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Jazz ♫ Music only | In the now, or recently, or that you love...

MoreWatts said:
Warning, a bit off-color/rude. It's a short cartoon. From an IFC 2015 mini series with Will Farrell, called The Spoils Before Dying, episode 3. Hey - Michael K. Williams, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph - apparently not available to stream (Plex?) Sure nails the 1950s Beatnik/bebop era vibe.
Click to expand...
It sure does, lol.
 
The WDR Big Band released the album Samba Jazz Odyssey in 2022. From AllAboutJazz.com: "One could probably count the number of big-band albums featuring a harmonica player on the fingers of one hand and leave some unused. And so it is indeed a genuine pleasure to hear the virtuoso Hendrik Meurkens perform with one of the world's foremost large ensembles, Cologne, Germany's exemplary WDR Big Band. More than simply performing, Meurkens also composed seven of the album's nine delightful numbers, with solos on every number, always with one or more members of the ensemble sharing the spotlight. ... Combine Meurkens' superb playing and writing with ... the marvelous WDR Big Band, and you have the complete package. To put it another way, Latin-flavored big-band jazz simply doesn't get much better than this."

The first vid is a live performance of a tune from the album, the 2nd is from a performance with altoist Paquito D'Rivera, while YouTube and Spotify links to the mentioned album follow. This is a nice big band jazz album, even with the non-traditional lead instrument. Please enjoy.



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Hendrik Meurkens & the WDR Big Band, "Samba Jazz Odyssey," YouTube playlist, full album.
Hendrik Meurkens & the WDR Big Band, "Samba Jazz Odyssey," Spotify link, full album.
 
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Saxophonist Roxy Cross released her album Disparate Parts in 2022. From AllAboutJazz.com: "Saxophonist Roxy Coss' acute, teasingly biting tone and rich, no boundaries disposition to composing and jamming has placed her high in the generational echelon of new and challenging players. She willingly and unapologetically blends and blurs the lines to suit any and all missives, and the fourteen fireballs heard loud and clear on Disparate Parts broach nothing less.... It is startling! It is exhilarating! It is the great noise of young humans breaking from the folly of their warring elders who have locked them down for two whole years."

The first vid is a live performance of a tune from her 2019 album Quintet, and then she plays with some fellow ladies from her record label for a promotional video. Her new album is a hot, modern jazz album. She also plays in the Diva Orchestra, and founded the Women in Jazz Organization. YouTube and Spotify links to the new album follow. Please enjoy some new jazz. :cool:



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Roxy Coss, "Disparate Parts," YouTube link, full album.
Roxy Coss, "Disparate Parts," Spotify link, full album.
 
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From Allmusic.com: "It hardly seems possible, but it took thirty-five years for Canadian bassist extraordinaire Neil Swainson to lead a sparkling quintet in this new recording of Swainson original compositions entitled Fire In The West. His prior recording from 1987 was called 49th Parallel and received little attention at the time. However it was re-released as an LP in 2020 by Reel to Real Records and it generated some welcomed critical reviews. Accompanying Swainson in this outing was a blue-chip rhythm section of pianist Renee Rosnes and drummer Lewis Nash, with a first rate front line of trumpeter Brad Turner and tenor saxophonist Kelly Jefferson. ... A musical excursion well worth the wait."

He's been a pro since the mid 70s, played for Paul Horn, Rob McConnell and George Shearing, with credits on almost 200 albums. The vids are 2 nice acoustic trio tunes, with Pat Labarbera on tenor, and YouTube and Spotify links for the 2022 album follow. The album is a quintet, and packs a bit more punch than the vids, but these are nice. Please enjoy a nice new jazz album from a Canadian, acoustic bass master.



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Neil Swainson, "Fire In The West," YouTube link, full album.
Neil Swanson, "Fire In The West," Spotify link, full album.
 
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The YouTube algorithm served up acoupla nice renditions of Sidney Bechet's Petite Fleur (Little Flower). Don't know these folks, just sounds nice. ;) He penned this tune late in his career, 1952, recorded it twice with big bands, and it was a minor hit for other performers in the early 1960s, after he passed in 1959. He popularized soprano sax, also played clarinet, and his history traces to King Oliver in New Orleans in 1913, i.e., the origins of jazz. So, here the first video is with soprano sax (does George R.R. Martin do a piano side-gig?), and the second is with clarinet. Hmm, might as well serve one up performed by Mr. Bechet. Not a video, but a wonderful tune. And, because my posts are usually album recommendations, a YouTube link to Blue Note #105/7009, from 1949, with Wild Bill Davidson on cornet, wraps up this post. Please enjoy some Petite Fleur, and Sidney Bechet. :cool:




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Sidney Bechet, "Sidney Bechet & His Blue Note Jazzmen," YouTube link, full album.
 
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From Allmusic.com: "With Discover, Milwaukee-based trumpeter and jazz educator Eric Jacobson and team take us on an aural time trip ... drenched in blue-hued Hard Bop. This is a fine effort with precise presentation.... Jacobson has a beautiful tone that shades on the brighter side with lush vibrato. His lines, always melodic, hint at something new and surprising around the corner. That makes for highly communicative playing and for us, involved listening.... Fellow front-liner Geof Bradfield's saxophone is a mellow, subtle partner. Section mates Bruce Barth, George Fludas and Dennis Carroll individually and collectively also shine brightly.... Discover is a terrific session of which Jacobson and talented crew can be proud."

Jacobson's YouTube page is a Khan Academy for jazz trumpet lessons, and it is wonderful to see dedication to jazz education. The first vid is a clip from a live gig in the bass player's band, then a nice duet with piano, and YouTube and Spotify links to the album follow. Please enjoy a solid be-bop album from 2022. :cool:



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Eric Jacobson, "Discover," YouTube link, full album.

Eric Jacobson, "Discover," Spotify link, full album.
 
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Jazz sax blowing sessions deserve an occasional Twofer Tuesday. Today features a few albums by 2 wonderful alto saxophonists, Sadao Watanabe (b. 1933) and Charlie Mariano (1923-2009). They released 3 albums together in 1967-68, and one in 2006, and the 3 when they were, ahem, younger, are really hot, with a lot of variety. The live reunion from 2006 is also nice. Available YouTube and Spotify links are at the end.

Sadao released a 2021 album, Jazz & Bossa (Live at Suntory Hall), has over 60 albums in his name, and is credited on over 300 more. His career dates from 1952, with 3 years in the Toshiko Akiyoshi Quartet, a Berklee degree, and his first album in 1961. He loves both bossa nova and bop, and was huge worldwide, when jazz still sold really well in the 1970s and 1980s.

From 1949 to 1966, Mariano was a master altoist in his own bands, with Nat Pierce, Stan Kenton, Shelly Manne, Charles Mingus, and with his then-wife Toshiko Akiyoshi. A European life led to fusion and bop albums, and work with Paul Horn, Eberhard Weber and Philip Catherine. He taught at Berklee twice. He finished with a final ~65 releases in his name, and credits on ~675 (!) more, with prolific session work from 1955-68.

These concert vids of a 2005 tour sound just fine, and the 2nd is a Japanese promo vid for their 2006 album, and the tune starts ~90 seconds in. Please enjoy two alto saxophone masters and their fruitful collaborations. :cool:



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Sadao Watanabe, "Nabesada & Charlie," (1967), Spotify link, full album. YouTube link.

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Sadao Watanabe, "Sadao & Charlie Again," (2006), Spotify link, full album. YouTube link.

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Sadao Watanabe, "We Got a New Bag," (1968), YouTube link, full album.

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The only links I could find to Iberian Waltz (1967), on my 2 platforms, were low quality. :eek:
 
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From AllAboutJazz.com: "On Pocket Guides, his debut recording as foreman, Denver-based pianist Ben Morris leads a one-dozen strong quasi-big band with rather unusual instrumentation—two horns, two woodwinds, two violins, mandolin, cello, melodica and rhythm—through eight of his engaging compositions, most of which touch on his Norwegian heritage.... While clever solos by most hands are sprinkled throughout, for the most part they are subordinate to Morris's luminous charts, from which they spring as naturally as water from a fountain.... Even though inspired by his Norwegian heritage, Morris' music seldom strays from its jazz bloodline, with swing and improvisation always given their due. On the other hand, this is jazz with an explicit Nordic flavor, which separates it from the more conventional themes heard on most recordings these days. Whether that serves as a plus or minus is for the listener to decide. The verdict here is an emphatic thumbs up." I believe the word is, eclectic? A nice 2022 album, with original ideas. YouTube and Spotify links follow. Please enjoy some inventive, quasi-big band. :)

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Ben Morris, Pocket Guides, full album: Spotify link. YouTube link.
 
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From AllAboutJazz.com: "Canadian-based saxophonist Cory Weeds plays tenor on Just Coolin', backed by a rhythm section he assembled in 2021 for a live gig at Frankie's Jazz Club in Vancouver.... Weeds is a standout, a smooth-spoken charmer from the Dexter Gordon/Hank Mobley school of hard bopping who can easily stand his ground against any player you'd care to name.... As icing on the cake, Weeds has chosen a trio of staunch supporters in pianist Tilden Webb, bassist John Lee and drummer Jesse Cahill, none of whom is less than admirable as accompanist or soloist.... Weeds notes that all of the proceeds from Just Coolin' will benefit the Fraser MacPherson Jazz Fund, which is dedicated to offering financial support and broadening educational opportunities for jazz students in British Columbia. A worthy cause, and a marvelous way to lend a helping hand."

Since 2000, Weeds has released 19 albums as a leader, and owned and performed in The Cellar jazz club in Vancouver, BC, for 14 years. The first vid is Weeds with a quintet for a radio show, and the second is a bit long, but is ~13 minutes of hot jazz with Weeds in a sextet. YouTube or Spotify links to the full album are available, after the videos. Please enjoy another hot jazz release from 2022. :cool:



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Cory Weeds, Just Coolin', full album: YouTube link. Spotify link.
 
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