New Jazz Releases – 03/03/2025
By Russell Perry
Caili O’Doherty
What an amazing week for new Jazz! Pianist Caili O’Doherty brings us a tribute to Lil Hardin (a first) and altoist Jim Snidero celebrates Bird (neither the first nor last). Nick Hempton and Cory Weeds reprise the durable tenor battle format. Simón Willson hosts a young quartet of rising stars and Billy Hart brings back his veteran quartet while Willie Morris shows us the best that Posi-Tone Records has to offer. Awesome.
Caili O’Doherty – Bluer Than Blue (Outside In Music, release 03/03/2025). Nicole Glover – tenor saxophone, Caili O’Doherty – piano, Tamir Shmerling – upright bass, Cory Cox – drums, Tahira Clayton – vocals, Michael Mayo – vocals.
To Caili O’Doherty, the historical narrative about pianist / composer Lil Hardin Armstrong just didn’t ring true. In most retellings, Louis Armstrong’s second wife pushed him forward at a time when his renown was not preordained, but her contributions to his music, and to music more broadly, has not included her substantial chops as a writer of solid tunes. O’Doherty has recorded a set of Hardin’s compositions, both from her period with Pops (Struttin’ With Some Barbecue, Two Deuces) and from her long career into the 60s, pointing out how myopic our vision of her work has been. Tahira Clayton and Michael Mayo split the vocal parts, Nicole Glover brings her tender and forceful tenor to the session and O’Doherty sparkles on the keyboards (check out the stride on Struttin’). A fine set all around. Highly Recommended.
Review: Jazz Views, Paris Move, UK Jazz News
Willie Morris – Unbound Inner (Posi-tone, release 03/01/2025). Willie Morris – tenor saxophone / soprano saxophone, Jon Davis – piano, Behn Gillece – vibraphone, Boris Kozlov – bass, Rudy Royston – drums, Jason Tiemann – drums.
Another strong outing from saxophonist Willie Morris in the company of familiar players from the Posi-Tone Records assembly. Morris’s writing keeps getting better as he contributes seven compositions, complemented by two from pianist Jon Davis and one Herbie Hancock cover (Tell Me A Bedtime Story). Morris is a powerful player whose tender side can be heartbreaking. The sound of the set is defined by the fruitful combination of Morris and vibraphonist Behn Gillece. Highly Recommended.
Nick Hempton / Cory Weeds – Horns Locked (Cellar Music, release 02/28/2025). Nick Hempton – tenor saxophone, Cory Weeds – tenor saxophone, Nick Peck –-Hammond B3 organ, Jesse Cahill – drums.
Cellar Music impresario Cory Weeds occasionally shows us that he is a tough tenor player and what better setting that a dual tenor quartet with organ and drums. Following in the great tradition of Dexter Gordon & Wardell Grey, Gene Ammons & Sonny Stitt or Johnny Griffin & Eddie Lockjaw Davis, this is a classy cutting contest among friends. This is hard swinging mainstream jazz from a masterful quartet working their way through tunes by Dexter Gordon, Gene Ammons and James Moody along with three selections by the leaders. Highly recommended.
Review: Downbeat
Billy Hart – Just (ECM, release 02/28/2025). Mark Turner – tenor saxophone, Ethan Iverson – piano, Ben Street – double bass, Billy Hart – drums.
Twenty years in, Billy Hart’s quartet continues to make compelling music although it has been a while since they have last recorded (All Our Reasons – 2012, One is the Other – 2014). Tenorist Mark Turner (see also Steve Lehman – The Music of Anthony Braxton, below) brings his cool attack and rich invention to the session including three of his compositions – his Billy’s Waltz has a bit of Bill Evans’ Waltz for Debbie in it. Pianist Ethan Iverson (Technically Acceptable, previewed 01/29/2024) brings four compositions including the lovely ballad Showdown. The balance of the tracks are contributed by the leader including two selections reprised from his catalog and the new mid-tempo hard bop composition Just. Highly recommended.
Review: Marlbank, New York Times, Jazz Trail
Knats – Knats (Gearbox Records, release 02/28/2025). Ferg Kilsby – trumpet, Cam Rossi – tenor saxophone, Sandro Shar – keyboards, Stan Woodward – bass guitar, King David Ike Elechi – drums with Parthenope – alto saxophone, Richie Sweet – congas, Tom Ford – electric guitar, Anatole Muster – accordion, Miro Treharne – vocals, Otto Kampa – alto saxophone, Matt Seddon – trombone, Enya Barber – violin, Sam Booth – cello.
Lifelong best friends from Newcastle, bassist Stan Woodward and drummer King David Ike Elechi have emerged from the UK “Drums and Bass” scene to release a set of original compositions (plus one Joe Henderson cover) arranged for a full band.
Michael Buckley – Ebb And Flow (Livia Records, release 02/28/2025). Michael Buckley – tenor saxophone, Greg Felton – piano, Barry Donahue – double bass, Shane O’Donovan – drums.
Irish saxophonist Michael Buckley plays with a lot of muscle and invention. With a program of eight originals plus one by pianist Greg Felton, Buckley brings us quartet set of blues, ballads and bebop. His tribute to friend and recently deceased trombonist Curtis Fowlkes, That’s all Fowlkes, is a highlight. Recommended
Review: UK Jazz News, Marlbank
Jon Balke – Skrifum (ECM, release 02/28/2025). Jon Balke – piano / Spektrafon.
For his third solo release, pianist Jon Balke has employed a new electronic tool. Per the ECM press release, “With the aid of electronic audio tool the Spektrafon, which he helped develop, Balke is now able to directly manipulate ambient audio sound from the piano while playing – pulling out frequencies and sustaining them as chords of harmonics.” The new tool adds color, but generally stays in the background. This release fits comfortably into the on-going sequence of solo piano efforts on ECM – rich, quiet, beautifully recorded.
Steve Lehman – The Music of Anthony Braxton (Pi Recordings, release 02/28/2025). Steve Lehman – alto saxophone, Mark Turner – tenor saxophone, Matt Brewer – bass, Damion Reid – drums.
To commemorate the eightieth birthday of mentor and legendary composer / saxophonist Anthony Braxton, alto saxophonist Steve Lehman has reprised his long-standing trio (Matt Bower – bass, Damion Reed – drums) and has added formidable tenor saxophonist Mark Turner. While Lehman collaborated often with Braxton (over a dozen releases), the balance of the group is not associated with the maestro bringing a fresh look at this idiosyncratic music. The repertoire for this live set focusses on selections that Braxton wrote for his small group (Ed Blackwell, Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler) in the 70s and 80s, to which the leader added two tracks. The final track is a fitting version of Monk’s Trinkle, Trinkle.
Review: Jazz Trail, Glide Magazine
Simón Willson – Bet: Live At Ornithology (Endectomorph Music, release 02/28/2025). Neta Raanan – tenor saxophone, Evan Main – piano, Simón Willson – bass, Kayvon Gordon – drums.
Chilean-born, New York-based bassist (Good Company, previewed 01/08/2024) Simón Willson is back with a new quartet, this time featuring rising new tenor player Neta Raanan (coming to Charlottesville with Max Johnson’s Trio on March 21). Both Willson and drummer Kayvon Gordon are in Raanan’s quartet for her recent debut (Unforeseen Blossom, previewed 08/19/2024). These are young players full of promise and we should be hearing a lot more straight ahead jazz from them. Highly recommended.
Review: Making A Scene
Frank Carlberg – Dream Machine (RPR, release 02/24/2025). Hery Paz – tenor saxophone, Frank Carlberg – piano / Rhodes, Leo Genovese – Hammond B3 / Farfisa / synthesizers, John Hébert – bass, Dan Weiss – drums.
Finnish pianist Frank Carlberg has formed a quintet of New York players from around the globe – Cuban-born saxophonist Hery Paz (Chembo Corneil), Argentine keyboardist Leo Genovese (Julieta Eugenio, Dave Liebman, Wayne Shorter), French bassist John Hébert (Andy Milne, Angelica Sanchez, Jon Irabagon), and American drummer Dan Weiss (Even Odds, previewed 03/18/2024). All of these players can (and do) excel in both highly structured and very free settings and both are in evidence here in this set of thirteen original compositions. My favorite moments come when the ensemble is more reflective or meditative as in Into The Sunset.
Review: Jazz Trail, Making A Scene
Richard Baratta – Looking Back (Savant Records, release 02/21/2025). Vincent Herring – alto saxophone, Bill O’Connell – piano, Paul Bollenback – guitar, Michael Goetz – bass, Richard Baratta – drums, Paul Rossman – percussion, Carol Scott – vocals.
“Looking Back” is as much a part of jazz as is looking forward. While the Great American Songbook, the classic Blue Note releases or heroes like Trane, Duke or Bird may be the more common sources of inspiration, increasingly pop music from the 60s serves as source material for contemporary releases. Drummer (and film producer) Richard Baratta has dived deep into this source material with mixed success. It is not a surprise that Lennon – McCartney provide rich fodder for this effort with the Carnival reinterpretation of Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds a highlight. Purple Haze may owe as much inspiration to Afro Blue as it does to Jimi. I am less convinced when harmonically limited selections like I Feel Good become the source. Among the formidable ensemble, altoist Vincent Herring (Something Else! Featuring Vincent Herring – Soul Jazz, previewed 05/20/2024) contributes mightily, especially on Otis Redding’s Respect.
Review: Paris Move
Jim Snidero – Bird Feathers (Savant Records, release 02/21/2025). Jim Snidero – alto saxophone, Peter Washington – bass, Joe Farnsworth – drums.
Soon after Charlie Parker’s death in 1955, jazz artists started recording tribute albums (Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Bud Powell, Sonny Stitt) and these reached a bit of a crescendo for Bird’s centennial in 2020. Now, well-established altoist Jim Snidero marks his 40th year as a recording artist with his own tribute. Snidero reassembled the cordless trio of Peter Washington (bass) and Joe Farnsworth (drums) from his last release (For All We Know, previewed 05/06/2024). What a fine collection of tunes associated with Bird, played with both affection and inspiration by some of the best. Highly Recommended.
Review: Marlbank
Tom Teasley / Dave Ballou – Lunch Break (Self Produced, release 02/14/2025). Dave Ballou – trumpet, Tom Teasley – drums / percussion.
Percussionist Tom Teasley and trumpeter Dave Ballou have collaborated previously but not in the two-man setting. For this project, the two improvised each of the eleven pieces live with a lot of spirit and invention. These players bring a lot in influences to bear from blues to Indian music. If you are otherwise apprehensive about free improvisation, this could be your way in.
Review: Jazz Views, Jazz Trail, Jazz Weekly
Brent Jarvis – Dragonfly (Self Produced, release 02/10/2025). Miguelito Valdez – flugelhorn / trumpet / congas / bongo / shekere / guira / quinto, Monik Nordine – alto saxophone / soprano saxophone, Ben Henriques – tenor saxophone, Brent Jarvis – piano / Rhodes / triangle, Steve MacDonald – bass, Jose Sanchez – timbales / maracas / guiro / Brazilian percussion.
Canadian pianist combines Cuban rhythms and modern jazz in a satisfying mix.
Juan Perea – Lightkeeper (Zoho Music, release 02/07/2025). Juan Perea – piano / keyboards, Eric Marienthal – alto saxophone, Dean Brown – electric guitar / acoustic guitar, Jimmy Haslip – bass, Hadrien Feraud – bass, Janek Gwizdala – bass, Gary Haase – bass, Tom Brechtlein – drums, Steve Thornton – percussion.
Pianist Juan Perea has released a set that features Latin, fusion, funk and Bill Evans-influenced pianism in equal parts.
Review: Paris Move, Jazz Sensibilities
Jeong Lim Yang – Synchronicity (Sunnyside Communications, release 01/31/2025). Mat Maneri – viola, Jacob Sacks – piano, Jeong Lim Yang – bass, Randy Peterson – drums.
Korean-born, Brooklyn-based bassist / composer has surrounded herself with three veteran improvisors for her third release.
Review: Jazz Trail
Mason Razavi – Even Keel (Self Produced, release 01/08/2025). Charles McNeil – tenor saxophone, Brian Ho – organ, Mason Razavi – guitar, Jason Lewis – drums.
Bay Area guitarist Mason Razavi has followed up his 2023 solo release (Six-String Standards, previewed 02/20/2023) with a quartet set featuring saxophonist Charles McNeill (Charles McPherson) and organist Brian Ho (Bridges, previewed 07/22/2024). The program includes six original compositions and the standards by Jerome Kern, Victor Young and Cole Porter.
I hope you find something here to tickle 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
