Catching Up: New and Recommended Music

I am never going to catch up with everything that I have purchased in the past couple of months unless I create a short post listing a few of them with brief comments. Sorry for copping out, but I hope this is useful.

Alfredo Rodriquez, "Sounds of Space" (Mack Avenue 2012) Lively, latin, and lovely debut.

Clayton Brothers and Friends, "The Gathering" (Artist Share 2012) Clayton, Clayton and Clayton, with Terrell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, and Stefon Harris. That alone should tell you everything you need to know. Great straight ahead stuff.

Mike Longo, "A Celebration of Diz and Miles" (MLM Music/CDBaby 2012) A master drummer and his trio play it straight. Right down the middle -- a bullseye! 

Lars Jansson Trio, "Koan" (Prophone 2012) Go back and read what I wrote on April 1 about this group. This is just as wonderful.

John Zorn, "The Concealed" (Tzadik 2012) Another fascinating CD for those who like variety. This time it is John Medeski, Mark Feldman, Trevor Dunn, Joey Baron, Kenny Wollesen and Erik Friedlander -- the Dreamers and the Bar Kohkba groups together producing accoustic magic.

Walter Norris and Leslek Mozdzer, "The Last Set" (ACT 2012)  Unfortunately, Walter Norris passed away since this was recorded in 2011, but this is a fine piece to leave behind. Two master pianists playing a live set.

Matt Herskovitz, "Upstairs" (Justin Time 2012)  A solo outing by a young and promising pianist. Nicely done combination of standards, originals, and classical music set to jazz. "I've Got Rhythm" closes the set masterfully. Watch for it in January.

Monty Alexander, "Uplift 2: Higher" (JLP 2012)  Straight and catchy trio music by a long-time master. Some chestnuts recreated for jazz --- "Battle Hymn", "When the Saints Go Marching In", "You Are My Sunshine" -- will surprise, and "St. Thomas" and others will bring a smile and tapping foot. For  those liking the straight and narrow.

More soon I hope. Organizing the CDs for a 2012 review.