New Jazz Releases – 07/22/2024
By Russell Perry
Karen Mack
The week we have a suite of new releases featuring women vocalists from newcomer Karen Mack, Champian Fulton (featuring Gretje Angell, Carmen Bradford, Olivia Chindamo, Jane Monheit, Vanessa Perea) and Mai-List. Plus a solid outing from uber-vet Louis Hayes and Singaporean jazzers Sean Hong Wei & Jeremy Monteiro.
Karen Mack – Catch & Keep(KMackMusic, released 06/28/2024). Nadje Noordhuis – trumpet, Darmon Meader – saxophone, Peter Eldridge – piano / organ / vocals, Elliot Roth – piano / vocals, Jesse Lewis – guitar, Matt Aronoff – bass, Jared Schonig – drums / percussion, Ben Wittman – percussion, Karen Mack – vocals.
In her jazz debut, vocalist Karen Mack brings a variety of vocal approaches to a mix of standards, near standards and original compositions with a very swinging ensemble. Trumpeter Nadje Noordhuis (Darcy James Argue, Maria Schneider) guests on a lovely version of the rarely heard Dave Frishberg tune Our Love Rolls On. Mack’s take on David Cantor’s I’m So Repentant with saxophonist Darmon Meader knocks me out. Don’t be surprised if there is a little Blossom Dearie influence emerging from time-to-time. Highly recommended.
Reviews: Making A Scene, The JW Vibe
Paul Carlon Quintet – Blues For Vita (Deep Tone Records, releases 07/29/2024). Eddie Allen – trumpet, Paul Carlon – tenor saxophone, Helio Alves – piano, Harvie S – bass, Willie Martinez – drums.
On his sixth release, tenor sax player Paul Carlon brings his tenor – trumpet quintet to a program of five originals and three covers.
Review: Contemporary Fusion Reviews, Making A Scene
Mai-Liis – Kaleidoscope(OA2 Records, released 07/26/2024). Charlie Porter – trumpet, Alexey Nikolaev – alto saxophone / tenor saxophone, Hans Teuber – alto flute, David Lee Joyner – piano, Darin Clendenin – piano, Susan Pascal – vibraphone, Brian Monroney – guitar, Clipper Anderson – bass, Mark Investor – drums / percussion, Mai-Liis – vocals.
For her second release, Mai-Liis has written or co-written the full program of tunes. Her unique voice is supported by a very jazzy crew.
Robby Ameen – Live At The Poster Museum (Origin Records, releases 07/26/2024). Conrad Herwig – trombone, Bob Franceschini – tenor saxophone / soprano saxophone, Troy Roberts – tenor saxophone, Edsel Gomez – Fender Rhodes, Lincoln Goines – acoustic bass, Robby Ameen – drums.
Drummer Robby Ameen (Conrad Herwig, Oscar Hernandez, Doug Beavers) is a first rate player who releases a new disc as a leader about every five years while keeping busy on a myriad of Latin jazz dates. Ameen has enlisted some solid players like Troy Roberts (Green Lights previewed 05/06/2024) and Conrad Herwig (The Latin Side of McCoy Tyler previewed 06/10/2024). In this percussion-forward program of six originals and a cover of Sonny Rollins’ Oleo, I kept looking for more Afro Cuban influences and was a bit disappointed.
Review: AllAboutJazz
Brian Ho Trio – Bridges (Cellar Music, released 07/19/2024). Brian Ho – Hammond B3 organ, Paul Bollenback – guitar, Byron “Wookie” Landham – drums.
While guitarist Paul Bollenback is a well-known player (Something Else, Doug Beavers, Troy Roberts), the organist leader of this date Brian Ho is new to me. They’ve got a very swinging thing happening with covers of Bud Powell (John’s Abbey) and Horace Silver (Silver’s Serenade), but the highlight for me is Ho’s mid tempo burner Into Something.
Review: Contemporary Fusion Reviews
Jordina Millà & Barry Guy – Live In Munich (ECM, released 07/05/2024). Jordina Millà – piano, Barry Guy – double bass
This live performance by pianist Jordan Millà and bassist Barry Guy is a continuously restless two-way improvisation replete with a myriad of sounds you may not associate with either instrument.
Review: Jazz Views, UK Jazz News
Louis Hayes – Artform Revisited (Savant Records, released 07/05/2024). Abraham Burton – tenor saxophone, David Hazeltine – piano, Steve Nelson – vibraphone, Dezron Douglas – bass, Louis Hayes – drums.
Although drummer Louis Hayes presents two Bird tunes and one by Dizzy, this is more a hard bop date than a strictly bebop effort. Looking back on Hayes’s near 70 year career, this should be no surprise as he drove the sound of Horace Silver’s great quintet off and on from 1956 – 1963 and Cannonball Adderleys’ quintet from 1959 – 1967. And then in the late 70s he co-lead an important ensemble with Woody Shaw. His drumming is still wonderful and he leads a tight band to great effect, bringing out fine performances by pianist David Hazeltine and vibraphonist Steve Nelson – check out Strayhorn’s A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing.
Reviews: JazzWax
Sean Hong Wei & Jeremy Monteiro – The New Jersey Sessions (Jazznote Records, released 05/31/2024). Alex Sipiagin – trumpet, Sean Hong Wei – tenor saxophone, Houston Person – tenor saxophone, Jeremy Monteiro – piano, Jay Anderson – bass, Evan Sherman – drums.
The leaders – tenor player Sean Hong Wei and pianist Jeremy Monteiro – bring their Singapore jazz chops to New Jersey to record this fine hard bop set. Along the way they invite in trumpeter Alex Sipiagin and saxophonist Houston Person for guest spots. Person brings his Gene Ammons influences to play opposite Wei’s Coltrane vibe to great effect on Bags Groove and When Sunny Gets Blue. The final track is a lovely duet by the leaders on Sophisticated Lady. Highly recommended.
Review: AllAboutJazz, Making A Scene, The JW Vibe
Champian Fuller – Flying High: Big Band Canaries Who Soared (Jazz At The Ballroom, released 05/04/2024). Champian Fulton – piano / vocals, Neal Milner – bass, Mike Gurrola – bass, Fukushi Tainaka – drums, Charles Ruggiero – drums, Gretje Angell – vocals, Carmen Bradford – vocals, Olivia Chindamo – vocals, Jane Monheit – vocals, Vanessa Perea- vocals.
I expected this to be a snoozer, but boy was I wrong. On the face of it, another recording of a woman vocalist with a piano trio performing very familiar standards. Yet, the tunes are well-selected from the history of women singers in big bands in the 30s and 40s and six women present the vocals including the musical director (and fine pianist) for the effort – Champian Fulton. Carmen Bradford of the Count Basie Band was a revelation – check out Lullaby of the Leaves. Olivia Chindamo owns Sweet Georgia Brown, bringing positive comparisons to Anita O’Day at Newport. And More … recommended.
Galactic Tide featuring Andy Timmons – The Haas Company Vol. 1 (Psychiatric Records, released 04/17/2024). Wallace Roney – trumpet, Pete Gallio – saxophone, Jay Rodriguez – saxophone, Pete Drungle – keyboards, Andy Timmons – guitar, Kirwan Brown – bass, Al MacDowell – bass, Steve Haas – drums, Wallace Roney – trumpet, Mauro Refosco – percussion.
Drummer Steve Haas invited guitarist Andy Timmons with join his band in this fusion effort which features the guitarist’s blistering performances on nine originals by keyboardist Pete Drungle.
Review: The JW Vibe
John Basile – Heatin’ Up (Springtime Jazz, released 04/01/2024). John Basile – guitars, David Finck – bass, Carmen Intorre, Jr. – drums, Kevin Winard – percussion.
Veteran New York guitarist and his trio bring a warm and gentle touch to a program of seven standards and three originals.
Review: Roots Music Report
I hope that something here catches 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
