartet plays with attitude and purpose, but also can mine the quiet in an introspective way. Recommended.
Review: Downbeat, Making A Scene
Igmar Thomas Revive Big Band – Like A Tree It Grows (Soulspazm, release 10/25/24). Igmar Thomas, Marquis Hill, Theo Croker, Jumaane Smith, Philip Dizack, Ryan Resky, Jonathan Powell, Shareef Clayton James Cage – trumpets, Marshall Gilkes, Frank Lacy, Alan Ferber, Jimmy O’Connell, Matt McDonald, Jerrick Matthews, James Rogers – trombones, Andrew Gould, Brent Birckhead, Brian Landrus,, Myron Walden, Anthony Ware, Marcus Strickland – reeds, James Francies – piano, Marc Cary – piano, Mark Whitfield – guitar, Ben Williams – bass, Burniss Earl Travis ll – bass, John Davis – drums, with guests Bilal, Talib Kweli, Terrace Martin, Jean Baylor, Nicholas Payton, Cory Henry, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Raydar Ellis, Sean Jones, Marc Cary, Marcus Strickland, Gregoire Maret, Myron Walden, Ben Williams, Mark Whitfiel
Trumpeter Igmar Thomas (Lisa Hilton, Khamsin Washington, Marc Cary) has assembled an amazing big band full of familiar players and then has added more star power with Nicholas Payton, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Gregoire Maret, Sean Jones and others. His arrangements are gutsy and bold and the playing strong all around. Some of the vocal features don’t catch my attention, but the rest is so strong, I’ll gloss right over that. Thomas shown a great currency with his arrangements and guests, but also deep respect for the tradition, both of big bands but also of heroes like Monk and Wayne Shorter. Recommended
Review: Pop Matters
Thanks for your pledges during the successful Rock Fundraising Marathon and congratulations to our rock announcer brothers and sisters for an amazing week of music.
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
