With the end of the month, we round up a six pack of records that have been sitting on our desk and spinning on our CD player.
As always, RareNoise offers something interesting with this fuzzy slice of fusion by organist Roy Powell, guitarist Jacob Young and drummer Jarle Vespestad.
The vibe here is strictly heavy-duty, something akin to a meeting of Mike Stern or John Scofield with the cast of King Crimson. “Doozy Mugwump Blues” may be a bit cryptic but it aptly describes the slow grind of the opening cut. “Frank’ll Fix It” is a guitar-driven bit of angular funk while “Alexa” combines slicing guitars and meandering organ riffs.
This is strictly the downtown sound for the loud and proud. 5/10.
Side by side with Reed’s new live release on Smoke Sessions is this record of Monk-minded music from the very same ensemble that Reed welcomes to the bandstand.
Saxophonist Seamous Blake is at his most Bird-like here on tunes like “Thelonious” and “Pannonica.” Reed and Blake are of one mind throughout as is his rhythm section. There’s nothing here that’s particularly out of the ordinary but Reed chooses his selections wisely and his band attacks them admirably. “Dear Ruby (Ruby, My Dear)” is particularly fine. 7/10
Trumpeter Cuong Vu and pianist Richard Karpen join forces here with bassist Luke Berman and drummer Ted Poor (and a quartet of live iPad performers) for a noisy ten song set of mostly original music intended to be in the spirit of Ellington and Strayhorn.
It takes some work to see the connection, though, as Vu and Karpen disassemble any visage of structure to engage a harmonic and rhythmic free-for-all. There are some interesting moments (a haunting version of “Mood Indigo”; a delicate Strayhorn tribute called “Billy”) but, for the most part, this sounds more self-indulgent than anything. 4/10.
From note one of the opening cut, “Save Your Love For Me,” this records feels like the golden years of the Miles Davis Quintet. Much of that comes from the pairing of saxophonist Alexander and his interaction with the fine trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. Along with the super smooth groove of the opening track, the pair duel on “The Bee Hive,” harmonize on “Mr. Stitt” and trade licks on the Horace Silver-esque “You Talk That Talk.”
This one’s been on the jazz charts for a number of weeks already and with good reason. Fun and easy on the ears. 8/10.
Just as Jeremy Pelt drops in for a quartet of guest appearances on Eric Alexander’s set, Terrell Stafford offers his trumpet up for a six pack of tunes on this record. For the most part, he blows soft and mellow on the Barth compositions “Tuesday Blues,” “Daybreak” and “Moon Shadows.”
Bassist Vicente Archer also shines on “Daybreak” while vibraphonist Steve Nelson takes the reins on “Somehow It’s True.” Jobim, Cole Porter and Keith Jarrett also get their readings on another record that’s held forth on the charts for some weeks. Well done and a nice pairing with the Alexander set. 7/10.
Recorded live in New York this past January, this Evan collection opens with “The Liberation Blues Suite,” a collection of five tunes in memory of Evans’ friend, Dwayne Burno. The first of the five, “Devil Eyes,” is a Burno tune highlighted the hard bop burn of trumpeter Sean Jones followed by another Burno tune, “Juanita,” a chart that came Evans’ way courtesy of Monte Croft.
Beyond the suite, Jones and saxophonist JD Allen croon beautifully on the Evans original, “Simply Green,” and swing nicely “Meant To Shine.” Paul Motian and Miles Davis get covered here, as well, in a strong set of tunes that also bring to mind the late 50s work of Miles and Coltrane. 8/10.
){kind=link}
1. Interstatic – Arise (RareNoise)
As always, RareNoise offers something interesting with this fuzzy slice of fusion by organist Roy Powell, guitarist Jacob Young and drummer Jarle Vespestad.
The vibe here is strictly heavy-duty, something akin to a meeting of Mike Stern or John Scofield with the cast of King Crimson. “Doozy Mugwump Blues” may be a bit cryptic but it aptly describes the slow grind of the opening cut. “Frank’ll Fix It” is a guitar-driven bit of angular funk while “Alexa” combines slicing guitars and meandering organ riffs.
This is strictly the downtown sound for the loud and proud. 5/10.
){kind=link}
2. Eric Reed – The Adventurous Monk (Savant)
Side by side with Reed’s new live release on Smoke Sessions is this record of Monk-minded music from the very same ensemble that Reed welcomes to the bandstand.
Saxophonist Seamous Blake is at his most Bird-like here on tunes like “Thelonious” and “Pannonica.” Reed and Blake are of one mind throughout as is his rhythm section. There’s nothing here that’s particularly out of the ordinary but Reed chooses his selections wisely and his band attacks them admirably. “Dear Ruby (Ruby, My Dear)” is particularly fine. 7/10
){kind=link}
3. Cuong Vu and Richard Karpen – Indigo Mist (RareNoise)
Trumpeter Cuong Vu and pianist Richard Karpen join forces here with bassist Luke Berman and drummer Ted Poor (and a quartet of live iPad performers) for a noisy ten song set of mostly original music intended to be in the spirit of Ellington and Strayhorn.
It takes some work to see the connection, though, as Vu and Karpen disassemble any visage of structure to engage a harmonic and rhythmic free-for-all. There are some interesting moments (a haunting version of “Mood Indigo”; a delicate Strayhorn tribute called “Billy”) but, for the most part, this sounds more self-indulgent than anything. 4/10.
4. Eric Alexander – Chicago Fire (High Note)
From note one of the opening cut, “Save Your Love For Me,” this records feels like the golden years of the Miles Davis Quintet. Much of that comes from the pairing of saxophonist Alexander and his interaction with the fine trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. Along with the super smooth groove of the opening track, the pair duel on “The Bee Hive,” harmonize on “Mr. Stitt” and trade licks on the Horace Silver-esque “You Talk That Talk.”
This one’s been on the jazz charts for a number of weeks already and with good reason. Fun and easy on the ears. 8/10.
){kind=link}
5. Bruce Barth – Daybreak (High Note)
Just as Jeremy Pelt drops in for a quartet of guest appearances on Eric Alexander’s set, Terrell Stafford offers his trumpet up for a six pack of tunes on this record. For the most part, he blows soft and mellow on the Barth compositions “Tuesday Blues,” “Daybreak” and “Moon Shadows.”
Bassist Vicente Archer also shines on “Daybreak” while vibraphonist Steve Nelson takes the reins on “Somehow It’s True.” Jobim, Cole Porter and Keith Jarrett also get their readings on another record that’s held forth on the charts for some weeks. Well done and a nice pairing with the Alexander set. 7/10.
){kind=link}
6. Orrin Evans – Liberation Blues (Smoke Sessions)
Recorded live in New York this past January, this Evan collection opens with “The Liberation Blues Suite,” a collection of five tunes in memory of Evans’ friend, Dwayne Burno. The first of the five, “Devil Eyes,” is a Burno tune highlighted the hard bop burn of trumpeter Sean Jones followed by another Burno tune, “Juanita,” a chart that came Evans’ way courtesy of Monte Croft.
Beyond the suite, Jones and saxophonist JD Allen croon beautifully on the Evans original, “Simply Green,” and swing nicely “Meant To Shine.” Paul Motian and Miles Davis get covered here, as well, in a strong set of tunes that also bring to mind the late 50s work of Miles and Coltrane. 8/10.