WOMEN WHO ARE CHANGING THE FACE OF JAZZ

By Dee Dee McNeil

July 25, 2022

ELSA NILSSON – “ATLAS OF SOUND: COAST REDWOODS” – Ears&Eyes Records

Elsa Nilsson, flutes/composer; Jon Cowherd, piano; Chris Morrissey, bass.

Elsa Nilsson is a sensitive and technically astute flute player and composer.  This album is her first in a series she is calling, “Atlas of Sound.” It is inspired by the human connection to locations in the natural world.  She refers to coordinates she used to record a ten-movement suite that is a tribute to nature.

“The secret is in the tempo. How slow the redwoods move.  For me to hear them, I have to slow down, stay still; really, really listen.  When I do, I find music in every movement.  There’s a melody in the rustle of leaves as the wind blows through them and they release and float to the ground; a groove in the sound of footsteps, real or imagined,” she explains.

If this description sounds abstract, like the music, it is. What I feel when I listen to Elsa’s unique original compositions is a sense of peace and tranquility.  I float away with her trio on imaginary clouds that feed the Redwoods with sheets of moisture and filter the sunrays beaming over the huge trees. On their single, “Catching Droplets” there is a touch of Arabian music in the flute solo and Jon Cowherd’s piano playing is interesting with his jazzy, swing-infused solo framed in classical technique.  On “Proof of the Unseen” I enjoy Chris Morrissey’s bass solo sparkling brightly in the spotlight.  Elsa’s original tune, “Epicormic” is more modern jazz with each musician freely improvising.  They listen to each other and are inspired by each one’s musicality.   This is the longest song of the ten she has chosen to showcase here.  They play it for over ten minutes and captivate me with their creativity, tempo changes and mood swings. Epicormic is a word that describes a shoot or branch growing from a previously dormant bud on the trunk or limb of a tree.  Nilsson’s flute almost lets you see that tiny bud grow and blossom.  This is delightful music to both meditate by and relax. It’s Elsa Nilsson’s tribute to the beauty and magnificence of the Redwood tree.

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ROXY COSS – DISPARATE PARTS – Outside In Music

Roxy Coss, tenor & soprano saxophones/composer; Alex Wintz, guitar; Miki Yamanaka, piano/Fender Rhodes/composer; Rick Rosato, bass; Jimmy Macbride, drums/composer.

This is an album sparked with energy that merges jazz with rock on Miki Yamanaka’s opening song.  “February” is one minute and eleven seconds of pure excitement. For this “February”suite, Roxy Coss had written four songs that exemplify “The Body,” “The Mind,” “The Heart,” and “The Spirit.”  These four original compositions make up Track 2, 3, 4 and 5.  Roxy expresses her inspiration for creating this, her long-awaited follow-up album to her successful release of “Quintet” back in 2019:

“Everything for me goes back to being a woman in jazz.  That is my identity. … The different things that I do in my life are either for a certain part of me or accessing a certain part of me and they’re not integrated. Each of these pieces of the suite are the ‘Disparate Parts.’  As the project progressed, I went through the life changes of being pregnant and now, being a new mom, and felt that concept manifesting itself even more so in my own life.” Roxy Coss explained.

 “The Body” is high energy and very melodic, with a wild and fuzzy guitar part by Alex Winatz and Rick Rosato’s bass predominate and rich in the mix.  Roxy’s tenor saxophone flies above the fray, like a paper plane caught in a wind tunnel.  “The Mind” another part of her suite, is ethereal and cerebral where she and the pianist play tag with each other at the top of the tune.  Then the spotlight swoops to Miki Yamanaka on Fender Rhodes, who delivers a solo draped lightly in the blues, but is heavily saturated with modern jazz. This song screams freedom at the top of its lungs.  “The Heart” is all a flutter, with Jimmy Macbride’s drums pumping life into the arrangement.  Roxy Coss is the blood coursing through the veins of the song on her saxophone, establishing the melody.  Yamanaka is like the heart muscles driving the piece forward with improvisation. The tempo is how my heart feels after I’ve run a mile. My favorite part of this suite is “The Spirit” that gives Rick Rosato a time to shine on his bass and boldly features Roxy Coss on her tenor instrument. She offers her listening audience fourteen original compositions, inclusive of six written by her pianist, Miki Yamanaka and one composed by drummer Jimmy Macbride and “Ely, MN” composed by guitarist Alex Wintz.  The title tune, “Disparate Parts” meaning parts being essentially different in kind or incomparable, is the first composition that is truly Straight-ahead.  This tune pleases my artistic heart and becomes another favorite on this album.  Wintz takes the opportunity to solo on this one and make quite an impression, as does Macbride when they trade fours. Roxy Coss offers a little something for everyone during this production.

She says in her press package, “I’m still feeling this idea of having disparate parts of myself represented in different areas of my life, but it is even more prevalent now that I’m a new mom.”

Coss offers us musical pieces of her life journey, as interpreted by her quintet and their compositions. Like a diary, it unfolds in a very personal way.

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BEVERLY CHURCH HOGAN – “SWEET INVITATION” – Café Pacific Records

Beverley Church Hogan, vocals; Grant Geissman, guitar; John Proulx, piano; Lyman Medeiros, bass; Clayton Cameron & Dean Koba, drums; Kevin Winard, percussion; Bob Sheppard, saxophone.

Here is a singer I can tell has been singing jazz through a number of gigs and life experiences.  I believe Ms. Beverly Church Hogan when she sings, “Don’ Cha Go ‘Way Mad” and “Falling in Love With Love.” She swings and her amazing band inspires and pumps the hard bop music into John Proulx’s arrangements.  They solidly support her. This Montreal, Quebec native grew up enthralled with recordings by Frank Sinatra and Joe Williams.  She began singing as a pre-teen and was winning amateur contests at the age of twelve.  That win landed her a weekly gig singing on a local radio station.  The entertainment bug bit Beverly Church Hogan early.  She relocated to Los Angeles at twenty-one and almost immediately landed a recording contract with Capitol records.  Funny, how life can sometimes get in the way of dreams.  She was married with a baby at home when she finally secured that contract offer, but of course the record company wanted her to tour for the next 58 weeks to promote the record.  Consequently, she turned the offer down to be a stay-at-home wife and mother.

John Proulx’s piano magnificence shines during her delivery of “I Got Lost in His Arms.”  During the arrangement of “Invitation,” Bob Sheppard’s tasty and beautiful saxophone lines compliment her vocals sweetly, like hot tea and honey. Clayton Cameron tap-dances across the drums with his supple sticks on the “I’m Just Foolin’ Myself” tune and Lyman Medeiros steps forward to share a swinging bass solo.  Beverly Church Hogan seems to love singing beautiful ballads like, “When October Goes,” and “Why Try to Change Me Now,” but I particularly enjoy her ‘swing’ side the best.  You can tell she has lived these songs in her own, eighty-six years on earth. There is a believability to her melodic storytelling and what her vocals lack in control, she makes up for with emotional feeling and honesty. 

“This is the only life we’re granted and you have to take chances and follow your dreams no matter your age,” Beverly Church Hogan muses in her press package.

Bravo to that!

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XIOMARA TORRES – “LA VOZ DEL MAR” – Patois Records

Xiomara Torres, vocals/Guasa; Dan Neville, vibraphone/marimba/arranger; David Obregon, bass; Giovanni Caldas & Santiago Melo, piano; Miguel Salazar, accordion; John Benitez & Miguel Sanchez, bass; Adrean Areas, quinto; Marcel Mindinero Boku, conga/cununo/percussion; Miverr Andrés Mina Grueso ‘Timba’, Timbales/bombo; Yemayá Balafon & Ciro Silva, bamboo; John Santos & Omar Torres, Maracas; Rebecca Kleinmann, flute; Omar Julian Trujillo & Jhon Filteo, trumpet; Harlinson Lozano, saxophone; Wayne Wallace, Carlos Latoche, Adam Theis, trombone; Alejandro Escobar, cello; Maria Del Mar Castano Duque & Maria Del Mar Goyes Rojas, violin; Edmar Castaneda & Destiny Muhammad, harp; CHORUS: Nidia Gongora, Gloria Torres, Dayfa Torres, Victor Hugo Rodriguez, Mayssy Cundumi Montano, Michel Obregon, Ciara Medina Obregon, Paola Ponce, Jhon Edinson Garcia Sanchez & Ciro Silva.

Xiomara Torres sings in Spanish with passion and sincerity. Her voice is satin smooth and slides over the notes like hot oil.  The first song is “Me Quedo Contigo,” a spirited, up-tempo composition that had me dancing around the room.  It features John Benitez pumping his Latin bass line to propel the rumba rhythm. This album, “La Voz Del Mar,” has been recorded to share an extraordinary cultural heritage of a little-known region in Colombia. Dan Neville is a jazz vibraphonist and marimba player, who has spent years studying with master musicians in both Cuba and Colombia. The vocalist he features on this project is Xiomara (pronounced See-o-mar-a) Torres.  She comes from music royalty.  This album is a tribute to Xiomara’s uncle, the departed maestro and marimba player, Diego Obregon. This talented vocalist is acclaimed in the Pacific region for personifying her traditional roots and incorporating them with more contemporary musical styles including salsa, bolero, cumbia and vallenato. She was born in Guapi and based in Cali, Columbia.

“Cali is this place where there’s a unique confluence of folkloric Pacific coast traditions; salsa, jazz, reggaeton, vallenato and all these other styles.  It’s very unique and inspiring.  I think the songs on the album reflect that.  Xiomara is from Guapi and she sings with a certain swing that comes from folkloric music,” Dan Neville explained.

“Como Una Hoguera” includes the chorus, lifting the song higher and enthusiastically. The arrangement is inspired by bright, happy horn lines.  Giovanni Caldas shines on piano. On the tune “Tio,” Dan Neville soaks up the spotlight on his marimba and the ensemble supports the arrangement with jazzy Afro-Cuban or Afro-Colombian 6/8 time, a tempo that makes your hips sway and your feet pat. This album is just pure happiness and joy from start to finish. Xiomara’s interpretation and Neville’s arrangement of the Beatles hit song, “Let It Be” is the only song performed in English, but that doesn’t matter.  Music is a universal language and every song recorded here is splendid and touches my heart. Her voice is like a sweet, soothing balm.

Dan Neville’s deep commitment to Afro-Colombian culture is evident and sparkling on this project. Xiomara Torres is the diamond in his musical crown. This production reflects Neville’s in-depth studies with Diego Obregon. Dan Neville is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, a prolific composer, performer and jazz big band arranger, who composed and arranged for the San Francisco Jazz Center’s Monday Night Big Band for seven seasons; from 2013 through 2016. He won first place in the Jazz Search West competition in 2017.  That same year, Neville released his “Tenerife” album that became a critically acclaimed success.  I believe this album will be another triumphant achievement for Xiomara and Neville.

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SATOKO FUJII & JOE FONDA – “THREAD OF LIGHT” – FSRecords.net

Satoko Fujii, piano/composer; Joe Fonda, bass/cello/flute/composer.

Whenever I see Satoko Fujii’s name, I know I am in for an exploratory rocket ship ride across the musical universe.  Her creative, Avant-garde arrangements, interwoven here with Joe Fonda’s composer skills and musical talents will suck you in like a black hole in space.  Their album cover even celebrates this concept with a thread of light encircling the moon, or perhaps that’s a photo of an eclipse of the sun.  Either way, that photo like their original music, invites us to question and explore the unknown and the beautiful. Both of these musicians collaborated during the pandemic. Fonda listened to Fujii’s solo piano creations posted on her Bandcamp page and came back with an interesting proposal.

“He emailed me saying he really enjoyed “Step on Thin Ice” and he actually could hear a way to create his own part to go with it.  Originally, I had played it as a solo, not as part of a duet, but he found the space to add to it and make it more perfect.  I was amazed at how great it sounded with his part added,” Satoko explained how this duo project was born.

“This is the first time I have ever done a CD like this.  I studied her tracks for weeks, making notes and tuning in to where she was coming from on each piece; what the vibe was, what the feeling was.  Then I started to play along, looking for how I might approach each song.  Every track was different,” Joe Fonda talked about his creative process.

The result is this incredible and freedom-fanned project. With the addition of bass, cello and flute, Joe Fonda boosts the spontaneity and excitement that Satoko always brings to her work.  They co-write all of the compositions but two; “My Song” is a Fonda composition and “Winter Sunshine” is Fujii’s composition. All the rest of these songs were created together.  Their ideas flow collectively, naturally, like salt and water. From the first co-written composition, “Kochi” I am fascinated by their intriguing blend of ideas and concepts.  Fonda’s basement of sound is a strong foundation, like a hundred-year-old redwood tree. Satoko Fujii’s busy piano flies about the production like a restless bird, settling on the Redwood’s branch to peck at the wood and then flying off again into space. On “Fallen Leaves Dance,” her fingers move hummingbird fast. Another of my favorites is titled, “Anticipating” where the two musicians tease space and improvise freely, often sounding like they are chasing each other, the way children do when playing tag. The sudden ending simply screams, “You’re it!”

Satoko Fujii has been challenging musical concepts and stretching boundaries since 1996, when she first burst on the scene. The beauty and freedom she and Joe Fonda have found in this duet project is stellar. Their astral association creates a solar atmosphere that invites the listener to let go and climb aboard their creative spaceship.  You can fasten your seatbelt or just float and enjoy the ride.

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HANKA G – “UNIVERSAL ANCESTRY” – Culture Bridge Records

Hanka G, lead vocals; James Hurt, piano/Fender Rhodes/co-producer/arranger;  Shedrick Mitchell, organ/piano/co-producer/ arranger; Rodney Kendrick, piano/co-producer/arranger; Rashaan Carter, electric & double bass; David Ginyard, electric bass; Sherrod Barnes, electric guitar; Marvin Sewell, guitars; Taru Alexander & Nathaniel Townsley, drums; Antoine Roney, tenor & soprano saxophone; Sisa Michalidesova, flute; Veronika Vitazkova, fujara; Keesha Gumbs & Terelle Tipton, background vocals.

Hanka G is a Slovakian vocalist. Although she has recorded other albums, this is her debut album recorded and released in the United States.  She is surrounded by a stellar group of New York-based musicians who bring their A-game to this project.  Hanka is no newcomer to the music business.  She’s a respected artist in Slovakia and other parts of Europe. Her last two albums were both nominated for “Best Jazz Album of the Year.”  Hanka G is a multi-racial Slovak nationalist and one of the first Slovakian singers to fuse Slovak folk music with jazz.  On this recording, co-producer and arranger, James Hurt, assisted her in transforming three Slovak folk songs into jazz. My favorite arrangement is on their interpretation of “Bird Has Started Singing.” It’s a beautiful tune and I think Mr. Hurt supported the melody and subject matter with his lovely arrangement.

“My latest project was framed through the lens of an immigrant in the USA trying to unite people with different musical heritages.  Regardless of our backgrounds, we all dream about love, happiness and freedom,” Hanka G reflects.

Her choice of repertoire mirrors Hanka’s deep spirituality and her love of gutsy, power-house voices like R&B diva, Chaka Khan, gospel composer/singer, Walter Hawkins and the late, great Whitney Houston. Hanka sings about universal love, relationships and the concept of being grateful.  One of her Slovak folk songs is titled “Dance Dance” and she sings it in her native tongue combined with English.

Hanka spent her childhood years in the Mongolian desert with parents who were geologists.  Some of the first melodies she learned were Mongolian.  Her father played guitar and sang. He loved American rhythm and blues, including artists like Chuck Berry and Aretha Franklin.  Once her country was liberated from communism, Hanka heard and became enchanted with Motown music.  Hanka G and Cassandra Wilson became friends after Wilson heard Hanka G’s “Essence” album.  Cassandra asked Hanka G to become her opening act for Wilson’s concert in Bratislave, the capital of Slovakia.  Wilson later suggested she relocate to the United States. In 2016, the talented vocalist did just that. Hanka now resides in New York City. 

I particularly liked her rendition of Donny Hathaway’s hit record, “Someday We’ll All Be Free” with just her vocals and the accompaniment of Shedrick Mitchell. I needed nothing more than to hear her amazing voice, uncluttered by a production and powerfully sensitive.

Rodney Kendrick plays piano for her on the Abby Lincoln tune, “Throw It Away.”  The production is very funky and I enjoy Hanka’s expressive vocals, but the musical arrangement was odd in places. She swings hard on “Them There Eyes” and holds solid on her pitch, no matter what the bassist played. Here is a vocalist, greatly influenced by Chaka Khan, who manages to hold her own, flying like a beautiful, wild bird on top of tracks that sometimes challenge instead of complimenting her rich vocal style. This made me think about Betty Carter and a conversation we once had.  She told me the reason she learned to pen and arrange her own charts was because the musicians never played the tunes the way she heard them in her head. She wanted arrangements that supported and complimented her vocals as a lead instrument. I found that to be a challenge here. However, I look forward to hearing more from this talented and dynamic vocalist.

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JOY LAPPS – “GIRL IN THE YARD” – Independent Label

Joy Lapps, tenor, bass, double guitar & alto steelpan/percussion/background vocals; Andy Narell, alto, tenor & bass steelpans; Shaquila Alexander, alto steelpan; Asha Lapps, double guitar steelpan; Courtenay Frazier, organ/Fender Rhodes/background vocals/melodica; Jeremy Leadbetter, clavinet/piano; Michael Shand, piano/Fender Rhodes/background vocals; Eddie Bullen, piano/synth.;Elmer Ferrer, guitar/tres; Eric St. Laurent, guitar; Kobena Aquaa Harrison, guitars/percussion; Andrew Stewart, programmer/bass;Bruce Skerrit, melodica; Larnel Lewis, drums/background vocals; Rosendo Chendy Leon, Brian Edwards & Diego Las Heras, percussion/congas; David Richards & Magdelys Savigne, percussion; Marito Marques, balafon/kalimba; Cheliz, surdo/cuatro; Mario Allende, pandeiro; Rob Christian, tenor & Soprano saxophone/flute/bansuri; Jesse Ryan, alto saxophone; Shelka Francis, alto saxophone; Marcus Ali, wooden flute; Colleen Allen, clarinet; Tara Kannangara, flugelhorn; Dionne Wilson, lead & background vocals; Elena Rawlins, background vocals. VIOLINS: Elizabeth Rodriquez, Alaksandar Gajic & Janetta Wilczewska; Aysel Taghi-Zada, viola; Jonathan Tortolano, cello.

Joy Lapps-Lewis is a composer and steelpan master who has been called a multi-modal artist.  This is her fifth album release as a bandleader, featuring her original music and her own arrangements. Joy is a celebrated Steelband players who won the treasured Canadian Juno Award in 2016. As an artist, she has made an international statement, performing with the Calypsociation in Paris, the Birdsong Steel Orchestra in Trinidad and Tobago, and this current ensemble, Pan Fantasy, in her native Toronto, Canada.  This album is a tapestry of West African influences, Afro-Caribbean music and her soaring arrangements create a rich fabric of world music that features Ms. Lapps’ mastery playing the steelpans.  This album paints bright, happy music in lovely, loud colors. Joy Lapps is the daughter of a mother and father who came from Antiqua and Barbuda to settle in North America.  This music is saturated with her cultural roots and infused with percussive brightness. Tunes like “Morning Sunrise” cross over and are arranged in a more ‘smooth jazz’ vein. Elmer Ferrer’s guitar provides a plush pillow of rhythm for Joy Lapps to lay down her creative solo. Rob Christian’s flute happily sparks the piece, while the background voices fuel the energy. This composition sounds like a crossover hit. Elizabeth Rodriquez shines like a star playing violin during their presentation of Joy’s composition, “Serena.”  On “Sharifa the Great” Larnel Lewis shows his powerful mastery of the trap drums with a very engaging solo. The producer of this album of unique music must be acknowledged, Andrew W. Stewart, who also had a hand in arranging.  Joy Lapps is a melodic composer. If her music is a reflection of her personality, Ms. Lapps is a very happy person, indeed! This album of music is a joyful listen!

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KATHERINE FARNHAM – “ALQUIMIA” – Voice Inside Records

Katherine Farnham, vocals/piano/keyboards/percussion/arrangements/guinga/background vocals; Denny Jiosa & Andrea Canola, acoustic & electric guitars; Guinga, guitars/vocals; Roy Vogt, bass; Marcus Finnie & Rich Adams, drums; Andres Canola & Rich Adams, percussion; Nestor Torres, flute;   

If you like a boisterous, joyful production, blended into Brazilian culture with spicey Spanish influences, you will enjoy award-winning artist, Katherine Farnham.  Ms. Farnham plays piano, percussion, composes and arranges her own music.  Add to this her powerful vocals and you get the picture of a multi-talented woman.  She is a nine-time, Global Music Award winner.  The first track on this project is a “Tango” sung in English with a teasing, provocative lyric that reflects her passion for love and life.

Track two, “Onde Esta Meu Amor” is sung in either Spanish or Portuguese. Katherine “Kool Cat” Farnham is fluid in both languages and sadly, this journalist is not. Farnham is a third-generation musician who fluctuates from her foreign languages to English, giving us a hint of what this love song is about, singing: “I am so jealous of the others.  I wanted to make you jealous too.  Just so you would kiss me.  Just so you would hold me.”  She’s no newcomer to the stage or studio.  At five years old she became the leading lady in her school play and also began to sing jazz.  Her mother was a concert pianist and vocal coach for the Sante Fe Opera company. So, Katherine Farnham has deep roots and early training in music.

On this “Alquimia” album, she premieres her first duet on her composition, “A Vox do Mundo” featuring famed Brazilian guitarist Guinga, who plays and sings with her. He has a smokey, sexy voice that caresses the lyrics and is in stark contrast to her powerhouse vocals. Katherine’s elegant version of “Besame Mucho” features four-time Grammy nominee, guitarist Denny Jiosa. The piano line is a surprise and supportive of her voice during this refreshed arrangement.  Consistently, Katherine Farnham’s band is plush with excellence and energy.  The “Kool Cat” (as she is fondly referred to) was classically trained and sports a four-octave vocal range.  She has appeared on Good Morning America, NPR Public Television and Telemundo television, as well as staying busy touring internationally.  In the past few years she has garnered a staggering twelve music awards and is one of the youngest recipients of the Albert Nelson Lifetime Achievement Music Award.  I have no doubt this “Alquimia” project will also win notoriety and accolades.

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VARIOUS JAZZ POINTS OF VIEW

By Dee Dee McNeil

July 11, 2022

CHRISTIAN JACOB – “NEW JAZZ STANDARDS VOL 5/THE MUSIC OF CARL SAUNDERS” –  Summit Records

Christian Jacob, piano; Darek Oles, bass; Joe Labarbera, drums.

Trumpeter Carl Saunders is one of the jazz world’s great technicians, a composer and improviser. 

“I have been writing tunes all of my life.  I had many of them sitting by the piano, unorganized and looking like a bit of a mess.  I finally decided to print them out and organize them in a folder. … Finally published them into a book which I call New Jazz Standards, which has over 300 songs. I let the artists pick whatever tunes they want to do from the book and interpret them in their own style,” Carl Saunders explained.

That’s how this wonderful album of music was created by French classical and jazz pianist, Christian Jacob, talented bassist Darek Oles and legendary drummer, Joe LaBarbera.  They open with “August in New York” at a moderate but swinging pace.  Another of the twelve Saunders’ tunes is one called “A Ballad for Pete Candoli.” It’s a very beautiful ballad celebrating this iconic jazz trumpeter who played with both the Stan Kenton and Woody Herman big bands. I enjoy the sensitive, light, airy touch Jacob has on piano.  His fingers seem to be skipping over the notes, free as uninhibited children at play.  Next, the trio breaks into a three-four tune titled “Zig Zag Waltz.”  All the Saunders’ tunes are melodic and leave plenty of room for the musicians to explore, improvise and express themselves. Oles offers a brief but awesome bass solo.  LaBarbera solidifies the waltz, first with brushes and then builds the excitement, ending with cymbals ringing and sticks flying. 

The composition titled, “The Hipper They Are the Harder They Fall” is straight-ahead bliss.  In fact, every tune on this CD is brilliantly interpreted and the trio arrangements offer something for everyone’s pleasure and enjoyment.  Other Favorites are: “A Pill for Bill” that races across space like lightening; “Dark Blanket” is a composition warm as a wool poncho and “Sweetness” is a sugar-soaked ballad begging for lyrics. Each of the Saunders compositions light up the universe, bright stars on the horizon. To me, they sound like jazz standards.

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BILL ORTIZ – “POINTS OF VIEW” – Left Angle Records

Bill Ortiz, trumpet/flugelhorn; Matt Clark, piano/Fender Rhodes; Brian Jackson, piano; Carl Wheeler, Hammond B3 organ; Marcus Shelby, bass; Marc van Wageningen, electric bass; Dennis Chambers, drums; John Santos, percussion/lead & background vocals; Javier Navarrette, percussion/background vocals; Azar Lawrence, tenor saxophone; Terrie Odabi & Christelle Durandy, lead & background vocals; Juan Luis Perez, Larry Batiste & Sandy Griffith, background vocals.

The first music arrangement of Bill Ortiz is robust and rolls out with the propulsive rhythm of Dennis Chambers, on drums, punching the funk into place.  They introduce the Eddie Henderson composition, “Sunburst” and it’s a great way to begin this album.  The trumpet of Ortiz announces the melody like a breath of fresh air and calls my ears to attention.  The arrangement dips and dives, with interludes that calm the tempo, until the drums become prominent again and continue driving the piece forward.  On Track #1, these musicians create a lovely blend of fusion with the more traditional, straight-ahead jazz.

Ortiz has his feet solidly planted in several jazz styles.  This is not surprising since he has spent forty-plus years playing a variety of music.  He toured for sixteen years with Santana and was part of that ensemble when they walked away with their multi-Grammy winning “Smooth” album. 

Bill Ortiz has recorded or performed with a long list of iconic names like Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Tito Puente, Pete Escovedo, Boz Scaggs, Buddy Guy, as well as R&B stars like Tony Toni Tone, TLC, En Vogue and Destiny’s Child. Each of the ten pieces of this Ortiz repertoire was chosen to become a vehicle that showcases the Ortiz personal voice on trumpet.  He explained:

“…Music makes people feel something. I wanted “Points of View” to feature important pieces that have been overlooked or forgotten; songs I felt could document the sounds and artists that were important to me in forming my voice, while updating and bringing my personal style to them,” Ortiz said.

To assist him, Bill Ortiz has selected a stellar ensemble of musicians including the flying fingers of Matt Clark on piano.  Clark is always innovative as a soloist and complimentary as a solid rhythm player and accompanist. You hear this on Track #4, “In Search of Truth,” a sweet and lovely ballad with piano lines cascading like small waterfalls. Azar Lawrence, on tenor saxophone, sings the melody in unison with Ortiz on trumpet.  On Track #6, “A Toast to the People” written by Brian Jackson and Gil Scott Heron, features Terrie Odabi on lead vocals.  She adds her special flavor to the mix and rejuvenates this Gil Scott Heron gem of a tune.  Track #9 is a favorite arrangement of mine, composed by Wayne Shorter, and titled, “Oriental Folk Song” and inclusive of the “John Coltrane” melodic line dancing through the melody.  It makes me want to sing, “John Col – Trane” over and over again. Fueled by percussive spirit, Azar Lawrence takes a star-studded tenor solo. I also enjoyed Track #3, the Wilton Felder tune, “Ain’t Gon Change a Thang” that features another inspired solo by Azar with Bill Ortiz spicing it up by adding various effects to the arrangement.  All in all, this is a delightful mix of talent and repertoire. The mastery of Bill Ortiz on trumpet and flugelhorn is consistently obvious, awesome and spellbinding.  Perhaps Ortiz described his project best when he said:

“I like players who, like me, color outside the lines and strive for exciting interactions that make people listen and react, so that every time they play it, it tells a different story and goes to fresh, unheard places.  I wanted these guys to play off each other and jump into the oblivion of the unknown.  Afro Cuban music is a huge part of my life, and I welcomed genre greats like John Santos, who could inspire me to take that passion to the next level.”

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EVAN DRYBREAD – “TIGER TAIL” – Independent Label

Evan Drybread, tenor & soprano saxophones/composer; Mark Buselli, trumpet/flugelhorn; Christopher Pitts, piano/Fender Rhodes/composer; Scott Pazera, electric & upright basses; Kenny Phelps, drum/percussion.

Evan Drybread reflects the era of bebop, inspired by the hard bop records from back in the early popular Blue Note years.  He admires musicians like Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.  These musicians inspired Drybread to compose and pursue an album that reflected his love of saxophone and straight-ahead jazz.  Drybread opens this album with a wonderful original tune he wrote titled, “Blackball.”  Although he obviously has a deep love for bebop, Drybread was actually raised on fusion.  He wrote and included a tune to express that side of his jazz affections titled, “High Priestess” incorporating electronics.  He replaces the piano with a Fender Rhodes and Drybread pulls out his soprano saxophone during this arrangement. Kenny Phelps is absolutely inspirational on drums, taking a long and exciting solo.  The composition, “The Queen of Cups” slows the energy down and invites the trumpet of Mark Buselli to express himself.  He brings a warm, lovely tone to the party.

“Tiger Tail is my most recent composition.  I have been greatly inspired by the John Coltrane Quartet and wanted to capture the energy and spirituality of his music of the 60s.  I wanted to have a big, driving bass line in 6/4 with a soaring tenor melody.  This tune, in many ways, feels like my self-portrait, especially from the last seven years of my life. It has been a period filled with both personal and musical growth, but also great pain physically and emotionally.  Like a tiger, this song shows great strength, but also vulnerability,” Evan Drybread describes the title tune of his album.

In summary, I found Drybread’s album to be both innovative and enjoyable.  His composer qualities shine. 

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PETER ERSKINE TRIO – “LIVE IN ITALY” – Fuzzy Music

Peter Erskine, drums/composer; Alan Pasqua, piano/composer; Darek Oles, bass/composer.

The first original composition by Alan Pasqua, “Agrodolce” is sultry, pensive and drenched in classical music.  Pasqua opens, playing solo piano for the first half of this arrangement.  When the other two musicians join him, Peter Erskine’s brushes brighten the tempo and Darek Oles steps up to offer us a salty bass solo that’s both lyrical and relaxing. There is something comfortable and warm about this Peter Erskine Trio.  Their ‘live’ concert music draws me in.  Their repertoire is listed on the CD in the format of a restaurant menu.  Track #2 is titled “New Hope.” It’s another Pasqua original with a laid-back tempo, but beautifully written and played. “Old School Blues” struts onto the concert scene with Darek’s bass walking briskly beneath the groove that Peter Erskine’s drums lay down. Erskine’s drumming is strong and flavorful, like a thick Italian red sauce on fresh spaghetti. It’s a delicious arrangement. I tap my toes along with his swinging beat.

This is an easy listening trio of jazz played by three iconic gentlemen and recorded before a ‘live’ audience in Camogli, Italy on November 19, 2021.  The trio was in the midst of a two-week Italian tour. It was their first tour since the coronavirus lockdown. The Peter Erskine Trio offers a lip-smacking, toe taping menu of mostly original compositions. Erskine’s pepper-hot drums splatter across their arrangements with masterful sticks and brushes. He takes several solo spaces to sprinkle his talent over the captive audience. They reward him with appreciative applause. Erskine has composed “Three-Quarter Molly” that gives another platform for Pasqua to showcase his skillful piano creativity.  The tune “Turnaround” by Alan Pasqua is more energetic and tumultuous; a perfect platform for Erskine to shine, tap and tickle his drums.  Peter’s percussion opens the famed Dizzy tune, “Con Alma” tap-dancing on skins that double time beneath Pasqua and Oles. Darek Oles spotlights his bass in a dramatic solo during this tune. As the concert comes to an end, their audience responds with explosive hand claps.  The people demonstrate how much they appreciate what they heard.  I strongly concur.

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ESTHESIS QUARTET – “ESTHESIS QUARTET” –  Orenda Records

Dawn Clement, piano; Elsa Nilsson, flute/vocals; Emma Dayhuff, bass; Tina Raymond, drums.

This is a spirited, all-female quartet.  The first tune on the ‘Esthesis’ album is titled, “Cricket.” However, it sounds more like a boxing match than a chirping cricket.  I do enjoy the energy and excitement that this quartet produces. At the intro, Elsa Nilsson chirps like a cricket on her flute and Emma Dayhuff, on bass, mimics the cricket sounds briefly. But very quickly, Tina Raymond punches the drums in all the vulnerable spots and the staccato breaks remind me of gloves swinging and colliding with flesh. Dayhuff solos on bass and the energy grows. Nilsson’s flute flies in a flurry of punches and I’m caught up in the splendid excitement these four musicians create.  When Tina takes an extended drum solo, I can clearly see the two boxers duking it out at the end of the tenth round and then, boom!  Knock-out!  The song abruptly ends. “Two Moons” is track two. The moody melody is played sweetly on Elsa Nilsson’s flute.  This arrangement is burrowed in thigh deep blues.  The story behind the title is one that celebrates an American Indian Cheyenne chief.  He traveled to Washington, D.C. many times to discuss and negotiate a future for his Northern Cheyenne people. In fact, it is “Two Moons” who is featured on the American Buffalo Nickel coin.  Dawn Clement is brightly featured on piano during this arrangement, shining with creativity. Clement and Nilsson have collaborated on “Partial” with Nilsson writing the music and Clement has penned the lyrics.  Nilsson sings.

The quartet adopted the name ‘Esthesis’ which means: elementary sensations of touch.  They were formed as a creative support group to keep compositions coming and creative juices flowing during the awful COVID-19 pandemic.  After spending several sessions together on the Zoom app, the members headed to Los Angeles and recorded this, their debut album. Dawn Clement is a Denver, Colorado-based pianist and educator.  Currently she holds the role of Assistant Professor and Area Coordinator of the Jazz and American Music Department at Metropolitan State University in Denver.  Drummer, Tina Raymond is currently Assistant Professor and the Director of Jazz studies at California State University, Northridge.  Raymond blends traditional jazz percussion vocabulary with African polyrhythms and classical percussion techniques.  You hear this powerful blending on the quartet’s arrangement of “We Watch It All Burn” written by Nilsson.  Nilsson, who is now New York City based, originally came to the States from Gothenburg, Sweden.  She is an adjunct professor at the New School Paul Rauch and performs regularly at various New York venues.  Bassist, Emma Dayhuff, is a graduate from the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance and only the fifth woman to ever participate in this prestigious program.  Dayhuff lives in Chicago and is pursuing a DMA at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Illinois.  She takes an extended solo journey during the “We Watch It All Burn” tune, exploring the full range of her upright bass and her unique creative instincts.  Raymond is by her side the entire way, fueling the solo piece with percussive intensity.  The song ends, like someone just blew out a candle and the burn abruptly stops.  Drummer, Tina Raymond, has composed “The Gardener” and it’s passive and precious introduction by Nilsson’s sensuous flute makes me want to gather my watering can and my spade to venture into my own garden. Like this music, there is a peacefulness to working with the earth.  The sixth and final tune on this very enjoyable musical concert is titled “Finding What’s Lost.” This song tributes Elsa Nilsson’s father, who passed away and her journey to finding a path back to life out of grief.  She vocalizes the melody, without words, in a scat-like way, dancing above the track in melodic whispers. This album was released May 27, 2022.

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HENDRIK MEURKENS THE WDR BIG BAND – “SAMBA JAZZ ODYSSEY” – Zoho Records

Hendrik Meurkens, harmonica/composer/arranger; Michael Philip Mossman, conductor/composer/ arranger; SAXOPHONES: Johan Hörlén, Pascal Bartoszak, Olivier Peters, Paul Heller, Jens Neufang. TRUMPETS: Andy Haderer, Wim Both, Rob Bruynen, Ruud Breuls. TROMBONES: Ludwig Nuss, Raphael Klemm, Andy Hunter, Mattis Cederberg. RHYTHM: Paul Shigihara, guitar; Billy Test, piano; John Goldsby, bass; Hans Dekker, drums.

Hendrik Meurkens is a German born, New York City based composer and harmonica player, with his own unique, recognizable sound and inspired by a deep love of Latin jazz.  Over his illustrious career, he has traveled to a number of countries and those influences of cultures and historic experiences is reflected in this album, “Samba Jazz Odyssey.” The big band opens with the Meurkens’ flamboyant composition, “A Night in Jakarta.” In my mind, I can still picture the colorful garments of Indonesian women with covered heads and I can hear the angklund instruments of Indonesia, locked melodically into my memory.  Meurkens competently captures the colors and energy of this Indonesian capital with the arrangements conducted by Michael Philip Mossman, a Grammy-nominated arranger.  Paul Heller on tenor saxophone and Raphael Klemm on trombone are brightly featured soloists, along with the harmonica brilliance of Meurkens himself. This is the beginning tune of a vivid voyage through samba jazz, featuring the composer skills of Meurkens.

Track #2 is titled “Manhattan Samba” and dances its way onto the scene, propelled by the able drums of Hans Dekker. Pascal Bartoszak on flute adds a light touch to the piece, with the horns pumping staccato beneath the excitement.  The Meurkens original tune, “Prague in March” is one of his compositions that has been ‘covered’ by many accomplished artists including Claudio Roditi, the popular Brazilian trumpet player. It’s a slow, sexy samba with a lovely melody that Meurkens wrote just before he immigrated to the United States and one year after the Berlin Wall fell.   “Sambatropolis” is a joyful composition, arranged so that Johan Hörlén, on alto saxophone, can engage in a lilting conversation with the harmonica of Meurkens.  I also love the baritone saxophone lines written into this arrangement that help keep the mood buoyant and happy. Meurkens was on a ride from Denver to Aspen, Colorado and while travelling through the American West, he was so inspired by the Rocky Mountains and their natural beauty that he composed “Mountain Drive.” The motion and movement of this tune makes me want to get in my car and head for the highway.  Conductor Mossman has composed a tune that lets the big band act as if they are a local jam session.  “You Again” spotlights Andy Hunter on trombone and Mattis Cederberg on bass trombone.  Jens Neufang, on baritone sax, gives us a true bebop influenced solo and Hans Dekker pushes the band forward on his powerhouse drums.  Paul Shigihara takes a noteworthy guitar exploration and Rob Bruynen soars on trumpet.  It sounds like a true jam session.

Every composition, every arrangement and each of these competent and talented musicians make this an album meant for your listening pleasure.

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DAN OLIVO – “DAY BY DAY” – Ava Maria Records

Dan Olivo, vocals; Ian Robbins, guitar; Lyman Medeiros, bass/ukulele/vocals/arranger; Joe Bagg, piano/Hammond B3 organ; Kevin Winard, drums/percussion; Kyle O’Donnell, tenor saxophone; Jamelle Adisa, trumpet; Garrett Smith, trombone; Renee Myara Cibelli, vocals.

Dan Olivo has a smooth, comforting voice; one you might hear and enjoy at a supper club or an intimate jazz room.  He has surrounded himself with an amazing cast of musicians who create tight, jazzy tracks and feature bright, outstanding instrumental solos.  Dan has chosen a dozen familiar songs for his repertoire.  He sings each one with sincerity and the well-written arrangements by Ian Robbins compliment Olivo’s vocal delivery.  Dan Olivo opens with the title tune, and the band swings as hard as a big band.  Olivo has a strong handle on music, having played saxophone in his Junior high school band and beyond.  It was during that period of his teen life that Dan was introduced to Harry Connick Jr.  Young Olivo watched and listened in awe as Connick Jr. fronted his big band and the teenager felt that he could do that too.  Soon he was also listening to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Nat ‘King’ Cole and Michael Bublé. You clearly hear these influences in this album presentation. I enjoyed his rendition of the Latin flavored tune, “Sway” competently colored by the drums of Kevin Winard.

Olivo is also an actor with work in theaters, on film projects and appearances on television shows.  He blends his love of acting with his love of music, picking tunes like the 1924 song, once performed during Vaudeville stage acts called, “How Come You Do me Like You Do?” and the popular tune from the Broadway play, “The Great Magoo” titled “It’s Only a Paper Moon.”  He delivers each composition with crystal clear enunciation and this male vocalist could be categorized as a new-comer to the ‘crooners’ society.  By the way, he also does a good job of swinging his way through tunes like “L.O.V.E.”, “I’m Walkin’” and the up-tempo version of “Time After Time.”

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NATE WOOLEY – “ANCIENT SONGS OF BURLAP HEROES” – Pyroclastic Records

Nate Wooley, trumpet/composer/amplifier. COLUMBIA ICEFIELD: Mary Halvorson, guitar; Susan Alcorn, pedal steel guitar; Ryan Sawyer, drums. Mat Maneri, viola; Trevor Dunn, electric bass.

In the wake-up call of the 2022 Supreme Court of the United States, the determination to expel environmental protection laws, this album seems particularly important.  Trumpeter, Nate Wooley, has joined forces with Mary Halvorson’s dynamic guitar, Ryan Sawyers power-house drums and Susan Alcorn’s creatively played pedal steel guitar.  They copiously interpret his original compositions. 

“I Am the Sea That Sings of Dust” is eighteen-plus minutes of sounds and music that seem to reflect nature and predict some kind of bleak destruction or disintegration. You will hear the seagull’s song in this composition and the wind; the sea gently roaring like a sleeping giant and even raindrops.  It was such an interesting production, I played it twice.  According to Nate Wooley’s press agent, this music is meant to describe the gravitational force of a shifting glacier.  It utilizes an hour-long platform.  The production seems to be warning us about the possible catastrophic results of not loving and protecting mother earth.  Are we simply watching the natural beauty of our planet unravel? Are we ignoring glaciers melting, shifting, floating away?  Mat Maneri adds his viola to the mix and the screech of strings against the Ryan Sawyer drums becomes cataclysmic, with instruments sounding like wind gusts in an ice storm.  Ten minutes into this suite of music, the mood changes to a pensive, quiet alternate universe, where Nate Wooley’s trumpet appears, muted, like sunrays through a shuttered window.

This production features a suite of compositions, interpreted as three titles.  “A Catastrophic Legend” was penned by Wooley as a love letter to his mentor, Ron Miles, who passed away in March.  The final title is called “Returning to Drown Myself Finally” and is based on a Swedish religious song called “Nu ar midsommar natt.” All in all, this project, like the album cover itself, is dark and ominous.  The Wooley compositions and improvised trumpet parts melt into amplification, feedback, vocalization and sometimes disturbing music that ruffles the spirit and tickles the brain.

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MATTHEW MUÑESES – “NOLI ME TANGERE” – Next Level Records

Matthew Muñeses, alto saxophone/composer; Miguel Zenon, tenor saxophone; Zubin Edaji, trumpet; Stu Mindeman, piano; Clark Sommers, bass; Dana Hall, drums.

According to reedman, composer and educator, Matthew Muñeses, he has composed music to interpret his impressions of the Phillipines’ revolt against Spanish control in 1896.  The opening track, “Alin Mang Lahi” expresses the 19^th Century Filipino desire for sovereignty. Both this track and the second track are based in minor keys and brightly powered by the drums of Dana Hall and the saxophone of Matthew Muñeses. “Kundiman ni Rizal” is a love song generally sung by a young man to the desired woman of his dreams. Both compositions are written by José Rizal.  This ballad had a melody penned by Francisco Buencamino, who put music to the poetry of Rizal. Clearly Matthew Muñeses admires Jose Rizal, who is a poet, novelist and National hero of the Philippines.

Four songs on this production are composed by Matthew Muñeses and represent parts of the suite he wrote.  The Muñeses publicist says that a Rizal Novel titled “Provoked” inspired Matthew to write this suite of music in 2019. Those four compositions blossomed into this recording. Not only does this music intend to call attention to the early Filipino revolution, it also is a musical means of calling attention to continuing racism and separatism that Muñeses has experienced as a Filipino man growing up in America.  Songs from the composer’s suite titled, “Noli me Tangere” features compositions like “A Son Returns” and “Cruelty and Injustice.”

This suite refers to Matthew’s own soul-searching and him coming to terms with his racial mix, being half Filipino and half American. The piano solo by Stu Mindeman is quite stunning and inventive on Cruelty and Injustice (the second tune in the Muñeses suite).  Dana Hall also takes a notable drum solo during this arrangement. Matthew Muñeses hopes to connect the history of Philippine independence from Spain to the post-colonial Phillippines and finally, to the current battle for justice in America existing in the 21^st Century.  His suite, “Noli Me Tangere” is a musical call for a more equitable and fair society.  Part three is titled “Education for All” and the fourth and final part of the suite is “Revolution and Liberation” which seems to take us back to the original premise of the 1896 through 1898 revolution.  Sadly, the circle of discontent just seems to repeat itself, whether on European soil, in the islands, in Asia, in America or in this music.

This is modern jazz, with the Muñeses and Rizal compositions providing chord changes that encourage improvisation and freedom.  The music is the revolving door we keep pushing forward.

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SEARCHING THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF JAZZ

By Dee Dee McNeil

July 1, 2022

ALEXANDER SMALLS – “LET US BREAK BREAD TOGETHER” – SmallHouseProductions/Outside In Music

Alexander Smalls, vocals; Joseph Joubert, piano/Hammond B3 organ; Cyrus Chestnut, piano/B3 Hammond organ; Kevin Hays, piano/Fender Rhodes; Reuben Rogers & Ben Williams, upright & electric bass; Ulysses Owens jr., drums/percussion/co-producer; John Ellis, tenor & soprano saxophone/bass clarinet.

A deep spiritual bass line opens the song, “Wade in the Water” until Alexander Small’s emotional, baritone voice takes stage center.  His vocals are rich and remind me of the ferocious male choir soloists I heard in church; the ones who sang spiritual tunes with gusto, love and power; the ones who had backgrounds in operatic singing.

The second and third tracks feature instrumentals. They highlight the outstanding musicians on this recording, who make the music shine. One of my favorite tunes by Sonny Rollins is “St. Thomas.”  The band has arranged this jazz standard with joy and tenacious energy; first featuring a solo by Kevin Hayes on piano and then Ben Williams on bass.  John Ellis sings his reed song on saxophone and Ulysses Owens Jr., takes a spirited solo on drums.  They follow this with the familiar “Watermelon Man” composition by Herbie Hancock. John Ellis makes a thrilling bass clarinet appearance on “God Bless the Child.” Cyrus Chestnut is featured pianist on this recording and has added his original composition, “Rent Party” as a delightful solo piano piece.

The artist and vocalist, Alexander Smalls, was once a highly respected opera singer. In 1977, he gained international attention, winning a Tony Award and a Grammy for his contributions to the Houston Grand Opera cast that recorded “Porgy and Bess.” Then, his life journey suddenly turned up a path towards becoming a culinary artist.  His love of spiritual music perhaps inspired the title of this album (Let Us Break Bread Together) and also reflects his transformation into the professional world of cooking.  Today, he is celebrated as a renowned chef.  Consequently, this inspired project embraces jazz as a spiritual bridge between Alexander’s love of cuisine and his vocal interpretation of spiritual music.  When he sings, “Let Us Break Bread Together” it is both a prayer and an offer to share the intimacy of both his music and a meal. He makes it comfortable to take a seat at his musical table. 

Small’s rendition of the traditional spiritual “Hush” is beautifully delivered, as is “Poor Little Jesus” with the piano accompaniment of Kevin Hayes tasty and creative.  Ben Williams provides a stunning bass background during the spoken word of Alexander Smalls as he recites the Langston Hughes poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”

“Think about the richness of a melody,” Smalls encourages our introspection. “Think about how a melody starts in one’s soul, one’s mind, one’s spirit. People bring these extraordinary sounds sometimes from the depths of who they are,” the artist explains.

Surely Mr. Alexander Smalls has done just that; pulled from the depths of his own soul, exhibiting infectious emotion and talent during this presentation. He shares his spiritual experience with us and inspires the listener with both this spiritual recording and his formidable voice.

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BRIAN LANDRUS – “RED LIST” – Palmetto Records

Brian Landrus, baritone saxophone/bass clarinet/flute/alto flute/bass flute; Nir Felder, guitar; Geoffrey Keezer, Fender Rhodes/organ/piano/synthesizers; Lonnie Plaxico, electric & acoustic bass; John Hadfield, percussion; Rudy Royston, drums; Jaleel Shaw, alto saxophone; Ron Blake, tenor saxophone; Steve Roach, trumpet/flugelhorn; Ryan Keberle, trombone; Corey King, vocals.

Often times, music is used as a method of calling attention to some cause or life challenge.  Baritone saxophonist, reed master and bass clarinet player, Brian Landrus, has composed and arranged fifteen tunes dedicated to the preservation of some of our endangered, Earth creatures. This is Brian’s eleventh album released as a bandleader. It reflects his spiritual connection to earth and the animal kingdom in a warm, jazzy way.

“I’ve been an animal lover since I was a little kid.  I recently began researching the many endangered species on our planet.  It broke my heart to learn that there are only eight vaquitas, sixty-seven Javan rhinos and fewer than 850 mountain gorillas left on earth. Spreading awareness of this tragic global situation is part of the impetus for this album,” Landrus explains in his press package.

Each composition title exemplifies this purposeful album of music.  Landrus opens with “Canopy of Trees” that has a very orchestrated, smooth-jazz feel.  You can picture a forest of green, with the Landrus horn becoming the prowling creature beneath the lush canopy. On the title tune, “Red List” John Hadfield’s driving percussion energy fuels the arrangement, along with Rudy Royston on drums. Landrus delivers strong melodies and arranges the horns with tight harmonies that balloon the music like helium. The small ensemble sounds much bigger than it is and lifts me.  As I listen to the “Giant Panda,” composition, tenderly featuring a delightful Landrus bass clarinet solo, or “Tigris” pumping us up with a bright tempo and featuring the beautiful guitar talent of Nir Felder, the composer transmits the beauty and importance of protecting all life on earth with his music. He gives us a taste of his flute talents on “The Distant Deeps” and features the warm, husky vocals of Corey King.  I note that His arrangements exhibit the diversity of genres, embracing Straight-ahead jazz in some parts, (especially when Landrus is soloing) blending in easy-listening horn arrangements to buoy the tracks, along with smooth jazz grooves. For example, when he arranged “Save the Elephants” the jazz arrangement embraces a reggae beat. As I soak up this music, my imagination conjures up the elephant families lumbering along towards a drinking pond. Brian Landrus offers us music that is much like life itself, multi-faceted, colorful, uniquely different and beautiful. 

When he’s not composing or recording, Brian Landrus has taken his saxophone talents on the road with other jazz acts such as Esperanza Spalding, Fred Hersch, Billy Hart, George Garzone, the Maria Schneider Orchestra and his mentor Bob Brookmeyer. Landrus is not only a multi-talented musician who has mastered several reed instruments, but he’s adept at various musical genres.  Brain has toured with national pop acts like The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Coasters, The Drifters and Martha Reeves.  He holds a doctorate from Rutgers University and is currently on faculty at the School of Music, California State University Sacramento.

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JAKE LECKIE – “THE GUIDE” – Ropeadope Records

Jake Leckie, double bass; Nadav Peled, acoustic guitar; Elizabeth Goodfellow, drums.

“The Guide” is an acoustic folk-jazz trio with bandleader Jake Leckie at the helm on upright bass.  They open this recording with the title tune, bathed in the blues and slowly unfolding like a lyrical love ballad. Track two is titled “Patience” and features Nadav Peled on his acoustic guitar, dancing across the strings like an acrobat.  All eight of these compositions are composed by Jake Leckie and were recorded old school, on 2-track analog tape. They used no headphones, no isolation booths or overdubs.  This is live music that’s interactive, creative and improvisational.  This trio of musicians play spontaneously. On the “Patience” tune, Elizabeth Goodfellow is given a platform to shine on her trap drums.  This recording celebrates organic, acoustic music, along with creative compositions that are melodic and pleasant to the ear, like the tune “A Thing of Beauty.”  Track #6, “The Good Doctor” allows Jake Leckie to step out front and explore his rich, deep, double bass instrument.  This is a very Latin sounding composition.  The guitar is drenched in Spanish-sounding lyricism.  I wish the drummer had double-timed the rhythm to lift the arrangement and to move away from the same kind of tempo as the songs before this one.  A Samba or Cha Cha groove would have enhanced this well-written, original song, and would have accentuated the unexpected but tasty breaks in Jake’s arrangement.  A fresh, Afro-Cuban 6/8 rhythm dancing beneath Leckie’s bass solo could have been brilliant.  What I found missing in some of these songs was ‘the groove’ that my listening ears kept longing to hear.  The tune, “Adobe” finally slams into a funk groove with Leckie walking his upright bass and Goodfellow slapping the swing into place. Leckie’s composer skills are continuously impressive. The final tune could have been a real show-stopper with its up-tempo racy speed and strong jazz changes.  A spotlight is provided for Elizabeth Goodfellow to shine in, highlighting her drum skills.  However, the jazzy momentum and spiritual excitement that this composition inspires gets lost in the production.  I think a jazz drummer like the late, great Ralph Peterson, or like cutting edge female drummer, Terri Lyne Carrington or the iconic Jeff Hamilton could have elevated this project to a higher level.

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TOM COLLIER – “THE COLOR OF WOOD” – Summit Records

Tom Collier, vibraphone/marimbas.

Tom Collier has been heralded as “One of the best jazz vibraphonists on the planet” by Scott Mercado, a Modern Drummer Magazine contributor.  Collier offers us a solo album, exploring his talents and creativity on three different marimbas; a 1948 Musser Canterbury marimba, a Adams Soloist Model and a Yamaha Model 6100 marimba.  Each song unfolds, like the path amid a forest of tall trees.  His concept is warm and brown, “like the color of wood,” also the title of this album.  Beginning with five reflections on wood, he plays a suite of music that explores his talents as both a marimba player and a composer.

“Inspiration for ‘Five Reflections on Wood’ is based on art and activities from Ruthi Winter, Cindy Kelsey, Jim and Mary Burdett and Adelle Hermann Comfort. … and musical inspiration for over fifty-one years (and still counting) from my lovely wife, Cheryl,” Tom Collier expresses in his liner notes.

This artist shows how layering his marimba talents and expanding his solo horizons, demonstrates he can paint an album with the brilliant colors of a sunrise or capture the sounds of nature with his mallets.  When I listen to Tom Collier’s music, I see vivid images of raindrops kissing the petals of Bluebells and purple Irises.  He inspires me to look for stardust sprinkling down from the big dipper and his songs glimmer like moonglow in love-filled eyes, especially when he interprets Freddie Hubbard’s “Little Sunflower” composition.  With songs like the Hank Williams favorite, “I’m So Lonesome, I Could Cry” Collier reminds us that a well-written song crosses genres and can easily relax in the lovely arms of a jazz arrangement.  His original songs, like “Genesee” and “I Haven’t Seen the Rain” wrap the listener in a blanket of comfort and warmth. 

His song “Hopscotch” is happy and carefree, like a child jumping between the chalk lines on a city sidewalk. This is a musical tribute to the higher good in us all and the spiritual beauty that a master marimba player can bring to his instrument.  In so doing, he lifts us all to an elevated standard of peace, joy and happiness. 

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JOÃO LUIZ – “FROM SPAIN TO SAO PAULO” – Zoho Records

João Luiz, guitar: Sergio Abreu, 1997; Strings: Augustine Regal Blue.

I always have great admiration and respect for an artist who records an album of solo work.  In this case, not only is João Luiz performing solo, he is also covering famous, classical compositions and doing so displaying mastery on his classical Sergio Abreu guitar.  Sergio Abreu is a Brazilian guitarist and respected guitar maker. Almost all of this classical repertoire are originally written for guitar.  Although I rarely review classical music, this album was so striking and beautiful, I felt compelled to sing praise to the talents of Mr. Luiz.  Particularly since my article is titled “The Spiritual Side of Jazz” and surely this solo guitar music is sparked by spirit and jazz is inclusive of European classical music, along with Blues, American slave songs and the gift of improvisation. That is the one thing missing in this awesome recording; the beauty of improvisation.  In classical music, most of the time the pieces are played as written, without venturing off into improvisation.

This album opens with “Largo non Tanto, Op. 7” written by Fernando Sor, a nineteenth century Spanish composer.  João’s intimate interpretation of both this opus and the “Minueto Op. 25” that follows becomes a wonderful way to introduce us to his mastery of the guitar. The Luiz performance seems effortless and precise.  It is quite amazing to hear a solo guitarist perform with such sincerity and power, yet never echoing a squeak on the fretboard. This is the sign of a master musician. Guitar players will know exactly what I mean.  Some of these songs have been arranged by João Luiz, like “Serenata Espanola” that was composed originally for piano by Joaquin Malats, who was a Barcelona-based pianist.  João Luiz’s chords roll and the ascending lines are quite different from the original arrangement of this familiar classical composition. Perhaps there is a bit of jazz improvisation in this album.

Whether you are a jazz lover or an appreciator of classical music, here is a magnificent guitar presentation that celebrates music “From Spain to Sao Paulo” and pays homage to Spanish composers from the 19^th and 20^th century.   Two-time, Latin, Grammy-nominated guitarist, educator and composer, João Luiz, began to play the popular music of his native Brazil professionally during his childhood.  He was later trained in classical guitar by his mentor, Henrique Pinto. João’s interests include bridging Classical, Jazz, and Latin American music as a performer and composer.   João is equally at home with classical, Brazilian, jazz and world music. 

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DANA FITZSIMONS WITH BILL GRAHAM AND BRANDON BOONE – “FAULT LINES” – Independent Label

Dana Fitzsimons, drums; Bill Graham, piano; Brandon Boone, bass.

Dana Fitzsimons has been an ardent fan of free-style jazz for years.  Although he started out as a touring musician, the drummer soon had a young, growing family and decided to get his degree from William and Mary Law School. He then pursued a legal career.  However, Fitzsimons never discarded his love of music and today he is both a recording artist and a successful trusts and estates attorney. 

His trio includes two popular musicians who are mainstays on the Atlanta jazz scene.  Pianist Bill Graham has been teaching jazz, improvisation and composition for nearly fifteen years.  As a composer, he has contributed several songs to this album. Bassist, Brandon Boone is a touring musician with both Colonel Bruce Hampton’s Band and the Tedeschi Trucks Band. 

“The music we wanted to make requires a lot of close listening and allowing the music to take you wherever it wants to go, untethered from strict ideas about time, form and harmony.  With all this freedom, it was important to me that the music still be rhythmic and lyrical so that the music invites the listener in, even for people who are not accustomed to free jazz,” Dana Fitzsimons explained his musical concept.

“Slant Anagrams” is the opening track of this project.  It was composed by Bill Graham and is a sort of tribute piece to the iconic Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett and Paul Motian.  It’s the most Straight-ahead jazz track on the Fitzsimons album.  Rodgers and Hart’s famed “Where or When” tune is the only standard they cover.  The trio also plays the Joni Mitchell tune “Amelia.”  However, the other nine tunes were composed by either Graham or Fitzsimons. Track #3, titled “Crystals” was composed by all three musicians of the trio and it stretches imaginatively, each member contributing their own slice of creativity and improvisation.  The result is as sweet as a piece of fresh-baked pie.  “Ice Bridges Before Road” is dramatic and Graham plays with the upper register of the piano, using it to paint images of ice into the arrangement, along with the colorful drums of Fitzsimons.  With the exception of “Where or When”, arranged beautifully as a ballad with drifting tempos and legato movement; these pieces of music are more abstract than structured.  The musicians play off of one another, reacting and improvising generously during these free-form exchanges.  Their songs are like moods, changing and growing provocatively without structured charts to hold the music tightly in place.  Time and tempos change and flood into each other with tsunami-like strength or soft and whispery like hummingbird wings.  The music on Fault Lines is inventive, spiritual and strikingly free.  Like the California Fault Lines themselves, it may shake something loose inside you, without a warning, and with the unexpected power of an earthquake.

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SIMEON DAVIS GROUP -“NARRATIVES & NOCTURNES” – Outside In Music

Simeon Davis, Saxophone/Flute/Composer; Tyler Thomas & Rachel Azbell, vocals; Maria Wellmann & Alex Hand, guitars; Holly Holt, piano/keyboards; Jake Chaffee, Electric Bass; Josh Parker, drums; Aramis Fernandez, congas; Maxima Santana, trombone; Jonathan Shier, trumpet/flugelhorn; Jess Meadoer, violin.

This album is a collection of “Narratives and Nocturnes” brought to life by the Simeon Davis Group.  Exemplified by the titles of the Davis compositions, we are introduced to a cast of characters, places, moods and animals that live inside the mind of Simeon.  Opening with “The Diver” this arrangement is driven by a strong bass line and becomes part of a holistic storytelling experience that transcends genre norms.  The tune is structured more like a suite than a singular song.  It moves through moods and tempos like a restless bird exploring a foreign forest or perhaps a “Diver” searching through a ship wreckage beneath the sea.  There are lots of synthesizer accents and horn lines that leap and jump like notes on steroids.  In the same breath, there are some very beautiful parts to this arrangement that are soothing and melodic.  A voice accents the melody at the beginning and towards the end of the piece, singing wordlessly along with the instrumentation.  I am extremely impressed with the Davis composition, “Seven Come Wednesday” that recalls the brilliance of Chick Corea.  The addition of Tyler Thomas on vocals, singing throughout like a horn and the percussive brilliance of Aramis Fernandez coloring the arrangement along with the effective drumming of Josh Parker, turn this tune quickly into one of my favorites on this project.  The composition “Eden” features the sweet tenor voice of Tyler Thomas singing the melody in unison with the instrumentalists.  It explores the funk genre, with Parker’s drums slapping the groove into place and in your face. “Pleiades” uses handclaps and rhythm to propel the violin stage center. It’s a very lovely composition and continues to herald Simeon Davis as a gifted composer.  Holly Holt uses the piano to compliment and buoy the delicious violin solo by Jeff Meadoer.  I am absolutely captivated by the creativity and unique production that this Simeon Davis Band brings to his project. Simeon Davis lends several bars of his saxophone talent to this tune and “Pleiades” quickly becomes another one of my favorites. I listen to music all day, every day, but I’ve not heard something like this band in many moons. It’s refreshing! 

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CALEB WHEELER CURTIS – “HEATMAP” – Imani Records

Caleb Wheeler Curtis, alto & soprano saxophones/composer; Orrin Evans, piano; Eric Revis, bass; Gerald Cleaver, drums.

The title tune “Heatmap” is a reference to where the action is happening.  Curtis composed the music for “Heatmap” during an artist residency and retreat in 2021.  Perhaps it was the get-away inspiration, the natural splendor of nature surroundings or the solitude that inspired him to write these ten, amazing jazz tunes. The result of that retreat is formidable music.

“…I like music with space in it.  It’s easy to get wrapped up in the idea of throwing everything at the wall, which, in theory, sounds bigger and more confident.  But I wanted to appreciate the sound of the music in the air.  You can hear the detail in the playing and really hear the musicians as people.  And I’m working with three singular musicians whose playing has real weight,” Caleb explained.

Pianist, Orrin Evans, opens the title tune with a very classically colored introduction.  The thrust of Gerald Cleaver’s drumsticks pushes the arrangement forward and creates momentum.  Once the excitement has soared, Caleb Wheeler Curtis enters with an energetic and restless saxophone.  His solo is both melodic and innovative.  The group cools down with Track #2 titled, “Tossed Aside.”  Cleaver keeps the rhythm light and double-time, dancing beneath the melody like gently moving ocean waves, along with Eric Revis, perfectly in-step on bass.  This celebrated bassist has history with the pianist (Evans) and this musical relationship led Caleb Wheeler Curtis to Eric.  Prior to meeting Caleb, Revis played with Luques Curtis his Brother, recording on his CD. After that, Revis expressed interest in working with this saxophonist and artist. They are a good match.

There is freedom and fluidity throughout this album of original Caleb Wheeler Curtis music.  He allows his bandmates to dance on the chord changes, like acrobats at the circus, swinging from one bar to the next in perfect precision and astounding us with their various twists and turns.  For example, on “Limestone” the Curtis saxophone tumbles over the rolling drums of Cleaver in staccato reed notes and streams of improvisation.  His soprano sax sounds almost flute-like on “Trees for the Forest,” a ballad where Caleb and Orrin (on piano) duet quietly out-front. Cleaver percussively colors in the background and Eric’s bass falls like dark, green leaves on a forest floor. “Trembling” leaps into a speedy tempo, with four musicians racing around the CD like cars on a track. Caleb’s saxophone ‘cuts time’ on top of the energy. The music of Caleb Wheeler Curtis takes you on an adventure. This production is an unexpected rocket ship ride.  Just give yourself to the music and watch the universe explode with promise.

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