New Jazz Releases – 07/15/2024
Planet D Nonet
Things are slowing down in the heat of the summer, but still some first rate new music for you. Planet D Nonet continues to mine the rich Ellington / Strayhorn vein, Eric Alexander teams again with Mike LeDonne – this time on duets, and Misha Tsiganov has assembled a world class ensemble with Alex Sipiagin, Chris Potter, Miguel Zenón. Funksters will revel in new UK releases from Joe Tatton and The New Mastersounds, and, out of the blue, we received a 2020 release from Haggis Horn maven Malcolm Strachan.
Planet D Nonet – Echoes Of Harlem: A Salute To Duke Ellington, Vol. 2 (Eastlawn Records, releases 07/19/2024). James O’Donnell – trumpet / flugelhorn / vocals / maracas, Charlie Miller – trumpet / flugelhorn, John “Tbone” Paxton – trombone / vocals, Alex Colista – alto saxophone, Christopher Tabaczynski – tenor saxophone / clarinet, Goode Wyche III – baritone saxophone / alto saxophone, Michael Zaporski – piano, Trevor Lamb – bass, Sean Perlmutter – drums / cowbell, RJ Spangler – congas / percussion.
In 2023, Detroit’s Planet D Nonet released a well-received Ellington set Blues To Be There, A Salute to Duke Ellington (previewed 02/20/2024) and this release is Volume 2. Note that they also recorded a very nice Billy Strayhorn set in 2013 and Strayhorn slips in here with Blood Count and Rocks In My Bed (which he co-authored with Duke). As with the previous Ellington effort, many of the tunes are lesser played selections from the world deepest catalog of jazz compositions (La Belle Plus Africaine – 1966, Frustration – 1956, Happy Reunion – 1956, Addi – 1971). These top notch musicians take their Ellington seriously and give loving performances of fifteen tunes from the well-known to the obscure.
Eric Alexander / Mike LeDonne – Together (Cellar Music, releases 07/19/2024). Eric Alexander – tenor saxophone / soprano saxophone / alto saxophone, Mike LeDonne – piano.
Jazz duets are not uncommon, but frequently fall short of the promise of two fine instrumentalists in communion over shared music. This release from uber-saxophonist Eric Alexander and keyboardist Mike LeDonne lives up to its potential. The two have a twenty-year history of collaboration (e.g. The Heavy Hitters, previewed 01/30/2023) and communicate telepathically. In addition to duets, each player take a solo turn on two selections each (Alexander’s Two in One is a standout). Recommended.
Misha Tsiganov – Painter of Dreams (Criss Cross, released 07/12/2024). Alex Sipiagin – trumpet / flugelhorn, Chris Potter – tenor saxophone / soprano saxophone, Miguel Zenón – alto saxophone, Misha Tsiganov – piano / Fender Rhodes / Minimoog, Matt Brewer – bass, Johnathan Blake – drums, Hiske Oosterwijk – vocals.
In his fourth start for Criss Cross, keyboardist Misha Tsiganov has enlisted the core of Alex Sipiagin’s ensemble from his 2023 disc Mel’s Vision (previewed 1/30/2023) – Sipiagin on trumpet, Chris Potter on tenor and soprano, Matt Brewer on bass and Johnathan Blake on drums. Then he added one of the best (and most recognizable) alto players on the scene – Miguel Zenón. Singer Hiske Oosterwijk adds wordless vocals and lyrics to three tunes to complete the ensemble on this beautifully written and arranged set. Hearing Potter and Zenón together is a real treat.
Reviews: Marlbank, AllAboutJazz
Joe Tatton Trio – Galactico (Rodina Music, released 07/05/2024). Malcolm Strachan – Trumpet, Flugelhorn Horn and Valve Trombone, Atholl Ransome – Tenor Sax and Flute, Joseph Tatton – Hammond Organ / Keyboards, Lucas De Mulder – Guitar, Luke Flowers – Drums, Eryl Roberts – Drums, Sam Bell – Congas, Aoife Hearty – Vocals, Graham Clark – Violins.
Keyboardist Joe Tatton of The New Mastersounds has released his second disc as a leader, continuing in the funky vein of TNS and incorporating the associated act – Haggis Horns. See Old School by TNS below.
Review: FunkCity.net
Madeleine Peyroux – Let’s Walk (Thirty Tigers, released 06/28/2024). Stan Harrison – clarinets, Andy Erin – piano / Hammond organ / harmonium / Rhodes / Wurlitzer / orchestral bells, Jon Herrington – guitars / mandolin / synthesizer / vocals, Paul Frazier – bass, Graham Hawthorne – drums / percussion, Madeleine Peyroux – vocals, Catherine Russell – vocals, Cindy Mixelle – vocals, Keith Fluitt – vocals.
I liked this new one from singer Madeleine Peyroux, her first in 6 years and also her first of all original compositions. She tracks through a lot of sounds – gospel, French bistro, mariachi – but not much I’d call jazz, if that matters to you. She is a fine lyricist and has backed her lovely singing with accordions, call-and-response backing vocals, swirly organ swells – lots of diversity.
Review: Americana Highways, The Arts Desk, The Washington Post
Chance Hayden – Baritone Gold(Peace House Music, released 06/21/2024). John Nastos – tenor saxophone, Owen Broder – alto saxophone, Clay Giberson – Hammond B3 Organ, Chance Hayden – baritone guitar, Rusty Blake – steel guitar, Jason Palmer – drums, Jans Ingber – congas / percussion, Sean Holmes – vocals, Dante Zapata – vocals, Alonzo Chadwick – background vocals, CJ Mickens – background vocals, Onry – background vocals.
Guitarist Chance Hayden breaks in his baritone guitar on a set of 12 originals arranged with a retro attitude that wears its nostalgia on its sleeve. Mostly there is a Stax vibe (guitar – organ – horns) evident, but Dick Dale’s reverb emerges as an influence from time-to-time.
Review: AllAboutJazz, Making A Scene
Sergio Pereira – Bossa+ (Self Produced, released 04/24/2024). Chips Chacon – trumpet / flugelhorn, Luis Guerra – piano / keyboards, Ariel Ramirez – bass, Mauricio Zottarelli – drums / percussion, Sergio Pereira – vocals / guitars / violao / percussion with Romero Lumbambo – violao, Ivan “Melon” Lewis – piano, Ivan Ruiz Machado – bass, Jose San Martin – drums.
Singer / guitarist Sergio Pereira delivers a light and smooth version of Bossa Nova with the interesting twist of a trumpet lead. Not a bit of grit in this one.
Reviews: Making A Scene, Jazz Weekly, Paris Move
Tianna Hall – The Vintage Jukebox (Mighty Pretty Records, released 04/19/2024). Felix DeLeon – trumpet, Yankar Gonzalez – trombone, David Caceres – saxophone, Alex Navarro – piano, Greg Petito – guitar, Corey Dozier – bass, Nick Diaz – drums, Tianna Hall – vocals.
Houston-based singer Tianna Hall has joined with bandmates from the Houston Jazz Band for a program of jazzy arrangements of pop tunes and standards from throughout the 20th century. Hall is a very effective singer and her soulful renditions of Solomon Burke’s Cry To Me and Everybody Loves An Outlaw’s I See Red may be the most successful tracks.
The New Mastersounds – Old School (One Note Records, released 03/29/2024). Joe Tatton – organ / piano, Eddie Roberts – guitar / tambourine, Pete Shand – bass, Simon Allen – drums.
Twenty-five years and still funky, the UK funksters have released another of the keyboard – guitar – bass – drum ensemble. Titles like Do The Sausage Roll and Boogaloo Is Dead tell the story. Retro soul-funk supreme.
Review: FunkCity.net
Tony Guerrero / Jeremy Siskind – Duo Tones(Meta Jax Entertainment, released 03/07/2024). Tony Guerrero – flugelhorn / trumpet, Jeremy Siskind – piano.
Trumpeter Tony Guerrero and pianist Jeremy Siskind, veteran musicians both, have teamed together for a full set of standards and modern jazz classics.
Review: Paris Move
Malcolm Strachan – About Time(ITI Records, released 03/27/2020). Malcolm Strachan – trumpet / flugelhorn, , Danny Barley – trombone, Atholl Ransome – tenor saxophone, Rob Mitchell – baritone saxophone, George Cooper – piano , Courtny Tomas – bass, Erroll Rollins – drums, Karl Vanden Bossche – percussion, Richard Curran – strings.
This is not trumpeter Malcolm Strachman’s latest release, but it is his first solo effort after years with the UK funk unit – Haggis Horns. Subsequently, he has released a second solo disc – Point Of No Return (previewed 01/30/2023). I am not sure why this 2020 release was just sent to us, but I gave it a listen. When it drifts into smooth jazz territory with lush strings, I cannot get too interested but when Strachan gets funky and brings two or three extra horns into the front line (Mitchell’s Landing), it starts to cook.
A lighter week for music so catch your breath.
Russell Perry, Jazz at 100 Now!
If your music isn’t changing your life, you’ve simply picked the wrong songs. – Ted Gioia
