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

[Ralph_Cramden]

 

[MoreWatts]

From AllAboutJazz: "It is an utter joy to witness the profound evolution of a genius. With the release of Alegria, Wayne Shorter continues to widen and refine his unique musical vision—and share it with the world...In the end, Alegria is filled with music of individual presence, subtlety, sophistication, and a quiet, beautiful bravery that is quite admirable."

Backed by 2 groups: Brad Mehldau (p)/Teri Lynn Carrington (d)/Alex Acuna (perc)/brass & strings or Danilo Perez (p)/Brian Blade (d)/John Patitucci (b).

Someone musta liked it, as it won 2 Grammy Awards in 2004: Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Instrumental Composition, for the 1st tune 'Sacajawea.'

Please enjoy one of Wayne Shorter's 21st century classics.

Wayne Shorter, Alegria, full album: YouTube link. Spotify link.

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

 

[MoreWatts]

From AllAboutJazz: "A dynamic approach, delivered with crisp modern panache, characterizes saxophonist, clarinetist & composer Benjamin Deschamps' Augmented Reality... Augmented Reality is for contemporary jazz lovers who will appreciate the intricate attention to detail—all those delicate cymbal riffs, the stellar bass work underneath all the melodic lines—and sense of invention in composition. It is the organic groove of the musicians that seamlessly weaves all the threads together."

Deschamps has been active in Canada since 2017, and this 2021 release is his 2nd as leader. The video is a nice performance of an aptly titled album tune. It appears Ukranian president Volodymyr Zelensky has a side-gig as a drummer. Please enjoy a solid effort from a jazz newcomer.

Benjamin Deschamps, Augmented Reality, full album: YouTube link. Spotify link.

 

[MoreWatts]

Here's another 2021 release, a lock-down project. "The saxophonist and composer David Larsen plays 9 originals that were penned over the last 4 years, and he’s got Greg Yasinitsky (tenor, baritone saxophone) and Ken Peplowski (clarinet), as well as several others for the diverse jazz outing... Deviate From Standards is yet another top notch jazz listen in his rapidly expanding catalog" (source).

Larsen is an educator at Spokane College, and this is his ~5th release as leader since 2015. The video is a nice sextet from a previous EP. Please enjoy some solid jazz tunes.

David Larsen, Deviate From Standards, full album: YouTube link. Spotify link.

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

 

[MoreWatts]

I enjoyed music educator and bassist Chris Trinidad's 2021 album Changing Tides, his ~10th release as leader since 2008. Nice octet with a complete set of horns and guitar. Straight ahead with a fun groove. (AllAboutJazz review.)

The official album video is a tune with a graphic arts interpretation. Please enjoy some nice recent jazz.

Chris Trinidad, Changing Tides, full album: YouTube link. Spotify link.

 

[MoreWatts]

From AllAboutJazz: "Cabin 19 Fever lifts from its lilting opening notes into one of those fun, poppingly good discs aimed to satisfy jazz purists and sceptics alike. Crackling with a jubilant, Euro/Afro/Cuban/Latin flare, London-based guitarist Clement Regert's Wild Card ... catapults into an album that bares all genres but is hardly derivative by any stretch of the imagination... To sum up, Cabin 19 Fever tells a story well worth listening too."

With a core of drummer Sophie Alloway and Australian organist Andrew Noble, guests such as tenor saxophonist Binker Golding, trumpeter Charlie Porter and vocalist Imaani are given room to shine throughout. This is Wild Card's ~6th album since 2008, with this core + guests concept.

The video is a Zoom performance of the title tune. Please enjoy a nice 2023 jazz release.

Wild Card, Cabin 19 Fever, full album: YouTube link. Spotify link.

 

[MoreWatts]

This is the 3rd installment of Twofer Tuesday, where sax duet albums, contemporary or historical, are recommended. The 1st, about pairings of altoists Sadao Watanabe and Charlie Mariano, was upthread here, and the 2nd, about Sonny Rollins’ 3 pairings, upthread here.

Pete Christlieb is a lesser known, still alive, tenor sax giant. His bread and butter was in big bands. Based in Los Angeles, he spent 20 years in the Johnny Carson/Doc Severinsen/Tommy Newsome Tonight Show Band, but also recorded plenty with Louie Bellson, Quincy Jones, Bob Florence, Gary Urwin, Frank Capp, and Bill Holman. Plus renown small group and session work with Tom Scott, Rosemary Clooney, The Manhattan Transfer, Natalie Cole, Steely Dan (Aja) and Tom Waits (Nighthawks At The Diner).

Never really famous for his own releases, he did 7 very nice albums with a 2nd tenor player. The most known are his three 1978 releases with Warne Marsh. Apogee has some fame for being produced by Steely Dan, and Allmusic said, “the pair engaged in a kind of freewheeling, good-time set that remains one of the most harmonically sophisticated recordings to come out of the 1970s.”

Pete Christlieb & Warne Marsh, Apogee, full album: YouTube link. Spotify link.

A few months after the Apogee sessions, Warne recorded with Pete’s quartet for what became Conversations with Warne, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. Allmusic wrote "(they) match wits, swing and ideas... Because the 2 had very different sounds but competitive natures, plenty of sparks flew during this date.”

Pete Christlieb's other sax collaborations will be discussed in the future. Please enjoy some wonderful work by one of my favorite jazz artists, with the help of a good buddy.

Pete Christlieb Quartet, Conversations With Warne, Vol. 1, full album: YouTube link. Spotify link.

Pete Christlieb Quartet, Conversations With Warne, Vol. 2, full album: YouTube link. Spotify link.

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

 

[ribonucleic]

Larry Harlow's Latin Jazz Encounter - Live at Birdland

Larry Harlow - keyboards
Eddie "Guagua" Rivera - bass
Chembo Corniel - congas
Mac Gollehon - trumpet
Ronnie Cuber - baritone saxophone, flute
Bobby Sanabria - drums

 

[dualazmak]

- Bill Evans (piano) with Eddie Gomez (bass) and Eliot Zigmund (drums): "You Must Believe In Spring"; 1977 Studio Album
____CR00455 Craft Recordings (2021 Made in U.S.A.)
____All-Analog recording from the original tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
____2-LP set cut at 45-RPM and pressed on 180-gram heavy and thick vinyl at RTI (actually 188-gram each)
2-LP: CR00455 CRAFT RECORDINGS, Made in U.S.A.

- The exact CD re-release with three bonus tracks:
_UCCO-5612 Craft Recordings (2022 re-mastered CD re-release, Made in Japan)

I posted/shared here on my project thread the details of my comparative listening sessions.

 

[MoreWatts]

From AllAboutJazz: "The Coordinator of Jazz Studies at the University of Louisiana, pianist Dr. Garth Alper presents his fifth album as leader, Spider's Web, offering seven original compositions of straight-ahead material to produce a consistently swinging repertoire throughout.

Fellow university colleagues assist: bassist Bob Nash; drummer Chris Munson; saxophonist Lucas Munce; guitarist Jeff George on four tracks, to produce a powerhouse sound.

Kudos to Alper for designing an enchanting musical statement with Spider's Web."

Please enjoy a solid, new, jazz album.

Garth Alper, Spider's Web, full album: YouTube link. Spotify link.

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

 

[MoreWatts]

"Bonzo Squad, Chicago's premiere fusion quartet, is back in fine form with their third studio album, Pachyderm.

Bonzo Squad has maintained a weekly Thursday night residency at the storied Chicago venue aliveOne since 2018, to workshop their original compositions and covers in front of a loyal and growing local fanbase. With Pachyderm, the group melds acoustic and electric elements in a fresh and exciting way." (from their website)

The band consists of Corbin Andrick (Bonzo) on saxophone and flute, Andrew Lawrence on keyboards, Andrew Vogt on bass, and Zack Marks on drums.

The official video is a studio performance of an album tune. Please enjoy some new jazz, with a fusion-jam band feel.

Bonzo Squad, Pachyderm, full album: YouTube link. Spotify link.

 

[notsodeadlizard]

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

 

[Ralph_Cramden]