Taking some time away from his regular gig with Branford Marsalis, pianist Joey Calderazzo comes to Tokyo with his own team of Orlando Le Fleming/b and Donald Edwards/dr for a wide ranging collection of mostly self-penned tunes. The soul cover,…
Category: Reviews
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****WHERE WAS THIS GUY HIDING? Paul Moer: Complete Trio Sessions 1957-1991
I truly thought I had heard of every jazz piano player from the 50s onward. What a total shock to discover this guy Paul Moer. And I can’t even make the excuse that he’s from Europe; he was born in…
A PILGRIM’S PROGRESS…David Friesen: My Faith, My Life
John Bunyon had his Pilgrim’s Progress, Saint Augustine had his Confessions. Composer David Friesen plays bass, piano and Japanese flute shakuhatchi on this two album set to document his own spiritual pilgrimage. The result is a deep and personal collection…
POST BOP FROM ORIGIN…Jay Thomas: I Always Knew, Piet Verbist Quartet: Suite Reunion
The Seattle-based Origin Records releases intriguing and fresh post-bop material. Here are a couple recent additions to their strong catalogue. Jay Thomas plays trumpet and flugelhorn as well as alto, tenor and soprano sax for tribute to blue pastels from…
Jack Mouse Group: Intimate Adversary
Drummer Jack Mouse leads a modern post bop team with a front line of Scott Robinson/ts and Art Davis/tp-fh while he and John McLean/g with Bob Bowman/g create hip grooves. McLean and Bowman tug back and forth on a smoky…
Eden Bareket Trio: Night
Baritone saxist Eden Bareket creates a rich post bop trio with Or Bareket/b and Felix Lecaros/dr on this nine song disc of originals. He’s got a big, fat and meaty sound, swooping into subtone territory when he digs deep with…
Gil Defay: It’s All Love
Gil Defay plays trumpet, flugelhorn and keyboards while arranging his soulful compositions for a supporting cast that includes Joel Desroches/key, Matthew Smythe/org, Ben Nicolas/dr, Bandji Allonce/perc, Antonio Penalva/g, Parker McAllister/b, Ansy Defayts-ss and other guests. Defay has a nice big…
Ralph Peterson’s Aggregate Prime: Inward Venture
Drummer Ralph Peterson leads a hip and hard hitting hard bop combo of Gary Thomas/ts-fl, Mark Whitfield/g, Davis Whitfield/p and Curtis Lundy/b through a swinging set at the Side Door Jazz Club in that jazz corner of the world Old…
Spottiswoode & His Enemies: Lost in the City
Spottiswoode plays guitar and harmonica while singing in a vintage Randy Newman style with a core team of Joyn Young/b, Time Vaill/dr, candace DeBartolo/ts, Kevin Cordt/tp, Riley McMahon/g, Tony Lauria/key and guests on strings or horns. His wry delivery tells…
Gabriel Zucker: Weighting
Pianist Gabriel Zucker addresses soulful issues on his compositions with Tyshawn Sorey/dr, Adam O’Farrill/tp and Eric Trudel/ts on this three part journey. The “Part I. Soul” has chaotic angst between O’Farrill and Trudel with thunderous climaxes. Dramatic piano and crying…