Friday, April 28, 2017
Jimmy Greene: Flowers – Beautiful Life, Vol. 2 (MACK AVENUE RECORDS 2017)
Every musician, I assume, has a prime source for inspiration. For saxophonist and composer Jimmy Greene, that’s been his daughter Ana, who had given him that inspiration during her life and in the aftermath of her shocking, tragic death that made international news. More than four years after the Sandy Hook massacre that cut short Ana Greene’s life, Ana continues to be a muse for her father. Flowers – Beautiful Life, Volume 2 (April 28, 2017, Mack Avenue Records) finds Jimmy Greene in a better spot in his life, because he chose to turn misery and grief into music that’s a celebration of the spirit of Ana and the forces of good.
Thusly, Flowers isn’t a low key affair that A Beautiful Life was at times, but jazz through the cheerful, carefree lens of a six year old. Greene, rest assured, is still making the same polished, attenuated music that endeared himself to us back in ’09. The difference now is that he makes the music a little more playful and lighter on its feet, music that someone at both six and sixty could dance or at least bob their head to.
You can hear him having a good time recording the 6/8 Brazilian samba festival tune “Stanky Leg” or the Nola-inspired second line “Stink Thumb” (apparently putting forth a notion that if it smells bad, it must sound good). On the former, pianist Renee Rosnes spins a tastefully flowing piano solo and the latter is livened up by Ben Williams’ pocket aware bass and Otis Brown III’s jumpin’ snare drum. On both, Greene delivers a happy, prancing soprano sax.
Other songs are inspired by Ana’s own words: “Big Guy” is what she called her 6’6″ father and the song of that name swings in a unique, dynamic way. “Fun Circuits” (“Don’t let them suck your fun circuits dry, Mom!”) has complex rhythms and Mike Moreno’s guitar with Rosnes’ Fender Rhodes give it a rock-jazz flair but also characterizes childlike exhilaration and unpredictability.
“December” is a song with a multidimensional complexion to portray the range of emotions that occur at the Greene household during this month every year (holiday season without Ana, anniversary of the Newtown massacre). But even here Greene is pushing forward; the song works through the mixed emotions with vigor and Brown’s drums make sure of that.
Sometimes words are needed to fully explain the feeling, and accordingly, a couple of vocal turns are included. Sheena Rattai takes on the task on the titular “Flowers” with words inspired by Ana’s book of flower drawings intended as an expression of love to her father. Greene offers what he calls “some humble advice to parents” as conveyed by Jean Baylor on the sweet ballad “Someday” while Greene’s cool, assuring tenor sax flutters around.
The only song Greene didn’t compose came instead from Level 42. Greene had revealed to us before that there was “something about Ana” so you might say he turned this 1986 hit “Something About You” into a message about her. Greene gets really creative with the middle of it, practically making up a whole new section where he again drops down chops from his soprano sax.
There’s talent galore on this album: besides Rosnes, Moreno, Williams and Brown, there are also appearances by Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, John Patitucci, Rogerio Boccato and Kevin Hays. They all do their part to help make Flowers – Beautiful Life, Volume 2 a worthy successor to Greene’s gorgeous tribute Beautiful Life. But Jimmy Greene’s biggest help comes from within. Inside his heart, where Ana Grace Greene lives and thrives.
1. Big Guy
2. Stanky Leg
3. Flowers
4. Second Breakfast
5. Fun Circuits
6. Stink Thumb
7. Someday
8. December
9. Amantes
10.Something About You
11.Thirty-Two
Renee Rosnes
Mike Moreno
Ben Williams
Otis Brown III
Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts
John Patitucci
Rogerio Boccato
Kevin Hays
Nils Wogram Root 70 - Luxury Habits (nWOG RECORDS 2017)
Released April 28, 2017
After four "conceptual works" releases Root 70 enters the free and spontaneous space again. Luxury Habits is an album on rhythm and unexpected metric transformation. Take the risk and get surprised.
Times change, and with them, the themes and credo of all artists – as long as their antennas continue to receive signals. Even the first bars of the opener of Luxury Habits announce that Root 70 is moving differently. Indeed, the motto for the new CD could be “the party’s over.” Never before has the band sounded so serious. Although here, serious does not mean the cerebral tendency in some of contemporary jazz, but rather the seriousness with which a subject is exhibited, and the depth with which the intentions of four musicians merge. Indeed, the music on Luxury Habits did not even have a conceptual plan. On the contrary, unlike on the last records of Root 70, Wogram wanted to do in a space devoid of concepts what a jazz musician likes to do: to simply play.
Wogram, Chisholm, Penman and Rueckert combine the gift of questioning themselves. Individually and as a band, which, in this case, amounts to a close circle of friends. “The album has emerged from a band dynamic,” says Wogram. “We talked intensively about the concepts of the past few years and agreed that we wanted to take a little more risk. We needed a new challenge.” The collective risk of precise blurring is a rare commodity in an epoch so fond of the post-factual. Root 70 lean far out the window. We have enough answers. Root 70 are four individualists who merge into an inseparable identity and once again ask the right questions in their music.
1. Luxury Habits 05:37
2. To Don`t List 06:58
3. Rehearsing the Future 09:21
4. Flattery is the Strongest Weapon 07:33
5. It`s arrogant to call me arrogant 06:11
6. Rich Kid 08:04
7. Party Anxiety 05:36
8. Starting from Zero 07:25
9. Piazza 08:33
Nils Wogram (Trombone, Melodica)
Hayden Chisholm (Alto Sax)
Matt Penman (Bass)
Jochen Rueckert (Drums)
Yoann Loustalot Aérophone - Atrabile (BRUIT CHIC 2017)
C'est tout d'abord un grand plaisir, à chaque occasion, de croiser le son avec celui de Glenn, unique, beau et rare, si précieux ! J'ai souhaité étoffer et colorer la musique du trio autrement, en ajoutant cette unique palette de sons dont dispose Glenn. L'histoire de ce trio devenu quartet pour cette occasion, s'est écrite à travers chacun des morceaux de cet album, et au fil du temps, qui défile parfois lentement. Il était aussi essentiel à mes yeux de graver toute cette musique après l'avoir jouée en concert. Plus que de mettre un « guest » dans un album ou un super soliste invité à la « va-vite », il fallait que Glenn puisse sentir la sonorité du groupe autant que nous, et donc en faire partie totalement ; encore une fois, cela ne se fait qu'avec du temps.
01. Atrabile 3:51
02. Spongious 6:23
03. Moustal 7:13
04. Sornette 1:50
05. Ancient Empire 5:05
06. Pousse-Pousse 4:39
07. Aspiration 3:38
08. Doloroso 6:17
09. Spontaneous Suite 7:38
10. Inspiration 3:28
Yoann Loustalot, trompette
Glenn Ferris, trombone
Blaise Chevallier, contrebasse
Frédéric Pasqua, batterie
Eddie Palmieri - Sabiduria (ROPEADOPE RECORDS 2017)
Eddie Palmieri’s influence on the world of modern music is often celebrated, but just as often underestimated. As he completes his 80th year with us, his energy and commitment seem to be increasing, as if to fully emphasize the power of not just the music but also the cross-cultural importance of the process. With no sign of slowing, Mr. Palmieri is the elder of a global culture of musicians, actively teaching young students and leading the way for the next generation. And now Mr. Palmieri brings to the world his first project since his back to back Grammy wins in 2005/2006 - SABIDURÍA. Sabiduría is the Spanish word for WISDOM, and the message is clear from the outset that wisdom is the exalted value that should guide us all. His intent with Sabidurí a, as it has been with all of his recordings, is to create art that will be analyzed and understood well beyond his time.
Many elements of style can be found within the experience of SABIDURÍA - funk, soul, jazz and pop are all present alongside the guiding force of rhythm. This is music you can sit to, drive to, and of course, DANCE to. The album features appearances from Donald Harrison Jr, Marcus Miller, Alfredo de la Fe, Joe Locke, Johnny Rivero, Ronnie Cuber, and David Spinnoza. SABIDURÍA may well be the best Latin Jazz record ever made, and when the dance is over we will let history decide.
01. Cuerdas y Tumbao 06:44
02. Wise Bata Blues 06:39
03. Sabiduría 05:32
04. La Cancha 05:13
05. Augustine Parish 06:18
06. Life 02:52
07. Samba Do Suenho 06:37
08. Spinal Volt 05:14
09. The Uprising 07:31
10. Coast To Coast 06:47
11. Locked In 07:05
12. Jibarita y Su Son 08:02
Eddie Palmieri
Little Johnny Rivero
Anthony Carrillo
Luisito Quintero
Luques Curtis
Jonathan Walsh
Louis Fouche
Jonathan Powell
Jeremy Powell
Camilo Molina
With Special Guests:
Donald Harrison
Obed Calvaire
Ronnie Cuber
David Spinozza
Joe Locke
Marcus Miller
Bernard Purdie
Alfredo de la Fe
All Compositions Written & Arranged by Eddie Palmieri
Music Producers: Eddie Palmieri and Eddie Palmieri II
Executive Producers: Eddie Palmieri II, Zoilo R. Torres
Recording & Mixing Engineer: Jay Messina
Assistant Engineer: Bob Mallory, Akihiro Nishimura, Tim Marchiafava, Avatar Studios,
NYC
Mastering Engineer: Fred Kevorkian
Published by: Palmas Floribe (BMI)
Recording Company: Palmieri Music Group
Recorded & Mixed: Avatar Studios
Recorded: February 2012
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Aaron Parks - Find The Way (ECM 2017)
For the second ECM album by Aaron Parks – following the solo release Aborescence, which JazzTimes praised as “expansive, impressionistic… like a vision quest” – the prize-winning pianist has convened a trio featuring bassist Ben Street and drummer Billy Hart. The rhythm pair, which also teams in Hart’s hit quartet for ECM, blends fluidity and strength – what Parks calls “an oceanic” quality, producing waves of energy for the pianist to alternately ride and dive into. Find the Way has the aura of a piano-trio recording in the classic mold, from melody-rich opener “Adrift” to the closing title track, a cover of a romantic tune Parks grew to love on an LP by Rosemary Clooney and Nelson Riddle. Parks also drew inspiration for this album from the likes of Alice Coltrane and Shirley Horn (for whom Hart played); space and subtlety are a priority.
1.ADRIFT (Aaron Parks) 05:46
2.SONG FOR SASHOU (Aaron Parks) 06:22
3.UNRAVEL (Aaron Parks) 04:43
4.HOLD MUSIC (Aaron Parks) 04:19
5.THE STORYTELLER (Aaron Parks) 04:52
6.ALICE (Aaron Parks) 07:09
7.FIRST GLANCE (Aaron Parks) 05:41
8.MELQUÍADES (Aaron Parks) 05:27
9.FIND THE WAY (Ian Bernard) 05:58
Ben Street Double Bass
Billy Hart Drums
John Ferrara & Harvie S - Duo New York (2017)
John Ferrara is a pianist, composer, & arranger, who has performed with scores of jazz and non-jazz luminaries since becoming professional musician in 1963.These include Buddy Rich, Joe Williams, Nelson Riddle, Pacquito D'Rivera, Chico Hamilton, Philly Joe Jones, Major Holley, Al Grey, Doc Cheatham, Al Cohn, Hal Crook, George Mraz, Peter Donald, Glenna Gibson, Jack Wilkins, Clark Terry, Carmen Leggio, Charles McPherson, George Young, Lou Soloff, Joe Newman, Herb Pomeroy, and others. He has played shows with Suzanne Somers, Vaughn Monroe, Bob Crosby and many other notable performers. In addition to publishing two jazz piano books, he taught at several schools including the Berklee College of Music (1978-81). This is his second CD, the first one being “Intervals of Light”. John’s style reflects his affinity for Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Phineas Newborn, Hank Jones, Lennie Tristano, Bud Powell, and others. The tune selection includes two standards, “The Touch Of Your Lips”, and the Bill Evans masterpiece, “Turn Out the Stars”. The others are all originals written by Mr. Ferrara specifically for this recording date.
Harvie S is an award winning bassist, educator, composer, arranger, and producer. A legendary bassist, he has performed and recorded with Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Dexter Gordon, Tony Bennett, Ray Baretto, Michael Brecker, Jean Pierre Rampal, Paquito D’Rivera, Gil Evans, Art Farmer, Mark Turner, Jim Hall, Stefon Harris, Billy Hart, Lee Konitz, Yusef Lateef, Dave Leibman, Joe Lovano, Pat Metheny, Paul Motian, Chico O’Farrill, Danilo Perez, Maria Schneider, Zoot Sims, Toots Thielemans, Ray Vega, James Williams, Phil Woods, Louie Bellson and countless others. He can be heard on twenty albums as a leader, fifteen as a co-leader, and over four hundred albums as a sideman. Harvie’s album with the legendary Sheila Jordan Harvie S duo is a magical live performance released on High Note Records in 2012 called “Yesterdays”. Jazz times included it in the best 100 recordings of 2012.
1. This One's for Charlie (feat. Harvie S) 3:57
2. The Touch of Your Lips (feat. Harvie S) 5:23
3. Turn out the Stars (feat. Harvie S) 5:44
4. New York Blues (feat. Harvie S) 4:05
5. Last Dance (feat. Harvie S) 4:09
6. I Remember Clare Fischer (feat. Harvie S) 4:39
7. Deep Ocean (feat. Harvie S) 5:50
8. When You Were Here (feat. Harvie S) 6:49
9. Uptown Swing (feat. Harvie S) 4:17
John Ferrara, piano
Harvie S, double bass
Laura Dubin Trio Live at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival New CD Show @ Club Bonafide 4/30/17
Laura Dubin Trio
CD Release Concert
Live at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival
Sunday, April 30th
Set Times: 7:30-8:30 pm (one set only)
Club Bonafide
212 East 52nd Street
New York NY, 10022
(between 2nd Ave and 3rd Ave, closer to 3rd Ave)
(646) 918-6189
$10, plus 2 drink minimum for table service
Featuring
Mike Forfia (bass)
Antonio Guerrero (drums)
In the company of her life and musical partner, brilliant drummer Antonio H. Guerrero, and the outstanding bassist Kieran Hanlon, Laura’s trio embodies the essence of synergy and unity of purpose that is essential for jazz and all creative music at its highest level. Each piece is thoroughly conceived and structured to provide a fully conceptual canvas to paint the pictures of adventurous exploration and spontaneity that are at the heart of Laura’s music.
Laura’s consummate skills as a pianist are deeply steeped in the entire tradition of jazz piano, giving her a total command of the vernacular. Combining this with her mastery of the western classical piano tradition, her stunning musicianship is on full display throughout. It’s never in any showy or ostentatious manner, but rather in her being able to deftly apply her flawless technique in the perfect manner to tell the compelling stories she depicts through her artistry.
Guerrero and Hanlon are the ideal partners – not sidemen, but rather collaborators. Guerrero anticipates every nuance of Laura’s playing, dancing a pas de deux with her at all times, while Hanlon provides the thrust and body that buoys the music while also setting it free. Their interplay is marvelous and their solo segments are fully conceived within the musical structure – Guerrero’s often powered by Laura’s support, and Hanlon’s always lyrical and fluid, with his arco playing cello-like in its alluring texture.
Two timeless classical works – Mozart’s Sonata No. 11 “Rondo alla Turca” and Beethoven’s Sonata No. 8 “Pathetique” – are vividly re-imagined; the Beethoven interwoven with a variety of Songbook themes, and the Mozart an excursion into boogie-woogie, stride, barrelhouse, bebop and swing.
Three more classical works are contained within five medleys, each integrated together seamlessly into a unified whole. A punchy take on Ravel’s Prelude from Le Tombeau de Couperin melds with a Latin-tinged excursion on Rodgers & Hammerstein’s My Favorite Things; an evolved version of Chopin’s Minute Waltz is birthed from a captivating musing on Ellington’s gorgeous Prelude to a Kiss; and a beautifully poignant rendition of Debussy’s Reflets dans l’eau blends with the equally exquisite Gershwin masterpiece Our Love Is Here to Stay.
The other two medleys reflect upon another element that is present throughout the album – homage to some of Laura’s deepest inspirations. Three of her favorite Chick Corea pieces – No Mystery/Now He Sings, Now He Sobs/Spain – are combined for a sumptuous feast; and Bill Evans is offered her personal heartfelt tribute with her own composition Waltz for Bill, morphing into an upbeat take on Cole Porter’s It’s De-Lovely.
Oscar’s influence is also on display in the up-tempo album opener, Steve Allen’s This Could Be the Start of Something Big; Gershwin on tap again for I Got Rhythm with a modern and modal twist; and blazing the proper mode for Michel Camilo’s Latin burner On Fire; while Donald Brown’s New York has the vehement in-your face quality of its namesake in both composition and performance.
Six more of Laura’s originals comprise the remainder of this terrific album, including the up-tempo smoker Green Arrow; the grooving romp Something’s Cookin’ ; the appropriately rumbling and tumultuous Thunderstorm with Laura in McCoy Tyner-ish intensity; and Doc Z, based on the chords of Sonny Rollins Doxy with Laura in the blues mode of Oscar, with a nice touch of Red Garland in tow. Reprised from Laura’s acclaimed debut album Introducing the Laura Dubin Trio (as is Ode to O.P.) are Anxiety, driven by infectious bass ostinatos and the rollicking album closer Barcelona, alternating between scorching and swinging with Laura in that Spanish chord drive in the manner of McCoy on Coltrane’s spectacular Olé.
A splendid expedition from start to finish, this radiant music is marked by another element that is so important – a sense of sheer joyousness in the spirited essence of making music.
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