New Jazz Releaases – 02/10/2025
By Russell Perry
Marius Van Den Brink
More things worth hearing this week! Guitarist Pritesh Walia has released his first and fellow-guitarist Jackson Potter his second. Pianist Marius Van Den Brink and bassist Tom Wakeling have both released some sizzling hard bop. Omar Thomas has come forwards with his first Large Ensemble disc in a decade and Dan Moretti brings his latin groove to the music of Wayne Shorter. Enjoy.
Omar Thomas Large Ensemble – Griot Songs (Omar Thomas Music, release 02/07/2025). Bijon Watson, Josh Reed, Dan Rosenthal, Jason Palmer – trumpets, Will Ford, Evan Amoroso, Randy Pinghrey, Chris Beaudry – trombones, Mark Zaleski, Lihi Haruvi, Kenny Paxton, Jon Bean, Brian Landrus – reeds, Alex Brown – piano / Rhodes, Mark Cocheo – guitar, James Heazlewood-Dale – electric bass / acoustic bass, Mark Walker – drums / percussion.
A decade since his last Large Ensemble release, composer Omar Thomas has released a confident set of five original compositions plus covers of Lyle Mays and Radiohead. Informed by his studies with Maria Schnieder, this is a major piece of work that deserves close listening. Recommended.
Review: Paris Move, UK Vibe
Steve Smith and Vital Information – New Perspective (Drum Legacy Records, release 02/07/2025) Manuel Valera – piano / Rhodes / synthesizers, Janek Gwizdala – bass, Steve Smith – drums / konnakol.
Drummer Steve Smith (Time Flies, previewed 04/03/2023) has lead the band Vital Information for much longer than his tenure with Journey but he will be eternally connected to their radio hits. For the first time, he has recorded some of these hits and some tracks from his tenure with Steps Ahead (with Michael Brecker) on his latest release with his current project. While pianist Manuel Valera continues to impress, this one is likely for fusion and jazz-rock aficionados.
Review: Skope Magazine, Something Else Reviews
Mafalda Minnozzi – Riofonic (Musica Populare Italiana, release 02/07/2025). Jesse Sadoc – trumpet / flugelhorn, Rafael Rocha – trombone, Marcelo Martins – tenor saxophone / alto saxophone / flute / alto flute, Paul Ricci – guitar, Roberto Meniscal – guitar / vocals, Jaques Morelenbaum – cello, Kassin – electric bass, Jorge Helder – acoustic bass, Joao Cortez – drums / percussion,Mafalda Minnozzi – vocals.
Brazilian-based, Italian ex-pat singer brings a fresh take on Jobim and Bonfa plus several tunes of her own and two by guest guitarist / vocalist Roberto Meniscal.
Reviews: JW Vibe, Making A Scene, Paris Move
Tom Wakeling – West By Northwest Live At Ravenscroft, Vol. 1 (Cellar Music, release 02/07/2025). Jason Carder – trumpet / flugelhorn, Angelo Versace – piano, Tom Wakening – bass, Dom Moio – drums.
Portland-based bassist Tom Wakeling has aligned with a number of Phoenix players for a set of ballads, blues and bop in equal measure. The program resonates with sweet choices from the catalogs of Ellis Marsalis, Luis Bonfa, Billy Strayhorn, Kenny Dorham and, notably, Mario Bauza. Satisfying mainstream jazz. Recommended
Russ Anixter’s Hippie Big Band – What Is? (Self Produced, release 02/07/2025). Matt Owens – trumpet / flugelhorn, Dan Levine – trombone, Jack Schatz – bass trombone, Audrey Flores – French horn, Matt Hong – alto saxophone / flute / bass clarinet, Stan Harrison – tenor saxophone / soprano saxophone / clarinet, Frank Vacin – baritone saxophone / soprano saxophone / alto flute, Bill Hayes – vibraphone / xylophone / congas, Michael Aarons – guitar, Steve Count – bass, Scott Neumann – drums.
Perhaps we could have expected a band called the Hippie Big Band to have recorded covers of pop tunes from the 60’s – 70’s (Beatles, Dead, Van Morrison, Little Feat). These players certainly have a sense of humor about their work. If you’ve been a fan of Ed Palermo’s similar big band excursions, this might scratch your itch.
Review: Paris Move
Marius Van Den Brink – Live At Dizzy’s Club (Highland Music NYC, release 02/06/2025). Sean Jones – trumpet, Noah Halpern – trumpet, Stacey Dillard – saxophone, Marius Van Den Brink – piano, Matt Penman – bass, Willie Jones III – drums.
Once again channelling the hard bop gods, Horace Silver in particular, pianist Marius Van Den Brink has reassembled the first-rate band from his debut (New York Knock, previewed 01/05/2024) for a live program of originals. Mainstream jazz at its best. Highly recommended.
Review: Paris Move
Dan Moretti & Brasilia – Live At The Pump House Celebrating Wayne Shorter (Roots Grooves Records, release 01/27/2025). Dan Moretti – tenor saxophone / soprano saxophone, Maxim Lubarsky – piano, Oscar Stagnaro – bass, Steve Langone – drums, Ernesto Diaz – percussion.
In the spirit of Conrad Herwig’s “Latin Side Of…” releases, saxophonist Dan Moretti brings the “Spanish tinge” of a set of Wayne Shorter compositions – mostly from the the early 60s. A good idea, well executed. Recommended.
Review: Paris Move
Jackson Potter – Small Things (Shifting Paradigm, release 01/25/2025). Alex Ridout – trumpet / flugelhorn, Troy Roberts – tenor saxophone, Jackson Potter – guitar, Hamish Smith – bass, Marcello Cardillo – drums with Sophia Formella – vocals, Jaleel Shaw – alto saxophone.
Backed with a compelling band featuring the formidable tenorist Troy Roberts (Green Lights, previewed 05/24/2024), guitarist Jackson Potter has released his second disc. The leader contributed four original tunes that fit comfortably on the hard bop family tree. Recommended
Review: Paris Move, Jazz Sensibilities, Making A Scene, Jazz Weekly
Rainer Brüninghaus – Freigeweht (ECM, release 01/24/2025). Kenny Wheeler – flugelhorn, Brynjar Hoff – oboe / Cor Anglais, Rainer Brüninghaus – piano / synthesizer, Jon Christensen – drums.
Pianist Rainer Brüninghaus (Eberhard Weber, Jan Garbarek) was a member of several bands that recorded on ECM and contributed to several additional sessions, but his output as a leader is small. This was his debut as a leader in 1981. The lovely presence of flugelhorn player Kenny Wheeler and the front line flugelhorn / oboe harmonies make this a highlight of the early ECM catalog. It is being released as part of the Luminessence vinyl reissue program.
Reviews: Jazz Views, Marlbank, UK Vibe
Holly Cole – Dark Moon (Universal Music, release 01/24/2025). John Johnson – saxophone, Howard Levy – harmonica, Aaron Davis – piano, Kevin Bright – guitar, George Koller – bass, Davide Direnzo – drums, Holly Cole – vocals, The Good Lovelies: Caroline Brooks, Kerri Ough, Sue Passmore – vocals
Canadian singer Holly Cole has released her 13th studio set of jazzy arrangements to standards and pop hits. Cole voice is a unique treasure.
Review: PanM360, Gina Loves Jazz
Tim Berne – Yikes, Too (Out Of Our Head Records, release 01/17/2025). Tim Berne – alto saxophone, Gregg Belise-Chi – guitar, Tom Rainey – drums.
As he turns 70, New York alto saxophonist Tim Bern has reunited with regular collaborators in a new alto – guitar – drums trio. Bern’s buzzing alto fits nicely with Belize-Chi’s fuzzed rock-adjacent guitar. The release occupies two discs – one studio recording and one live – sharing four compositions in common, all by Bern except one by his mentor Julius Hemphill. Adventurous.
Review: Something Else Reviews, Jazz Times
Pritesh Walia – Hopetown (Self Produced, release 11/01/2024). Pritesh Walia – guitar, Christopher Worden – bass, Gen Yoshimura – drums.
Blessed with an extremely clean and lyrical approach to his instrument, Indian-born LA guitarist Pritesh Walia has made a powerful debut. In a program of seven originals (plus an original version of McCartney’s Blackbird), Walia proves to be quite a melodist and an inventive soloist. You’ll hear Scofield and Rosenwinkel in the mix. Loved this! Highly recommended and not just for six-string freaks.
Review: Jazz Sensibilities, The Jazz Word, Jazz Weekly
I hope you find something here to nurture your ears.
Russell Perry
Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
