Frequently performing in LA, tenor and bari saxist Dayna Stephens puts together a release that puts his warm horn in it’s best light. He teams up with the best of the best as well: Julian Lage/g, Brad Mehldau/p, Larry Grenadier/b…
Month: June 2017
SWING IT! Joe Alterman: Comin’ Home To You
This guy is a throwback to the days when pianists mix artistry with a thing called entertainment. Joe Alterman has an inherent love of swing and assertive joy on this collection of covers and originals in a trio groove with…
Samo Salamon Sextet: The Colours Suite
Earth-toned guitarist Samo Salamon delivers an 8 part suited dedicated to colors with a rainbow sounding cast of Achille Succi/bcl, Julian Arguelles/ts-ss, Pascal Niggenkemper/b (I am not referring to that name again for the sake of carpal tunnel syndrome prevention!)…
NEW OLD SOUNDS…Ensemble Novo: Look To The Sky, Who Saw You Then Who Sees You Now
Comprised of Ryan McNeely/g, Behn Gillece/vib, Tom Moon/ts-fl, Mark Pryzbylowski/b, Jim Hamilton/perc and guest Tom Lowery/perc, Ensemble Novo takes vintage Brazilian material by the likes of Tom Jobim, Tom Moon and Milt Nascimento and coaxes out fresh ideas and sounds.…
The New Triumph: Keep On Push’n
Soulful sounds come from Seattle as the band The New Triumph mix funk and jazzy R&B. The team of Camil Estrada/b, Marc Hager/key, Arie Pytel/g, Adam Kessler/dr, Ahkeenu Musa/perc, Ariel Chi-Linh Nguyen Loud/sax and Bobby Beasley-Scott Morning/tp deliver rich grooves…
Macy Blackman and the Mighty Fines: Shoorah Shoorah
A tribute two the King and Soul Queen of New Orleans is served up on a platter by vocalist Macy Blackman with Nancy Wright, as songs by Allen Toussaint and Irma Thomas are revisited and revived. Blackman also plays piano,…
Michael Pedicin: As It Should Be
Michael Pedicin subtitles this latest release “Ballads2” and rightly so, as he uses his tenor and soprano sax to create rich pastoral landscapes with a team of Johnnie Valentino/g, Frank Strauss/key, Mike Boone/b, Justin Faulkner/dr and Alex Acuna/perc.’ His tenor…
TRIOS…Jason Rigby: One, Vela: Wandering
Tenor saxist Jason Rigby boasts a big and beefy sound, not unlike vintage Rollins and Coltrane, and he uses it well in the trio format with Cameron Brown/b and Gerald Cleaver/dr. The team can go both free and intricate as…
Nattali Rize: Rebel Frequency
Contributions by Julian Marley, Kabaka Pyramid, JAH9, Rging Fyah, Notis Heavyweightrockaz and Dre Island make Nattali Rize’s latest album a kaleidoscope of reggae sounds. While many of the tunes have a thick electric percussive groove and framework as on the…
Izumi Kuremoto: Late Chrysanthemums
While also playing piano and bass, Izumi Kuremoto displays his composing skills on this highly ambitious double album and dvd of original material. The opus is four separate pieces, some divided into various parts, and have been composed over the…