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New Jazz Adds – 10/8/2019

Louis Armstrong – Live In Europe (Dot Time): Three live performances showcasing four songs performed in Nice, France in February,1948 and five the following day, followed by another performance in Berlin in 1952 with a different band. The first band featured Jack Teagarden (trombone, vocal), Barney Bigard (clarinet), Earl Hines (piano), Arvell Shaw (bass) and Sid Catlett (drums) and Trummy Young (trombone), Bob McCracken (clarinet, vocal), Marty Napolean (piano), Aevell Shaw (bass) and Cozy Cole (drums). It is always a great experience hearing Armstrong live and this is certainly more evidence of that! Click here and scroll down to check out a song from each concert.

Ray Blue – Work (Jazzheads): Saxophonist Ray Blue “has performed with a host world known musicians including Steve Turre, John Gilmore, Michael Cochrane, Eddie Henderson, Gary Bartz, Clfford Adams, T.K. Blue, Victor Jones, Joe Ford and Blues Legend Bob Gaddy, The Sun Ra Arkestra, The Cotton Club All Stars and others. He is also a main stay with the Spirit of Life Ensemble.” (https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/index_new.php?url=rayblue&&width=1440) He has released six discs to date. Blue’s style offers round and warm tones while he gently swings and breezes though ballads. His main group includes Sharp Radway (piano), Jeff Barone (guitar), Essiet Okon Essiet (bss) and Steve Johns (drums) with guests Kirk Lightsey and Benito Gonzales on piano, Ron Wikins (trombone on 3), Belden Bullock (bass on 1) and Neil Clark (percussion, on 3). Full, beautiful music. I regret I am unable to find a sample from this disc.

James Carter Organ Trio – Live From Newport Jazz (Blue Note): The appears to be James Carter’s 13th release and it’s an interesting and unusual package. Five of the six songs were compositions by Django Reinhardt and the remaining piece was written by Auguste “Gusti” Malha. Carter plays tenor and alto sax and is accompanied by Alex White (drums) and Gerald Gibbs (Hammond B-3). The interaction is both unique and wonderfully enticing. These are live performance from the Newport Jazz Festival in 2018. Click here to listen to the opening song on this disc.

Rob Emanuel – You’re Not Going To Like This (Self-produced): Here’s how they describe their collective selves: “A reckless blend of straight ahead Jazz, Latin, Funk and Rock played on acoustic instruments by Detroit’s most dangerous musicians.” (https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/robemanuel) The main trick here seems to be using the playful side of Monk to play Monk songs. The main players are Rob Emanuel (drums) and Sven Anderson (piano, organ) with a host of other players coming and going from one song to the next. The opening song is “Giant Pets”. The one credited Monk song is “Mister Brilliant Corners”. The players include Janet Tenaj and Jim Oliver (vocals), John Barron, Rich Kowalewski, Andrew Lloyd and Jorian Olk-Szost (trading off on bass from song to song); Jerry Jensen, Frank Marinello and Adam Allen (guitar), Duffy King (guitar, vocal on one song), Carl Cafagna (tenor sax) and Joe Ivers (bass clarinet) in shifts from one song to the next. You may find this a lot of fun, despite the warning title! Click here to listen to one or more songs on this disc.

Extended – Harbinger (OA2): This trio features Oscar Rossignoli (piano),  Matt Booth (bass) and Brad Webb (drums) and they seem to be extensions of each other. Their interactions and blended combinations are amazing. Booth composed three, Rossignoli two and Webb five songs everything connects perfectly. This is a quiet and beautiful set throughout. They are now located in New Orleans, but don’t expect a slab of Mardi Gras! These songs are woven like the most beautiful tapestry! Click here to listen to samples of two songs on this disc.

Errol Garner – One World Concert (Octave ): Pianist Errol Garner created possibly his most celebrated recording, “Concert By The Sea”, seven years before he recorded this newly released live performance. The songs include three original compositions and an assortment of standards ranging fro “The Way You Look Tonight” and Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe” to “Misty” and “Thanks For The Memory”. Solid throughout! Click here to listen to “Other Voices” a wonderful Garner composition.

Ben Markley Quartet – Slow Play (OA2): Pianist Ben Markley offers eight original compositions and his quartet extraordinaire, including Joel Frahm (tenor sax, soprano sax on one song), Marty Kenney (bass) and Jim White (drums) with guest Andy Wheelock adding congas on two songs. The songs swing and jump for all they’re worth for beginning to end as the piano and sax intertwine and react to each other. The group is tight and when Frahm turns things loose, the music is swinging with the best. There are some mellow sides as well. Overall, dynamic and beautiful! Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.

Derel Monteith Trio – Quantity Of Life (Self-produced): Composer/pianist Derel Monteith spent a couple of decades as a lawyer and raising his children while enjoying his piano whenever possible. At this point, he is able to give more complete attention to his composing and performing. His trio is completed by Andy Crawford (bass) and Jason Brannon (drums). Monteith composed all of the songs on this disc, as well. There is some really nice variety in this set as well. I regret I am unable to find a sample from this disc.

Randy Napoleon – Common Tones (Detroit Music Factory): “Known as a forward-thinking musician with a passion for the jazz tradition, guitarist Randy Napoleon tours with the legendary singer/pianist Freddy Cole and leads his own trios, quartet, and three-horn sextet. He is an assistant professor at Michigan State University, where he teaches jazz guitar.” (http://randynapoleon.com/bio/) This is Napoleon’s fifth release as a leader. He wrote eight of the thirteen songs on this disc and is accompanied by Marcus Howell (alto sax), Drew Kilpela or Michael Dease (trombone), Seth Ebersole or Diego Rivera (tenor sax), Gerald McDowell or Xavier Davis (piano), Jocelyn Gould (guitar), Adam Olszewski, Louie Leager or Rodney Whitaker (bass), Etienne Charles (trumpet) and Nicholas Bracewell or Randy Gelispie (drums). The performances range from a duo to seven pieces. Click here to listen to the title song.

Vaughn Nark Quintet – Back In The Day (Summit): Vaughn Nark (trumpet, flugelhorn, valve trombone, composer) has a variety of styles, but his most striking is “engines ahead full”! For instance, the opening cut on this disc is an original composition entitled “Cutting Through” which is a 2 minute 49 second tour de force. His speed is not everything, but he does have terrific control. He also takes on “A Night In Tunisia”, Bobby Shew’s dazzling “Counting Down”, Jack Walrath’s “Blues In The Guts” and Charlie Parker’s “Donna Lee” among others, but he also honors some ballads and calmer material as well. Previously, he was a member of the distinguished Airmen of Note for over fifteen years and has played with Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis and has lit up many a club. This is his third release on Summit. The players are Pete Barenbregge (tenor, alto and bari sax and flute), Stef Scaggiari (pianos), Tom Williams (acoustic & electric bass) with a few substitutions by pianist Marc Copland and drummer Keith Killgo. Wild and Wonderful! Click here to listen to the opening track.

Markus Rutz – Blue Prints – Figure One: Frameworks (OA2): Trumpet player Markus Rutz offers five original compositions and covers Wayne Shorter’s “Limbo”, Harry Warren’s “September In The Rain”, Ellis Marsalis’ “Syndrome” and Charlie Parker’s “Segment”. He is supported by Brice Winston (sax), Adrian Ruiz (piano), Matt Gold (guitar), and Marcus Varela (bass), with Xavier Breaker and Marcus Evans trading sharing drums and Hector Garcia (congas). It’s a very pleasant menu with nice shifts as the disc progresses. Rutz explains “…explores grooves, moods and feels through originals and idiomatic jazz repertoire…. This album navigates diverse  ensemble and stylistic directions. From duet to sextet with selections incorporating Cuban percussion, ballads and, of course, swing….” (Liner notes) “The title, “Blueprints – Figure 1: Frameworks,” provides the metaphor while the music reveals the heart of an artist venerating his influences.” (http://originarts.com/oa2/recordings/recording.php?TitleID=22174) Click here to listen to samples of two songs on this disc.

Soul Rebels – Poetry In Motion (Artistry Music, Mack Avenue): “The Soul Rebels’ unique musical journey has mystified some, shocked others and delighted fans both in New Orleans and around the world. The band’s latest release, Poetry in Motion, continues its adventurous and very successful trek…The Soul Rebels put the spotlight on the natural brotherhood between next-generation brass band musicians and hip-hop artists in New Orleans, and has for years dug into the opportunities and possibilities that musical collaborations have to offer. These pairings with the likes of hip-hop artist Talib Kweli have become a Rebels’ signature. That brings us to Poetry in Motion, an album that features special guests on every cut and from a wide variety of musical genres, while the Soul Rebels continue an established tradition of socially conscious messages. The album opens with that attitude on “Blow the Horns,” which celebrates the Rebels and the payoff the band enjoys for its hard work.” (http://www.offbeat.com/music/soul-rebels-poetry-motion/) There seems to be a great deal of hype around this release which also carries more warnings than you can imagine. The mixture is something that the various sub-genres have been doing for some time. There is some very nice music here but if you are horrified by a few moderately explicit lyrics wait until you see one with a “Safe for Children or Squeamish Adults” sticker on the package. Click here for a song that doesn’t need a warning sticker.

Kopasetically,

Professor Bebop