Anyone have any recommendations for new jazz cd's? I just bought Marilyn Scott's new cd "Handpicked" and it's great. It's contemporary/smooth jazz. She has a cover of Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" on there that is just awesome.
The jazz CD I most look forward to is Helen Sung's new CD "Helen-esque" or something to that effect. It is a tough CD to find because it is recorded on the Spanish Fresh Sound New Talent label and those discs are hard to find.
Sung isn't as well known as she should be. She is sort of at the inchoate stage of her career and I've seen her live two or three times here in New York City.
One gig is particular stands out when she was paired with Robert Glasper, at the time her label-mate on the FSNT label mate (He's since moved on to the legendary Blue Note label). Sung blew Glasper into the East River that night, particularly during the first set. The music that night was so good I stayed through both sets at the Jazz Standard club. Glasper opened the night with his trio and gave a perfunctionary peformance. Sung and her trio followed and brought the house down and completely outclassed Glasper.
For set two Glasper came back and played his ass off no doubt aware of what happened during the first set. Sung played again. A good night.
I see that the great jazz band One for All has a new disc on the Sharp9 label called THE LINEUP. This one goes to the top of my want-to-guy list. This is a great hard bop band that features my favorite jazz tenor player Eric Alexander, trumpeter Jim Rotondi & 'bone player Steve Davis. The rhythm section features the hard-swinging pianist David Hazeltine and the great drummer Joe Farnsworth. The bass chair in the band rotates, but on this disc John Webber, best known for his long stint anchoring Johnny Griffin's quartet, rounds out the band.
Another CD that I'm hot to trot to get is the great Cedar Walton who has a new CD out on the High Note label called ONE FLIGHT DOWN.
Nice to see little life around here, CfA. Thanks for weighing in.
Eric Alexander's a pretty fine tenor. I've been pretty cool on new hard bop lately, but I love to hear what he's up to.
I've picked up Joe Lovano's latest, Streams of Expression. I'm curious to hear the Gunther Schuller penned "Birth of the Cool Suite." He's one of the few musicians out there with the authority to pull such a thing off. What worries me, though, is Blue Note's breathless press release pimping the debut of "the Aulochrome, a new instrument created for Lovano that combines two soprano saxophones & opens up new sonic possibilities." I'm going to have to trust Lovano, but mercy that sounds gimicky.
I'm looking forward to listening to Ignacio Berroa's Codes. It's produced by one of my favorite musicians, the woefully underappreciated Gonzalo Rubalcaba.
The World Saxophone Quartet has a new one out. Their albums have become far less essential to me since Julius Hemphill's death, but I always check them out.
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Posts: 1584 | Location: Bloomington, IN | Registered: 23 May 2004
I actually saw Lovano perform on Saturday at the Caramoor Jazz Fest, where he is artistic director. I generally like Lovano, but am giving that disc a wide berth because Schuller is involved. He is the inventor of "Third Stream," which is not my cup of tea.
I do have the Berroa disc on my "want to buy" list. He's a terrific drummer.
Originally posted by ChrisFromAstoria: I generally like Lovano, but am giving that disc a wide berth because Schuller is involved. He is the inventor of "Third Stream," which is not my cup of tea.
I suggest you stay the course, then, CfA. I thinkg the Schuller arrangements are pretty much what recommends the CD. I'm pretty underwhelmed by the Aulochrome. When I was listening to the album while cleaning the house over the weekend, I couldn't help but keep thinking, "Y'know, Rahsaan Roland Kird didn't need a whole new instrument to play multiple saxophones at once," but that's probably just me being a curmudgeon. Lee Konitz and Anthony Braxton both seem to like it and last I checked their professional credentials carried a bit more weight than my own.
I like to hear Lovano play it in an environment where there's not quite so much going on.
quote:
Originally posted by ChrisFromAstoria: I do have the Berroa disc on my "want to buy" list. He's a terrific drummer.
This, on the other hand, won't disappoint. It manages to showcase Berroa wonderfully without being strictly a drumfest. I'm looking forward to spending more time with it.
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Posts: 1584 | Location: Bloomington, IN | Registered: 23 May 2004
Lovano is all over the map stylistically. I'm more of a straight-ahead jazz vein and find Lovano to be a mixed bag at best.
One other new CD on the horizon is a new piano trio disc due out on Blue Note by Steve Kuhn. It is a live disc recorded at a Birdland gig from earlier this year where Kuhn hooked up with Ron Carter & Al Foster, two alummni of Miles Davis' bands. They had recorded together as a trio 20 years ago to good effect I guess and Blue Note, to commemorate the anniversary, decided to record the band in a live setting.
The CD is due in January '07 and it goes onto my "want to buy" list.
Originally posted by ChrisFromAstoria: Lovano is all over the map stylistically. I'm more of a straight-ahead jazz vein and find Lovano to be a mixed bag at best.
And I'm more of an avant-garde fan. Lovano, much as I admire his chops and his ambition, is pretty hit and miss with me as well.
quote:
Originally posted by ChrisFromAstoria: One other new CD on the horizon is a new piano trio disc due out on Blue Note by Steve Kuhn. It is a live disc recorded at a Birdland gig from earlier this year where Kuhn hooked up with Ron Carter & Al Foster, two alummni of Miles Davis' bands. They had recorded together as a trio 20 years ago to good effect I guess and Blue Note, to commemorate the anniversary, decided to record the band in a live setting.
Life's Magic on Black Hawk. I remember it well. Black Hawk was Herb Wong's label, if memory serves. It wasn't around long, but it was an amazing label featuring a diverse array of jazz styles and musicians. I only picked up a handful of titles in the few years the label existed. I was working in jazz radio at the time, so I could hear them when I wanted and money was very tight. I regret it now because they're all long out of print and don't appear to be coming back soon. I don't have any of the vinyl, but I do have Chico Freeman's The Pied Piper and the Leaders Mudfoot, which I've mentioned before, on CD.
They had a great Billie Holiday live date from when Mal Waldron was accompanying her, long before his breakdown. I know I had it on vinyl once upon a time, but I don't see it now. Pity. I miss hearing it.
I'll have to keep an eye out for the Steve Kuhn. Thanks for the tip. As of right now, I'm eagerly awaiting the new World Saxophone Quartet, which I received word has shipped.
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Posts: 1584 | Location: Bloomington, IN | Registered: 23 May 2004
The "Times" today reviewed alto saxist Kenny Garrett's new disc, "Beyond the Wall," on the Nonesuch label. The review was unfavorable, though, despite Garrett & a Mulgrew Miller, Robert Hurst, Brian Blade rhythm section.
And it looks like Sonny Rollins' long run on Milestone Records has come to an end, not a surprise since Concord bought the Fantasy/OJC holdings, which included the Milestone label. Sonny's new disc, available through his web site only, is called "Sonny Please."
Anyone heard the 3cd live set by Christian Mcbride entitled "Live At Tonic"? It gathers two nights of live performances and feature guests like Jason Moran, Charlie Hunter and Rashaan Patterson. Surely, this is on my buying list.
Posts: 179 | Location: The Land Of Funk! | Registered: 26 May 2004
The late, great John Hicks has a new disc, released posthumously on the HighNote label. It was the great pianist's last recording. It goes right to the top of my "want to buy list."
The great Mulgrew Miller has a new CD out on Maxjazz called "Live From the Kennedy Center" Vol. 1. This one goes to the top of my "want to buy" list. Hello Borders.
Originally posted by ChrisFromAstoria: The late, great John Hicks has a new disc, released posthumously on the HighNote label. It was the great pianist's last recording. It goes right to the top of my "want to buy list."
I didn't realize John Hicks had died. I browsed the net after reading your post and found out it happened in may 2006. He was 64. This really is a tremendous loss to the world of jazz
Posts: 179 | Location: The Land Of Funk! | Registered: 26 May 2004
I didn't realize John Hicks had died. I browsed the net after reading your post and found out it happened in may 2006. He was 64. This really is a tremendous loss to the world of jazz
Yeah. It was sad news. I'm a huge John Hicks fan. I can't tell you the number of times I caught him live, either as a leader or as a sideman. He, along with another late, grreat pianist, James Williams, were essentially the house pianists at the late, lamented jazz club Bradley's. In fact, Hicks, this summer, was booked to play at the Caramoor Jazz Festival about 50 miles outside of NYC, but he passed before the gig. Kirk Lightsey was the sub.
James Williams died too?? Damn. I really gotta keep up. Suppose it all comes fro being in the wrong country. Jazz news rarely makes it to the danish headlines.
Posts: 179 | Location: The Land Of Funk! | Registered: 26 May 2004
Originally posted by K-Bee: James Williams died too?? Damn. I really gotta keep up. Suppose it all comes fro being in the wrong country. Jazz news rarely makes it to the danish headlines.
Yes. James died a few years ago. He was a personal friend and I still think about him. He had cancer. One of the nicest people I've ever met. And one hell of a piano player.
I read in the "Times" today that Norah Jones' third CD is due out in January. It may be a stretch to call what Ms. Jones jazz, but she does record for Blue Note, a jazz label.
I'm a Jones fan, though, and plan to pick up the CD.
I think you should check out Marilyn Scott "Every Time We Say Goodbye".
She sings arrangements of the classic standards like, "Autumn In New York" and "The Way to San Jose" that are of impeccable musicianship. To me, the emotional depth that carries through her voice sets her apart from most vocalists. It's my favorite jazz cd right now, and I highly recommend it.
