Jazz Scan

Mimi Fox: Standards, Old & New

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:29:00 +0000

Origin Arts
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Standards, Old & New

If you love guitar, this album is a must. This instrument isn’t often presented in a solo jazz format, as is the case with this release, but the artist rarely is as talented as Mimi Fox. She’s a New York City native who began her music career at age 9 playing drums, then switched to guitar a year later. The first album she purchased was John Coltrane’s Giant Steps, a choice that settled her musical future. She began playing and touring professionally as soon as she graduated from high school, and ultimately made her home in San Francisco.

She is, in my opinion, the most eloquent — yet swinging — guitarist playing today. You needn’t take my assessment as fact; master artists such as Jim Hall and Joe Pass have given her rave reviews.

This album features 10 tracks, each a well-known standard. Some might think that’s a lot of guitar to embrace at one setting, but when the last tune faded out, I immediately hit “play” and listened to everything again ... and I’ve played it at least once every day since.

Most of the tunes are done at ballad tempos, and that’s where Fox’s marvelous style and eloquence are most evident. But when she swings — “This Land Is Your Land” is an example — oh, how she swings!

Fox has played an uncountable number of concerts, internationally and in the States; she has worked with dozens of name artists; and she also teaches. All that aside, every song she performs is done with love and her full attention; she never sounds bored. Just listen to the wonderful Vernon Duke tune “I Can’t Get Started” or Lennon and McCartney’s “She’s Leaving Home,” as examples. Every song on this disc demands your full attention.

Fox has released nine albums thus far, several of which have featured her in a solo mode. If she affects you as she has me, you’ll want to track ’em all down and add them to your library!

Allen Vizzutti: Ritzville

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:11:00 +0000

Summit Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Ritzville

Allen Vizzutti is a trumpeter, composer and educator; he’s a master musician to his peers, but is relatively unknown to the general public. He’s also a perpetual- motion machine who never stops performing. His busy schedule derives, in part, from the fact that he performs in both the jazz and classical genres; he’s scheduled for almost 50 recitals and concerts during one six-month period this year.

Vizzutti was born in 1952 and still in his early 20s when he became a member of Woody Herman’s Young Thundering Herd, one of the last of Woody’s great bands. Vizzutti also worked with Chuck Mangione, Chick Corea and Doc Severinson’s Tonight Show Band, and has performed in literally dozens of name military, national, city, state and university concert and symphony orchestras throughout the United States and 40 countries worldwide.

Oh, yes: He’s also a mainstay in movie studio orchestras.

Ritzville isn’t your usual album. Vizzutti’s trumpet, flugelhorn and piccolo trumpet are the only “horns” featured; no other brass or reed instruments are used. The basic group also contains pianos (Chick Corea, Darrell Grant and Laura Vizzutti), acoustic and electric basses (Stanley Clarke and Reggie Hamilton), acoustic and electric guitar (Mike Miller) and drums (Ronald Bruner Jr.). These artists share duties on the various tracks. A few tracks also utilize a string section: another bassist, half a dozen violins, two violas and three cellos. And a vocalist for good measure.

These 11 tracks are composed by Vizzutti, and the styles range from traditional jazz through fusion, at meters from hip-hop to blues and ballads. And, no surprise, the awesome inventory of artists and instruments produces a truly joyous noise.

Since Vizzutti is the only horn artist featured, special attention to his performance is warranted. His tone is gorgeous, particularly in the upper registers; it’s brilliant, without ever getting into the screaming mode that so many jazz players create, yet he produces stratospheric notes effortlessly and nails them precisely on key. His techniques with tongue and keys are perfection; I’ve never heard better. That’s essential for classical work, yet when he’s performing jazz, there’s no “stilted” feel to his work. The man can groove with the best.

The other musicians are just what you’d expect; you can’t do better than the likes of Corea, Clarke and the other members of this august “rhythm section.” As for the string group, a special accolade applies: It never gets in the way, but always complements the compositions in the best possible way.

This album is chock full of great music, and great fun ... and it swings, too!

Graham Dechter: Taking' It There

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:36:00 +0000

Capri Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Takin' It There

This album, the second released by Graham Dechter and the Jeff Hamilton Trio, is every bit as great as the first, Right on Time.

What makes this group so good? Well, all the musicians are members of the famous Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (CHJO), one of best big bands active today. Bassist John Clayton, his brother Jeff — who plays alto sax and flute — and drummer Jeff Hamilton formed the CHJO in 1985, and that group has remained at the top of the jazz world ever since. That big band, and combos composed of CHJO members, have delivered numerous releases that help keep jazz alive.

Hamilton and John Clayton are the “elder” members of this quartet; Israeli-born Tamir Hendelmen is in mid-career; and Graham Dechter, in his 20s, is the youngest. All four are musician’s musicians, and they’re also composers, arrangers and teachers. Each had college/university training and experience in both the classical and jazz genres, and each is an in-demand accompanist for famed vocalists. And that’s always an excellent indicator of skill and taste.

This session’s 10 tracks cover a broad musical spectrum. Half were written by other guitarists, including Wes Montgomery’s “Road Song,” Barney Kessel’s “Be Deedle, Dee Do.” Two are Dechter originals, and you’ll also hear lovely covers of two standards: Cole Porter’s “Every Time We Say Goodbye” and Arlen/Mercer’s “Come Rain or Come Shine.”

The operative descriptor? Everything swings like crazy! In my mind, the only thing better than a classic jazz trio is the quartet obtained a guitar is added; that instrument contributes a tremendous drive to the unit.

Let’s have more great jazz from these guys!

The Jeff Holmes Quartet: Of One's Own

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 21:57:00 +0000

Miles High Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Of One's Own

Jazz reviewers are exposed to musicians with all levels of talent. Many are good enough to make a decent living with their skills, and some have become name artists; the latter group makes this job worthwhile.

Once in awhile, though, I’m exposed to an individual or group so far above the norm, that the album in question doesn’t merely make my day; it makes my entire year. Such is the case with the Jeff Holmes Quartet.

Were I living in the New York City area, I’d probably know these guys by now, because they all work — and have spent most of their careers — in that locale. But as a West Coaster, they’ve been under my radar until recently.

Holmes is a multitalented musician. His primary instrument now is the piano, but he’s also an extremely talented trumpeter, composer, arranger and educator. He has played with, and created arrangements for, numerous name artists and musical groups. This album showcases his current small combo, and he’s also in the process of creating a big band.

Holmes is joined here by Adam Kolker, who plays tenor and soprano saxes, bass clarinet and flute, and also is an arranger. He has led numerous groups of his own, and has a larger discography than Holmes. James Cammack plays both acoustic and electric bass and, until now, has been best known for his work with the Ahmad Jamal Trio. Drummer Steve Johns, finally, has played with most of the famous groups that make the Big apple their home base.

This quartet is, without doubt, the best I’ve heard in years.

Holmes is responsible for all the arrangements, and he composed five of the nine tunes. The four standards are John Abercrombie’s “Labour Day,” Nat Simon’s “Poinciana,” Toby Holmes’ “Waltz #3” and Rogers and Hammerstein’s “So Long, Farewell,” from The Sound Of Music. I haven’t heard a fresh cover of “Poinciana” in years and, to my knowledge, this is the first time “So Long” has been done in a jazz mode. They’re the session’s two most impressive charts.

The basic melodic lines are complex, but so beautifully arranged that they’re relaxed and fluid in execution. All solo work is impressive and joyful, and, best of all, no matter how many times each track is played, you’ll hear something that you missed previously ... and you’ll rejoice again.

It’s all marvelous fun. Needless to add, this is the kind of music that reviewers hunger for!

Jon Hamar: Hymn

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 21:38:00 +0000

Origin Arts
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Hymn

Bassist Jon Hamar is another of the many excellent jazz artists based in the Seattle area. The Washington state native began to play the acoustic bass as an 11-year-old, and added the electric instrument a year later. He earned a bachelor’s degree in classical double bass performance from Eastern Washington University, followed by a master’s degree in jazz and contemporary media from Eastman University.

Hamar moved to Seattle in 2001, where he became a fixture in the thriving jazz scene.

In addition to his involvement with many Pacific Northwest orchestras and combos, he teaches at several state universities and colleges; his prowess as an instructor is best indicated by the fact that many of his former students have been accepted by the prestigious Eastman School Of Music for advanced studies.

The trio used in this album is quite unusual: Hamar is the bassist; Geoffrey Keezer plays piano and Rhodes; and Todd DelGiudice is on alto sax. That combination, initially used at a jazz festival, intrigued Hamar; he recalls thinking, “This could work out, if everybody has a similar time concept”. He discussed the idea with bassist John Patitucci, who opined that the choice of pianist would be crucial; Keezer’s name headed his list of potential candidates.

The more Hamar thought about it, the more excited he got; he composed several trial tunes for that instrumental grouping, then contacted Keezer, who reacted positively. Hamar already was familiar with DelGiudice, who had worked with the likes of Woody Herman, Maria Schneider and Ray Charles. As a result, as Sherlock Holmes would have put it, the game was afoot.

Half of the dozen tracks in this album are Hamar compositions, the rest are arrangements of tunes written by other artists. Chinese pianist Xia Jia, whom Hamar met at Eastman, wrote “Tea”; and Steve Swallow’s “Falling Grace” is a jazz standard, as are Coltrane’s “Giant Steps,” Jimmy Van Huesen’s “It Could Happen to You” and Billy Strayhorn’s “Isfahan.” The styles range from ballads, tone poems and traditional melodies to grooving tunes such as “The Big Fat Hen.” The common thread is the scintillating performance provided by the trio members.

Hamar was right: Everything did work out, and the result is some of the most tasty jazz I’ve hear in years.

The Greg Abate Quintet Featuring Phil Woods

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 21:39:00 +0000

Rhombus Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: The Greg Abate Quintet Featuring Phil Woods

Greg Abate is a 67-year-old saxophonist, flautist, composer and arranger. His music career began shortly after high school, when he gigged with relatively unknown bands in the California area, but he didn’t really become “known” until joining the Ray Charles band in 1973. Another job with the reincarnated Artie Shaw orchestra followed in ’82, along with stints with the likes of Red Rodney, but the major part of Abate’s time has been spent with lesser-known groups. His discography is quite limited (about a dozen albums).

Phil Woods, a famed saxophonist, clarinetist and composer, is in his 80s. Unlike Abate, Woods has worked with most of the name musicians who ruled the roost from the 1960s onward. His discography is in the hundreds, both as a sideman and leader. Abate — and the music world — consider Woods to be one of the premier alto saxophonists of the bop era, which explains Abate’s thrill at having this giant as a member of the quintet featured on this album.

The supporting members include pianist Jesse Green, son of trombonist Urbie Green (an icon unto himself); bassist Evan Gregor; and drummer Bill Goodwin. The latter is another elder statesman, still swinging at age 71. Green is in his 40s and Gregor is the youngster, still in his 30s. I must note that Woods performs on only five of these 10 tracks, and thus the quintet becomes a quartet on the other tunes.

Abate composed and arranged all but two of the selections. “Marny” is a John Patrick chart, and Woods contributed “Goodbye Mr. Pepper,” a tribute to the great Art Pepper. The genre is bop; except for “Marny,” delivered as a ballad, everything is done at mid- to up-tempos. Woods performs exclusively on alto sax, while Abate switches between alto, soprano, baritone saxes and flute.

This session takes me back to the peak of the period that began in the 1950s. This group feels more West Coast than East; it’s relaxed and pensive. Both Abate and Woods are exceptional talents, but there’s no doubt that Phil remains one of the major names on alto. Charlie Parker was “the man,” but Woods fully deserved — and still deserves — his reputation as “one of the new Parkers.” The fact that he’s in the sunset of his career (age-wise) pains me deeply, but he still blows up a storm.

This is a stellar album, and Abate deserves kudos for producing it.

The Julian Bliss Septet: A Tribute to Benny Goodman

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 21:22:00 +0000

Signum Classics
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: A Tribute to Benny Goodman

Signum Classics is a British label and Julian Bliss, born in the United Kingdom in 1989, is an internationally famed clarinetist; he also designed a range of clarinets for Conn/Selmer that bear his name. He was a child prodigy, performing in public at the age of 5, who became much better known for his work with concert and symphony orchestras than as a leader of jazz combos.

At the age of 7, during a trip to New York City, Bliss heard — and fell in love with — Benny Goodman, thanks to a CD the boy purchased as a souvenir. That was it: Bliss had found his bliss. Years later, still enthralled, he decided to do something about it. With the support of arranger Neal Thornton, Bliss selected a baker’s dozen of Goodman hits, formed a septet, and recorded this album.

Jazz has taken many forms over the years. Some are “locale” related — Chicago, Kansas City, East Coast, West Coast — while others have been “time” related: 4 to the bar, 2 to the bar, and so forth. Goodman was part of the swing era, which was most often “4 to the bar” dance and pop. It was an infectious and wonderful genre, and those who lived through that period still miss it.

Bliss has revived it in this tribute album.

You’ll recognize many of these tunes. “Don’t Be That Way,” “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” “Seven Come Eleven” and “Soft Winds” are Goodman classics, written in conjunction with (respectively) Edgar Sampson, Charlie Christian and Fred Royal; all were members of Benny’s band at one time or another. These and others on this album — “Up a Lazy Rive,” “Lady Be Good,” “Here’s That Rainy Day” — are done under their original titles, but their chord structures have been utilized to create “new” tunes within the bop genre.

Every member of Bliss’ septet obviously had a great time during this recording session. If you’re from my generation, you’ll experience the same thrill.

Jessica Williams: Songs of Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 18:10:00 +0000

Origin Arts
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Songs of Earth

Pianist/composer Jessica Williams is an elite musicians who is so well known that she needs little introductory or background verbiage to inflate reviews of her albums. Like many pianists, she began her studies with the classics and switched to jazz during her teens. Unlike most beginners, however — who start out playing with unknowns — Williams was associated with icons from the get-go; her first group was headed by Miles Davis drummer Philly Joe Jones. Further jobs were with Eddie Harris, Dexter Gordon and Stan Getz.

Williams is prolific; during a career of more than four decades, she has been featured on at least one album per year.

Her style has matured during this period; she has moved from bop-oriented traditional jazz to a more serious, concert hall genre. Most of what she plays today is in a solo setting, rather than with combos. She also composes extensively, and she now concentrates on her own work rather than that of other composers. Six of this album's seven tracks are her originals; the sole exception is John Coltrane’s "To Be."

These compositions aren't scripted on a note-by-note basis, nor are they played as pre-rehearsed melodic lines; they're improvisations of melodies or themes that have “come to her.” They're based on events or individuals — not always human; one is inspired by her Boston Terrier — that are, or have been, important in her life.

Whatever the catalyst, this is music to sit back and enjoy: whether at a concert or, in this case, in your own music room. This album is gorgeous and, as Williams hopes, it will bring you joy.

Joe La Barbera Quintet: Silver Streams

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:59:00 +0000

Jazz Compass
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Silver Streams

During the years I’ve reviewed jazz releases, I’ve noticed that certain individuals often contribute to the albums I enjoy the most. Such players generally appear individually, as one of the sidemen in a group fronted by different leaders, but sometimes they'll perform together. Such is the case in this album: The “leader” is drummer Joe La Barbara, supported by bassist Tom Warrington, pianist Bill Cunliffe, trumpeter Clay Jenkins and reed master Bob Sheppard.

These artists have much in common: All obtained college degrees from schools famous for the jazz artists they have graduated; all are teachers who play jazz as a sideline; all compose and arrange; and all have extensive experience with famous "name" combos and orchestras (many were with these groups at the same time).

Jenkins has appeared with Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Harry James and Count Basie; Sheppard with Rich, Bob Florence and Chick Corea; Cunliffe with numerous artists, and with several of his own orchestras; Warrington with Rich, Florence, Peggy Lee and Freddie Hubbard; and La Barbara with Rich, Bill Evans and many, many others.

On top of which, these five musicians are all close friends, and they play together brilliantly.

Two of the eight tracks were contributed by Cunliffe ("Afluencia" and "Silver Streams") and one by La Barbara ("Monkey Tree"). The late Scott LaFaro, who played bass with Bill Evans for years, contributed "Jade Visions." The rest are standards by other jazz composers, and the common denominator is swing: They all groove wonderfully.

This is what results when a handful of great artists — who enjoy each other — get together: truly great jazz!

Steve Williams and Jazz Nation

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:57:00 +0000

OA2 Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Steve Williams and Jazz Nation

Composer, arranger and saxophonist Steve Williams is another of the many individuals who is famous within the music world, but relatively unknown outside it. He’s a graduate of the University of North Texas — formally North Texas State University, an institution that has produced a number of great jazz musicians — and Florida State University; during his 35 years as a freelance musician, he has worked with, and done arrangement for, numerous name artists and orchestras.

Because it’s no longer economically feasible to operate with a true “big band” these days, he formed Jazz Nation in 2010, comprising musicians in the Washington, D.C., area, as a vehicle for his original compositions and arrangements. This is that group’s debut release.

Close your eyes, and you’ll be carried back to the days of Ellington, Herman and Kenton, followed by more recent orchestras led by Blakey, Cunliffe, Florence, Gillespie, Hawk-Richard, Jones and others. The ensemble features five reeds, eight brass, four rhythm players (including a guitar) and guest artist Eddie Daniels, on clarinet and tenor sax.

The album kicks off with “Certified,” and the opening two choruses, featuring the rhythm section, nailed me! Now, that’s the way some of those great old bands used to sound! Williams is more a traditionalist than a bopper, and he totally avoids the ultra-modernist style that so many young composers are producing. This band, and its members, truly swing!

Williams’ charts are exceptional, all the soloists are excellent, and Daniels simply has no peers. Great clarinetists are all but extinct these days, and when you realize that Daniels also plays masterful tenor sax, you just sit in awe.

I hope we’ll hear a lot more from Steve Williams and Jazz Nation.

Iris Ornig: No Restrictions

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:45:00 +0000

Iris Ornig Music
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: No Restrictions

You can count the female jazz acoustic bassists on the fingers of one hand. Many ladies are proficient on the electric instrument, particularly in the rock world, but in the last few years only Esperanza Spalding and Iris Ornig stand out on the upright. The former, also a vocalist, has received all kinds of coverage. Ornig isn’t as well known, but — for my taste — is a better instrumentalist.

She was born in Germany and studied music in Switzerland and England, before moving to New York City in 2003. She’s a composer, arranger and leader as well as an excellent bassist; she performs regularly in New York City’s many jazz venues.

No Restrictions, her second album, features an instrumentation format which — by today’s standards — is unique; she uses a full rhythm section (piano, bass, drums and guitar), while the customary sax is replaced by a trumpet, played by Michael Rodriguez. He’s one of the best on his instrument that I’ve encountered in some time; his melodic lines are extremely tasteful, and his tone is to die for. Kurt Rosenwinkel’s guitar adds tremendously to the aforementioned rhythm section, which also includes the excellent Helen Sung (piano), Marcus Gilmore (drums) and Ornig (acoustic bass).

This is a really smooth group, which plays what I’d describe as “afternoon jazz.” Several years ago, the city of Portland, Oregon, sponsored a series of summer concerts that took place in a City Center Park every Thursday; the events were called “P-Nut Butter and Jazz.” Folks would gather during the lunch hour and listen to performances by various local artists, and everyone had a ball. The groups were quite talented, and the event gave listeners a happy buzz.

Ornig’s combo reminds me of the music that came out of those concerts: relaxing and restful, yet spirited. Eight of these 10 tracks are composed and arranged by Ornig; the other two are covers of Bjork’s “Venus as a Boy” and Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel.” It all swings politely, and the latter track establishes a sleek, traditional-jazz groove, which showcases Ornig’s bass chops at their best.

This is a promising quintet, offering excellent artists and content.

The Bruce Forman Trio: Formanism

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 19:40:00 +0000

BFM Music
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Formanism

One of the great things about jazz is that periodically I discover a “new” artist, despite having spent most of my life deeply involved in the art. I sometimes become convinced that I’ve heard all of the ones who count ... and, gratefully, that’s never the case. To paraphrase a popular line: So much great jazz, so little time.

Guitarist Bruce Forman is one such example. I’ve heard him many times, but without knowing who I was listening to. Most Clint Eastwood fans know that he’s a true jazz nut; just listen to the soundtracks in many of his movies, and you’ll know what I mean. So, who played the guitar on the soundtrack for Million Dollar Baby, and several others Eastwood films? That would be Bruce Forman.

He has been part of the jazz scene for more than two decades, both as a sideman and leader, and has recorded with luminaries such as Ray Brown, Freddie Hubbard, Barney Kessel and Kenny Burell. Forman also has taught since his teens, conducted workshops internationally, and published written and video teaching guides.

One of the most interesting aspects of Forman’s musical career is his interest — and fluency — in all music genres. This new disc features him in a traditional/bop-tinged style, but he also has released albums that demonstrate his skills as a Country/Western artist; Swingin’ Out West and Route 66, featuring a group named Cow Bop, are examples.

Trio formats come in many, many flavors. Forman’s guitar-led group is a welcome variation, and this release blends standards (“I’ve Told Every Little Star,” “Flamingo,” “Happens to You”) with original compositions. The operative description? Everything swings brightly.

You’ll immediately notice the immaculate interplay among these three artists. When Forman plays a complex melodic line, bassist Gabe Noel doesn’t merely keep the beat; he echoes the same line, or a similar chord progression, which results in a delightful mix. In a similar manner, drummer Jake Reed further augments the beat, without ever interfering.

This is an extremely tasteful group: so good that you won’t feel like any conversational background. You’ll just want to listen.

Chick Corea and Gary Burton: Hot House

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 19:22:00 +0000

Concord Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Hot House

Pianist Chick Corea and vibraphonist Gary Burton are as well known as any artists in the music world. Born within two years of each other, each initially worked in straight-ahead and bop-related groups, then developed styles that were offshoots of the bop era. Corea worked with Miles Davis, Burton with George Shearing; then both formed a series of groups and toured extensively with top-level sidemen. Corea and Burton met during this period, and have worked together for almost 40 years.

Both are multiple Grammy Award nominees and winners, five of which were received for their collaborations. Hot House is their newest release.

Although both are composers (Corea the most prolific), all but one track were written by others. The album opens with “Can’t We Be Friends,” a Kay Swift/Paul Swift tune; other highlights include Lennon & McCartney’s “Eleanor Rigby,” Bill Evans’ “Time Remembered” and Dave Brubeck’s “Strange Meadow Lark.” The disc closes with Corea’s “Mozart Goes Dancing.” It’s of interest that all but one of these tunes was written by a pianist.

Neither Burton nor Corea is a “frenetic” artist; each always is in complete control of his instruments at every tempo. As a result, everything produced here is thoughtful, gentle and beautiful. Only two of these tracks are done up-tempo: the title tune and Corea’s original. The rest are treated as ballads, and presented softly and poetically.

Everything is done as a duet, except for “Mozart Goes Dancing”; the Harlem String Quartet guests on that track, which results in a true classical feel and sound. Corea uses a standard piano throughout the album.

Corea and Burton obviously respect and enjoy each other; just listen to the beautiful music they make!

Joey DeFrancesco: Wonderful! Wonderful!

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 14:54:00 +0000

HighNote Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Wonderful! Wonderful!

Hammond B3 organ fans know Joey DeFrancesco; he has played that beast for years. His father, “Papa” John DeFrancesco, was a fine jazz organist in his own right; at the age of 5, little Joey was playing Jimmy Smith songs note for note. Joey would sit in during his father’s gigs until he was 10; he then began to play with other great bands in Philadelphia headed by artists such as Hank Mobley and “Philly” Joe Jones. Joey released his first album when he was only 17.

You name the artist or group; DeFrancesco probably has played with them. Miles Davis was perhaps the most famous; he asked DeFrancesco to tour with him when the organist was just 17. During that period, DeFrancesco also began to play the trumpet, which he still does today.

Two of DeFrancesco’s albums have been nominated for Grammy Awards, and he was named Downbeat’s Organ Player of the Year five times running.

DeFrancesco is a “burner”: He loves to play, and he shows it. He particularly enjoys up-tempo meters, and he’s all over the keyboard at any tempo.

This release presents him with his trio — his favorite setting — and he’s joined by guitarist Larry Coryell and drummer Jimmy Cobb. You’ll immediately notice that DeFrancesco’s foot-pedal technique, blended with Coryell’s guitar, combines so nicely that you’ll swear a bassist is playing with the group.

DeFrancesco composed one of these eight tracks — “JLJ Blues” — and the rest are by other artists. The most interesting is a version of that famous old Western song, “Wagon Wheels.” Now, that’s a tune I’ve never heard in a jazz mode, and it comes out swinging!

Let’s face it, DeFrancesco is a lot of fun!

The Fred Hersch Trio: Alive at the Vanguard

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 14:17:00 +0000

Palmetto Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Alive at the Vanguard

If you’re lucky, you’ll live to experience a “Once in a Lifetime” event. Pianist/composer Fred Hersch’s trio is just such an event, and this album is the proof.

Since moving to New York City in 1977 at the age of 21, Hersch has been a significant presence in the jazz scene. He released his first record of original compositions in ’91, and since then has made almost 50 albums as a performer, soloist or leader of groups of various sizes.

As Ben Ratliff noted in a New York Times review of a performance at the Village Vanguard in 1997, “Hersch is a master who plays it his way.”

Hersch went public with his AIDS diagnosis in the early 1990s and has lived, and survived, a life that’s difficult to imagine. He has endured periods, on and off, when he was not expected to survive his illness; somehow, he fought through them. The worst such time occurred in 2008, when he developed AIDS-related dementia, fell into a coma that lasted for two months and, after awakening, lost nearly all motor control in his hands. After months of rehabilitation and therapy — and a refusal to accept his problems as anything but “temporary distractions” — he recovered fully. Since then, aware of the potential shortness of his life, he has worked incessantly and produced his best music.

His peers, and those who know him, are well aware of his expertise. Hersch was the first solo pianist booked into the Village Vanguard, and has made numerous return appearances with his groups, most often the trio format. This double-CD is the most recent recorded “Alive” at this famous venue.

The first disc contains eight tunes; four originals by Hersch and standards by Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman, Romberg/Hammerstein and Sonny Rollins (Doxy). Disc 2 follows up with three more Hersch compositions and standards by Styne/Cahn, Russ Freeman, Kern/Hammerstein and Thelonious Monk.

“What” is played, however, isn’t as important as the “how.” Each tune is masterful; I’ve never heard them done better. Although Hersch is the principal driving force, his trio companions — bassist John Hebert and drummer Eric McPherson — have much to do with the excellence of this music. They provide support without ever getting in Hersch’s way.

I’m aware that the phrase “they think as one” is overused by reviewers, but I simply can’t think of a better way to describe the excellence of the interaction here.

Pick any track at random, and you’ll see what I mean. “Opener,” which kicks off Disc 2, is a prime example: An up-tempo series of chords and runs by Hersch establishes the beat, then Hebert overlays notes and chords that augment what the piano has initiated. A series of very tasty drum passages follows, and then the piano rejoins the group ... and the trio has been introduced to the audience.

I’ve never enjoyed a performance more, and you have two additional hours of such pleasure on this release!

Rob Scheps and Ezra Weiss: Our Path to this Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 13:44:00 +0000

Roark Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Our Path to this Moment

I first encountered Ezra Weiss in 2009, while reviewing Alice in Wonderland: A Jazz Musical, the first of two works he wrote to expose young children to jazz; it was named one of the Top 10 cast albums that year by TalkinBroadway.com. In 2010, Weiss followed up with Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus.

Weiss holds a bachelor’s degree in jazz composition from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, a master’s degree in jazz piano performance from Queens College, and has won the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award three times. He has arranged and composed for numerous name groups and currently teaches at Portland State University.

Rob Scheps, who plays all of the reed instruments, is a New York native. He attended both the Manhattan and Eastman Schools of Music, formed and worked with numerous groups in and around the Big apple, then moved to Portland, Oregon in 1997. He’s a member of that city’s symphony and also is on the faculty at Portland State University.

Scheps’ standard big band consists of five reeds (he handles tenor sax), four trumpets, three trombones, a tuba, piano (Weiss), bass, drums and an additional percussionist. For this album, Scheps also added trumpeter Greg Gisbert, who has worked in bands fronted by Buddy Rich, Woody Herman and John Fedchock.

This album features seven compositions and arrangements by Weiss: truly serious jazz. You’ll hear chord structures and rhythmic variations that are much more complex — and interesting — than those used by standard big bands. The solo passages aren’t “written,” but their chord progressions are; they therefore “fit” wonderfully into the basic ensemble background.

The result doesn’t swing in the same way that Woody’s Herds did (as one example), but what comes out definitely qualifies as jazz. Repeated playing will reveal nuances that you may have missed during earlier visits, which then demands yet another repeat play. You can listen to this orchestra for hours ... and you’ll still want more. Don’t miss it!

The Mark Masters Ensemble: Ellington Saxophone Encounters

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 22:16:00 +0000

Capri Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Ellington Saxophone Encounters

Step into your time machine, fasten your seat belts, and settle back for a visit to the Duke Ellington era.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like, if a modern musician were to wander onto the stage and sit in with one of the great bands of the past? Well, that’s what this album is all about. It’s a collection of tunes written by members of Duke’s bands, during the era when he reigned supreme, and played here by eight of today’s top artists: the Mark Masters Ensemble.

This group’s instrumentation is unique: five reeds and a rhythm section consisting of piano, bass and drums. Each individual is famed, having spent a career working with top-level jazz groups. The baritone sax is held by the award-winning Gary Smulyan; the other reed players — each fluent with clarinet, alto, tenor and flute — are Gary Foster, Pete Christlieb, Gene Cipriano and Don Shelton. The supporting rhythm section features pianist Bill Cunliffe, bassist Tom Warrington and drummer Joe LaBarbera. Leader Mark Masters is responsible for the arrangements.

The Ellington artists who contributed the tunes — all part of Duke’s library over the years — include Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney, Jimmy Hamilton and Ben Webster. All are Jazz Hall of Fame members.

Hodges composed “Esquire Swank,” “Lawrence Brown Blues,” Used to Be Duke,” “Jeep’s Blues” and “Peaches.” Gonsalves did “The Line Up” and “The Happening”; Carney contributed “We’re in Love Again” and “Rockin’ in Rhythm”; Hamilton gave us “Ultra Blue” and “Get Ready”; and Webster wrote “Love’s Away.” You may not know some of the titles, but you’ll recognize the melodies. As was the case with many of the tunes in his book, Ellington often played a role in the end result, as a “co-composer.”

You’ll swear it’s Duke’s wonderful band from the first bar of the lead track, “Esquire Swank.” Close your eyes, and you’ve time- and place-shifted back to one of the great 1940s ballrooms. The same can be said of all these tracks: This is, indeed, an encounter of a most magical kind.

It’s an ensemble and album to die for.

Carole Robbins: Moraga

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 22:01:00 +0000

Jazzcats Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Moraga

If one were to cite the instruments least likely to be utilized in jazz, the harp would be near the top. Well, fasten your seat belts: Carol Robbins is a harpist, composer and arranger, and Moraga, her newest album to date, is proof that this ethereal “horn‚” is, in her hands, fully capable of producing beautiful, swinging music.

As a child, Robbins began as a pianist; she switched to the harp at age 10. She may not be well known to the general public, but her expertise has made her a staple among individuals famous in their own worlds: She has performed for presidents and celebrities, been featured in films and on television, and has been nominated for Grammy Awards. She maintains a busy concert schedule and is highly regarded in the music world; she has no problem acquiring top level musicians with whom to perform.

That’s the case with this release. The quintet supporting her features Billy Childs (piano), Gary Meek (sax and clarinet), Larry Koonse (guitar), Darek Oles (bass) and Gary Novak (drums). Regular readers know that I consider Koonse and Oles to be among the top artists in the jazz world, and Robbins’ association with Childs goes back years.

Robbins composed six of these nine tunes. Childs contributed “Hope in the Face of Despair,” while “Caminhos Cruzados” comes from Antonia Carlos Jobim. Cole Porter’s “Every Time We Say Goodbye” is the lone standard.

All but one of these tunes are done at balladic tempos, some with a subtle Latin feel; the exception is “Straight Away,” a burner that gives each performer a chance to stretch out with some dazzling solo work.

This album is gorgeous in every respect. That descriptor isn’t often used when referencing jazz, but it’s apt for this release and these artists.

Bill Cantrall and Axiom: Live at the Kitano

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 18:39:00 +0000

Upswing Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Live at the Kitano

It’s been awhile since a swinging trombonist has made a name for himself in the world of jazz, so let me introduce Bill Cantrall.

Okay, he isn’t brand new, having served apprenticeships with the likes of Gil Evans, James Moody, Paquito D’Rivera and a number of other name artists since 2006, but Cantrall has released only two albums: 2007’s Axiom and this one, so it’s probably safe to say that he’s not well-known outside of the greater New York City area.

Cantrall was born and raised in and around the Big Apple, but earned his initial college degree — music and electrical engineering — at Northwestern University. After working with musical groups in the Chicago area, he returned to Queens College to study for his master’s degree in trombone, composition and arranging. He formed Axiom in ’07; the unit varies from a trio to septet, depending on the size of the performance venues. For Live at the Kitano, the basic group is a quintet — trombone, sax, piano, bass and drums — although Cantrall added an alto sax and trumpet for the title track.

As for style, we’re in the hard-bop genre. Cantrall composed all but one of these tracks; the exception is “After You,” a seldom-heard Cole Porter tune written for the 1932 stage play The Gay Divorce (later turned into the Astaire/Rogers big-screen musical The Gay Divorcee).

This is a young band, age-wise, and none of these artists can be considered familiar, but that doesn’t mean they don’t swing. Many albums that have been recorded live don’t necessarily feel that way, but this production truly gives the listener the impression of being part of the audience. Introductions of the musicians are included, and the club’s ambiance is evident. The Kitano’s acoustics, together with the excellent recording and mixing work, make for a very enjoyable listening experience.

The set is “happy,” with only one tune, “Shaniece,” a ballad; the rest are mid- to up-tempo swingers. No time limitations were placed on the artists; each track runs at least 10 minutes, while “Axiom” lingers for almost 25 minutes. That allows each musician to really stretch out and develop the solo passages. That could be a disadvantage, in lesser hands, but not to worry: These guys truly are that good.

The Duke Ellington Legacy: Single Petal of a Rose

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 18:18:00 +0000

Renma Recordings
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Single Petal of a Rose

Duke Ellington was the man in the1920s and ’30s. He grew in stature during the big band years, and still is considered to be the most important figure in the world of jazz. No surprise, then, that we’ve had (and still have) numerous tribute groups that use Duke’s compositions as the focal point for their music library. The Duke Ellington Legacy is one such unit.

This group, a nonet, boasts some special attributes. Ellington’s grandson, Edward Kennedy Ellington II, is the guitarist; Virginia Mayhew, whose specialty is developing tribute projects related to famous jazz icons, played a key roll in the creation of this band and is one of its two tenor sax artists; Houston Person, a living legend himself‚ is the other tenor player; and pianist Norman Simmons has accompanied jazz vocalists Carmen McRae, Anita O’Day, Joe Williams and Betty Carter. These artists are supported by vocalist Nancy Reed, trumpeter Jami Dauber, trombonist Noah Bless, bassist Tom DiCarlo and percussionists Paul Wells and Sheila Early, who split duties.

Most of the tunes here are Ellington or Billy Strayhorn compositions; the exceptions are “Home Grown,” by Simmons, and “After Hours,” by Erskine Hawkins.

Although several of the other tracks are quite familiar — “In My Solitude,” In a Mellow Tone,” “Lush Life” and “Squeeze Me” — the lesser-known compositions highlight this release. “Happy Go Lucky Local” (which later became “Night Train”), “Johnny Come Lately,” “Blood Count,” “Love You Madly” and “Lotus Blossom” weren’t big hits with the general public, but their innovative musical quality is outstanding. And, as far as I’m concerned, “Single Petal of a Rose” remains one of the most gorgeous ballads ever written. The absence of lyrics may explain why it didn’t receive the attention it deserved.

Every member of this group obviously loves Ellington’s music; it shows in the stellar arrangements from Simmons and Mayhew, along with their interpretations of each melody. The result is Ellington “modernized‚” but his unique touch is retained. This is traditional jazz at its finest, with unforgettable melodic lines and solo work of the highest quality.

As for vocalist Nancy Reed, Duke would have loved her.

I’ve never heard a better interpretation of Ellington’s music than that provided by this wonderful array of artists.

Holiday Jazz 2012: Swing Ye Noel!

noreply@blogger.com (Derrick Bang) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:16:00 +0000

By Derrick Bang • Originally published in The Davis Enterprise, 12.11.12

[Web master’s note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — still the eldest, youngest and only son of this site’s jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for roughly 17 years, with lengthy columns that just keep growing. Check out previous columns by clicking on the CHRISTMAS label below.]

It’s getting harder to find this stuff.

Time was, I’d start haunting the holiday section at music stores shortly before Thanksgiving; the better brick-and-mortar outlets would be laden, with some even giving holiday jazz its own sub-category. Berkeley’s marvelous Amoeba Music continues that practice to this day, and therefore remains an essential part of my annual December rituals.

Closer to home, alas, the options aren’t nearly as diverse. Or rewarding.

Which brings us to the ever-more-ubiquitous online alternative. Although Amazon’s search engines continue to improve, one still can’t get reliable results from the phrases “Christmas jazz,” “holiday jazz” or similar choices. CDBaby is a bit better, although I still wade through a lot of non-jazz while hunting for the good stuff. Sadly, EJazzlines.com, once a great source for hard-to-find holiday jazz, no longer sells CDs.

On the other hand, being able to hear samples — at both Amazon and CDBaby — is a treasure.

Take comfort, then, from the fact that I’ve done the legwork and returned with tidings of jazzy comfort and joy. Patience may have been required, but it turned out to be a good year. Nog those eggs, don a Santa hat and prepare to swing!

***************

The season’s prize is a 2011 release that arrived too late for last year’s column: the Marcus Roberts Trio’s Celebrating Christmas (J-Master Records). This is what jazz is all about: a tightly arranged melodic dance between Roberts, on piano; Rodney Jordan, bass; and Jason Marsalis, drums.

I’m hard-pressed to cite a favorite track, although this group’s inventive approach to “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is first among equals: The tune, often redundant as an instrumental, is delivered here in 12 different styles, and with each day represented by one of the 12 major keys. That’s simply brilliant.

The trio’s handling of “Little Drummer Boy” is equally clever, with Marsalis establishing a peppy march beat that Roberts initially refuses to follow, choosing instead to play “behind” the beat at a much slower tempo. Roberts gradually picks up speed as the song continues, until finally all three musicians are in synch.

Jordan’s walking bass is the highlight of a velvet-smooth “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and he also dominates a short but deliciously whimsical cover of “Frosty, the Snowman.” “Let It Snow” has a south-of-the-border ambiance, with some great keyboard wandering and another nice bass solo.

“Winter Wonderland” blends striking percussion with Roberts’ New Orleans grease; “Jingle Bells” has a similar bouncy, New Orleans-style strut, with some more fabulous bass and drums action. This cut features one of Roberts’ many signatures: He fails to complete the line as the song concludes, leaving us a few chords shy.

“Silent Night” is delivered at a slow 6/4, with an achingly sweet call-and-response between piano and bass; later in the song, Roberts delivers similar counterpoint between his left and right hands. Sheer genius.

Three tracks are solo piano: “We Three Kings,” “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Joy to the World.” Each is slow, deliberate and lyrical: a bit extemporaneous, with a touch of ragtime on “Joy to the World.” Stylistically, these evoke memories of Roberts’ earlier Christmas release, 1991’s “Prayer for Peace,” a solo keyboard album that was far more solemn.

“Celebrating Christmas,” in great contrast, is lively, vibrant and fun: an album that demands close attention because it’s so creative and joyous.

Moving to this year’s releases, the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra’s self-published Christmas Time Is Here also is a knock-out: a fabulous set of 12 tracks, delivered with snap and plenty of jazz sparkle by a 17-member ensemble. Nothing is as exciting as the thunderous delivery of a big-band unit, and this East Tennessee group really swings.

Founder/director Vance Thompson’s arrangements aren’t merely captivating; they also give a wink and a nod to well-established jazz roots. You’ll recognize the bass vamp from Cedar Walton’s “Bolivia” in this lively handling of “Deck the Halls,” while a slower, gentler cover of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” offers echoes of John Coltrane and McCoy Tyner.

These aren’t screaming arrangements, although saxmen Greg Tardy, Will Boyd, Mark Tucker and Tim Green occasionally shoot for the stratosphere. For the most part, the orchestra begins these 12 songs slowly and deliberately, sometimes with a single-instrument solo; the intensity then builds until you’ll want to stand and applaud.

Each track grants one solo, sometimes several; the proof of a big band’s collective talent comes from the fact that those solos are just as solid as the unison work.

A slow, almost stately reading of “Christmas Time Is Here” boasts a delectable piano solo by Bill Swann, while Don Hough and Tom Lundberg contribute deft trombone passages to a mid-tempo handling of “Let It Snow.” “Go Tell It on the Mountain” opens with Dan Trudell’s church-like solo on the Hammond B-3 organ; midway through this track, the band kicks into gear, drummer Keith Brown accelerates to a fast two-beat, and Will Boyd delivers a truly sweet tenor sax solo.

The often staid “Silent Night,” traditionally a quiet waltz, emerges here as a rolling, bluesy shuffle in 4/4 time: an arrangement that truly cooks and earns its modified title of “A Not-So-Silent Night.” The “Russian Dance” from Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” roars like a freight train, thanks to Thompson’s marvelous arrangement and slick solos by trumpeter Vance Thompson and bassist Rusty Holloway.

This disc will get a lot of play in our house!

I’ve been covering this holiday-themed beat for many years now, and I’ve come to admire artists and combos that blend solid jazz chops with inventive arrangements. One such highlight came in 2005, with the ACME Brass Company’s X-Mas X-ing, which interpolated familiar Christmas themes in the manner of different jazz classics, or in the style of well-known jazz icons.

The San Francisco-based Octobop ensemble’s West Coast Christmas (Mystic Lane CD 050 100), which hit my eager hands mere days before this column was put to bed, borrows from that same playbook, and with equally delightful results. The musicians claim to have been inspired by “two of the greatest Christmas albums ever made” — by The Ventures and Dr. Demento — and while that statement may raise eyebrows, we can’t argue with the highly enjoyable results.

Thus, Octobop’s album opens with the cleverly titled “Line for Santa,” a reading of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” flavored by Gerry Mulligan’s iconic “Line for Lyons.” Along (ahem) the same line, “Bernie’s Bells” is a mash-up of “Jingle Bells” by way of Mulligan’s “Bernie’s Tune,” with a hint of Tadd Dameron and, yes, The Ventures. Only Allan Sherman fans will recognize the title “Jerry Mendelbaum,” and here it morphs into a bluesy handling of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”

As composed and performed by Shorty Rogers back in 1957, the swingin’ “Saturnian Sleigh Ride” had nothing to do with the holidays, but trust the whimsical Octobop players to blend it with Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride.” And if you listen closely, you’ll also hear a quote from “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

The musicianship is grand throughout; I particularly like the melody work and solos by guitarist Jack Conway and guest vibists Rick Gray and Dave Casini. And I’m enchanted by Conway’s 3/4-time waltz arrangement of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” which highlights Matt Kesner on sax.

The session comes to a grand conclusion with trumpeter Randy Smith’s totally cookin’ arrangement of “Carol of the Bells,” which has a distinct echo of the Jazz Crusaders. Fun, fun, fun.

Anthology albums are like reaching into a box of holiday chocolates: One hopes to find plenty of treats, while avoiding anything that might contain coconut. Shades of Christmas (The Gold Label 82052) is an engaging collection of tracks that’ll play well during your favorite holiday gathering.

These 13 tracks are short but mostly sweet, with top honors going to Yellowjackets veteran Russell Ferrante’s trio, which sparkles during a poignant reading of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” Ferrante’s combo also shines on a similarly delicate handling of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” which offers some nice bass work from Michael Valerio; and on a whimsical handling of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” which features a great beat and smooth sax work from Bob Mintzer.

String impresario Eric Brenton overdubs himself on a lovely reading of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” and he also delivers a clever medley of “Doxology/Ode to Joy.” David Diggs and Bob McChesney team up for a magisterial, all-trombone rendition of “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” while pianist Kait Dunton leads her trio through an intriguing arrangement of “The Holly and the Ivy.” The latter also features some smooth bass licks, this time from Ryan McGillicuddy. Things turn lively only briefly, during trumpeter Bobby Rodriguez’s salsa-flavored cover of “O Christmas Tree” (borrowed from his 1997 release, A Latin Jazz Christmas).

The album includes one vocal: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” sung soulfully by poet and American Idol finalist Rachel Diggs. I’d like the arrangement a lot more, however, without the silly background chorus.

Things conclude quietly, with a pair of keyboard solos: a gentle original titled “Christmas Wish,” by pianist Matt Harris; and a solemn reading of “What Child Is This” by organist Stewart W. Foster ... a nice finish to a lovely collection of tracks.

And, speaking of anthologies...

For a decade between 1995 and 2004, Canada’s Justin Time label released four entries in its Justin Time for Christmas series. Each album showcased holiday carols and hymns covered by a potpourri of Canadian jazz, gospel and blues artists; the results could be uneven, but each album featured some stand-out gems.

A few of the latter are revived for Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Justin Time Records JUST 245-2), a collection that offers something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue(sy). The vintage material is highlighted by two very early tracks from Diana Krall, recorded back in 1993, years before she became a superstar on both sides of the border. She offers “The Christmas Song” and “Jingle Bells,” backed in both cases only by her own piano; it’s a rare opportunity to hear her sultry vocal and keyboard chops in a solo setting.

The album also grants fresh exposure to the late Hank Jones, who offers an elegant solo piano version of “The Christmas Song”; a medley of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “Jingle Bells” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” by the Rob McConnell Tentet; and vocalist Coral Egan’s wonderfully droll reading of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” with superb backing by guitarist Alex Cattaneo.

The new material includes the Oliver Jones Trio’s handling of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” which begins as a solo piano piece and then segues to a bluesy, mid-tempo combo piece; and pianist Taurey Butler’s percussive cover of “Little Drummer Boy.” The latter includes some slick bass work, and I’d love to credit the musician in question; alas, this CD’s sparse liner notes don’t list any of the sidemen.

Famed Canadian vocalist Johanne Blouin offers a sparkling interpretation of “O Tannenbaum,” first in French and then in English; again, I wish I could acknowledge her backing pianist by name. Rising jazz vocalist Hilary Kole also is granted two selections; her readings of “Let It Snow” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” sparkle, with plenty of mid-tempo swing by her (once again anonymous) backing combo.

I’d have preferred more instrumentals, and Quartango’s “Minuit Chrétien/O Holy Night” didn’t need resurrecting; that combo’s blend of piano, bass, violin and accordion is too weird by half. Otherwise, this is a tasty package with some memorable treats.

Smooth jazz trumpeter Rick Braun’s first holiday-themed album dates all the way back to 1994, so he probably figured it was time for a new one. When the result is as much fun as Swingin’ in the Snow (Brauntosoarus Music BRN 1001-2), it’s a shame he waited so long. Armed with guest stars such as David Benoit, Kirk Whalum, Dave Koz and Peter White, Braun and his quartet — David Finck, bass; Richard Freemont, flute; and Joe LaBarbera, drums — uncork a finger-snapping, foot-stomping party that evokes a lively dance band concert at a tony Manhattan supper club.

Aside from switching between trumpet and flugelhorn, Braun also sings most tracks, and does a respectable job at it. The album roars out of the gate with up-tempo covers of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm”; other swingers includes “No Place Like Home for the Holidays” and a salsa-inflected “Sleigh Ride,” the latter featuring Peter White’s guitar and some boppin’ percussion work from LaBarbera.

The mood turns gentle for a sweet handling of “O Tannenbaum,” while an equally gentle reading of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” evokes all the poignance that marked this song’s debut in the film “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

Mindi Abair joins Braun for a playful, flirtatious reading of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” and LaBarbera once again lays down a solid beat for a doo wop-inflected arrangement of “White Christmas.”

I could have lived without the string quartet that adds a superfluous layer of melodramatic sugar to four tracks, and the concluding arrangement of “Silent Night” — complete with gospel choir — is much too overwrought ... and, stylistically, not at all like the rest of the album. But these are minor complaints; for the most part, Braun’s album will bring plenty of sparkle to any holiday gathering.

And, best of all, he’s donating a dollar from each sale to the Autism Society of America, which makes this a purchase that keeps on giving.

Cover bands have become quite the rage these days, so why not a cover album? Actually, covering the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s iconic soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas is nothing new; Cyrus Chestnut did it back in 2000, and several other combos have released similar projects since then.

The newest comes from a trio calling itself The Ornaments — Jen Gunderman, piano; James Haggerty, bass; and Martin Lynds, drums — and the result is A Vince Guaraldi Christmas: Live at Middletree (Alderman Records), recorded a few days before Christmas in 2010, at Nashville’s Middletree Studio.

The listening experience is strongly familiar but not slavish, thanks to some additional instrumental shading by guests Pete Finney (guitar) and Jimmy Bowland (sax). Indeed, the disc’s best track — a sweet reading of “Christmas Time Is Here” — boasts the full quintet, and includes lovely solos on guitar, sax and bass, all not present in Guaraldi’s original arrangement.

A spirited run at “Skating” also benefits from Bowland’s deft sax bridge and Gunderman’s keyboard solo, and everybody gets a crack at “O Tannenbaum.” “My Little Drum” displays similar instrumental depth, thanks to Finney’s guitar comping.

You’ll smile at the familiar, if subtle echoes from the 1965 album: the gentle cymbal tap that concludes “Linus and Lucy,” and the cute piano filigree at the end of “O Tannenbaum.”

The mimicry isn’t entirely successful, however. “Christmas Is Coming” is a bit stiff, and not nearly as rousing as Guaraldi’s original; and the kid’s-vocal approach to “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” — although authentic to how the song is performed in the TV special —doesn’t ring quite true here.

But these are minor quibbles. Since it’s impossible to catch Guaraldi and his trio at this distant remove, I’d happily book a date with The Ornaments. The group’s Peanuts-themed holiday concerts have become a Nashville tradition for the past several years; here’s one California kid who wishes they’d bring their act to the West Coast.

Veteran jazz pianist/composer/arranger Bill Cunliffe has headed his own combos and performed with heavyweights such as James Moody, Buddy Rich, Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson. That Time of Year (Metre Records M-1002), however, finds him all by his lonesome in a solo reading of 13 familiar Christmas carols. For the most part, these aren’t traditional jazz arrangements, although a few selections swing a bit; most are deconstructed renditions that defy standard time signatures ... or, in a few cases, any time signatures at all.

Although Cunliffe wanders his way through these holiday chestnuts, I don’t mean to suggest that the results are random or off-putting, in the manner of what somebody else might deliver as unstructured “free jazz.” Indeed not: These readings are thoughtful, meditative and always charming, never straying so far from the core melodies that we cannot recognize the tune.

Cunliffe opens with a slow, simple and yet haunting reading of “Angels from the Realms of Glory,” which beautifully showcases his gorgeous keyboard technique; the song concludes with a charming music-box effect that I imagine must have made him smile. (I certainly did.)

A few cuts are too thoughtful and “pretty” to be considered jazz, such as his gentle covers of “Coventry Carol” and “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” (the latter running close to seven enchanting minutes). Other tracks display a bit more spunk, as with “On Christmas Day” and (of course!) “Jingle Bells.” His right hand is all over the keyboard during “Carol of the Bells” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” the cascades, runs and trills somehow magically blending into something truly dazzling. In a sense, this album is mildly frustrating, because it makes me want to experience Cunliffe’s impressive keyboard chops in person.

The album concludes with guest singer Denise Donatelli delivering a wistful, heartfelt rendition of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” with Cunliffe comping gently behind her: a sweet finish to a truly elegant CD.

Guitarist Drew Davidsen’s We 3 Strings (Creative Soul Jazz CSJ-DD10) offers some enjoyable moments, but on the whole suffers from the affectations that plague numerous smooth jazz releases: heavy two-beats with loud drum pops; repetitious arrangements that evoke unpleasant memories of disco monotony; and a tendency to play every song at the same tempo, as if getting through the CD were a race. Even traditionally gentler numbers such as “Away in a Manger” and “Silent Night” have the pace of a race car.

No surprise, then, that two of my favorite tracks are Davidsen’s quieter solos: “O Holy Night” and an original titled “Christmas by the Cement Pond.”

That said, the up-tempo approach works well on a few other cuts. Davidsen’s handling of “Little Drummer Boy” shows some imagination, with an arrangement that has the lively momentum of a train. Bassist Brian Fullen establishes a mildly mysterious mood in “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” and also takes a nifty solo; he and keyboardist Pat Coil also get engaging solos in “Carol of the Bells.”

The album title refers to Davidsen’s handling of “We Three Kings,” on which he’s joined by fellow guitarists Chuck Loeb and Paul Jackson Jr. The resulting sound is rich and “full,” and definitely another highlight ... but it’s the only track that features all three strings. In that respect, the album title could be considered misleading.

Listening to this CD all at once is exhausting; I recommend resorting to shuffle play amid several other albums.

Jazz guitar fans will be happier with the Gaetano Letizia Jazz Trio’s Christmas Jazz Jam (Tom Letizia Records), a thoroughly engaging display of string wizardry that you’ll want to play all year. You’ll probably get away with it, too; Letizia’s arrangements may open and close with the well-loved melodies of 10 classic Christmas carols, but the bulk of each track is devoted to his inventive, bluesy improvs.

“ ’Twas the week after Christmas, and we jammed through the night,” Letizia quips, in the album’s liner notes. That’s a true understatement; his delicate fingerstyle guitar chops are matched by Kevin Muhammad’s equally skillful support on acoustic bass. Indeed, Letizia generously allows Muhammad to shine during lengthy solos on most of these tracks.

The album kicks off with a smooth, mid-tempo handling of “Jingle Bells,” highlighted by lyrical solos from Letizia and Muhammad; that sets the stage for plenty more of the same. “Frosty the Snowman” ambles along to an energetic, New Orleans-style strut; elsewhere, Muhammad gives a walking bass backdrop to “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”

Drummer Vernon Jones establishes a driving two-beat for a bluesy cover of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” and he takes a few brief percussion solos while trading licks throughout a gentle handling of “Silent Night.”

Most of the arrangements are mid-tempo swingers: no barn-burners here, which is appropriate. We wouldn’t want to lose any of the intricate magic contained within Letizia’s fingerstyle solos. Things slow further for “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” which offers a particularly expressive bass solo from Muhammad; and “What Child Is This,” which opens with Letizia’s languid, delicate solo before the rest of the band kicks things into a bluesy groove.

The album concludes with a short, larkish reading of “Winter Wonderland”: an exit that definitely leaves us wanting more.

Veteran trumpet player Jeffrey W. Holmes has worked with Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Torme, Slide Hampton and Sheila Jordan. He subs with the Paul Winter Consort, leads his own big band and plays lead trumpet for the New England Jazz Ensemble. For our purposes, he also teaches at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and directs the campus jazz ensembles.

Holmes has cherry-picked from favorite live holiday performances dating back to 1997, and the result is the self-published UMASS Jazz Ensemble I & Friends, a two-disc set of 22 recordings. The musical cornucopia is quite diverse, and it ain’t all jazz; some tracks veer toward rock, others toward easy listening, and still others are a cappella show-choir material. A moldy fig cover of “White Christmas” even dredges up wincing memories of Lawrence Welk, complete with the affectation of a popping champagne cork. That might have been fun in person, but it’s an odd choice for this double album.

But I thoroughly enjoy roughly half the contents, which isn’t bad for college ensembles. Fledgling talents can be sensational, and some of the musicians here are just that; they also can be overwrought and self-indulgent, as with the irritating drum solo in the otherwise cookin’ “Toyland,” or the showboaty vocal line in “What Child Is This.”

Novice ensembles learn by following well-established charts by jazz stalwarts, and longtime Christmas jazz fans will recognize arrangements from much earlier holiday albums by Stan Kenton’s big band (“O Tannenbaum” and “The Twelve Days of Christmas”) and the Tijuana Brass (“Sleigh Ride” and “Winter Wonderland”). They’re great arrangements, and they’re also among this collection’s best tracks; the kids have considerable fun with the TJB covers.

I also recognized a few of Holmes’ own arrangements — “We Wish You a Cookin’ Christmas” and “Jolly Ole St. Nick” — from the Ritz-Carlton Orchestra’s 1996 release, Swing Ye Noel, and then again on the New England Jazz Ensemble’s 2003 holiday album. These, too, are handled well by the UMASS players.

College ensembles generally are better with unison playing than solos, and a few of the latter here are a bit shaky. The instrumentation also can be unusual, as with an all-sax reading of “Let It Snow,” or the all-brass handling of the “Russian Dance,” from The Nutcracker.

But you can’t deny the obvious good time being had by all, and the various audiences are similarly enthusiastic. I’ll likely fine-tune these 22 tracks to a choice dozen or so, and that’s a perfectly acceptable ratio.

Plenty of musicians take a fairly ordinary approach to a holiday album, putting their stamp on favorite hymns and carols. The Will Scruggs Jazz Fellowship has done something more ambitious with Song of Simeon: A Christmas Journey (Willis I Music): no less than a “programmatic suite in two parts,” to quote the press notes.

That’s a bit of a mouthful; I’d rather call it a Jazz Mass. Although a few of these 11 tracks could be extracted for stand-alone radio play, they’re designed to weave together as a (quoting again) “musical journey through the deeper themes of the Christmas narrative.”

The result is provocative, challenging and — at times — a bit Out There. The arrangements tend to be heavily rhythmic, with strong beats and tempos established by Tommy Sauter (bass), Marlon Patton (drums) and Kinah Boto Ayah (percussion). Foreground melodies and solos are divided between Will Scruggs (tenor and soprano sax), Brian Hogans (piano) and Dan Baraszu (guitar), with guest Joe Gransden (trumpet) swinging like mad during a rousing arrangement of “Go Down, Moses.”

The album opens with a sweet, gentle reading of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” but don’t let this understated arrangement fool you; much of what follows is challenging and quite complex. Highlights include “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” an up-tempo swinger with smokin’ solos from Scruggs, Hogans and Baraszu; “We Three Kings,” which offers Hogans another chance to show off his keyboard chops; and “Joy to the World,” which grants everybody solos and brings the program to a rousing finale.

I’m also charmed by this sextet’s reading of the little-known, Native American-inflected “Huron Carol (T’Was in the Moon of Wintertime),” which emerges here as a thoughtful, somewhat mysterious ballad.

On the other hand, the interstitial movements between these familiar hymns sometimes slide into atonal, free jazz weirdness. Even acknowledging the desire to incorporate ancient canticles, hymns and folk melodies, a few of these tracks are hard on the ears. As a result, I suspect this album will be enjoyed best by listeners willing to work a bit, with liner notes in one hand and Bible in the other.

Multi-instrumentalist Chris Davis selected and arranged the 12 tracks on This Christmas (Bunny Jams Records BJRCD0001) based on his fond memories of childhood trips from Florida to Louisiana, to be with family for the holidays, when the likes of Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas” would play on the car radio. The result here is a lovely blend of traditional carols and holiday-esque ballads such as Irving Berlin’s “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” delivered with plenty of swing by a tight and well-rehearsed quartet.

Davis prefers the bucket-muted trumpet, which gives an often wistful and poignant touch to these songs. His arrangements are inventive but never self-indulgent, with plenty of room for his solos and equally fine work by pianist Victor Noriega, acoustic bassist Adam Thomas and drummer Julian MacDonough.

The album opens with a mid-tempo reading of “Winter Wonderland” that Sinatra himself would have loved; Davis’ arrangement of “The Christmas Waltz” is faster than usual, with MacDonough’s strong two-beat driving the bridges into a gallop.

“Blue Christmas” is granted a droll barrelhouse beat, with cute bass and percussion touches; Noriega gives “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” a regal solo piano intro before the combo jumps in for an arrangement that really cooks. Listen for Thomas’ marvelous walking bass on this one.

Guest clarinetist James Danderfer further brightens the album’s show-stopper: an ambitious, 7/4 arrangement of “Angels We Have Heard on High” that’s all over the map (in the best possible way). Davis’ horn, in turn, is particularly sweet and soulful on “The Christmas Song,” and his pas de deux with Noriega on “Toyland” is a similar treat.

The album closes with a gentle, almost melancholy reading of “Little Drummer Boy” that offers plenty of percussive touches and delicate piano filigree: a wonderful finish for an album that you’ll immediately want to hear again.

Ric Iannone’s Jazzy Christmas (IMMusic) isn’t particularly inventive, but it is quite enjoyable: a solid, swinging piano trio collection of 10 holiday standards. Iannone has an enthusiastic approach to his keyboard work, with arrangements that vary tempos, styles and time signatures in engaging ways. He never loses track of a given tune’s core melody, which is to say that his improvs never drift into the stratosphere.

I’d love to credit the bassist and drummer, but such information remains concealed. Iannone doesn’t have his own web site, and the album is available solely as a download, with nothing but front cover art in the way of supplementary material. The implication is that Iannone may have cooked up the entire project on a computer; if that’s the case, I’m tremendously impressed, because it sure sounds like an actual trio.

Every cut here is lighthearted and whimsical, with many driven by swinging bass and drum work; the latter are particularly evident on “Deck the Halls,” done with a heavily rhythmic two-beat; “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas,” which is jolly indeed at an up-tempo 4/4; and “Jingle Bells,” a toe-tapper that concludes with a droll flourish of sleigh bells.

Iannone turns “March of the Toys” and “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” into charming little suites; each begins fairly quietly, in straight time, and then shifts gears into swing time. You simply can’t listen to this stuff without smiling.

Iannone has a fondness for gentle, solo piano prologues that burst into life and then roar to a conclusion; the best example is his handling of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.” He gives “What Child Is This” a more dynamic reading than is usual, in this case favoring another strong two-beat. And his arrangement of “We Three Kings” sounds positively regal ... in a droll sort of way.

The album is short, at just shy of 36 minutes, but it’s choice from start to finish. It would, however, be nice to know more about it. C’mon, Ric ... why so shy?

Trumpeter/flugelhorner Nathan Eklund organized the recording sessions that produced Crafty Christmas (OA2 Records OA2 22096) as a holiday gift to his parents; I’m pleased that he elected to grant the project mainstream distribution. Seattle’s jazz-hued Origin Arts/OA2 Records doesn’t release holiday albums every year, but they’re always worth the wait, and this one’s no exception.

Eklund leads a quartet — joined by Oscar Perez, Fender Rhodes and piano; Tom DiCarlo, bass; and Shawn Baltazor, drums — in a sweet collection of straight-ahead, mostly gentle arrangements. These nine tracks run long, granting plenty of opportunities for improv; several open with Eklund’s soulful lead on horn, followed by bass and keyboard solos.

Eklund’s horn work is particularly sweet, almost contemplative, on expressive readings of “Silent Night” and “Christmas Time Is Here,” both of which also afford Perez nice solos on Fender Rhodes. The musical dynamic switches a bit for “Greensleeves,” which finds Eklund on flugelhorn and Perez on piano; the result is tender, almost melancholy at times.

Baltazor lays down a solid beat for a livelier reading of “Let It Snow,” a solid swinger that boasts both drum and Fender Rhodes solos. The album opener, “Winter Wonderland,” is similarly peppy.

The moody, slightly mysterious arrangement of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” opens with a gorgeous bass solo from DiCarlo, but things get a bit stratospheric when Eklund’s horn turns uncharacteristically squawky; “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” despite guest singer Kevin-Anthony’s gentle vocal, also is a trifle overwrought. But these are minor quibbles; the overall package is tasty and tight, reflecting the sort of smooth melodic bond that results when four well-rehearsed musicians get together.

BRIEFLY NOTED:

• Back in the early 1960s, the Ramsey Lewis Trio released two holiday albums now considered classics: Sounds of Christmas and More Sounds of Christmas. The former has been available on CD for years; for some inexplicable reason, the latter still hasn’t made that transition. You therefore might be tempted by the Master Classics Records release of Christmas Piano Jazz, which gathers both albums onto a single disc. Resist the Impulse. This is, without question, the worst-mastered CD I’ve ever had the displeasure to experience; the music sounds like it was over-compressed and then mixed in a tiny cupboard in the sub-sub-sub-basement of the Batcave. Lewis deserves far, far better than this ghastly reissue.

• Nashville-based jazz pianist Beegie Adair has released many holiday albums over the years, and 1999’s Jazz Piano Christmas continues to get considerable play in our home. But Adair also dabbles in quiet “mood” albums that stray pretty far from jazz, which is the case with this year’s Christmas Elegance (Green Hill GHD5853). She’s paired here with violinist David Davidson; the result is extremely pretty — if a trifle unusual — but it sure ain’t jazz. Adair occasionally slides in a few gently swinging keyboard riffs — notably on “Home for the Holidays,” “The Christmas Waltz” and “Let It Snow” — but for the most part this duet delivers only quiet background music.

• Jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi’s score for A Charlie Brown Christmas has become an iconic seasonal favorite: an institutional part of the American Christmas experience. The original 1965 LP debuted on CD in 1988, and Fantasy Records has just issued a newly re-mastered edition that boasts superlative work by digital restoration engineer Joe Tarantino. Guaraldi’s piano — at once more detailed and warmer than on the somewhat brittle-sounding 1988 CD — sits better in the mix here. This draws greater attention to the equally superlative work by the sidemen; in particular, you’ll hear marvelous bass riffs that have been all but buried until now. So let’s be honest: You absolutely need another copy of this album, right?

• Vocalist Halie Loren has a sweet, mildly sultry voice, and she’s paired well with pianist Matt Treder on Many Times, Many Ways (Justin Time Records JTR 8553-2). But despite the label’s attempt to market this album as jazz, that simply isn’t so; the duo’s approach is folk/pop. Loren delivers a winsome cover of “Grown Up Christmas List” and chestnuts such as “Winter Wonderland” and “Home for the Holidays,” but she lacks the range and sass to effectively dig into the likes of “Santa Baby” and “Blue Holiday.” Similarly, Treder’s two instrumental originals — “Sugar Cookies” and “From the Mouths of Babes” — would have been right at home on one of the old Windham Hill Winter’s Solstice albums ... but they weren’t jazz either.

• Kermit Ruffins’ Have a Crazy Cool Christmas! (Basin Street Records BSR 0109-2) is thoroughly Dixieland and therefore not to my taste, but it’s certainly a hoot. Whether strutting through “O Christmas Tree,” or wishing for the New Orleans Saints to reach the Super Bowl in a cute original titled “A Saints Christmas,” Ruffins and his crew bring the house down. I only wish he sang less and concentrated more on his trumpet work; the album opens with a sensational arrangement of “Silent Night” that’s blended against the familiar percussion line from Miles Davis’ “All Blues” ... but it’s one of only three instrumentals. Alas!

• The practically anonymous Yuletide Jazz (Compilations Records CR0018), which credits jazz guitarist Royce Campbell solely as “producer,” actually is a clandestine assortment of tracks from his previous three holiday releases, A Jazz Guitar Christmas, A Jazz Guitar Christmas II and A Solo Guitar Christmas. I’ve nothing against greatest hits collections, and this disc does deliver a nice set of tracks, but why the subterfuge? That feels dishonest, along with Campbell’s failure to identify his sidemen. The package is sweetened slightly by two new tracks — fresh arrangements of “O Christmas Tree” and “Silent Night” — but I still suggest digging up the three original discs.

• One must be wary when dealing with albums that fail to identify personnel, and the John Magaldi Quintet’s Christmas Jazz (Essential Media Group) is a case in point. Aside from Magaldi on sax, we’ve no idea who else is involved ... and that might be due to collective embarrassment. This group simply isn’t ready for prime time: The tempos are listless, the solos uninspired and squawky, and the so-called “digital re-mastering” is a joke. The piano is so faint that it sounds like the poor guy was three studios away and unmiked. Stay away from this one.

Ryan Truesdell: Centennial

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 18:19:00 +0000

ArtistShare
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Centennial

This album brings back a lot of memories. Gil Evans was one of the finest composers/arrangers in the years leading up to, during and beyond the big band era; Claude Thornhill, with whom Evans worked for many years, led one of finest of those bands.

Composer/arranger/copyist/
producer Ryan Truesdell has spent much of his life studying and researching notable jazz artists such as Evans; Centennial is his most recent project.

I lived through the decades when Evans and Thornhill reigned supreme, so this album has a special meaning to me. But it’s even more special, because the Evans tunes here never were published or recorded previously: Everything old is new again. The detailed liner notes discuss the songs superbly, so I won’t be repetitious; suffice it say that Truesdell has uncovered a musical treasure trove, and also has assembled an orchestra that does full justice to this discovery.

Since Evans wrote most of the “book” for Thornhill’s band, some background is warranted. Thornhill’s ensemble was different than the other bands of that era. As one of his ex-musicians put it, “he wasn’t a swing band, he had an orchestra.” Thornhill’s instrumentation included French horns, tuba and a clarinet “choir,” and he wanted his musicians to play “without vibrato.” The result was a smooth, at times “pretty” tonal quality.

Evans was partly responsible for that; he specified such instrumentation additions. But swing entered the scene in later versions of the orchestra, which utilized bebop disciples such as Red Rodney, Lee Konitz and Gerry Mulligan.

Another factoid: Evans was a huge fan of Miles Davis. It’s not widely known, but Evans did the arrangements for four of Davis’ best known albums: Miles Ahead, Porgy and Bess, Sketches of Spain and Quiet Nights. That alliance is evident in everything Evans wrote.

Centennial’s discoveries include 10 gems that represent Evans’ best, and clearly demonstrate that he was in a class of his own.

As for Truesdell’s orchestra, it’s huge and magnificent. The woodwind section consists of 13 artists, including oboes, bassoons, flutes, clarinets, English horns and piccolos; the brass section numbers 10 and includes trumpets, trombones, French horns and a tuba; the nine-man rhythm section features piano, bass, drums, two guitars, timpani, vibraphone, tenor violin and tabla. Finally, three vocalists split duties on the tracks with lyrics.

This is a stupendous album that deserves a “best of the year” award. When you listen, you’re in the company of geniuses.

The Virginia Mayhew Quartet: Mary Lou Williams — The Next 100 Years

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 17:58:00 +0000

Renma Recordings
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Mary Lou Williams — The Next 100 Years

Unless you’re a bona fide senior citizen or jazz historian, you may not be familiar with Mary Lou Williams, and that’s a shame. She was born in 1910 and died in ’81, so many potential fans never had an opportunity to hear her in person. Further, during the period that encompassed the 1960s until her death, the genre emphasis was on the big bands and bop and, but Williams preferred to play straight-ahead jazz with combos.

As a result, her recording endeavors were limited; so is her discography.

All that said, the important indication of her quality comes from the impact she had with jazz icons. She was playing with Duke Ellington when she was just 15; at 19, she was asked to join Andy Kirk’s famous Clouds of Joy band; she later rejoined Ellington’s Orchestra and then had a gig at the famous Café Society. Throughout this period, she was writing arrangements for Earl Hines, Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey, and was mentoring the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Tadd Dameron and Hank Jones. They knew how great she was!

Williams’ career flourished through the 1970s, and she performed at numerous concerts and festivals. She was a guess artist at the White House and participated at Benny Goodman’s Carnegie Hall Concert, both in 1978.

Saxophonist/composer/arranger and historian Virginia Mayhew is a huge Williams fan. Mayhew has been active in the New York City jazz scene since 1987, and has worked with many renowned artists, including some who were part of Williams’ tenure. This tribute album, one of Mayhew’s projects, concentrates on Williams’ prowess as a composer; during her career, she produced more than 100 compositions, and well over that number of arrangements for name bands. Ten of her best are featured here.

You’ll immediately notice how “modern” everything sounds, which is further proof of how far ahead of her time Williams was. Nothing sound dated. Admittedly, Mayhew’s re-arrangement skill has much to do with this. Additionally, the excellent artists involved also deserve credit: Guitarist Ed Cherry, bassist Harvey S, drummer Andy Watson and guest trombonist Wycliffe Gordon joined Mayhew, who plays a lotta tenor sax.

The result: a joyful, swinging group that plays the heck out of just a few of Williams’ charts. She would have loved it!

Holiday Jazz: How it all began

noreply@blogger.com (Derrick Bang) — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 22:59:00 +0000

By Derrick Bang

[Web master’s note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — the eldest, youngest and only son of this site’s jazz guru, Ric Bang — began writing about the annual holiday jazz scene in 1997. His interest in the sub-genre began many years earlier, however, as the following essay explains. Quick links to these annual columns — archived within this blog — can be obtained by clicking on CHRISTMAS in the list of labels at the bottom of this post.]

It started reasonably enough.

Back in the Stone Age of the 1970s, years before our local National Public Radio outlet (KXPR) begat a sister station (KXJZ), the former catered primarily to local classical music enthusiasts. Jazz fans were restricted to the late evening hours, when most sensible people would be getting ready for bed. (I could argue that jazz fans rarely are sensible people, but that’s another discussion.)

Aside from the occasional one or two tunes that might pop up in the middle of otherwise conventional sets, jazz covers of familiar Christmas songs were restricted to a two-hour, 10 p.m. to midnight timeslot on Christmas Eve, appropriately dubbed Jingle Bell Jazz.

I lived for those two hours.

Although I grew up enjoying the holidays, and particularly its melodies, there was something faintly ... well ... corny about most Christmas music being played in the ’70s. It was the stuff of Muzak and easy-listening schlock, with gag-me choruses and more damn strings than you’d find in most symphony orchestras. Much like some aspects of the holiday itself, most Christmas music had become gaudy, overly commercialized, lowest-common-denominator pap.

Christmas jazz, though ... now that had an edge: some genuine bite and enough musicality that you’d stop and really listen to the stuff, instead of tuning it out the way you’d desperately ignore the junk you heard in department store elevators.

No seasonal trauma is too great that it can’t be alleviated by a warm fire, a warmer companion and a soulful interpretation of “Silent Night” or “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” by the likes of Oscar Peterson or Dave Brubeck.

And for an all-too-short 120 minutes every Dec. 24th, host Gary Vercelli played a tasty and delectable selection of hip holiday tunes, drawing from a woefully limited supply. Options were few back then: CDs weren’t even a dream on the horizon, let alone iTunes and other Internet downloading sources. LPs still ruled the roost, and many of those had gone out of print. That’s what made radio both good and bad: Avid listeners often heard things they didn’t own, but at the same time might have little chance of purchasing, short of a lucky find in a used-record store.

Then, too, KXPR was a relatively young station, without the backlist that would give listeners access to more than a handful of old-timers such as Les Brown, Glenn Miller and Louis Armstrong.

Even so, I enjoyed the stylings of relative newcomer Ron Eschete, whose solid guitar work enlivened a series of hard-driving cuts on Christmas Impressions. Jazz/blues organist Jimmy Smith weighed in with Christmas Cookin’. For pure swing, you couldn’t beat Duke Pearson’s cuts from Merry Ole Soul. Ensemble albums were perhaps the best, with contributions from a dozen different groups or individuals: Mistletoe Magic and More Mistletoe Magic; God Rest Ye Merry Jazzmen, featuring (among others) the Heath Brothers, McCoy Tyner and a spicy rendition of “We Three Kings” by a youthful Wynton Marsalis and his quintet; and Jingle Bell Jazz, the collection that gave Vercelli’s show its name.

Vocalists were represented by Nat King Cole (The Christmas Song), Ella Fitzgerald (Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas) and Lou Rawls (Merry Christmas, Ho Ho Ho), with occasional visits from Frank Sinatra. So desperate was Vercelli for variety, that he’d occasionally move as far afield as selections from Vince Guaraldi’s jazz-mass composition, Live at Grace Cathedral, scarcely conceived as holiday music yet — one had to admit — certainly suitable for the season. Guaraldi, of course, also was represented by his far more appropriate and incredibly popular up-tempo cuts on the Charlie Brown Christmas television soundtrack.

Then there were one-shot wonders, such as Stix Hooper, who included a rendition of “The Little Drummer Boy” on an otherwise non-Christmas album called The World Within. And, since “My Favorite Things” has become forever associated with the holiday season, we’d occasionally hear John Coltrane’s lengthy version of that tune: ground-breaking in its time, but these days a bit tiresome.

I taped those two-hour segments and played them to death during the next few Decembers, carefully adding to my painfully limited supply as, each Christmas Eve, Vercelli spun a precious few more cuts that he’d overlooked the year before, or the year before that. In 1983, when my wife and I took a Christmas Eve train trip to share the holidays with family members up in Oregon, I made a good friend pledge against his first-born that he’d tape the Jingle Bell Jazz program. He was as good as his word, and subsequently was allowed to keep his daughter.

The mix improved a few years later, when our local cable television provider added cable radio options; one of the choices, the Cable Jazz Network, was quite aggressive with its holiday music during most of December. I developed a telephone relationship with that service’s manager, a wonderful gentleman whose name, alas, is lost to memory. CJN’s programming was block-taped in advance, and this kind soul sent me photocopies of their playlists, along with his best guess as to what time and day each segment would kick off. I’d therefore know when a new (to me) holiday jazz cut was coming, and my wife became quite accustomed to the sight of me poised over the tape deck, fingers hovering above the PLAY/RECORD button, as a much-desired track grew ever closer.

(Yep. Tape decks. Had I known how much easier Web-based streaming radio would have made this process, at the time I’d have thought I’d died and gone to heaven.)

CJN brought me the hitherto-unheard sounds of the World’s Greatest Jazz Band, a well-named group that positively ripped through cuts on an album called Hark, the Herald Angels Swing. Stan Kenton turned up with his joyfully up-tempo covers on A Merry Christmas. On the quieter end of the jazz spectrum was Sandy Owen, a solo pianist with a superb touch on the modestly titled Carols. Ramsey Lewis and his trio contributed a pair of holiday albums: The Sound of Christmas and More Sounds of Christmas. Those aforementioned Jimmy Smith riffs were joined by Kenny Burrell’s equally engaging jazz organ, on Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas.

CJN also had one helluva backlist, both in classic jazz and blues, and my library broadened to include selections by Ozie Ware, Gatemouth Brown, the Charlie Parker All-Stars and many, many others. (Bear in mind, by the way, that many of these albums had been around for years, if not decades. They were simply new to me.)

Then, as the years passed ... trouble. Terrible thing, about audiocassettes. They s-t-r-e-t-c-h. Over the course of time and lots of use, some audiocassettes start to sound a bit ... off. Warbly. Watery. Too fast or too slow. It’s impossible to predict, and not always related to the quality (or price) of the tape itself; I’ve had obscenely expensive tapes flake out after two or three years, while more modest purchases still sound excellent 20 years later. But I knew, going in, that preserving my holiday jazz on tape was an imperfect and temporary solution.

What I wanted seemed reasonable enough: that this carefully accumulated collection of music would last as long as I do.

And thus began The Quest.

Collecting coins, stamps or baseball cards is fun, but ultimately frustrating; there are just too many of ’em. But collecting Christmas jazz, on LP? That seemed reasonable. Approachable, even, both in terms of quantity and finances.

The process became easier during the 1980s, when LPs gave way to CDs. The nice thing about new technology is the excuse it grants labels to re-release a lot of previously out-of-print stuff. Some of the above-named albums and artists I found in CD re-issues under the same title. Other individual tracks popped up on compilation CDs: Santa Claus Blues, Big Band Christmas, Jingle Bell Jam and others.

I cheered the year one of my earliest audiocassettes became wholly irrelevant, thanks to the LPs and CDs I had acquired. That first “obsolete” tape was followed by another, and then others. (All these years later, the quest still isn’t over; I still have a few tapes that include cuts never re-issued on CD. That keeps the process alive; I’m a firm believer in pursuit for its own sake ... in the fire and excitement that come with the knowledge that there still are a few more nuggets of gold yet to be found.)

And I’ll share another secret: Although delighted by the increased “permanence” of all this music, I occasionally return to those original tapes ... partly because I like Vercelli’s incidental commentary, and partly because, well, it’s just more fun. Sorta like the way it can be more exciting to stay up late and catch a favorite movie you stumble across on TV, as opposed to renting or buying it, and watching whenever the urge strikes.

Anyway...

The collection grew. Every year brought a few new releases. Vercelli’s annual show became an informational source, during which I’d jot down artists and album titles. Most of the new releases were compilations; individual efforts still were rare. (That would change, over time.)

I was drawn to Tuck Andress (Hymns, Carols and Songs About Snow), Paul Horn (The Peace Album), the Kevin Gibbs Trio (Christmas Presence, a very nice one), David Grisman (An Acoustic Christmas), David Benoit (Christmas Time) and Chet Baker (Silent Nights). Classic big-band personnel gathered together for Take the Holiday Train (the Duke Ellington Orchestra) and In the Christmas Mood and In the Christmas Mood 2 (the Glenn Miller Orchestra).

New compilations included The Christmas Collection, A Merry Jazzmas, A Jazz Christmas, Yule Struttin’: A Blue Note Christmas, An Uptown Christmas and Hot Jazz for a Cool Night. Windham Hill began its popular Winter’s Solstice series, with a new release each year. Dave Grusin’s GRP Records released the first of its eventually three entries in a less-frequent series, A GRP Christmas, which showcased newer talents in what was to become the modest late ’80s re-emergence of classic jazz.

In the early ’90s, though, the whole thing exploded. Suddenly every jazz artist was releasing Christmas CDs, from people we’d known for years — Mel Torme, Joe Pass, the Manhattan Transfer, Joe Williams, Oscar Peterson — to newcomers such as Greg Abate, Liz Story, Oliver Jones, Houston Person and Harry Connick Jr.

This was both good and bad ... good because it was nice to hear more of this music, bad because science-fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon’s Law still held: 90 percent of everything is garbage.

But all these musicians were merely responding to consumer demand. Everybody I knew, it seemed, was buying Christmas jazz. No longer was I the rebel, the lone source of “quality” Christmas music among our friends. (All together, children, in your best Andy Rooney imitation: “Don’t you just hate it when the whole world jumps on your personal hobby???) (No matter. Fads rise quickly and die even more rapidly in this country, and soon enough I’ll once again be a voice in the wilderness.)

Unfortunately, as a result of two trends — the success of Windham Hill’s signature sound, and the revival of lounge music — “jazz” lost its original meaning and was co-opted into an all-encompassing designation that included everything from monotonous synth garbage to puerile schlock so far down the E-Z listening scale that even Muzak stations might have thought twice before programming such junk.

Every half-baked solo instrumentalist (most often a sax player) with access to a computer cranked out monotonous covers of the usual suspects — “Jingle Bells,” “The Christmas Song” and “Silent Night” among the worst offenders — that were virtually indistinguishable. And no wonder: The programmed “fill” and percussion sections were an infantile insult to true musicians.

It became necessary to carefully sift through scores of new releases to find those that were actual JAZZ.

KXPR twinned, and fledgling sister station KXJZ, initially programming jazz 24 hours a day, entered the fray with a vengeance. Vercelli’s modest 120 minutes on Christmas Eve mushroomed into frequent holiday tracks during the two weeks prior to the 25th, culminating with nothing BUT on Christmas Day itself. The first few years, it was hard to concentrate on what was under our Christmas tree.

Better yet, KXJZ began to air annual NPR specials, hosted by the likes of Steve Allen, Tony Bennett and Bill Cosby. The hour-long programs featured brand-new solo piano recordings by James Williams, Ellis Marsalis, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Shirley Horn, Junior Mance, John Lewis, Ray Bryant and many, many others. Dozens of these tracks subsequently were released on NPR’s Jazz Piano Christmas albums.

To add even more to the general insanity, I became aware of regional releases: CDs that never would be found in my local stores — or even in California — because the artists in question, no matter how talented, lacked the publicity machine and $$$$$ to get their work distributed beyond the borders of their own city or state (something else that has become much easier, in this Internet age).

I was knocked out, while shopping in 1995, by a stray cut heard on the radio at the mall; after several impatient phone calls to the station in question, I eventually traced it to Washington-based Barney McClure, whose Tidings of Comfort & Jazz is a fascinating mix of Christmas standards and Native American spiritual themes. At the time, I had to order it by mail. Today, such a transaction would be a matter of mere minutes on the Web.

My father alerted me to Portland, Oregon-based Tall Jazz — all its members stood over 6 feet — and its seasonal release, Tall Jazz Plays Winter Jazz. (This group eventually followed that debut seasonal album with two more.)

Back in the day, a good year saw the release of two — maybe three — new holiday jazz albums. When 1996’s new holiday jazz purchases exceeded two dozen, I suddenly realized that I was collecting baseball cards. The Quest had blossomed into a monster ... and it has only grown since then.

As the 20th century faded and we moved into the 21st, the Internet completely changed the equation. My annual search became a true treasure hunt, since imagination and persistence were required to track down offerings from micro-labels. Mind you, “homemade” isn’t necessarily a pejorative these days; CD technology has turned living rooms into high-tech recording studios, and Web sites provide the best in free advertising to the entire world. The Web’s streaming radio networks can be quite useful (although registration might be required). Two of the largest — Christmasradio.com and Christmasradionetwork.com — play the sounds of the season 24/7.

As-yet undiscovered artists also post their efforts, often as downloadable MP3 files, at Web “collectives” such as www.ejazzlines.com, which has a section devoted to holiday jazz; and CD Baby (www.cdbaby.com), which — during my first gleeful visit — offered hundreds of holiday-themed albums that I’d never before encountered. (But be careful: Some of the “artists” you’ll find at CD Baby and its clones deserve to remain undiscovered!)

In 2006, my real-world treasure hunt became a bit harder, as Internet downloads took their toll on local retail outlets .. and most particularly the iconic Tower Records. Whatever the chain’s other vices and virtues, Tower always had displayed an impressive selection of seasonal music. Flipping through discs to find new holiday jazz releases was an annual treat, and one I greatly anticipated.

Five years later, the same fate befell Borders Books and Music. Today, “record stores” — as they once were known — have become an endangered species.

Fortunately, the still-cherished “search the bins” experience remains a possibility, albeit one requiring a bit more planning. Berkeley’s Amoeba Music sets up a dynamite display of holiday music in late November, and those folks also stock an impressive supply of used CDs and — wait for it — even LPs. (Everything old is new again, right?) I call it paradise.

And, so, the years have passed. Now, decades into this process, I own a collection of Christmas jazz that I’d stack against anything belonging to most radio stations. Each year, I anticipate the new while remaining obsessed by The Ones That Got Away: titles I’ve sought for decades, which haven’t yet made the transition to CD — and, I fear, never will at this point — and which send me, feverishly, to the Christmas bins in every used LP outlet I encounter.

Frustrating, but true: Back in the day, most stores would only put out their Christmas music in December, and it would be smooshed together into a single — frequently unlabeled — bin toward the back. They wouldn’t drag the stuff out for you in June. (I ask you, is that reasonable???) The situation improved in the 1990s; the “Christmas Music” section would appear in mid-November, and often stretched for an entire row, with sub-headings for pop, country, jazz, spiritual and New Age. Even so, come January it’d all vanish. (That’s another reason to love the Internet; it’s always December at amazon.com.)

Well, since the Internet’s greatest asset is its function as a bulletin board that can be browsed by anybody in the entire world, please note that I’m still seeking CD re-issues of the following (I have the LPs):
• Merry Old Soul, Duke Pearson
• Hark, the Herald Angels Swing, the World’s Greatest Jazz Band
• Carols, Sandy Owen
• Holiday Soul, Don Patterson
• More Sounds of Christmas, the Ramsey Lewis Trio
• Holiday Inn, Ralph Flanagan
Any leads or information, please drop me a line at derrick@fivecentsplease.org.

***********

I began writing these commentaries in 1997; initially, the newspaper space allotted to this annual feature was minimal. As a result, some of the early reviews are quite short. Climbing the editorial ladder, over time, eventually granted me the ability to discuss holiday jazz at greater length, and more recent reviews reflect this change.

In any event, these columns are time capsules: reprinted here pretty much as they originally were published. Perhaps, in time, I’ll go back and add a bit of depth to the earlier, shorter reviews ... but, so far, I’m kept too busy with new releases.

And given the age of some of these reviews, I cannot guarantee the continuing availability of the albums being discussed. Superstars remain hot all the time; it’ll never be hard to find a back-catalogue title by Diana Krall. But each disc in the Justin Time for Christmas compilation series — four CDs, at last count — seems to vanish within one or two years of its release (despite the little-known fact that Krall had tracks on the first two).

Of course, we live in an age where obtaining second-hand LPs or CDs can be just a few mouse-clicks away ... assuming you can find the item in question for sale in the first place.

Readers will notice that, for the most part, my reviews are positive, my attention focused on albums that have brought me pleasure. That’s not to say I’ve loved everything I’ve heard: far from it. But I don’t like to waste time on the unlistenable, and I see no reason to compose good words about bad music. Even harsh reviews call attention to the album being discussed; as far as I’m concerned, the best fate for the worst albums is that they die quiet deaths. (That said, sometimes I can’t resist. Mea maxima culpa.)

Besides, you’ll find plenty here with which to keep occupied. I welcome word about albums that may have escaped my notice; if you think I’ve overlooked somebody fabulous, by all means drop me a note at derrick@fivecentsplease.org.

Otherwise ... onward!

(Because it’s always December in this blog, as well...)

Curtis Fuller: Down Home

noreply@blogger.com (Ric Bang) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 17:18:00 +0000

Capri Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Down Home

Once upon a time, when a favorite artist passed away, all fans had to fall back on were the recordings made during that individual’s career. That was a real loss when the medium was vinyl discs, because they wore out and we were left with nothing. CDs changed that, because they last a lifetime.

Better still is when the artists have a long life and keep producing their music. Such is the case with trombonist Chris Fuller; he’s still active and swinging at age 78. So, we have access both to the great stuff he has done in the past, and the great stuff he still does today.

Fuller, born in Detroit, began to play the baritone horn in high school; he switched to trombone when he was 16. The local jazz scene at the time included Thad Jones, Donald Byrd, Kenny Burrell, Pepper Adams, Paul Chamber and many others who went on to become name artists. In 1953, Fuller served a two-year stint in the Army; after his release, he joined Yusef Lateef’s Quintet. That group visited New York City while on tour, and Fuller took full advantage. During his first eight months in the Big Apple, he released six albums as a leader and participated in 15 others: pretty impressive for a newcomer!

Lest you have any lingering doubts about where Fuller stands with his fellow musicians, during his career he has worked with groups led by Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Golson, Miles Davis, Art Farmer, Art Blakey, Wayne Shorter and many others.

Down Home features Fuller’s sextet: Keith Oxman on tenor sax, Al Hood on trumpet and flugelhorn, Chip Stephens on piano, Ken Walker on bass, and Todd Reid on drums. This is straight-ahead jazz at its best; all but one of the tunes (“Then I’ll Be Tired of You”) are original charts by Fuller, Stephens and Oxman. Fuller, still capable of swinging with the best, solos on seven of these 10 tracks; he still showcases his unique tone and innovative lines.

Thanks, Curtis, for still being around!