BIG BOISTEROUS BEAUTIFUL RECORDINGS THAT CELEBRATE JAZZ

By Dee Dee McNeil

October 28, 2023

HILARIO DURÁN & HIS LATIN JAZZ BIG BAND – “CRY ME A RIVER” – Alma Records

Hilario Durán, piano/conductor/arranger; Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, drums; Jorge Luis Torres “Papiosco,” congas/percussion; Magdelys Savigne, congas; Luis Mario Ochoa, guitar; Roberto Occhipinti, Roberto Riveron & Marc Rogers, bass; Luis Mario Ochoa, guitar; Elizabeth Rodriguez, vocals/violin; Paquito D’ Rivera, alto saxophone/clarinet;  Alexis Baró, Kevin Turcotte, Alexander Brown & Brian Okane, trumpet; Colleen Allen, alto saxophone/flute; Andy Ballantyne, alto saxophone/clarinet/alto flute; Luis Deniz, Alto saxophone; Jeff king & Kelly Jefferson, tenor saxophone & clarinet; Pol Coussée, baritone saxophone/bass clarinet; Christian Overton, Karl Silveira & Rob Somerville, trombone; Peter Hysen, bass trombone.

A burst of musical energy dances into my listening room, led by pianist Hilario Durán. The horns blare, and the percussion accentuates the groove as guitarist, Luis Mario Ochoa takes a stellar solo. This is the kind of music where you can’t be still.  Your hips beg to shake, and your feet tap without your permission. 

The Grammy nominated and Juno Award-winning Durán brings his unfettered artistry to this project, painting bright colors with broad strokes.  The universe is his palate, and his musical arrangements create breathtaking art.  Known for his ability to bend tradition and enhance it with modern jazz techniques, he also showcases exciting musicians who deliver his arrangements with power and punch. Durán’s piano brilliance is obvious throughout this production.

“I have waited almost twenty years to record another big band album. It was great to showcase my music and to workshop some new arrangements … aspects of the craft I learned working with the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna in Habana, which I inherited from Chucho Valdes … So much to be grateful for! … it seemed that the time is right for this new album,” Durán shared in his press package.

Recently he participated in four radio broadcasts that featured his compositions and arrangements with the great WDR Big Band in Koln, Germany.  This could have inspired the “Cry Me A River” project.  But regardless of the reason, what a joy to listen to Hilario Durán and his Latin Jazz Big Band. Every song and each arrangement are sparkling stars shining on the breast of the universe.  When they play the beautiful ballad, “Claudia,” written by the great Chucho Valdez, it takes my breath away.  During Durán’s tribute to Charles Mingus, he features Mark Rogers on bass to begin this original composition. Rogers growls his way across the double bass strings, with his opening solo quite memorable.  However, the warmth is brought by Paquito D’Rivera’s emotional horn solo.  When a master speaks, you listen! 

The title tune is steeped in Latin rhythms, pushed forward by the cowbell and congas of Magdelys Savigne.  Elizabeth Rodriguez adds her lovely vocals to the mix and stuns me with her violin improvisation!  Suddenly, the arrangement pushes forward like a freight train, with call and response fueling the piece. We no longer want to cry, but instead we want to get up, sing and shout with joy!  This is an outstanding arrangement and once again Hilario Durán’s brilliance as an arranger is on full display for all to appreciate.

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JOHN WOJCIECHOWSKI – “SWING OF THE PENDULUM” – Afar Music

John Wojciechowski, tenor saxophone/alto flute; Xavier Davis, piano; Clark Sommers, bass/ composer; Dana Hall, drums/cymbals.

When I think big, beautiful, and boisterous, I would have to list John Wojciechowski under this title.  From the first eight bars of his composition, “The leaves Fall to the Ground,” his powerful tenor saxophone establishes his talent and excellence.  Originally from the Motor City (Detroit) he has been a respected performer and educator on the Chicago, Illinois music scene for two decades.  His tenor tone is round, bold, and captivating.  He reminds me of the 1960 jazz scene in Detroit, when the Minor Key was the spot to be and Coltrane, Miles and Art Blakey were grinding out new jazz territory across the country.  His compositions reflect that energy and insight.  Using an all-star trio, Xavier Davis is outstanding on piano throughout.  The 4^th cut, “Peripheral Vision” features Clark Sommers on bass at the top, setting the tempo and mood.  Dana Hall’s drums remind me of Ahmad Jamal grooves from yesteryear. This is another winning composition by Wojciechowski. 

On the dynamic composition, ”Mind’s Eye,” the melody is like a stamp on my brain.  It sings along in my head like an old familiar tune.  Xavier Davis takes the opportunity to show off his mad skills on the 88-keys, setting the spotlight on fire.  Dana Hall is aflame during this tune, powerfully incinerating everything in his path with percussive mastery. This arrangement recalls the great era of John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy.  John Wojciechowski is a driving force throughout this album, not only because of his beautifully written compositions, but his tenor saxophone talent is formidable and awe-inspired!

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MADRE VACA – “KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE” – Madre Vaca Records

Jarrett Carter, guitar; Jonah Pierre, piano; Thomas Milovac, bass; Benjamin Shorstein, drums/composer; Juan Rollan, saxophone; Lance Reed, trombone; Steve Strawley, trumpet; Milan Algood, percussion; Rebecca Shorstein, voice; Molly Sweet, clarinet; Michael Emmert, flute.

This album has a storyline that reads like a King Arthur novel.  As you may recall, the Knights of the Round Table are the legendary order of knights who were dedicated to defending King Arthur.  The group, Madre Vaca, performs a ten-part jazz suite that tells this historic story with music, beginning with “The Lady of the Lake” as a haunting jazz waltz.  The next tune employs trumpets and a rhythm that reminds me of a marching army.  It is titled “Galahad” and includes a vocal by Rebecca Shorstein. This is dramatic music that features Jonah Pierre brightly on piano and on the 3^rd track, “Excalibur” that musically tells the story of a fearsome and terrible weapon. It’s even more valuable than the sword, for it renders the wearer invincible.  The next tune in the suite is “The Knights of the Round Table” and means to depict, with musical arrangement, the brave soldiers serving King Arthur, whose purpose was always for the good of the community. This music is written to support their code of chivalry, courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to support the weak. Jarrett Carter is brightly featured on guitar and a chorus of voices splash like unexpected waves across dry sand.  The Juan Rollan saxophone brings jazz to the shoreline and drenches us with his provocative saxophone solo.

Benjamin Shorstein is a respected composer, equally comfortable writing and performing classical music and/or jazz. This project sounds like a Broadway musical soundtrack or a film score.

Shorstein plays both drums and vibes with a traditional jazz group (Backdoor Stompers Vol. 1) and is one of the founders of Madre Vaca.  He has performed at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, played on soundtracks and his current group, “Madre Vaca,” is made up of some of the top modern jazz musicians in the Jacksonville, Florida area. This music is quite creative and includes an explanatory album booklet where you will enjoy reading about each arrangement while you listen to the originality.

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PETER XIFARAS – “FUSION” – Music With No Expiration

Peter Xifaras, guitar/keyboards; Shunzo Ohno, trumpet; Xander Nichting, violin; Max Gerl, bass; Scott Jackson, drums/percussion; Czech National Symphony Orchestra.

In his career, Peter Xifaras has been consistent in climbing Billboard’s classical and crossover music charts.  He is known for exploring genres, including spoken word, symphonic music, and jazz fusion.  On this project, he offers us a compelling and entertaining seven songs of original music. He plays guitar, keyboards and is joined by the talented Japanese trumpeter Shunzo Ohno, virtuoso violinist, Xander Nichting, creative bassist, Max Gerl (who pumps the group with groove and energy), and Scott Jackson on both drums and percussion.  This is beautiful, laid-back fusion jazz that invites the listener to take a magic carpet ride with Xifaras and his group of master musicians.  We are whisked up into space, propelled by Scott Jackson’s hypnotic beats and the melodic guitar of Peter’s creation. The Xifaras song, “Wild and Free” feels comfortable and it’s driven by the keyboard and a bass line that hypnotizes.  It sounds more ‘mild and free’ than wild, but it’s a delightful listen and sweetly melodic. The “B Blues” quickly becomes one of my favorites, with its staccato beats and the Shunzo Ohno trumpet spitting the melody out with candy-covered notes. Jackson’s funky beat holds hands with Max Gerl’s bass line. They intoxicate me with the groove. Peter’s guitar solo is splendiferous.

A lot of fusion music just sounds like repetitive loops, but Peter Xifaras and his group offer us much more.  His compositions lend themselves to creative melodies and they stabilize the tunes with beautifully played improvisational solos. After studying guitar, and playing in rock bands briefly, Xifaras then sank his teeth into jazz and classical guitar during college.  This was before he decided to open a recording studio.  Thus, he established his record label, “Music With No Expiration” and began mastering his engineering techniques. Peter is proud of his “Children of Conflict” release, an award-winning recording that focuses on social justice.  Although this current recording features ‘fusion’ music, Peter Xifaras embraces a number of genres, always striving to be unique and innovative.  His music ranges from classical and jazz fusion to cinematic, orchestral, and spoken word. I found beauty and inspiration in every song on this album and look forward to his next release.

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MIKE DAVIS – “THE NEW WONDERS” – Turtle Bay Records
Mike Davis, cornet/vocals; Jared Engel, banjo; Dalton Ridenhour, piano; Jay Lepley, drums/vocals; Ricky Alexander, clarinet/alto saxophone/vocals; Joe McDonough, trombone; Jay Rattman, bass saxophone/vocals.

Some of today’s younger generation has re-discovered the music of the 1920s and 1930s, a style that formerly hung its hat on the traditional “trad” music.  This band is called “The New Wonders” and is modeled after cornet king, Bix Beiderbecke, an influential jazz musician in the 1920s along with the great Louis Armstrong. The cornet player and vocalist, Mike Davis is the brainchild of this group, The New Wonders.  He has been at the forefront of the traditional jazz movement in New York for the last ten years.  Davis comes from a household smothered in music.  His parents were both in the Seattle Symphony and he was studying cornet at the ripe old age of nine. At 18-years-old he enrolled in the Manhattan School of Music and left Seattle for the shores of New York City.  Every Tuesday night, at Mona’s Bar in Manhattan, Davis discovered Trad Jazz Jam Sessions.  He became a regular, soaking up the old-time style and boisterous music of the 1920s.

“I was particularly taken with Bix Beiderbecke for his pure sound and ability to play extended solos that told a story, which was not the norm of that time,” Mike Davis explained his fascination with Beiderbecke.

Although this journalist is not a big fan of Trad music, I found beauty and light-hearted, danceable tunes on this album that made me smile and captured a space in time we rarely hear. At times, it reminded me of the Paul Whiteman Orchestra and the heyday of the Charlston dance rage.  It also threw me back to the days of Barber Shop quartets. This young man and his group of Trad musicians are rejuvenating an era of music that was born and bred in America decades ago. 

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KEVIN HAYS, BEN STREET, BILLY HART – “BRIDGES” – Smoke Sessions Records

Kevin Hays, piano/composer; Ben Street, bass; Billy Hart, drums/composer.

On his 80^th birthday, Billy Hart got together with Kevin Hays and Ben Street at the Smoke Jazz Club.  It was in December of 2020.  The final ‘epidemic’ days, where COVID had us all in a state of emergency, were terrorizing the world. The trio gathered for a celebratory birthday concert and to livestream their music on Billy’s 80^th year.  It was, a rare moment of divine communion and an inspired moment of musical camaraderie.  That recorded concert became a debut album called “All Things Are.”  The trio is back with this second album titled, “Bridges.”  For one, they bridge generations. 

“In this world that seems to be crumbling beneath our feet, we sense the need to make allies where there might be adversaries,” the 80-year-old Hart explained one of their goals.

Young Hays, on piano, first met Hart when Kevin was only eighteen.  It was his first trip to Europe, touring with a band led by Tony Moreno.  They shared a bill with Quest, the legendary quartet co-led by Dave Libman and Richie Beirach with Hart as their drummer.

“I was introduced to Billy after he had just finished a gig,” Hays recalls.  “He didn’t know me from Adam, and he just looked at me with this blank stare and said, I’m curious about you.  You want to play something?”

That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.  When it comes to Ben Street, the bassist says it boils down to the chemistry between the musicians.  “In this trio, I get to see another side of Billy Hart,” he explains in the liner notes.

“What makes him so special is the way that he responds to each musician.  I’ve played in his quartet for twenty years, but when I play with him in the context of playing with Kevin Hays, it’s like seeing another whole facet of Billy’s world.  It’s amazing.”

Hays has composed the opening song “Butterfly” and “Song for Peace” that sounds somewhat dirge-like and deeply introspective, but beautiful!  The Hays ‘take’ on Lennon & McCartney’s “With a Little Help from My Friends.” It’s fresh, fun, and artistically creative.  Then the trio plays another one of the Hays originals, “Row Row Row.” In my mind I immediately add “ … your boat gently down the stream.”  His tune is nothing at all like that old nursery rhyme song, but instead Is quite classically based and melodically interesting.  Although Kevin’s compositions are lovely, I long for more energy and excitement.  Billy Hart has written “Irah.” I was hoping his drums would splash this project with some pizazz.  Instead, “Irah” continues with the same moderate tempo’d path of easy listening and classically fused jazz arrangements.  They close with the title tune, written by the great Milton Nascimento, “Bridges.”  I just kept wanting this arrangement to have Street’s bass walk straight ahead and a bit of the blues to poke a shy head towards the studio mike and howl a while.  This would be the perfect tune to change the ‘laid-back’ approach Kevin Hays seems to enjoy and break free, pushing at his boundaries and coloring outside the lines.  That’s what’s missing for me.  I want to see some musical paint that splashes outside the lines.

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ANGELA DENIRO with THE RON APREA BIG BAND 2 – “SWINGIN’ WITH LEGENDS” – Early Autumn Productions

Angela DeNiro, vocals; Ron Aprea, conductor/arranger; Cecilia Coleman, piano; Tim Givens, bass/vocals; Jonathan Mele, drums; Todd Bashore, 1^ST alto saxophonist/flute; Elijah Schiffer, 2^nd alto saxophonist/flute; Nathan childers, 1^st tenor saxophone/flute/clarinet; Lee Greene, 2^nd tenor saxophone/flute/clarinet; Doug Dehays, baritone saxophone/clarinet/bass clarinet; Bryan Davis, 1^st trumpet; Chris Persad, 2^nd trumpet; Matthew Timm & Shawn Edmonds, trumpets; Wayne Goodman, 1^st trombone; Matt Haviland & Brandon Moodie, trombones; Dale Turk, bass trombone; GUESTS: Lew Tabackin, tenor saxophone/flute; Ken Peplowski, clarinet; Randy Brecker, trumpet.

Angela DeNiro knows how to swing and has a range that compliments tunes like “You’d Be So Easy to Love” letting the notes swing like jump ropes, her voice leaping from alto to head register in the wink of an eye.  She leads the big band on an examination of their beloved NYC with the opening tune titled, “New York City Blues,” composed by Quincy Jones and vocalist Peggy Lee.  It features the brilliant trumpet of Bryan Davis and Ken Peplowski on clarinet. On the third cut, Randy Brecker opens the tune with an improvisational excursion, playing atop the chord changes in a beautiful, ballad kind-of-way. When the band bursts onto the scene, they swing hard and Angela DeNiro is the voice that sings with gusto, “Hello Young Lovers, wherever you are” with conviction. Brecker returns to solo before DeNiro returns at the bridge of the song and crosses it emphatically. You can tell the vocalist has been singing jazz most of her life.  She’s seasoned and steady, powerful, and secure in her talent.

At times she exhibits a bit too much tremolo, that sometimes comes after years of performing. You hear it on “A House is Not a Home.”  Still, this does not diminish her emotional involvement.  Ron Aprea arranges “Willow Weep for Me” with an up-tempo version that features Todd Bashore on alto saxophone and a blustering horn section.

Angela DeNiro and husband Ron Aprea have been married nearly half a century. Musically, I can feel the trust and comfort level they share. The band incorporates some of the giants of our time including tenor saxophonist Lew Tabackin on “It Might as Well Be Spring.”  Angela DeNiro and Ron Aprea’s Big Band offer us fourteen love songs, many that are standards we recognize. These arrangements dance and leap with ballet-like grace, but also pack the power-punch of a heavy weight boxer. Ron Aprea’s Big Band is formidable, with DeNiro’s vocals adding spice and lyrical beauty to the project.

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CARL COX – “UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE” – Independent Label

Carl Cox, saxophone/composer; Michael Ianeri, guitar/composer; Isaac Monts, drums; Mario Crew, drum samples; Asa Livingston & Jermaine Childs, bass; Kevin Prince, percussion; Chris “Big Dog” Davis, composer/producer.

The album opens with a Cox & Davis original song, “Breakin’ Away,” that features a power-packed percussion solo to open the arrangement.  It’s a contemporary production with high energy and features the soulful tenor saxophone of Cox. It’s a very bluesy, smooth jazz piece that gets your toes tapping and fingers snapping.  On “Get It” the bassline propels this melodic tune forward, with a strength that’s locked tightly in place by the drummer.  It was cowritten by guitarist Adam Hawley.  This is the second album release for Cox. It offers a funky blend of contemporary jazz, blues and energetic rhythms and grooves.  It’s produced by the in-demand Chris “Big Dog” Davis, who also has co-written music with Cox on several tunes. “Evanescent” meanders on the scene, a composition with a slow shuffle groove and the Cox horn harmonically doubling the saxophone’s rich sound. Ballads like “Be Mine” have a groove that makes you want to slow-dance and hold someone close. One thing I notice right aways is that Carl Cox loves melodies and his songs are carefully composed with the spotlight on bright rhythms and beautiful melodies. “Morning Sunrise” is full of percussive energy, with the Cox saxophone dancing in the brilliant light of this up-tempo arrangement.  The keyboard work by producer Chris “Big Dog” Davis definitely enhances the piece.  During the song, “Time of Need” Carl Cox shows off his talents on soprano saxophone.

As bombs exploded on Ukraine, a stranger named Yuri found comfort listening to this contemporary jazz saxophonist.  Carl Cox was piped through Yuri’s old cell phone and he managed to Facebook a message to the South New Jersey-based reedman and composer.  He told Carl Cox they were listening to his music in a bomb shelter, and it brought them a certain peace. Cox was so surprised and impressed by this information that he was inspired to write “In Time of Need,” one of two new songs that he’s added to this album appropriately titled “Universal language.”  The focus is on Adam Hawley’s guitar and Carl Cox puts down his alto saxophone to feature instead, his soprano sax.

Cox earned his bachelor’s degree in saxophone performance and a master’s in education at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.  He is currently a teacher at his alma mater, Deptford High School, where he has worked for two decades.

“They (the students) respect that not only can I teach it (jazz), but also actually do it as well.  Plus, once they see the success that I have had with my career, it inspires them to accomplish their goals,” Cox praises his students.

This is an album of peace and power, melody, lyricism and a constant, hypnotic groove beneath every tempo.

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ROSS PEDERSON – “IDENTITY” – Independent Label

Ross Pederson, drums/drum programming/synthesizers/percussion/composer; Julia Adamy & Sam Manaie, bass; Julian ‘J3po’ Polack, piano/Rhodes/B3 organ/synthesizers; David Cook, piano/ Wurlitzer/Fender Rhodes/B3 organ/synthesizers; Donny McCaslin, tenor saxophone; JSwiss, spoken word; Melissa McMillan, vocals.

Ross Pederson is a drummer with vast experience playing as part of several music genres. He has worked with the jazz vocal group, Manhattan Transfer, with Patti Austin at a Kennedy Center on New Year’s Eve, and has been a sideman for Snarky Puppy.  He plays with Grace Kelly and Shayna Steel with the same competent drumsticks.  This is his debut recording.

Pederson describes this album as: “It’s a sensibility of one foot in the jazz world and one foot in pop.”

The album cover was so dark, it took me a few weeks to pick it up and see who was on this project.  First of all, you can hardly read the print or see who the artist is listed on the spine.  Publicity-wise, this is bad promotion. The jazz fan wants to see who the artist is and Pederson’s name should be in bright bold readable letters. It’s not! Neither is the album title. Why don’t artists realize the importance of an album cover? 

That being said, Pederson has written all of the music for this project, with arrangements that are extremely busy.  Was there an arranger?  Did the musicians just go into the studio and have a good time cutting this music?  I don’t think the production supports the songwriting. 

“Hope Uplift” got my attention with the beat of Pederson’s drums. The synthesizers and electronics soon took over the melody. All too quickly, just when I thought this ballad had some potential, it soon became a series of ‘loops’ and the potential it had faded into the cacophony of the instrumentalists.  Track #9 titled “Bedlam” frees Pederson up to show off his drum technique, but it’s over-played and all-over-the-place, featuring McCaslin on saxophone. Track #10 is simply a loop.  I wouldn’t call it a composition.

On the last song, “bigger than that” featuring spoken word/hip hop artist JSwiss, the band finally gets their groove on with Melissa McMillan singing the ‘hook’ and a melody clearly defined.  Sometimes less is more.  On this cut, just Ross Pederson on drums and Julia Adamy on bass and someone playing synthesizers makes this song memorable. It’s not jazz, but it’s well done.

On all the other songs, they were just so busy, with a lot of emphasis on McCaslin’s tenor saxophone and repetitive lines that don’t highlight or enhance this composer’s promising work. That made it difficult to enjoy Ross Pederson’s creativity. His production leaves no place to breathe.  Every space is being used.  It’s like a bunch of sentences running together with no periods.  I keep wondering when the music will rest and let the listener catch their breath. This was supposed to be about “Identity,” but I still don’t know who Ross Pederson is.

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GEOF BRADFIELD, RICHARD D. JOHNSON, JOHN TATE, SAMUEL JEWELL – “OUR HEROES” – Afar Music

Geof Bradfield, tenor & soprano saxophones/bass clarinet; Richard D. Johnson, piano/Fender Rhodes; John Tate, acoustic bass; Samuel Jewell, drums.

This is a quartet of Chicago jazz musicians, united by the Afar Record label in their tradition of combining great musicians to create debut projects.  Although these musicians have played together in various configurations prior to the “Our Heroes” recording, this is the first time they’ve gathered as a distinct unit.  Bradfield, Richard Johnson and John Tate have added original compositions to the mix, each dedicated to a musical hero.  They open with “Corea” an obvious nod to Chick Corea and his magnificent impact on jazz music.  The song swings in a Straight-ahead way, showcasing Johnson’s piano talents on Fender Rhodes. 

“Our Heroes” is the latest in a series of themed collaborative projects under Richard D. Johnson’s direction. He is not only the pianist on this project but also the record label founder.  On Johnson’s “Loved Ones” composition, John Tate steps into the spotlight with a notable double bass solo. This quickly becomes one of my favorite tunes on this album. These gifted mid-western musicians have made a conscious decision to honor those who have come before them and paved the way for a new generation. 

“Speaking as a musician and educator, I think it’s important for the students of this music to realize that their mentors have heroes too,” Johnson says. 

Geof Bradfield’s “Blues for Stanley Cowell” continues their musical thesis, but before that tune comes a very lovely ballad by Bradfield called “Some Other Sunday.”  Bass man, John Tate has contributed two songs to this project; “Aspartame” and “Peaceful Giant,” that I believe is a tribute to John Coltrane. As you probably know, ‘aspartame’ is the name of the artificial sugar that’s being added to so many of American processed food.  Clearly, this false sugar, that is low in calories but hundreds of times sweeter than regular sugar, has been proven to be a cancer-causing agent. The tune is solidly rooted in the blues.

All of these original compositions are well written and several sound like they could become jazz standards.  I was very impressed with Johnson’s “High & Low” a tune that allows Bradfield to explore his soprano saxophone and plows Straight-ahead over the catchy bass phrase that winds like a platinum ribbon through this arrangement.  Another favorite of mine is the swinging tune by Geof Bradfield, “The Cruelest Month” that closes this album out. This is an enjoyable CD of original jazz compositions interpreted by talented Chicago musicians.

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DANNY JONOKUCHI BIG BAND – “VOICES” – Outside In Music

Danny Jonokuchi, conductor/arrangements; RHYTHM SECTION: Jeb Patton, piano; Samuel Harris upright bass; Kevin Congleton, drums; Victor Pablo, auxiliary percussion. REEDS: Andrew Gould, Christopher McBride, & Chris Oatts, alto sax/flute; Jon Beshay & Chris Lewis, tenor saxophone/flute/clarinet; Andrew Gutauskas, baritone saxophone/flute/bass clarinet. TRUMPETS: Nick Marchione, (lead trumpet), Sam Hoyt, John Lake, James Zollar, Scott Wendholt, Noah Halpern & Bruce Harris. TROMBONES: Robert Edwards, Sara Jacovino, Jason Jackson & Reginald Chapman on bass trombone. VOICES: Alexa Barchini, Tahira Clayton, Nicole Zuraitis, Brianna Thomas, Shenel Johns, Alita Moses, Charles Turner, Lucy Yeghiazaryan, Sirintip, Martina DaSilva, & Hannah Gill.

This is an interesting project, in that Danny Jonokuchi developed a concept of putting together a big band, where he wrote arrangements that featured not only his seventeen-piece bandmembers but showcased a host of eleven vocalists he admired. Each song is handpicked for these impressive songbirds to deliver, showcasing the best of themselves while also featuring the exceptionally talented big band musicians.

Jonokuchi moved to New York City ten years ago from Los Angeles and worked to make his dream of a big band featuring talented vocalists become a reality. As an arranger, he prides himself in creating the perfect musical canvas where singers can paint their original vocals in bright colors against a backdrop of fantastic big band brilliance.  Every song is well-played and beautifully arranged to showcase voices we can appreciate for their individual originality.

“Voices serves as a reminder of the magic that unfolds when talented musicians come together to create something greater than the sum of its parts … without an ounce of exaggeration, “Voices” is truly my dream album,” Danny confesses in his press package.

This journalist loves and appreciates every familiar song on this album and the amazing arrangements of Jonokuchi lift these voices to higher heights and showcase the super talented bandmembers who play Danny’s creative ideas with gusto and grit.

Jonokuchi holds a master’s degree in composition from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College with the support of the Sir Roland Hanna Memorial Scholarship. He’s the recipient of the Boyer Alumni Award and has been mentored by such icons as Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts, Luis Bonilla, Bruce Barth and John Swana.  For his composition study, he turned to Michael Philip Mossman, John Clayton, Darcy James Argue, Norman David and David Berger.  All that dedication and study has surely paid off huge dividends, noted by the luminosity and virtuosity of these arrangements from the pen of Danny Jonokuchi and the talent of his Big Band membership.

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UNAPOLOGETIC WOMEN EXPRESS THEMSELVES WITH JAZZ

By Dee Dee McNeil

October 15, 2023

RUIQI WANG – “SUDUING THE SILENCE” – Orchard of Pomegranates

Ruiqi Wang, vocals/composer/arranger; Stephanie Urguhart, piano; Summer Kodama, bass; Mili Hong, drums; Craft Ensembles: Colleen Brannen & Amy Sims, violin; Amelia Hollander Ames, viola; Velleda Miragias, cello.

Ruiqi (pronounced Ray-chee) has a voice as warm and sweet as freshly cooked caramel. It’s also  ethereal, abstract, vocal jazz that’s both melodic and contemporary; strikingly unique and yet comfortably rooted in European classical and Chinese culture.  It’s jazz and world music, blended artistically.  The first song is listed as ‘composer unknown’ and is arranged by Ruiqi Wang.  It’s an ancient Chinese song called “Xiang Leng Jin Ni” with lyrics by an eleventh century female poet named Qingzhao Li.  This traditional composition introduces us to the voice of Ruiqi Wang, a voice quite emotional and sincere in its delivery.  Even though I do not understand the words, I am captivated by Ruiqi’s soprano, singing against the backdrop of Mili Hong on complimentary drums.  It’s a very effective introduction to Wang’s lovely human instrument.  I play this song twice, as though the vocalist has hypnotized me.  Her tone and projection is both tentative and touching; sweet, child-like and innocent, but quite persuasive.  She has a way of sliding to the notes, that’s quite enchanting. You hear it clearly during her a’ Capella performance of “Xiang Leng Jin Ni 2” further into the album.

A song called “Vibrating” spotlights Summer Kodama on bass and Hong’s drums.  It’s a short piece, but provocative.  On a tune titled, “Descent of Lilies” Ruiqi Wang lets her voice shine like a horn. She wordlessly takes center stage, generously supported by Stephanie Urguhart’s piano and Kodama’s walking bass. Mili Hong’s drums are spontaneous and boisterous throughout. 

I think the artwork by Bianca Li is beautiful and perfect for this album.  I can tell that this artist looks at every detail of her music, including the art for her CD cover. It’s refreshing.  On her “Dreams of the Pines” composition, she is joined by the strings of Craft Ensembles. 

Here is experimental jazz that pushes the boundaries and sandpapers the sharp edges to a soft, round, feminine beauty. The title tune is sung in English and the sweet lines of violins converse with Wang’s vocals.  First, she sings, then recites in spoken word the poem “Fragments for Subduing the Silence” by Alejandra Pizarnik, and translated from Spanish to English by Yvette Siegert. 

Ruiqi Wang was born and raised in Hangzhou, China and relocated to Montreal, Cananda in 2027 to study at McGill University’s jazz Performance program.  In addition to this female dominated group of musicians she records with, she also performs with the Ruiqi Wang Chamber Ensemble.  Wang is currently embarking upon a master’s degree in jazz composition at the Bern Academy of the Arts in Switzerland.  She is a blossoming composer, a lovely vocalist, and I can imagine her trailblazing her way across the continents of experimental music. This is an artist who leaves a lasting impression with her musical ideas and forward-thinking arrangements.  This album will be available October 27, 2023.

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COLETTE MICHAAN – “EARTH REBIRTH” – Creatrix Music

Colette Michaan, flute/bamgoo flute; Leo Genovese, piano/keyboards; John Benitez, acoustic bass; Luisito Quintero, timbales/percussion; Yusnier Sanchez Bustamante, congas/percussion; Mireya Ramos, vocals.

This Colette Michaan sextet features four musicians who have already won multiple Grammy Awards.  The purpose and intent of this album is to celebrate the beauty of humankind’s home, that of Earth. The musical premise is to celebrate a rebirth.  The title tune opens this production with Colette’s flute flying like a wild bird above the powerful rhythm section and leading the way.  For some reason, on the wings of this music, I am transported to a place of wild open spaces and indigenous people. This first tune inspires my imagination and I become a time traveler.  Track #2, “Campina” is a Cuban classic and features the warm, vibrant vocals of Mireya Ramos.  The percussion is magical, and the Latin inspired arrangement brings joy to my listening room. Track #3, “El Raton” has been arranged by Colette’s bass player, John Benitez.  It takes on a sexy, contemporary, jazz groove, with a moderate tempo and blues base.  I enjoy the harmony between the keyboard and Michaan’s flute. Leo Genovese offers a stellar piano solo. 

Colette Michaan is based in New York City, but her music reflects several cultures.  She draws from her extensive travels throughout Africa, South America, Asia and the Caribbean.  But the bulk of these arrangements bury strong roots in Latin cultures.  The result is bright, entertaining songs that blossom like wild, island orchids. Michaan’s flute inspires your senses to come alive. Her interpretation of the Abbey Lincoln classic jazz song, “Throw It Away” is delightful, featuring her mastery on the flute.  Again, during Colette’s version of the Charles Mingus composition, “Reincarnation of a Lovebird” repaints the Mingus music in brilliant, bright, South American colors.

This is a Latin-flavored album of spirit and rhythm that generously supports the flute excellence of Colette Michaan.

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CAROLINE DAVIS’ ALULA – “CAPTIVITY” – Ropeadope Records

Caroline Davis, alto saxophone/juno/vocals/composer; Val Jeanty, turntables/samples; Chris Tordini, acoustic& Moog bass; Tyshawn Sorey, drums; Qasim Naqvi, modular synthesizer; Ben Hoffman, prophet.

Alto saxophonist, Caroline Davis offers us her first social justice album.  Each of eight compositions celebrates eight lives, people who kept hope alive through incarceration. The first song sounds like a rocket to the moon is about to take off.  It manifests that kind of energy and a driving undercurrent of sounds and electronics, including a male vocal speaking underneath the fray, sometimes screaming, “give them what belongs to them.”

Caroline’s saxophone takes center stage playing “Burned Believers for Agnes & Huguette” with a female voice speaking beneath the music this time, repeating, “and fight back” among other things.  Chris Tordini’s bass sets the mood and tempo along with Tyshawn Sorey on drums.  Caroline’s alto saxophone jogs atop the chord changes, sometimes sounding somewhat out of tune.  It’s not a pretty or melodic song that her saxophone sings.  The third track continues down the same path.

The compositions and arrangements that Caroline has written are quite experimental, but her approach to interpreting them on alto saxophone seems limited. I strain to hear her break free from her one-dimensional approach on her instrument to a more fluid saxophone solo, but this never happens.  The electronics of samples are spun like a spider webs atop the bass and drums Davis is front and center, playing her saxophone and wriggling in the web, resembling a captured prey.  I felt like I was always waiting for Caroline Davis to show me some moments of genius on her horn. On the 5^th track, “Synchronize my Body Where My Mind Has Always Been” they show a little more spontaneity and energy, with Davis almost breaking free of her musical inhibitions. A male voice repeats, “Manifesto” over and over in the track. 

Unapologetically, this takes Avant-garde to a whole new level.  Davis delivers her album with ten original songs, but I just couldn’t connect to it. I always look for spiritual value, honesty, and some kind of beauty in everything I listen to.  I came away from this electronic experimental music, somewhat disappointed and unfulfilled.

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DEBBIE SPRING – “TOCAMOS” – CR Records

Debbie Spring, 5-string viola/composer; Hal Roland, piano/keyboards/vocals; Rusty Heck, bass; Ettienne Fuentes Jr., drums; Scott Marischen, harp; Phill Fest, guitar; Howard Levy, harmonica; David Schanzer, percussion/keyboard pads; Julio Matta, percussion; Eddy “Oriente” Balzola, spoken word.

Opening with an original composition called “Mockingbird” Debbie’s delightful jazz flavored 5-string viola introduces the melody.  The sound of a live bird is incorporated into her arrangement.  Spring has written all the music on this album, with the exception of Track #2, the familiar “Fragile” tune composed by Sting. It features the vocals of Hal Roland, with an inspired solo by Debbie Spring’s viola and Scott Marischen lends his own solo on harp.

Born in Miami, and still based in Florida, she began her love of music at the age of five, studying the piano. When she was introduced to the viola, she fell in love with its tone. Debbie Spring admires the great Jean-Luc Ponty.  She has chosen a challenging and rare instrument to play, but Debbie has perfected her technique and style.  You hear it on this album project.  First rooted in European classical music, after Debbie discovered jazz her world opened up like a rainbow across the sky.  While studying for her master’s degree at the University of Miami, she was performing with her own jazz fusion group and they recorded an album in 1990 called “Ocean Drive.”  

The 5-string viola she plays is tuned differently than a violin.  It’s one-fifth lower and the strings are C, G, D, A and Ms. Spring has added a high E string to her instrument.  This allows her a range closer to the violin.  She has played with country/western groups, pop groups and performed classical concerts, but she says one of her favorite gigs was touring with Shakira, who allowed her to be free and improvise, like the jazz musician that she is.

The title of this album is “Tocamos” that translates from Spanish to English to mean “we play.” This meaning reflects Debbie’s desire and love of playing and sharing her music. On this album you will enjoy a bit of Latin flavor, a touch of pop, some great compositions by Spring, and a whole lot of jazz. The title tune is both melodic and rhythmic, with Latin percussion driving this arrangement and her beautiful tone on the viola exploring the melody.  Debbie Spring improvises fluidly and with great power.  Hal Roland takes an inspired solo on piano. “Tocamos” quickly became one of my favorite tunes on this album.

It’s rare to hear the viola become the lead instrument in a jazz ensemble, but Debbie Spring makes it sound normal and natural.  A master of her instrument, she brings warm, wonderful sounds to our ears, with several of her outstanding compositions and arrangements highlight Debbie Spring’s mastery of this unusual string instrument.  Bravo!

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ANGELICA SANCHEZ NONET – “NIGHTTIME CREATURES” – Pyroclastic Records

Angelica Sanchez, piano/composer/arranger; John Hebert, bass; Sam Ospovat, drummer; Omar Tamez, guitar; Michael Attias, alto saxophone; Chris Speed, tenor saxophone/clarinet; Ben Goldberg, contra alto clarinet; Thomas Heberer, quarter-tone trumpet; Kenny Warren, cornet.

During a time spent living in seclusion and away from the urban noises, pianist, composer and arranger, Angelica Sanchez was fascinated by what her ears heard. With only the light coming from a very thin crescent moon, Sanchez describes what inspired this current recording project. 

“The woods transform at night, when … you can’t see your hand in front of your face, but the coyotes and other animals make more noise in the dark.  I realized that it was only my ears that were activated in those moments.  I became fascinated by what I couldn’t see,” Sanchez shared in her press package.

“Nighttime Creatures” becomes Sanchez’s most expansive and ambitious project to date, quite reflective of her love of big band music and her search to transform a dark, inspirational, wooded area into a musical arrangement.  As an acclaimed improviser, Angelica Sanchez presents this instrumental, experimental album as a vehicle of freedom and creativity.

“I know what I want, and as time goes on, I get closer to the sound in my head,” she explains.

The nine-piece ensemble opens with the title tune, featuring the rich, provocative sound of Ben Goldbergs contra alto clarinet. It flies like a bird in the shadows. then growls like an invisible creature hiding in the darkness.  I am so taken with his solo that I play this piece twice to soak up the full impact of Angelica’s original composition.  She has composed all of the music except “Lady of the Lavender Mist” that is a mysterious Duke Ellington tune with exotic harmonies. Sanchez squeezes the harmonics in these arrangements as close as two sheets of typing paper, sometimes dabbling in dissonance, or tickling the Avant-garde alive.  This tune perpetrates the influence and inspiration from Carla Bley to Sanchez’s musical sensibilities. Her song, “Cloud House” is more melodic and invites the saxophone to flutter and improvise around her arrangement. 

Her one-finger piano playing sometimes changes the mood, coordinating with John Hebert’s bass, like old friends hooking a pinky-finger promise. Later in the arrangement, Angelica’s piano takes center stage, arguing with a horn conversation, the instruments mimic two bucks locking antlers.  On her composition “Astral Light of Alarid” Sanchez celebrates her father who made a huge impact on her music. Fulgencio Alarid Sanchez had a large album collection and Angelica spent many precious hours listening to a variety of the music that her father loved. 

Sanchez expounds, “He lit the path for me. … I wouldn’t be a musician without my father’s overwhelmingly warm support.”

Angelica Sanchez is currently on the faculty at Bard College.  In 2022, her recording titled, “Sparkle Beings” was chosen by the New York Times as one of the top ten jazz recordings of that year.  I expect this release will also rise to that occasion.

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ELLIE MARTIN – “VERDANT” –  Independent Label/funded in part by Toledo Arts Commission

Ellie Martin, vocals/composer; Peter Eldridge, piano/background vocals; Mike Harrison, vocals/background vocals; Keith Ganz & Ariel Kasler, guitar; Kurt Khranke, bass; Olman Piedra, drums/percussion; Victor Goncalves, accordion; Andrew Bishop, clarinet; Ben Wolkins, trumpet.

A taste of Brazil rides on the coattails of these original compositions written by the artist, Ellie Martin.  This album features a dozen original compositions that follow the arc of her life during the past few years.  They reflect Ellie’s experiences as a woman, a mother, and a cancer survivor.  Based in Toledo, Ohio, Ellie Martin uses some of her Midwest musical talent to record this debut album.  An educator for many years, her dream deferred has always been to cut an album of her original music.  After a recent cancer scare, she embraced her ‘Bucket List’ and has done just that. 

The first song is a Samba “Living for the Now” and is good advice for all of us.  “As Time Goes” is a duet that includes the vocal talents of Mike Harrison.  Their voices have a comfortable blend.  I am enamored by Martin’s composing skills.  She writes lovely melodies, and these arrangements are well executed.  She has a flair for Latin themed music.  That becomes evident from the opening tune to her tango called “Dancers Serenade” and her song, “Never Will I Worry” with Bossa Nova influence.  Martin’s vocals are mediocre and there is no jazz style here to label her a stylist.  However, she is an outstanding composer, and this album celebrates her obvious songwriting talents.

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JENNIFER WHARTON’S BONEGASM –  “GRIT & GRACE” – Sunnyside Records

Jennifer Wharton, bass trombone/vocals/composer; Michael Eckroth, piano; Evan Gregor, bass; Don Peretz, drums; Alan Ferber, Nate Mayland & John Fedchock, trombone; Samuel Torres, percussion.

In 2019, Jennifer Wharton debuted her brass-forward band called ‘Bonegasm.’  The idea was to put the spotlight on the trombone instrument, especially her bass trombone. The album title, “Grit & Grace” are two characteristics that Wharton has mastered in both her music and her life. She is a low brass specialist and has paid dues in the Broadway orchestra pits of many plays, in recording studios and on big band stages playing her big bass trombone.

“Here I am, a woman playing a man’s instrument in jazz, which I started relatively late.  I was looking for a way to make music mean more to me, so when I discovered I could have something of my own, it changed my whole outlook on music.  I just decided to put on my big girl pants and do this,” Jennifer shared in her press package.

Her album celebrates trombones.  She has chosen to play songs composed by women who she commissioned to write specific for this project. Wharton wrote the first song called, “Be Normal.”  Other Jazz composers like Vanessa Perica, Miho Hazama, Carolina Calvache, Natalie Cressman and Nadje Noordhuis have contributed beautiful music to this album.  Australian composer/conductor, Vanessa Perica wrote the second track, “In Our Darkest Hour.”  It’s a beautiful piece that allows Michael Eckroth to improvise wildly on piano and he explores all the dark corners and hidden places inside this lovely tune. Jennifer has composed the fourth track called, “Mama’s Alright” where she takes an unforgettable solo on her bass trombone. This song is dedicated to one of the mothers of jazz trombone, the late, great Melba Liston and it features John Fedchock on trombone. Fedchock also produced this unique album of music.

Another composition, “Norhala” was written by Grammy nominated composer/conductor Miho Hazama.  This title represents writer, A. Merritt’s character from a 1920 fantasy novel. This character can control lightning and bring metal objects to life. Wharton generously shares the spotlight with her bandmembers, shining it on Nate Mayland this time, but not before she spits and staccato punches her bass trombone into the arrangement.  Her bass trombone tone is so distinctive and gritty.  Meantime, the background is full of rich harmonics as the trombone crew joins tones, like fingers tightly interlaced.  Don Peretz drives the music furiously ahead on trap drums. 

On the Natalie Cressman tune, “Menina Sozinha” (that translates to ‘Girl on Her Own’) Wharton and hubby, John Fedchock, are featured, trombone to trombone (like cheek to cheek) during this Brazilian anthem. I thought the swinging closing tune, “Coop’s Condiments” by Nadje Noordhuis was a great way to end this album, and Evan Gregor’s bass solo is wonderful.  Jennifer sings on this tune and I wish she hadn’t.  Sorry Jennifer. Even Wharton admits she’s not a vocalist but simply a ‘ham.’  That being said, the lyrics are cute, and I can see that this blues-based song would be a crowd pleaser in a ‘live’ setting. “Salt and Pepper” is a great sing-along-line!

This album features unique arrangements and spotlights the beauty of trombones in a distinctive and inimitable way. Jennifer Wharton’s composing skills are on bright display, and her love and appreciation for her instrument shines throughout this production. Wharton’s third album featuring ‘Bonegasm’ will be released October 20, 2023.

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HANNAH GILL – “EVERYBODY LOVES A LOVER” –  Turtle Bay Records

Hannah Gill, vocals; Danny Jonokuchi, trumpet/arranger; Ryan Weisheit, saxophone/clarinet; Sam Chess, trombone; Greg Ruggerio, guitar; Gordon Webster, piano; Tal Ronen, bass; Ben Zweig, drums.

Hannah Gill and producer Scott Asen have turned back the hands of time, embracing a musical era from the 1920s to the 1950s. The arrangements remind us of a time past but are still relevant. Gill’s crystal-clear voice tells stories from a time when danceable ‘swing’ rhythms and melodic lines ruled the airwaves and permeated the dance halls. On radio, lyrics unraveled stories of love and loss by folks like Nat King Cole and Doris Day.  Hannah Gill enunciates every word to perfection, like Ella Fitzgerald used to do.  In fact, Ella is one of her favorite vocalists and this young singer even has Ella tattooed on her ankle. She records a song Fitzgerald wrote called “I Fell in Love with a Dream” from Ella’s 1939 album, ‘Betcha Nickel.’  But first, Gill opens with a 1931 song, “Moonlight Saving Time” that was recorded by another favorite of hers, Blossom Dearie. The young vocalist has her own style and sounds like neither of her idols. Still, tunes like these magically transport us back to a time of Jitterbug dances and Cotton Club Reviews, with scantily clad women shaking their groove things.  I love the “ragtime” horn arrangements and Ben Zweig generates non-stop energy on his drums, pushing the band forward with gusto.  Hannah Gill has a warm, compelling voice that is pleasant to the ear, and she knows how to ‘swing.’ She makes it sound effortless, but so many singers I hear couldn’t swing if they were on a playground. Gill’s voice is refreshing and honest.  She gives us a look at old songs that should never be forgotten, sung by a new singer who we should remember with pleasure. Hannah Gill offers us alluring, pitch-perfect vocals and a delightful presentation of timeless music, a rewind from the past to debut her first recorded step into the future.

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THE DESCRIBABLE BEAUTY OF JAZZ

By Dee Dee McNeil

October 1, 2023

IVAN LINS – “MY HEART SPEAKS” – Renaissance Records

Ivan Lins, vocal/composer; Josh Nelson, piano; Leo Amuedo, guitar; Carlitos Del Puerto, bass; Mauricio Zottarelli, drums/percussion; Featuring: The Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra; Dianne Reeves, jane Monheit, & Tawanda, vocals; Randy Brecker, trumpet.

Ivan Lins is a famous and prolific Brazilian composer who has written over six-hundred songs.  Many feel that his work is as important and celebratory as that of Jobim’s impact on the music world. 

To open this album, the Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra strings float into my listening space like early morning sunrays and reveal the premiere song on Ivan Lins’ “My heart Speaks” album. This first song is titled “Renata Maria.”   Ivan Lins’ album opens like a best-selling book, each song a chapter from his life and times.  The melodies dance and pirouette like Portuguese ballerinas and the lyrics are heartfelt and sincere. This first song speaks of a goddess who rises from the sea and whose beauty makes all of nature pale in comparison. Then, she vanishes and leaves a lovesick observer to pace the beach, searching for her endlessly.  The guitar of Leo Amuedo is prominent and beautiful.  The title tune follows and is interpreted by the incomparable Diane Reeves. Vocalist and songwriter, Jane Monheit has penned the lyrics.  The melody dips and dives like a seagull hunting prey and challenges Reeves’ talent and range. She does not disappoint. A Lins tune titled “Congada Blues” first appeared on Terence Blanchard’s “The Heart Speaks” album, with Lins growling and humming throughout.  He does the same here, singing us the melody inspired by African slaves who were brought to Brazil in the 17^th century.  Josh Nelson is prominently featured on piano during “E Isso Acontece” a composition that Lins wrote for his producer Paulinho Albuquerque when he was depressed by the loss of the love of his life.  Nelson accompanies Ivan Lins on piano, embellishing this ballad with sensitivity and precision.

Of Nelson’s piano playing, Ivan Lins had this to say in his liner notes.  “I’m crazy about Josh Nelson.  He knows it has to be a conversation, an exchange of ideas, of feelings, of spirit.  He senses how an interpreter reacts, how he feels.”

“Easy Going” is bright, joyful and more up-tempo, putting me in a carnival mood, with the bass of Carlitos Del Puerto the center of attraction. A favorite of mine is “Missing Miles” with Lins humming along with Leo Amuedo’s guitar and a lovely, muted trumpet solo by Randy Brecker.  Every song on this album cements the talent of Ivan Lins in musical stone. From flamboyant party tunes to touching, emotional compositions of strength and joy, sadness and reaffirmation of hope; every melody is beautifully written and every arrangement by Kuno Schmid brings gorgeous attention to the Lins’ compositions.

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GONZALO RUBALCABA – “BORROWED ROSES” – Top Stop Music

Gonzalo Rubalcaba, solo piano.

I was thrilled to open my mail and discover this album by Gonzalo Rubalcaba playing solo piano.  Anything this Grammy Award-winning piano master plays is always engaging, amazing and pure pleasure.  He has chosen a dozen standard tunes to tease our musical tastebuds.  The first is Billy Strayhorn’s “Chelsea Bridge.”  It is presented so emotionally impactful that I am stunned at my listening desk.  I play it twice before I can move on.

“Playing solo is a different journey than playing with trio or quartet or any ensemble,” Gonzalo Rubalcaba explains in his press package.

“It’s a huge challenge, but it also presents many possibilities.  What you can do with a piano is almost infinite.  You have to find a way to use all these possibilities that are before you according to what you need aesthetically, artistically, in every moment.  It demands that you be well-trained, know the instrument, know the music, know yourself.  If you don’t know yourself, you can’t look for an evolution,” Gonzalo asserts.

You will enjoy familiar songs like Summertime, Someone to Watch Over Me, Take Five, Here, There and Everywhere, Lush Life, In A Sentimental Mood and more.  But there is nothing familiar about the unusually gorgeous way Gonzalo Rubalcaba interprets these flowers. If you have the appetite, he offers them like a sweet bouquet to our hungry ears.

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KRIS BERG THE METROPLEXITY BIG BAND  – “PERSPECTIVE” – Summit Records

Kris Berg, Yamaha basses/woodwinds/composer/arranger; Kent Ellingson, piano; John Simon, drums; Troy Conn & Tom Burchill, guitar; Efren Guzman, percussion; Stockton Helbing, drums. TRUMPETS: Micah Bell, Thomas Eby, Luke Wingfield, Pete Clagett, Stuart Mack, Jeff Leinbaugh, Andrew Bezik, Ken Edwards & Jake Boldman. TROMBONES: Tim McMillen, Keith Oshiro, Mitas Yoes, Seth Vatt, Jonathan Adamo & Simon Willats. SAXOPHONES: Bruce Bohnstengel, Sarah Roberts, Brian Clancy, Brian Garrett, Roger Holmes, Heath Jones, Mike Morrison, Kevin McNerney & Andrew Stonerock.

Kris Berg is an award-winning bassist, and one of the top-selling jazz composers, arrangers in the world today.  The first cut, “Modern Peck-Nology” begins as if we are in a musician’s warm-up room before the concert.  Suddenly, the ensemble comes together with a strong funk groove provided by the drums of Gregg Bissonette. I hear fusion jazz locked into this arrangement that prominently features Tom Malone on trombone. On cut #2, the drums of John Simon act as an energized introduction to this big band’s power-fueled “Perspective.”  That’s a great title for this album; “Perspective.”  Berg invites Brian Clancy forward to solo on tenor saxophone, before featuring the solo, super-talents of Randy Brecker on trumpet. Mid-way through this arrangement reminds me of a train stopping at some out-of-the-way spot, then starting up again with the drums rolling like train wheels on steel rails and the slow, dogmatic rhythm of the engine grinding ahead.  This big band is like a well-oiled machine.  Like a “Sponge” (the name of this composition by Brecker) the band soaks up all the oxygen in the room in a very musical and magical way. 

“I am so honored to be a small part of this record.  When Kris sent me the track of my tune, “Sponge” I must say I was astounded. Kris had turned the tune upside down and inside out.  It was a real challenge to rise to the level of the track … and every track is on that level musically with first call production and sound too!” Randy Brecker wrote in Berg’s press package.

A composition Berg calls “At Water’s Edge” uses the piano to depict the sound of moving water and the sensitive solo of Brian Gorrell on tenor saxophone could easily be the fisherman or the person walking the beach who skirts the water’s edge.  The horns fly like seagulls and intensify the moment. The mood changes in a delightful way when Pete Clagett adds his trumpet presence to the piece. I loved the arrangement of Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints” tune.  It was fresh and allowed Eric Marienthal to explore his improvisational solo with gusto and grit.  Kent Ellingson was smooth as velvet on piano and John Simon pushed the rhythm section forward with the power of his drumsticks and offers a masterful solo.

This intriguing big band has been a staple in the community of Dallas, Texas for decades.  They are appreciated as one of the city’s current popular big band ensembles, and celebrated as a group led by Berg, displaying the top of their game. Although this album incorporates several guest soloists from both Los Angeles and New York, everyone in Berg’s Metroplexity Big Band is an A-game player and obvious to this listener, can hold their own. Kris Berg unrolls the beauty of big band music like a red carpet before our ears.

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SARA SERPA & ANDRÈ MATOS – “NIGHT BIRDS” – Robalo Music

Sara Serpa, vocals/composer; André Matos, electric & acoustic guitars/bass/percussion/ composer; Dov Manski, piano/synthesizer; Joao Pereira, drums; Okkyung Lee, cello; Lourenço & Sofia Jernberg, voice.

This album opens with a rich, synthesized, and electronic track floating beneath Sara Serpa’s soprano, award-winning voice. The composition is by guitarist Matos and titled, “From A Distance.”  Serpa’s pitch-perfect vocals are delivered like an instrument. No lyrics are uttered.  Just her clear, clean tone flutters like a saxophone or a flute. It’s been seven years since the Serpa/Matos last album release, and this is their third project together.   Serpa was crowned the 2020 Vocalist of the Year by NPR.  Matos has been described as “one of the kings of melody …” by the New York Music Daily. When they join forces, the result is otherworldly and delightfully fresh with melodic beauty and splashes of the Avant-garde.

This collection of twelve original compositions, written by Matos or in collaboration with Serpa, is enhanced by Brooklyn-based pianist, Dov Manski, South-Korean cellist, Okkyung Lee and Portuguese drummer, Joao Pereira. These additional musicians and the voice of Ethiopian-Swedish experimental vocalist, Sofia Jernberg create interest and depth. They add the voice of their seven-year-old child, Lourenço, on two tracks and together, these musicians add mystery and complexity to this unique project. With some songs, they shake musical fingers at the world’s consumption and exploitation of our natural ecosystems. They bring melodic beauty, but also activism to their “Night Bird” project.

Serpa explained the addition of her and André Matos’ son in this production. “I really wanted to include his voice in this album before it changes in a few years.  It has always been so inspiring to watch Lourenço being natural, spontaneous, and present in our musical lives,”

You hear the child’s voice on their song “Family” running like a silk thread through the harmonic arrangement. 

“Much of this music reveals reflections on what family means for us, as immigrants and as New Yorkers, how parenting has changed our lives, and how horrified we are about the overconsumption of resources and the destruction of the natural world,” Serpa shares her honest commentary in the press package.

On the title tune, “Night Birds,” the music unfolds with electronic soundbites and Serpa’s voice sounding like a lonely bird calling out to vacant skies.  There is a funk undertone on the composition, “Counting” where Matos adds both acoustic and electric guitar licks.

“Both are textures that I live with in my musical mind.  While the electric is still my main vehicle, the steel string acoustic guitar has been more present in recent years, exploring new possibilities,” André Matos explains. 

On “Bergman’s Island” you hear the tenderness and grace wrapped into his technique and expressive candor as Matos accompanies Serpa’s wordless, vocal expression. I love the sound of his steel-string, acoustic guitar.

There is a hauntingly eerie and unique component in the Serpa/Matos music.  The way his guitar speaks to me is hypnotic and often surprising, sometimes whining like a melodic squeaky door, or singing like a happy cartoon character.  This album stimulates reflection and paints beautiful, lyrical portraits with notation, pushing like brushes across the musical palate of our imagination.

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KRIS DAVIS w/DIATOM RIBBONS – “LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD” – Pyroclastic Records

Kris Davis, piano/prepared piano/arturia microfreak synthesizer/composer; Terri Lyne Carrington, drums; Val Jeanty, turntables & electronics; Julian Lage, electric guitar; Trevor Dunn, electric bass/double bass.

This is a ‘live’ recording from the archives of the famed Village Vanguard club in New York City that reunites Kris Davis with her core collaborators, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, electronic musician and turntable master, Val Jeanty and bassist, Trevor Dunn.  The new voice she adds to the mix is guitarist Julian Lage.

“This album throws a wrench in the traditional jazz quartet format by adding DJ and electronics. It stands as a testament to the forward-thinking nature of the Vanguard and its willingness to embrace some of the new elements that are coming into the music,” Kris explains in her press package.

Davis is a musician who likes dancing on the edge and invites her musical comrades to join her.  They worked a week-long gig at the famed NYC jazz hotspot before a live audience and diving into unfamiliar original music.

“I like the idea of not allowing the group to feel too comfortable,” Davis admitted. “This new configuration (with Julian Lage on electric guitar) challenged us to find a band sound while playing this new music.”

Clearly, the composer’s piano virtuosity, her composer skills, and Terri Lyn Carrington’s admirable drums propel this music forward like a rocket ship.  After the opening tune called “Alice in the Congo” where I was snapped to attention and entertained with energy and force, continued on disc One, with tunes like “Nine Hats” that starts out so quietly and introspectively, but soon morphs into another sphere.  Davis draws inspiration from Eric Dolphy’s “Hat and Beard” composition and Nancarrow’s “Study No. 9 for Player Piano.” Both are incorporated when she created this song.  You can hear the instrumentalists experimenting with electronics and string bass excerpts, along with the Davis piano, always present and center stage as a foundational and melodic player.

In her role as Associate Program Director of Creative Development for the Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice at Berklee College of Music, Davis plays an active part in remedying the historic injustices and imbalances in the jazz world, while serving as a role model in her own work.  I would like to add that both Davis and bassist Linda May Han Oh are only the second and third women to win the Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for Terri Lyne Carrington’s 2022 album “New Standards Vol. 1.”  They share that honor with Carrington, the first woman to win the category with 2013’s “Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue.”  Another winning position for women is the fact that Davis also becomes one of very few female instrumentalists to have recorded at the Vanguard to date, with the exception of the great Geri Allen, Shirley Horn, Betty Carter, Barbra Streisand, Cecile McLorin Salvant, esperanza spalding and Junko Onishi.

Kris Davis displays a ferocious and creative artistic proclivity, displaying an appetite for the unusual, like tasting alligator for the first time or sipping possum soup.  There is a sense of wildness about her arrangements, with the configurations of spoken words skipping atop the Avant-garde music that acts as a trampoline for the messages.  It’s gamey!  It’s thought-provoking music that demands your attention and opens your mind to taste things you’ve never experimented with before. This music demands you let go of pre-conditions and that you live in the now!

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EMBER – “AUGUST IN MARCH” – Imani Records

Caleb Wheeler Curtis, trumpet/reed trumpet/stritch/alto saxophone; Noah Garabedian, double bass; Vincent Sperrazza, drums.

Percussion opens the first piece on this interesting amalgamation of melodies, rhythms, and creative ideas.  The “Ember” group moves from the traditional to the Avant-garde in a mere breath. Ember is a Brooklyn, New York based collaborative trio.  Caleb Wheeler Curtis brings his alto saxophone and trumpet to the party.  Noah Garabedian is the bassist and Vincent Sperrazza plays drums, sprinkling his beats about like confetti.  Together, they reflect open freedom and intoxicating improvisation as the catalyst that pushes their music forward. Their title tune, Track #4, is built upon the double bass of Garabedian as he bows his instrument. The title seems to reflect global climate warming, but the trio leaves it open to the listening audience to guess, and welcomes their input.  The first four tunes have moderate tempos.  I was happy to hear a burst of energy on “Angular Saxon” with the Curtis saxophone out-front and Sperrazza’s drums thunderously busy. This is a journey into the minds and inventiveness of three talented musicians.  Their project reminds me of the same way nature paints the sky at sunrise, and it changes every few seconds to different landscapes and colorful shades.  Once you hear these songs, you may not ever hear them played the same way again. You can only appreciate this music in the moment. 

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ARINA FUJIWARA – “NEON” – Independent Label

Arina Fujiwara, piano/keyboards/composer/arranger; Jaycee Cardoso & Sammy Andonian, violins; Jeremy Klein, viola; Ciara Cho, cello; Vid Jamnik, vibraphone; Brad Kang, guitar; Dan Finn, bass; Mikkel Blasild Vuust, drums.

Arina Fujiwara is a very dramatic composer and pianist.  She has composed four of the six songs on this album.  A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music with a Master of Music degree, this is Arina’s debut EP recording.  She soaks her music in strings, adding the string quartet on four of her original songs and during a fresh arrangement of a Japanese children’s song.  Her first composition is a waltz with roots buried deeply in classical music and a very lovely melody that propels the piece forward, blossoming into a sweet flower when Arina solos on piano. Dan Finn takes a creative bass solo during this arrangement. Track #2 is titled “Hotaru Koi” and is the children’s song mentioned above.  The strings dip and dive like goldfish in a pond being fed.  Arina’s piano establishes the melody, and her style begins to shine through during this arrangement. She plays an organ solo on synthesizer and lifts the arrangement with that unexpected keyboard addition. There is a taste of fusion in this Japanese Children’s song, and I love the integration of the strings. Vuust is robust on drums. The title tune, “Neon” is sweetly introduced by Arina Fujiwara’s piano. Vid Jamnik adds the vibraphone and it’s a lovely touch. To close her album, Fujiwara plays “Maple leaf Rag” solo piano, and adds a musical exclamation mark to a well-rounded recording. Clearly, Ms. Fujiwara is a fine composer and has a developing piano style that seems to be her very own. That’s a sincere compliment in a jazz world plush with pianists.  This is a young, developing talent to watch with appreciation and support.

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EDDIE HENDERSON – “WITNESS TO HISTORY” – Smoke Sessions Records

Eddie Henderson, trumpet/composer; Donald Harrison, alto saxophone; George Cables, piano/Fender Rhodes; Gerald Cannon, bass; Lenny white & Mike Clark, drums.

“My first trumpet teacher, way back in 1949, was Louis Armstrong.  I met the trumpet icon through my mother, a dancer at Harlem’s famed original Cotton Club,” Eddie Henderson recalls in his liner notes. 

Born October 26, 1940, Eddie Henderson speaks to us through the title of this album, for surely he is a living witness to history.  He’s lived it, evolved from it, and played his trumpet during the best of times and the worst of times. He’s listened as we moved from radio to black and white television and then color T.V.  This was followed by computerized music.  He’s seen the house phone disappear and reappear in the pockets and pocketbooks of society as cell phones.  He has watched as the Internet connected the world and exposed international music, as well as international secrets.  He’s seen empires built and destroyed.  All of that knowledge pours from the bell of his horn on this historic album release.  He is a “Witnessed to History” and has shared it in his music.

Henderson opens with his original composition, “Scorpio Rising” which borrows from a fusion time, with Mike Clark funky on the drums and his trumpet singing out in long streams of melodic messaging.  He incorporates the brilliance of Donald Harrison on alto saxophone and George Cables skimming busy fingers across the Fender Rhodes electric piano. This tune and arrangement reminds me of the “On the Corner” era of Miles Davis.  George Cables has penned the next tune, “Why Not?” and Gerald Cannon’s rich bass line locks the groove into place with Lenny White on drums. Cables is back at the grand piano and Eddie Henderson makes a harmonious statement with Donald Harrison. This album is prefacing the upcoming documentary on Eddie Henderson’s life called, “Dr. Eddie Henderson: Uncommon Genius.”  It will be an amazing film that peels back the layers of talent that Dr. Henderson has mastered. 

For example, it will uncover the fact that Eddie Henderson is actually a doctor with a medical degree and has, in the past, practiced medicine, while still playing his horn at night on gigs. Also, that during high school, the talented young Henderson was a competitive figure skater who made history as the first Black man to participate in national figure skating competitions.  Who knew?

At 83-years-young, Dr. Eddie Henderson shows us that he is still working, still talented and still pushing boundaries with this current album release. Henderson has known and played with almost every great trumpeter known to jazz, as well as a long list of jazz luminaries. Along with his all-star quintet, every song they deliver is beautifully arranged and perfectly played to exemplify, through tunes you know and love, how being a “Witness to History” has inspired and catapulted Dr. Eddie Henderson through the ages. His consistent relevance and genius is on full display.

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