Six Quick Hits

Wrapping up notes on a lot of CDs that are sitting on my desk. Not included are the big releases that you will read about elsewhere.  Dave Brubeck and Tony Bennett, Joshua Redman, Keith Jarrett's Standards Trio, Michel Camilo, and Christian McBride all have CDs out or out momentarily. I have heard each and can recommend any of them.

But what of the ones that are not getting as much publicity, that are not necessarily by "name brand" musicians. Here is a small list of those that I am enjoying:

Neil Cowley Trio, "Live at Montreux 2012 (Eagle Music 2013): Live music by a really interesting modern piano trio from the U.K. All original music, modern approach, great energy. First class modern jazz.

Omar Sosa, "Eggun" (Ota Records 2013): Sosa is an outstanding pianist with a series of great CDs. This one is called the Afri-Lectric Experience, but the electronic portions are really very subtle and non-intrusive to what is a terrific piece of accoustical music. Commissioned as a tribute to "Kind of Blue" the all original music has the same quiet, mellow feeling and spirit of the original. Forget the labels and enjoy the music.

Will Calhoun, "Life in This World" (Motema 2013): Calhoun hits a home run on this CD as leader. The ecclectic Calhoun on drums is joined by a stellar cast --- Mary Cary on piano, Ron Carter on bass, Charnett Moffett on bass, Donald Harrison on saxes, Wallace Roney on trumpet are the most notable names joining in the fun. It's modern mainstream music that covers a range of sounds over several originals as well as covers of such tunes as "Naima", "Evidence" and "Love for Sale". Solid music, lots of great soloists, and several electric moments. 

Carsten Dahl, "Solo Piano: Dreamchild" (Storyville 2013): Dahl has been written about here on several occasions. He is a creative composer who has written 10 songs here called "Dreamchild #1 -#10". Each is a minature tone poem of beautiful measured lyricism. Quiet introspection. 

Justin Robinson, "In the Spur of the Moment" (WJ3 Records 2013): This is one of those CDs I bought based on the label and the contributing band members. The label WJ3 is Willie Jones' label, and Jones is an accomplished drummer who has a string of very good CDs himself. Here is plays in support of Robinson on alto sax, and is joined by Larry Willis on piano, Dwayne Burno on bass, and Roy Hargrove on trumpet. With that cast I figured this had to be good and it is. Robinson is strong on the alto on songs by Monk, Coltrane, Parker and others, and the band cooks. Great debut.

SFJazz Collective, "Wonder" the Songs of Stevie Wonder" (SFJazz 2013): The SFJazz Collective takes one composer each yeaar to study. The band members arrange one song from the artist's songbook and write their own songs in the artist's style. In the past they have studied Coltrane, Tyner, Silver, Coleman, Monk and last year Stevie Wonder. In addition to the annual CD produced already for Wonder's music, this is a set of eight of his songs from a live performance at New York University. Arrangements were by band members Miguel Zenon (alto), Stefon Harris (vibes), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Matt Penman (bass), Avishai Cohen (trumpet), Mark Turner (tenor), Eric Harland (drums), and Edward Simon (piano), the eight musicians who comprise the current roster. A very accomplished little big band and another big time production.

Buckets of great new music lately, and more to come.

Two Piano Trios Tackle Italian Film Music

Two piano trios, two Italian film composers, and two beautiful discs from CamJazz. That is the message for today.

John Taylor, the verteran British pianist with a long and distinguished discography, has released " "Giulia's Thursdays" (CamJazz 2012), a jazz tribute to the music of Carlo Rustichelli which is as elegant agraceful as any of his previous piano trios, particulalry those with Palle Danielsson on bass, and Martin France on drums, who round out the trio on this CD. Recorded in 2006 but held until now, this is beautifully melodic and inspired music from a composer who is very little known outside Europe, unlike Nino Rota, for example, who has had two tribute discs released of his music this year by Mark Soskin and Richard Galliano. Rustichelli's two selections from his most famous score "Divorce Italian Style" are both lilting melodies, but then so are most of the pieces which have a refined and somewhat subdued sensibility, which in turn brings out those moments which rise above mezzo-forte or which romp at speeds beyuond the mostly mid-tempo themes that dominate. This is another beautiful disc in the vein of much of Taylor's previous works and recommended.

Edward Simon, is a 42 year old Venezuelan pianist and recent (2010) recipient of a Guggenhiem Fellowship, and has a long list of recognized recordings, including two -- Edward Simon (Kokopelli Records 1995) and Simplicitas (CamJazz 2005) -- which were on many top ten lists for those years -- and his recent recordings as a member of the SFJazz Collective. His piano trios combine straight ahead jazz with the rhythms and feel of his South America roots, and a personal reflections for Simon of is heritage and jazz education. On this newest  release, also held since recorded in 2006, "A Master's Diary" (CamJazz 2006), he and his trio with Scott Colley bass and Clarence Penn on drums tackle the musical scores of Fiorenzo Carpi, who wrote for Italian theatre, and television. The trio, joined on the opening number by the muted trumpet of Diego Urcola, have taken the lyrical melodies and added their own touch based on the heritage of Simon and the jazz sensibilities of the trio. the music is light and elegant, with long passages of wonderfully solid trio play that, according to the liner notes, rewrite and elevate the music to new heights.

Two refined and elegant tributes for piano trio lovers.