Two Weeks Have Passed and Lot Has Come In

I am falling behind with my posts again and after today will be out of pocket for several days, so here is a round-up of a lot of new things I am listening to.

Edward Simon Trio, "Live in New York at the Jazz Standard" (Sunnyside 2013): Not enough attention is given to the trio of Simon, John Patitucci and Brian Blade and the CDs they have released on Sunnyside over the past few years. This is another smashing display of lyricism, unity, and invention over five extended pieces, including three by Simon and a particularly nice take on "Giant Steps." A real winner here, and pick up their older sets on Sunnyside as well (Unicity (2006), Poesia (2009)). 

Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom, "No Morphine No Lilies" (Foxhaven Records 2013): A wildly energetic outing with some special players beside Miller on drums -- Jenny Scheinman on violin, Todd Sickafoose on bass, and Myra Melford on piano, with several other guests in spots. The group plays with a lot of energy, Miller provides a steady pulse from the back, and Melford is particularly engaging on this set of 11 sometimes challenging pieces. Goes over the edge a couple of times for my taste, but mostly represents a lot of modern originality, playfulness, and joyful moments. Take a chance.

Bomata "Aromes d'Ailleurs" (Mam 2013): A French Canadian trio of Jean Felix Mailloux on bass, Guillaume Bourque on clarinet and bass clarinet, and Patrick Graham on drums, with support from pianist Jerome Beaulieu on piano on two peices and additional percussion on others. This is a soothing outing featuring the clear and mellow lower registersof the clarinets over some nice rhythmic play from the bass and percussion, alwyas taken at a moderate pace and dynamic. Many of the pieces are named for spices and flavorings -- cumin, sesame, saffron, jasmine, cardamon -- and others have names like "At the Park" and "White Night" which are expressive of the delicate flavors that the band produces. Really pretty modern impressionism.

J. D, Allen continues his run of impressive outings, this time it's "Grace" (Savant 2013). Unlike his last couple of CDs, this one includes a piano, played here by Eldar, in addition to Dezron Douglas on bass and Jonathan Barber on drums. With two melodic instruments in front the music is more layered and richer, with Allen's play continuing to be mellow and inventive on an entirely original set. "Chagall", "Pole Star" and "Selah" are particular standouts, but hte entire set is worth hearing. Modern mainstream.

Dayna Stephens is another young tenor with a big, rich sound, and he demonstrates it on his new release, "The Nepenthetic Place" (Sunnyside 2013). He too has an outstanding cast with him -- Taylor Eigsti on piano, Joe Sanders on bass, Justin Brown on drums, Ambrose Akinamusire on trumpet, Jaleel Shaw on alto, and Gretchen Parlato singing on two pieces. An amazing group of outstanding young leaders, the group dynamic is fantastic and the pieces tight and original. Ten pieces, eight by Stephens, "But Beautiful" by Jimmy Van Heusen (with Parlato) and "Impressions" by John Coltrane. A bunch of young masters on top of their game playing modern mainstream music with a bit of an edge.

Mark Lockheart is from the U.K. and has put together a septet to interpret six pieces associated with Ellington and five originals on "Ellington in Anticipation" (Subtone Records 2012). Some folks like their Ellington pure and won't like these takes, but I enjoy hearing new interpretations that are like these, not too far from the originals but with a little modern spiciness, new harmonizations, and interesting combinations among the players. Lockheart plays the tenor sax and is joined by Finn Peters on alto and flute, James Allsopp on clarinets, Emma Smith on violin, Liam Noble on piano, Tom Herbert on bass, and Sebastian Rochford on drums.  I am a sucker for Noble and Allsopp and they don't disappoint, but then again nobody here does. Very nice set and well within the modern mainstream in terms of harmonies, lyricism and the like. Really worth hearing.

Speaking of tributes, another nice one is "The Man Who Never Sleeps: The Music of Charles Mingus" (Woodville Records 2012), another British combo inlcuding Arnie Somogyi on bass, Alan Barnes on saxes, Mark Edwards on piano, Tone Kofi on saxes, Jeremy Pace on trombone, and Clark Tracey on drums. These are some of the U.K.'s finest, and they combine to present eight Mingus tunes with elan. Modern mainstream sounds at their best driven by the strong bass leadership of Somogyi and thebeat ofTracey's kit. Barnes is a knockout as always on the tenor, and Kofi adds a nice bottom on the baritone.

Jim Rotondi's trumpet and flugelhorn seldom disappoint and how could they when he is playing with Eric Alexander as his partner on the tenor. Along with Renator Chicco on organ and Bernd Reiter on drums, the quartet hits it hard on "Hard Hittin' at the Bird's Eye" (Sharp Nine 2013), a live set from Basel, Switzerland. Wit the organ in heavy support of the two leaders, the music has the right edge, with a bluesy sound, particularly on "Cry Me a River" and the opener "Summit Meeting." For those who sometimes criticize Alexander for being too mellow and mainstream, this is a chance for him to stretch it out and blow the heck out of the tunes. Rotondi calls the group The Loop, and hopefully this is not the last we will hear of them. A mainstream delight, even for one like me who often shies away from organ trios.  

Even briefer:

Boyd Lee Dunlop, "Lake Reflections" (CD Baby 2012): The story was widely written about a couple of years back, how Boyd Lee Dunlop , 85 year old brother of Frank Dunlop, was found in a nursing home in Buffalo by a videographer who got a friend to produce him. this is his second CD and a remarkable one -- the improvisations are at once beautiful and majestic at times,  with little sprinkles of stirring anthems and classical pieces along the way. Fantastic reflections and impressions delight the ear.

Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, "Brooklyn Babylon" (New Amsterdam Records 2013): Stirring music originally performed for a multi-media event, this is an original suite of music for big band that should be listened to as a whole to feel the dramatic impact, to hear Brooklyn being built by pneumatic drills and hammers, to hear the cacophony of the streets, the sounds of transportation, and the growth of the city all represented by the ensemble's play. Intertwined are outstanding soloists along the way to relish, like Ingrid Jensen and John Ellis. A fantastic sophomore CD.

Straight Down the Middle, Straight From the Heart

I don't know, sometimes I think it has become quite unfashionable to praise mainstream jazz CDs that cover the standards with with standard band formats. that phrase "moldy fig" rattles around in my brain everytime I pick one up and enjoy it, and think about writing about it.

But then again, that is the beauty of jazz -- so much variety, so many streams -- that there is room under the tent for everyone. Want to know how wide the difference is among listener's (or critics for that matter)? Compare the list of top ten CDs as selected by readers of some of the most widely read jazz magazines, or the lists posted all over by critics.

Variety is what makes it exciting to me every time I read about new recordings, and each time I purchase something new and fresh to my ears. As I hope my posts have shown, I like a wide range of music, from the straight and narrow to some of the edges, although not all of them by any means. One minute it might be Hank Mobley, another Nik Bartsch's Ronin, and another Matthew Shipp, just as example.

I never feel bad about liking or disliking something, (although I did make a promise in January to try and understand better the Sam Rivers "Live in New York" recording because it bothers me not to hear what others love about it, even if in the end I do not). But if I dislike something, I never ever would write what has now become infamous -- "F*ck Wayne Shorter!" I might write that something wasn't for my ears even though I could hear the musicianship, etc. But bad?? I don't write about bad or good musicianship or playing etc since I am not a critic or musicologist. I do write about what I like, what is good for me and why I like it.  Writing that obscenity seems to me the product of jealousy and frustration by a person tired of not getting a share of the attention, and shows an incredible lack of respect. [Ironically I just received a copy monday of a new Frank Basile recording, "Modern Inventions" (CDBaby 2012) on which Alex Hoffman plays, and plays nicely and right down the middle, as part of this mainstream band. It's a nice recording]

For the record, I like a lot of Wayne Shorter's music, but his play at times can be too rough for my taste while at others sublime; and his compositions in his hands or others can be marvelous. This CD does not hit my sweet spot. But that is me, not he and his amazing bandmates. 

Anyway, enough of the meandering; I am here today to praise two very straight and narrow CDs I purchased recently by two established saxophonists -- "Baritone Monk" (NCB Jazz 2012) by Claire Daly, and "Touching" (High Note 2013) by Eric Alexander. No new ground is broken but this is music that truly is straight from the heart. On both CDs the sound is special, the individual solos and group play are all good, and each song is played with the appropriate emotional charge.

I've written about Claire Daly before, and her outstanding command of the very difficult baritone sax. As a bass clarinetist I sat next to baritones for years and neither of us ever got near the melody, so to hear a baritone played so flawlessly, emotionally, and smoothly over the course of 10 pieces [Eleven if you count the closing holiday medley with a vocal, which I prefer to forget] by Thelonious Monk is marvelous. Actually nine pieces -- "Pannonica" is as beautiful as ever with Daly shining on the flute in this case as is Steve Hudson on piano. So much joy on other pieces, particularly "Let's Cool One" and "Fifty Second Street Theme", and mystery in the baritone-drum duo on "Green Chimneys." So much to like here. Her supporting cast is lovely -- Hudson on piano, Peter Grant on drums, and Mary Ann McSweeney on bass.

Eric Alexander remarkably has recorded as a leader since 1992, with roughly a disc a year over the past decade on High Note, as well as a number of Japanese ballad recordings. His newest is "Touching", to be released sortly, and it features Alexander wtih three of his regular cast -- Harold Mabern on piano, John Webber on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums. On ocassion I have found the recordings overly predictable and just average, but this recording is one of the best I have heard. Over eight songs, many of which are not all that familiar, the band puts their feelings into the music and indelibly marks the tunes with the soul, passion, and musicianship that is needed to lift a mainstream outing up from just a walk in the park into flight. The ballads like "Gone too Soon" are played smoothly and sweetly, and  the R 'n B classic "Oh Girl" is a soulful way to end the recording on an up note. This is a cast that knows each other well and plays like it, matching each other's feelings and notes every step of the way.

For those who love solid mainstream jazz, these are real winners.

On the Road Again: Sugarshack Records

Another week and more work-related travel. Got to spend some of yesterday afternoon in Madison WI, one of my favorite cities in the country. And in the 40s in February -- what a treat!


Madision is a great university community with good food, shops, and a commitment to public transportation, pedestrians, and bicycles. Basically an urbanist's dream. And like many of the other places I have been passing through lately, Madison boasts a few new and used record/CD/memorabilia shops of note. I spent about 45 minutes at one, Sugarshack Records, 2301 Atwood Avenue, and it was like a trip into the past. Music of all kinds, tons of old records and CDs, artifacts, books, posters, etc. A disc of the Beatles radio interviews from 1964-65 -- talk about obscure.

 

Anyway, jazz is pretty well represented, with a couple of large tables full of mostly old CDs, all at reasonable prices. I picked up three things I had not seen previously and have gotten to listen to each once:

• Eric Alexander, "Straight Up", Delmark Records 1992 -- Early Alexander, in fact appears in discography as his first outing, with Harold Mabern piano, Jim Rotondi trumpet, John Webber bass , and George Fludas drums. As advertised, it is a nice straght-ahead interpretation of some standards, both uptempo and ballads. A nice start.
• Phil Woods and Lew Tabackin, "Phil Woods/Lew Tabackin", Evidence Records 1980 -- Alto Woods and Tenor Tabackin tear it up on "Limehouse Blues", and provide a sweet and lovely "Sweet and Lovely". Everything works well. Jimmy Rowles stands out on piano.
• Jeff Hamilton Trio, The Best Things Happen...", Azica Records 2004 -- Hamilton is a strong leader from the drum set, with a string of strong trio discs, and with another due this month. The twelve songs include some standards like "I Concentrate on You" and "Skylark" and a range of other songs by Ellington, Peggy Lee, and others. Tamir Hendelman plays a strong piano as the harmonic lead, wtih Christoph Luty plays bass. Ballads and up-tempo songs provide a nice variety.

Sugarshack Records has been in business for 31 years and according to the owner, Gary Feest,  is "holding its own" in today's market, no small feat. If you are in Madison, please stop by and pick up a few things; and if not please order a few things from sugarshackrecords.net. Let's keep the physical music alive.