New Jazz Releases – 02/03/2025
By Russell Perry
Camille Thurman
The music is flowing into 2025. Pianist Dred Scott recalls the Latin Jazz of George Shearing. Saxophonist and singer Camille Thurman finds a home with the Darrell Green Quartet. In retirement, saxophonist Harry Drabkin resumes a music career with a strong mainstream outing. Singer Liz Cole gets support from a masterful band. Pianist Julia Hülsmann adds trumpeter Hildegunn Øiseth to her quartet with wonderful results. And veteran pianist Joachim Kühn releases a wide-ranging solo disc. Enjoy.
Fred Hersch & Rondi Charleston – Suspend In Time – A Song Cycle (Resilience Music Alliance, release 02/07/2025). Bruce Williamson – clarinet, Fred Hersch – piano, Matt Aronoff – bass, Kush Abadie – drums, Rogerio Boccato – percussion, Kate McGarry – vocals, Gabrielle Stravelli – vocals with the Crosby String Quartet: Joyce Hammann – violin, Laura Seaton – violin, Lois Martin – viola, Jody Redhage Ferber – cello.
Pianist Fred Hesch and lyricist / vocalist Rondi Charleston have collaborated on a seven-tune song cycle, ably sung by the wonderful Kate McGarry and Gabrielli Stravelli.
Joe Alterman featuring Houston Person – Brisket For Breakfast (Alterman Music, release 02/02/2025. Houston Person – tenor saxophone, Joe Alterman – piano, Kevin Smith – bass, Justin Chesarek – drums.
Pianist Joe Alterman, on the heals of his tribute to Les McCann (Plays LesMcCann: Big Mo & Little Joe, previewed 07/24/2023), has teamed up with another mentor to record a live set with tenor saxophonist Houston Person. I am a sucker for Person’s silky smooth sax and stately presentation full of blues and romance. Although this is another solid Person release, there have been better (for example Emmet Cohen Featuring Houston Person, previewed 10/23/2023).
Review: Making A Scene
Ebo Taylor, Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad – Jazz Is Dead 022 (Jazz Is Dead, release 01/31/2025). Ebo Taylor – vocals.
Jazz Is Dead continues their series of discs recorded with lesser known musical heroes of theirs. This time the nod goes to Ghanaian highlife and afrobeat pioneer Ego Taylor, who, at 88 has a voice that is, unfortunately, past its prime.
Paul Vornhagen – Live At The Blue Llama (Self Produced, release 01/31/2025). Paul Vornhagen – saxophones / flute / vocals, Pat Crowley – piano, Patric Prouty – bass, Larry Ochgiltree – drums.
Paul Vornhagen, reeds player and vocalist, has released a set of standards recorded live in Ann Arbor with a competent mainstream quartet.
Review: Paris Move
Compersion Quartet – Compersion Quartet (Royal Potato Family Records, release 01/31/2025). Brian Haas – piano, Skerik – guitar, James Singleton – bass, Simon Lott – drums.
Seattle guitarist Skerik has released a disc with his New Orleans project Compersion Quartet. To describe their debut, the bands promotion uses language like “subversive,” “mystic sonic experimentation,” “deconstruction and rebirth,” and “fearless, no-holds-barred musical collaboration.” Sounds about right.
Joachim Kühn – Echappee (Intakt Records, release 01/31/2025). Joachim Kühn – solo piano.
Pianist Joachim Kühn has been a force in creative improvisatory music since the late 60s, playing with artists as diverse as Jimmy Garrison, Ornette Coleman, Jan Akkerman, Michael Brecker and Chris Potter. At eighty, he has recorded a set of original compositions where the distinction between composed and improvised music is blurred. A virtuoso, Kühn can be gentle and ruminative or tumbling and exciting. Recommended.
Jim Mullen Quartet – For Heavens Sake (Stunt Records, release 01/31/2025). Jan Harbeck – tenor saxophone, Ben Paterson – organ, Jim Mullen – guitar, Kristian Leth – drums.
Scottish guitarist Jim Mullen (Mose Allison) is the headliner on the new release but Chicago organist Ben Paterson (Cookin’ In The Couve, previewed 11/25/2024) is equally responsible for the familiar vibe. In the jazz world, little is more reassuring than a solid tenor – organ – guitar – drums quartet playing 12-bar blues and that’s what you can expect here plus nicely conceived ballads and mid-tempo standards.
Review: Jazz Views
Julia Hülsmann Quartet – Under The Surface (ECM, release 01/31/2025). Uli Kempendorff – tenor saxophone, Julia Hülsmann – piano, Marc Muellbauer – double bass, Heinrich Köbberling – drums, with Hildegunn Øiseth – trumpet / goat horn.
German pianist Julia Hülsmann has been recording, mostly in a trio, with Marc Muellbauer on bass and Heinrich Köbberling on drums over half a dozen releases since 2008. In 2019, she added German tenor Uli Kempendorff for the last two discs (Not Far From Here – 2019 and The Next Door – 2022) and now expands to a quintet on half this release with the addition of the Norwegian trumpeter Hildegunn Øiseth, who also brought her goat horn. Øiseth and Hülsmann both play in Sarah Chaksad’s Large Ensemble (Together – 2023). Recommended.
Review: UK Vibe
Alex Coke & Carl Michel Sextet – Situation (Playon Records, release 01/29/2025). Alex Coke – flute / tenor saxophone, Carolyn Trowbridge – vibraphone, Elaine Barber – concert harp, Carl Michel – guitar, Bob Hoffnar – pedal steel guitar, James Suter – acoustic bass.
This is the most original collection of instruments I’ve heard in a long time: flute / sax – vibes – harp – guitar – pedal steel – bass. The repertoire is also unique: eight originals written for these players, three jazz classics (Bley, Monk, Shorter) and two classical pieces. There is definitely a jazz – classical hybrid feel to the set – mostly peaceful, sometimes on the edge.
Liz Cole – I Want To Be Happy (Self Produced, release 01/28/2024). Otmaro Ruiz – piano, Jacob Mann – piano, Jackson Irvine – vibraphone, Larry Koonse – guitar, Darek Oles – bass, Edwin Livingston – bass, Jonathan Richards – bass, Arron Serfaty – drums, Liz Cole – vocals
LA-based singer Liz Cole has produced a classic jazz vocal disc – upbeat, pitch-perfect, populated by lesser-known standards (Cole Porter’s You’re Sensational) and repurposed pop songs Tom Waits’s I’m Sill Here). The band is tightly supportive, breaking out occasionally with bassist Derek Oles featured on Mean To Me and guitarist Larry Koonse in duet on the Brazilian Tu. Recommended.
Review JW Vibe, Making A Scene, Skope Magazine
Judy Wexler – No Wonder (Jewel City Jazz, release 01/24/2025). Jay Jennings – trumpet, Bob Sheppard – saxophone, Danny Janklow – saxophone, Jeff Colella – piano, Larry Koonse – guitar, Gabe Davis – bass, Steve Hass – drums, Judy Wexler – vocals.
Singer Judy Wexler appears for this release wrapped in a great band and buoyed by superb arrangements. Multi-reedist Danny Janklow (Julie Kelly, Sara Gazarek) and trumpeter Jay Jennings (Snarky Puppy) anchor the ensemble with arrangements by pianist Jeff Colella (Mark Masters Ensemble) on a fine set of standards plus a handful of surprises including a new Leonard Cohen tune and a Cedar Walton composition.
Reviews:AllAboutJazz, Making A Scene, JazzIz, JW Vibe
Dave Damiani & The No Vacancy Orchestra – Heart To Heart (Hard Knocks Records, release 10/21/2024). Anthony Bonsera, Dave Richards, Jon Bradley, Michael Campagna – trumpets, Erik Hughes, Erm Navarro, Ryan Dragon, Juliane Gralle – trombones, Dan Kaneyuki, Jason Fabus, Jeremy Lappat, Brett McDonald, Tim McKay – saxophones, Gary Matsumoto – piano, Grant Geissman – guitar, Lyman Medeiros – bass, Aaron McLendon – drums, Dave Damiani – vocals
While some Las Vegas performers record material that runs against type, singer and bandleader Dave Damiani and his band play the role of the Las Vegas big band to the hilt recalling the Rat Pack of the 60s, but with a repertoire of pop material from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Get ready for Hall & Oats, Luther Vandross, Loggins & Messina, Stevie Wonder and the like.
Harry Drabkin Quartet – Reincarnation Of A Lovebird(Self Produced, release 10/17/2024). Harry Drabkin – saxophone, Eric Gunnison – piano, Mark Simon – bass, Todd Reid – drums, Alejandro Castaño – percussion.
Semi-retired oncologist and saxophonist Harry Drabkin has returned to music after a decades-long lay-off and we are all fortunate that he did. Backed by three excellent Denver players, Drabkin tackles a conventional set of modern jazz (Mingus, Tyler, Monk, Henderson, Corea) plus several well-chosen standards (Strayhorn, Jimmy Van Heusen, Earl Zindars). Mainstream jazz at its best, although from an unexpected source. Highly recommended.
Camile Thurman & Darrell Green Quartet – Confluence Vol. 1: Alhambra (Epidote Music Group, release 10/04/2024). Wallace Roney Jr. – trumpet, Camille Thurman – vocals / saxophone, David Bryant – piano, Paul Beaudry – bass, Darrell Green – drums.
Not only does Camille Thurman (Jazz At Lincoln Center, Monika Herzig’s Sheroes) play several reed instruments with authority, she is a gifted singer and brings the full skill set to a live recording in a quintet featuring Wallace Roney, Jr. in fine form in the front line. As a singer, she possesses a wide range and inventive phrasing (Sarah Vaughan fans take note), but we shouldn’t overlook her instrumental prowess. Impressive. Recommended.
Review: Women In Jazz Media
Dred Scott – Cali Mambo (Ropeadope Records, release 09/20/2024). Dred Scott – piano, Tom Beckham – vibraphone, Matt Pavolka – bass, Moses Patrou – percussions.
New York pianist Dred Scott pays homage to Latin Jazz history by replicating the piano – vibes line up of the great George Shearing – Cal Trader quartet from the 50s. Kicking off with Shearing’s Cali Mambo and featuring Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo’s Manteca and the lesser known Guachi Guaro, Scott and vibraphonist Tom Beckham recall many great Latin jazz moments. Recommended.
Reviews: The Jazz Word, Paris Move, Jazz Weekly, Making a Scene
Monique Chao Jazz Orchestra – Time Chamber (Da Vinci Jazz, release 09/07/2024).
Alessandro Patafio, Paolo De Ceglie, Tiziano Codoro, Valentina Cappello – trumpets, Giulio Amerigo Galibariggi, Oliseh F. Obiarinze, Carmelo Rizzo, Simone Capitaneo – trombones, Andrea Ciceri, Gianluca Zanello, Davide Intini, Vincent Dupuy, Iris Galibariggi – saxophones, Giuseppe Blanco, Dario Spezia, Michele Sannelli, Giacomo Marzi, Marcello Repola – rhythm section.
Taiwan-born and Italy-based composer and bandleader Monique Chao has released the debut of her Italian big band with a program of eight exciting original compositions. These are very sophisticated and rich charts.
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
