By Dee Dee McNeil
September 1, 2025
CHRIS WABICH – “1976 (STEEP)” – ADW Records
Chris Wabich, drums/composer; Josh Nelson, piano; Dan Lutz, acoustic bass.
The drums of Chris Wabich have propelled television and sound recordings like American Idol and the IMAZ MTV Music Awards. He knew he wanted to be a drummer as early as seven-years old when he began taking drum lessons. Two years later, he began studying classical percussion.
For several decades, Wabich has built a strong career in the Los Angeles area as a master drummer, steel drummer, producer and composer. He has worked with a huge variety of iconic artists, adding his drum chops to recordings by the brilliant guitarist, Stanley Jordan, Grammy winning vocalist, Mark Murphy, hit song-maker, Ludacris and the legendary Sting. After over a Baker’s Dozen of album releases as a bandleader, Wabich offers us “1976 (STEEP),” a trio album.
The first tune is titled “Jiang (Sage Ember).” Wabich has composed all the songs on this album. It’s pensive and beautiful. Josh Nelson always knows how to get the listener’s attention with his sensitive, intoxicating piano playing.
Wabich opens Track 2 on the drums. Called “Ruby on the Old Street/1978,” it is another moderate tempo’d arrangement, looping into a rhythmical 7/8 beat. By this tune title, it sounds like Chris Wabich is going back down memory lane. Dan Lutz lends a strong bass line to the production, then takes a brief solo before Nelson re-enters on piano. His upper register notes remind me of a chirping bird.
“Oolong” is the title of Track 3. I wonder if he’s talking about one of my favorites, Oolong tea. It’s another very beautiful ballad. This album seems to be geared for the Easy Listening market.
Recently, Wabich was the recipient of the COLA master solo artist grant, making him the first percussionist to ever perform a solo show at the LA Grand performances series.
I would have enjoyed hearing more drums and a couple of really up-tempo tunes. However, this is an album full of peace and tranquility. No complaints about that.
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IRVING FLORES AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ SEXTET – “ARMANDO MI CONGA” – Amor de Flores Productions / ADF Records
Irving Flores, piano/composer; John Benitez, bass; Horacio ‘El Negro’ Hernandez, drums; Brian Lynch, trumpet; Giovanni Hidalgo, congas; Norbert Stachel, saxophone/flute/clarinet.
Pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader, Irving Flores was born in Veracruz and raised in the Gulf of Mexico. He has always been hypnotized by Latin rhythms and music, including the Afro-Cuban influence. He fondly remembers dancing in the kitchen with his grandmother to her collection of danzón records. Even his childhood toys were musical instruments.
In fact, his house was full of music. His father was founder of the Tampico Orchestra. He also led his own big band. That band toured the U.S.A, Central and South America. There was always music in the Flores household. Irving’s first instrument was the organ. He also learned to play the alto saxophone, even joining his father’s Super Combo Band. He dedicates one song on this new album to his father called “Recuerdos.”
Irving Flores’ Afro-Cuban Jazz Sextet opens with that title tune, “Armando Mi Conga.” Flores composed this tune for a dear friend and conga player, Armando ‘Pinaca’ Espinosa. This original composition is full of infectious rhythms, high energy and excitement. It’s a great way to start this album of afro-Cuban rhythms, demonstrating the complex Latin compositions written by Irving Flores.
“Gary en Nanchital” is a song reflecting one of the greatest Cuban rhythms known as el danzón. Irving Flores, based in San Diego, California, recorded this album in New York City. He knew he would be closely scrutinized. He soars on his piano solo.
“We recorded this as the first tune. … I could see doubt mixed with curiosity hiding behind their eyes. Man did I bust out a killer piano solo. Back in the booth, I was received with high fives, fist bumps, and compliments for my playing and my composition. I passed the test. I had arrived and was accepted by the greatest living Latin Jazz artist in NYC. The rest is history. You can hear it in this recording,” Irving Flores bragged happily.
His song “Amanda in Favignana” is a composition inspired by a trip Flores made to Italy. Brian Lynch was the perfect trumpeter to be featured on this tune. The melody is catchy and reminded me a little bit of the jazz standard “Four” when it first begins, but it quickly establishes its own unique melody. Lynch adds spark and punch with his trumpet solo.
Irving Flores plays solo piano on the very beautiful “Tramonto A Massa Lubrense” ballad. Midway through the arrangement he is joined by John Benitez on bass and Horacio ‘El negro’ Hernandez brushing the drums into place. The Benitez bass solo is stellar. Flores shows his tender side on the 88-keys. The addition of Norbert Stachel on flute to “Samba Con Sabor” adds sparkle to the tune.
On a song called “Music en La Calle” the percussionist and the drummer get to spotlight their authentic and brilliant percussive abilities. Flores gives a nod to Thelonious Monk on this tune.
Here is an album that offers a glimpse into the life and talent of Irving Flores, a master keyboardist and an impressive composer. He and his gifted sextet saturate the listener with spirited Afro-Cuban jazz tunes, beautiful Latin rhythms, and emotionally executed ballads.
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DOM SALVADOR – “24” – Jazz is Dead Records
Dom Salvador is a prominent pianist in Brazilian music. Hi career has spanned a variety of genres, but he’s best known for the role he has played in Brazilian soul music and samba funk. This would seem to be a perfect match for this record company, one that blatantly prides itself in modifying and dumbing down the concept of jazz. I say this because this gifted pianist has consistently produced exceptional music that emerged and developed as Brazilian soul music
Salvador recorded his one and only American jazz album as a band leader for Muse Records back in 1976. It was called “My Family.” But he has been featured on several other artist albums.
His new album opens with Salvador providing vocals that mimic jungle sounds. The tune is called “Os Ancestrais” which I believe to be a tribute to the ancestors. His piano and synthesizer contributions are warm and lovely beneath the percussion and vocal percussion. The melody is beautiful and contrasts against the wildness of the arrangement, peppered with whistles, vocal scats and the percussion of Gibi dos Santos.
The song that follows, “Nao Podemos O Amor Parar” has a funk groove and weaves choir voices into the productions that sing the melody and establish a chant-like presentation that is hypnotic.
“Debaixo da Ponte” is a song that features the talented woodwind players on this album. The song itself sounds very much like a ‘loop’ repeating a groove line, over and over again, similar to hip hop record background music. Even so, the flute and the horns endeavor to weave jazz into the mix with their improvised solos.
Salvador’s piano opens Track #4 titled, “As Estacões” with Leo Costa’s drums tapping the groove into place and accentuating the song moods as they dip, dive and change. The choir of voices enters, like human violins, they lay down layers of harmonic beauty. The idea of adding these background voices throughout this production establishes a style and production technique throughout this Dom Salvador project. They sing in Portuguese, keeping the Brazilian spirit alive and present.
This is a unique production, built on ‘loops’ and repetitious chants. The melodies are catchy and Dom Salvador leads the way on various piano instruments. However, the repetition, without the important jazz element of improvisation, leaves this music reviewer a puzzled. I admire Salvador’s talent and think his music could have lifted these arrangements if Salvador had stepped outside the realm of repetition.
I know what the iconic Dom Salvador brings to the table. He’s a brilliant musician and composer. Still, at points, it was like sitting down to a good meal, that could have been great if more salt and spices were added.
THE BAND PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE SEVERAL CALIFORNIA BASED MUSICIANS: Dom Salvador, piano/keyboard/Fender Rhodes/composer/vocals; Adrian Younge, Guitorgan/ electric guitar/elec. sitar/marimba/composer/nylon guitar/vibraphone/organ/elec. harpsichord/Pedal harp/ conductor of Linear Labs Orchestra; Ali Shaheed Muhammad, electric bass/composer; Leo Costa, drums; Gibi dos Santos, percussion; David Urquidi & Danny Janklow, baritone saxophone; Scott Mayo, alto saxophone; Katisse Buckingham & Ashley Jarmack, flute; Khristian Foreman, trombone; Tatiana Tate, trumpet; VOICES: Leticia dos Santos Pedrosa, Nayana Araujo Duarte, Leonardo Bruno Baptista, Murilo Oliveira dos Santos.
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COLORADO JAZZ REPERTORY ORCHESTRA featuring TATIANA LADYMAY MAYFIELD – “GOLDEN Lady” – CJRO Independet Label
The Colorado jazz Repertory Orchestra was founded in 2012 by Executive Director, Art Bouton. The mission of this stellar orchestra is to perform the best music, by the best musicians. They incorporate recognizable tunes and new compositions, with arrangements by Artistic Director, Drew Zaremba, CJRO band members and other contemporary composers. This season, the CJRO (Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra) unveils an ambitious and soulful project. They feature the vocals of Tatiana ‘LadyMay’ Mayfield, a genre-defying singer who showcases power, passion, and virtuosity.
They open with their single release that features Bob Reynolds offering a high energy tenor saxophone solo. The tune is called “Hold Tight” and was penned by Reynolds. It spotlights the orchestra’s excitement and the talents of arranger Drew Zaremba. Bass player, Patrick McDevitt opens the piece with his dynamic bass line, setting both mood and tempo.
The second ‘single’ release from this album features the powerhouse vocals of Tatiana Mayfield tributing both singer/songwriter Jill Scott and living legend, Stevie Wonder. It’s a rich, wonderful rendition of two songs, woven together warm and impressive as a cashmere sweater. The arrangement with the vocalist, along with her talented background singers, explore scatting along with the band.
This talented orchestra is full of composers. Trombonist, Zach Rich, has written “Side Step” that comes next on this album plush with great songs and outstanding musicianship. Rich takes a stellar trombone solo, as does Mike Abbott on a soulful guitar improvisation. Drew Zaremba adds his alto flute interpretation and I find myself humming along with the intoxicating melody of this song.
Tatiana ‘LadyMay’ Mayfield is also a composer. She has written “Metamorphosis” that features a strong trumpet solo by Jonathan Powell. Her song is very Hip Hop influenced, with a strong lyrical content that speaks of a girl becoming a woman. The orchestrated arrangement is fantastic and the lyrics are catchy and compelling. “See me in the sky with a butterfly – – metamorphosis.”
LadyMay also sings the lyrics to a song written by her bandmember, Remy Le Boeuf who plays flute. His melody is challenging, and in the end, he changes keys to lift the production. Tatiana’s soprano voice easily and smoothly makes the change, hitting the higher notes with precision.
They swing hard on “Red Cedar Road” and drummer Matt Campbell soaks up the spotlight with his power-packed trap drums shining.
Their unique arrangement on the Burt Bacharach/Hal David hit record “You’ll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart), is fresh and exciting. Tatiana’s vocals add spice to the piece.
All in all, this is an album that sings the praises of young talent who are perpetuating the artform of jazz in their own unique ways. This orchestra shows the multi-talents of their membership, the brilliance of their arranger and Artistic Director, Drew Zaremba, the foresight of founder, Art Bouton and the innovation of the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra. Bravo!
COLORADO JAZZ REPERTORY ORCHESTRA IS: Drew Zaremba, Artistic Director; Eric Gunnison, keyboards; Drew Zaremba, organ/Artistic Director; Mike Abbott, guitar; Patrick McDevitt, bass; Matt Campbell, drums; Christian Teele, percussion; WOODWINDS: Art Bouton & Tom Meyere, alto saxophone/flute; Jared Cathey & David Bernot, tenor saxophone/flute; Allison Young, baritone saxophone/bass clarinet; Drew Zaremba, tenor saxophone/alto flute; Remy Le Boeuf, flute. TRUMPETS: Jake Boldman, Jonathan Powell, Dawn Kramer, Tony Zator & Shane Endsley. TROMBONE: Zach Rich, Adam Bartczar, Jon Gauer & John Mathews. VOICES: Tatiana ‘LadyMay’ Mayfield (lead vocal); Jofoke Keel, Brionne Aigne, & Dax-Oliver Singleton.
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IRA B. LISS BIG BAND JAZZ MACHINE – “UNEXPECTED GUESTS” – BigbandJazzmachine.net
RHYTHM: Steve Sibley, piano; Oliver Shirley, acoustic & electric bass; Charlie “Stix” McGhee, drums; Dan Radlauer, guitar; Bruce Carver, percussion. SAXOPHONES: Tyler Richardson & Nicholas Hoo, altos; Josh Smitley, tenor; Greg Armstrong, tenors/clarinet flute; Rob Elinson, baritone sax. TRUMPETS: Doug Meeuwsen, Mark Nicholson, Michael Schmidt, & Jack Houghton. TROMBONES: Gary Bucher, Rob Clark, Carly Ines & Tim Hall. SPECIAL GUESTS: Vince Gill, singer/composer; Tali Rubinstein, recorder player; Daniel Ho, ukulele virtuoso; Leo Manzari, rapper/tap dancer; Nora Germain, violin; Eva Scow, mandolin; Wade Culbreath, marimba; Paul Hanson, bassoonist/ saxophone; Tina Guo, cello; Chris Catellanos, French horn. VOCAL ENSEMBLE: Hâlau Hula Keali’i o Nâlari, Keali’I Ceballos, Kanani Toji, Kaleomakamaeokealoha Knight, Nanea Divinagracia, Ka’ iulani Kimura & Daniel Ho. ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS: Jeff Blanco, Paul Cook, Billy Edwall, Louis Fasman, Tommy Griffith, Joe Luna, Roff Olsen, Bob Payne, Ed Spillane & Mike Zelazo.
Composer/arranger, Dan Radlauer has locked arms with Ira B. Liss and his Big Band Jazz Machine. Together, they offer us an exciting, world-class album of big band bliss. They blast onto the scene with a tune called “Renaissance Woman” that features the brilliance of Tali Rubinstein, a Los Angeles based, female, jazz recorder player. She is absolutely stunning on this instrument, sounding more like a flute than a recorder. Her performance adds depth and excitement to this arrangement. Rubinstein has played her recorder at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center and Birdland, to list just a few notable places. Dan Radlauer’s arrangement blows into my listening room like hurricane Katrina. The Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine is powerful!
The next tune is actually penned by country/western singer, songwriter and Grammy-winner, Vince Gill. Gill is a country music icon who has had sixty-five hit records on the Billboard Country Music Charts. Radlauer’s slow swing arrangement is a perfect reinvention of this tune. The band features Gill’s warm tenor singing, “I’m Counting on You.” The big band horns add punchy exclamation marks in all the right places.
The well-known Southern California band invites marimba master, Wade Culbreath, to join them on a tune that Radlauer calls “Knock on Wood.” The marimba addition is like a breath of fresh air. Culbreath has worked on hundreds of film and television soundtracks. He is also the principal timpanist/percussionist with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. He is an expert on all the mallet instruments.
This Big Band Jazz Machine features a host of special guests including Rocky Dawuni, a singer/songwriter who composed the song they play, “Extraordinary woman.” Dawuni is Ghanaian and spends half his time in Africa and the other half in the USA. His music is a cross-cultural mix of African, Caribbean and American styles. With this song, he crosses into the jazz genre. Another contributor to this project is jazz violinist, Nora Germain who contributes her original song, “Violinspiration.” Germain has released a dozen jazz albums of her own.
Another surprise is the addition of Leo Manzari, who is the only tap-dancing rapper to ever perform with the Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine. “Tapped Out” is the song composed by Radlauer that the rap artist performs. He wrote the rap and contributed a tap dance routine, mic’d and incorporated into their arrangement.
With the addition of so many talented guests, this amazing Big Band Jazz Machine is changing the face of big band jazz. Peppered with a host of all-star, A-list jazz musicians, and under the direction of conductor and producer Ira B. Liss, they offer fresh, new compositions and arrangements by Dan Radlauer. This is a delightful, innovative and entertaining recording of stellar big band excellence.
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Shawn Purcell
Oblivity
(Origin)
Guitarist Shawn Purcell can always be counted on to create stimulating and inventive music. In his career he worked with the U.S. Air Force’s The Airmen Of Note for eight years, was with the US Navy Band Commodores jazz ensemble, and has appeared on over 30 recordings. Oblivity is his third album as a leader, following 2019’s Symmetricity and 180.
For this set, Purcell debuts ten of his originals, performing with the masterful tenor-saxophonist Walt Weiskopf, pianist Chris Ziemba, bassist Jeff Reed, and drummer Steve Fidyk. Four songs add the wordless vocals of singer Darden Purcell and trombonist Ben Patterson is an asset on two numbers.
The music is harmonically advanced and challenging for the musicians yet is often infectious. The set begins with the tongue-twisting melody of “Oblivity,” a driving number with a catchy rhythmic riff that inspires passionate tenor, piano and guitar solos. “Quiet The Chaos” has a singable melody in 5/4 time that includes some speedy lines from trombonist Patterson, stormy tenor playing, and Purcell featured on guitar synthesizer. Darden Purcell’s wordless singing uplifts “Verdigris” and is followed by one of the best guitar solos of the album.
The group gets a little funky on “Primaries and Spares” (which has Ziemba contributing some effective Fender Rhodes playing), “Gentle Giant” is a lyrical ballad with thoughtful guitar and bass statements, and the medium-tempo “Lazy Day Reverie” has the group swinging joyfully. The other selections include the warm bossa ballad “Meu Amor” (with Darden Purcell’s lovely voice heard in the ensembles), the happy jazz waltz “Sunday Best,” an uptempo post-bop swinger (“Move The Needle”) with some blazing guitar from the leader, and “Flow” which drives the rewarding album to its close.
Oblivity, available from www.originarts.com, is one of Shawn Purcell’s most rewarding albums to date and shows that he is equally talented as a guitarist and a composer.
Etienne Charles
Gullah Roots
(Culture Shock Music)
Gullah Roots is a special project for trumpeter Etienne Charles. Born and raised in Trinidad and long a resident of the U.S, Charles has always been curious about other cultures, customs, and music. Gullah Roots is dedicated to and inspired by the Gullah Geechee community of South Carolina and Georgia, descendants of West African slaves who live in the coastal region of the Southeastern U.S. and have their own culture. With the exception of the closing “Kumbaya,” a traditional prayer song, all of the music on Gullah Roots was composed by the trumpeter. His originals depict aspects of the Gullah Geechee’s history and culture, from the slave trade to the yearly celebration of freedom, from victory to sorrow. For this recording, Etienne Charles leads a sextet that features the very talented altoist Godwin Louis, the versatile guitarist Alex Wintz, pianist Christian Sands, bassist Russell Hall, and drummer Harvel Nakundi. There are also guests on several pieces including drummer-percussionist Quentin E. Baxter and vocalists that sometimes functioning as a choir on the two-part “Watch Night” and “Kumbaya.”
Many of the selections are introduced by rhythms which the soloists play off of and against. While the solos are consistently excellent and adventurous, it is the atmosphere of the ensembles and the concise and colorful frameworks that are most memorable. Highlights include the celebratory “Watch Night II.” the dramatic trumpet solo on “Weeping Time,” and the use of the voices on “Watch Night I.”
The intriguing Gullah Roots is well worth exploring and available from www.amazon.com.
Yuko Mabuchi
Quantum
(Vista)
Yuko Mabuchi is a young pianist who has been creating waves during the past few years. Born and raised in Japan, she started studying classical music when she was four although jazz would eventually become her main focus. She moved to Los Angeles in 2015 and since then has recorded a steady stream of albums of which Quantum is her eighth. Her music blends together jazz with strong hints of her classical background and traditional Japanese music
Quantum, which was produced by Billy Mitchell, is a bit different than Ms. Mabuchi’s previous albums in that, rather than playing with a trio, she is joined by a string orchestra filled with top studio musicians with arrangements by John Beasley.
The program begins with quite a tour-de-force for the pianist. On an energetic reworking of Marcos Valle’s “Batucada,” the piano playing, inspired by the inventive arrangement, builds and builds her solo and at times is a bit reminiscent of how Chick Corea might treat a Brazilian piece. This performance, which displays both her virtuosity and creativity, is one of the highpoints in Yuko Mabuchi’s recording career so far.
“Ikumi’s Lullaby,” the first of Mabuchi’s six originals, is a medium-tempo ballad that she fills with thoughtful ides. “Little Mo” displays her desire to show that the music of Mozart and jazz are not that far apart. She swings Mozart’s “Piano Sonata #11, Third Movement” and makes it rhythmically exciting. “The Lion & The Lamb” is an expressive ballad in which she dreams aloud about a future world that is dominated by peace and harmony.
Jobim’s “The Girl From Ipanema” (here turned into “The Boy From Ipanema”) is a bit of a surprise for it has the pianist singing briefly. She instrumentally stretches out the tune, making it increasingly soulful as it progresses. “Sky With No Tears” is a waltz with strings that is never sleepy. Mabuchi plays her solo with a lot of passion and an optimistic feel. On “Tribute To My Homeland,” she performs a medley of traditional Japanese melodies that she turns into melodic jazz. And for the closer, “Evolution Of The One,” Mabuchi debuts a complex but rhythmically infectious work that does nothing less than tracing the history of the world while looking towards a potentially hopeful future.
Quantum (available from www.amazon.com) can be thought of as a quantum leap in Yuko Mabuchi’s still-developing career.
Mary Halvorson
About Ghosts
(Nonesuch)
Guitarist Mary Halvorson’s About Ghosts is not quite what one might expect. Rather than avant-garde explorations showcasing the guitarist, her eight originals put the emphasis on ensembles by her group (the Amaryllis Sextet) plus two notable guests.
Listening to this music, which has Halvorson joined by trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, trombonist Jacob Garchick, vibraphonist Patricia Brennan, bassist Nick Dunston, and drummer Tomas Fujiwara plus (together on three songs and separately on one song apiece) altoist Immanuel Wilkins and tenor-saxophonist Brian Settles, one often wonders where the arranged ensembles end and improvisations begin. They often overlap with the arranged sections being as wild as the jammed ones. Brennan’s vibes make the music seem accessible at times despite the unpredictability of the playing. Surprisingly Halvorson does not solo much, having the horns and vibist Brennan (who are consistently outstanding) dominate the solo space, but she is certainly in control of the often-exuberant ensembles.
The group holds onto the structure of the pieces (if just barely at times), straddling the line between inside and outside. Different moods are explored with the waltz “Carved From,” the sometimes downbeat (but never dull) ballad “Eventidalm,” and the spirited scalar piece “Absinthian” being among the highlights.
A consistently intriguing and spirited set, About Ghosts is recommended and available from www.nonesuch.com.
Atzko Kohashi & Tony Overwater
Porgy
(Jazz In Motion)
Pianist Atzko Kahashi and bassist Tony Overwater, who are based in the Netherlands, have performed as a duo many times through the years and have recorded two previous albums. They welcome clarinetist-altoist Michael Moore and drummer Sebastiaan Kaptein to what is certainly an unusual recording.
The George Gershwin song “I Loves You Porgy,” which debuted as part of the folk opera Porgy and Bess, is the basis for this entire CD. The quartet opens and closes the program with versions of that song, and in between there are ten originals that are based on some aspect of the tune. While “Meet You At F” has the same melody at a slow and “thinking aloud” tempo, some
of the other explorations have only a slight and somewhat abstract connection to the song. A few of the new pieces just utilize a phrase from the melody of “Porgy” and build a performance around that. To name a few examples, “Don’t Drive Me Mad” is a boppish swinger, “Play Pray” is a ballad, Kahashi takes “Keys” as a thoughtful and out-of-tempo piano solo,” “Moontide” is exotic, and “If You Can Keep Me” (which is heard in two versions) features wandering interplay by the musicians.
The quartet’s explorations of Porgy makes for a fascinating concept and, although I wish there were more variation in the tempos (most of which are medium-slow), this release (available from www.amazon.com) always holds one’s interest.
Charlie Rouse
Cinnamon Flower
(Resonance)
Sphere
The Complete Live At Umbria Jazz
(Red)
Charlie Rouse (1924-86) was a distinctive tenor-saxophonist who had his own sound. He had stints with the big bands of Billy Eckstine (1944), Dizzy Gillespie (1945), and Duke Ellington (1949-50), and worked with the Count Basie Octet (1950). Rouse made his first recordings next to Fats Navarro in the Tadd Dameron Sextet (1947), played and recorded with some r&b groups in the early 1950s, Clifford Brown, Art Farmer, and Oscar Pettiford, and co-led Les Jazz Modes with French horn player Julius Watkins during 1956-57. But he is best remembered for being the tenor player with the Thelonious Monk Quartet during 1959-70.
When Rouse left Monk (on good terms), he freelanced in New York and was open to performing in different situations. His Strata East recording of 1974 was a surprisingly commercial misfire. In 1976 he teamed up with pianist Dom Salvador for a funky Brazilian album that included a few trumpet solos from the young Claudio Roditi and contributions from acoustic guitarist Amaury Tristao and cellist Ulysses Kirksey. But after they signed with a subsidiary of Casablanca Records, producer Alan Douglas essentially ruined the album with overdubs, having drummer Bernard Purdie play disco backbeats and adding electric keyboards, a trombonist, and electronic effects. Charlie Rouse, who was not consulted, was rather shocked by the results. He ended up sounding like a sideman on his own record which was overloaded with “extras” that often found the ensembles sounding like a real mess (particularly on the ironically titled “Quiet Pictures”). The album (Cinnamon Flower) did not stay in print long.
Producer Zev Feldman and Resonance Records have sought to save the recording from extinction. Their recent CD, which clocks in at a very generous 80 minutes and is available from www.resonancerecords.org, begins with the original seven selections and then repeats them without the overdubs, adding a previously unreleased performance (“Meeting House”). While the second half of this CD is much more listenable than the first, truth is it is still far from essential. The melodies are more prominent and one can hear Rouse, Salvador and Tristao much better than previously but the music is still largely lightweight and forgettable. While the set is given a 28-page booklet and James Gavin writes “Cinnamon Flower has been a forgotten milestone in the history of Brazilian jazz as well as a high point in the career of its leader…,”the music (even without the overdubs) really does not deserve such high praise.
After Cinnamon Flower came and went, Rouse was heard in more straight-ahead settings including on recordings with trumpeters Howard McGhee and Benny Bailey, pianist Hank Jones, and his own dates. In 1982 he joined Sphere, a group formed originally to play Thelonious Monk’s music before branching out. The quartet, which also featured pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Buster Williams, and drummer Ben Riley, recorded six albums during 1982-88 of which Live At Umbria Jazz was its fourth.
The Complete Live at Umbria Jazz, a two-CD set, adds lengthy versions of Thelonious Monk’s “Trinkle, Tinkle” (only out previously on a bootleg album) and the unreleased “If I Should Lose You” to the original five song program. Recorded on July 14, 1986, the seven performances clock in between 9:21 and 17:40 and include three originals by Williams and one apiece from Rouse and Barron. The first CD consists of the medium-tempo blues “Tokudo,” a slightly augmented uptempo modal blues (“Saud’s Song”), “Trinkle Tinkle” which Rouse must have performed a countless number of times but he still plays a particularly creative solo, and Williams’ stimulating “Decepticon.” The second disc has Williams’ tender ballad “Christina,” Rouse’s uptempo minor blues “Pumpkin’s Delight,” and a 17 1/2 minute exploration of “If I Should Lose You.”
Throughout the set, Charlie Rouse is heard in prime form, Kenny Barron (not even at the halfway point of his very productive 65-year career) sounds inventive on every number (really blazing on “Pumpkin’s Delight”), Buster Williams excels as both an accompanist and an occasional soloist, and Ben Riley swings hard. The Complete Live At Umbria Jazz (available from www.redrecordings.it and www.amazon.com) is one of the highpoints of Sphere’s life and Charlie Rouse’s post-Monk years.
Scales/Flanagan/Grasso
Many Rivers
(Truth Revolution Recording Collective)
Many Rivers is a collaboration by singer Lauren Scales, alto saxophonist Mike Flanagan, and pianist Chris Grasso. While the music that they perform is primarily straight ahead jazz, it does include Neil Diamond’s folk song “Play Me” and Jimmy Cliff’s “Man Rivers To Cross” along with two soulful originals by the singer: “Find A Way” and “Saving Grace.”
Ms. Scales has an attractive voice, is versatile, can sound quite bluesy (as on “Many Rivers To Cross”), and is also a fine ballad singer as can be heard on “But Beautiful.” Flanagan is an excellent improviser who stars on an instrumental version of “Star Eyes.” Pianist Chris Grasso solos well in a mostly laidback style, and he leads a rhythm section that includes bassist Luques Curtis and either Richie Barshay or Charles Haynes on drums.
The combination of these long-time musical friends works well with other highlights including the catchy “Spanish Joint” (co-composed by Roy Hargrove and D’Angelo), Thelonious Monk’s “I Mean You” (which, with Jon Hendricks’ lyrics, is called “You Know Who” and has a guest appearance by trombonist Steve Davis), and a passionate version of “Never Will I Marry.”
The well-rounded Many Rivers (available from www.truthrevolutionrecords.com) has enough high points to serve as an excellent introduction to the three co-leaders.
Art Pepper
Geneva 1980
(Omnivore)
Altoist Art Pepper (1925-82) had an up-and-down life and an episodic musical career. A brilliant player with his own sound who (unlike many of his contemporaries) never sounded like a clone of Charlie Parker even in his early days, Pepper recorded one gem after another during 1952-60. During that era he always sounded flawless and proved to be a master of the bebop vocabulary while looking forward. Drug problems plagued his life and his career during a long intermission period but he made a very unlikely comeback during 1974-82. A much more emotional and expressive player by then, Pepper played every solo (many quite lengthy) as if it could be his last. With the inspiration of his wife Laurie Pepper, he was at the peak of his powers during his later years, even when his health was shaky.
Despite his erratic life, Pepper (unlike Chet Baker) never made an unworthy recording which is rather remarkable under the circumstances. While he has been gone for 43 years, previously unheard posthumous recordings of the altoist continue to come out and add to his legacy.
Geneva 1980 is a well-recorded two-CD set of performances that feature his quartet playing before an enthusiastic audience during Pepper’s first tour of Europe. The altoist is joined by pianist Milcho Leviev, bassist Tony Dumas, and drummer Carl Burnett for eight selections that have the group really stretching out on six numbers (clocking in between 11:55 and 22:06) plus an incomplete version of “I’ll Remember April” on which the tape ran out and the relatively brief closing “Blues For Les.”
Other than “I’ll Remember April” and a heartfelt version of “Goodbye,” Pepper wrote all of the compositions. Leviev gets plenty of solos and sometimes takes the music outside and there are a few spots for Dumas and tradeoffs with Burnett. However Pepper gets the lion’s share of the solo space and makes the most of it. His playing during his comeback years featured not only his personal sound but a wider vocabulary that included some emotional shrieks, honks, wild outbursts filled with double-time runs, and plenty of honest feeling, all of which fit well into his well-constructed yet very spontaneous solos.
Among the highlights of this release are “Mambo Koyama,” an emotional “Patricia” which sometimes sounds as if Pepper is testifying as to his inner emotions, and a mostly lighthearted “Miss Who” which utilizes the chord changes of “Sweet Georgia Brown.”
Because there are quite a few Art Pepper recordings available from his later years, one cannot quite call Geneva 1980 (available from www.omnivorerecordings.com and www.amazon.com) “essential.” However it is one of the best releases of his band playing live and it will certainly be enjoyed by fans of the great altoist.
Dawn Clement
Delight
(Origin)
Dawn Clement is a versatile modern mainstream jazz pianist with a sound of her own who is also a quietly expressive singer. In her career she has worked with Julian Priester and Jane Ira Bloom in addition to leading her own trios. Delight is at least her sixth album as a leader.
On Delight, Clement is joined by bassist Buster Williams and drummer Matt Wilson for a well-rounded program. It begins with the pianist’s inventive original “Outstretch” which introduces her style. She explores “Monk’s Dream” with the trio, taking the song into some new areas and featuring Wilson playing the melody on his drums during the last chorus. Her first of
three vocals has effective singing on Elvis Costello’s ballad “Someone Took The Words.” Buster Williams’ medium-tempo boppish blues “Tokudo” precedes Clement’s episodic and lyrical “Easy E.” The other selections have her accompanying her singing on piano during the solo “You Taught My Heart To Sing,” swinging with the trio on Priester’s “Elmer’s Holiday” and “Alone Together,” and overdubbing as a choir during her own “Forgive Me.”
Delight lives up to its title and is a fine all-round showcase for Dawn Clement. It is available from www.originarts.com.
Corina Bartra
Tribute To Santana
(Blue Spiral)
The notable Peruvian jazz singer and arranger-composer Corina Bartra pays tribute to the famous Latin rock guitarist Carlos Santana on this six-song EP. While Santana never really took the plunge and performed jazz (the closest that he came was on an early 1970s album that he co-led with John McLaughlin), he has long enjoyed reminiscing about his friendship with Miles Davis.
On this set, Ms. Bartra is joined by a fine group consisting of tenor-saxophonist Dave Morgan, pianist Jerry Korman, guitarist Richard Robinson, bassist Dave Lowenthal, drummer Adam Weber, and percussionist Perico Diaz. While it was not a stretch to turn “Oye Como Va” (a Tito Puente song that Santana made into a major hit) into Afro-Cuban jazz, it is interesting hearing such numbers as “Evil Ways” (taken at a medium-slow groove with a soulful tenor solo), “Soul Sacrifice,” and “Black Magic Woman” in this setting.
Throughout each of the songs, Corina Bartra uses her voice as an instrument, alternating singing lyrics with scatting while sharing the spotlight and the ensembles with her instrumentalists. She is particularly compelling on the passionate “Soul Sacrifice.” Tribute To Santana is available from www.bluespiralrecords.com.
Lyn Stanley
Tribute to 1924
(AT Music)
After having success in the business world, a dozen years ago Lyn Stanley became a jazz singer. Largely by herself, she built up a busy career in which she performed at special events in several countries and made ten recordings that are highly prized by audiophiles and swing-oriented jazz collectors,
Tribute to 1924 has been announced as her final recording. As usual, Lyn Stanley goes first class, utilizing an all-star group (pianist Mike Garson, guitarist John Chiodini, bassist Chuck Berghofer, drummer Aaron Serfaty, percussionist Luis Conte, tenor-saxophonist Rickey Woodard, and Hendrik Meurkens on harmonica) for an impeccably recorded audiophile set of music. All of the standards except the bonus cut (“You Made Me Love You”) were composed in 1924. There are plenty of short solos from Garson, Woodard, Meurkens and Chiodini during a set of music that often has the vintage songs being modernized a bit. Certainly these versions of “What’ll I Do” and “All Alone” are different than what Irving Berlin would have imagined in 1924.
Lyn Stanley has a soft voice, makes expert use of space, sticks to the lyrics, and sings in a conversational style that sometimes (as on “The Man I Love”) is as much spoken as sung. Her delivery is sincere and heartfelt, including the verse and getting to the point quickly before liberally featuring her instrumentalists. On “Everybody Loves My Baby,” she pays tribute to Mae West. Other highlights including “It Had To Be You,” “Tea For Two” and a Latinized “Fascinating Rhythm.” If this is where it ends, Tribute to 1924 (available from www.lynstanley.com and www.amazon.com) is an excellent final musical statement from Lyn Stanley.
Tyler Henderson
Love Endures
(Cellar Music)
Tyler Henderson is a young mid-twenties pianist making his recording debut as a leader on Love Endures. Already at this early stage, Henderson has developed a swinging yet thoughtful style that fits into the jazz tradition. He has a personal sound which at times tips his hat to such predecessors as Wynton Kelly, Bill Evans, and Keith Jarrett’s Standards Trio among others.
On Love Endures, Henderson, along with bassist Caleb Tobocman and drummer Hank Allen-Barfield, performs five of the pianist’s originals plus five standards. The trio swings hard on such numbers as “On A Clear Day,” “Get Out Of Town” (which hints at McCoy Tyner in spots), and “The Good Life, also performing a laidback “I’ll Never Smile Again” and a tasteful solo piano version of “In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning”; note the quote of “I’ll Get Along Without You Very Well” at the end of the latter.
Of the pianist’s originals, “West End Promenade” is reminiscent of Bud Powell, “Love Endures” is a song that Ahmad Jamal would have enjoyed, and “Why Are You Not Here” is a superior ballad that deserves to be covered by others. Throughout the set, bassist Tobocman is particularly attentive, closely following and adding to Henderson’s moods while Allen-Barfield is subtle and quietly supportive. Love Endures, which is available from www.cellarmusicgroup.com, is an excellent start to Tyler Henderson’s career.
Rita Reys/Elia Fleta
Two Jazzy People/Tete Montoliu Presents Elia Fleta
(Fresh Sound)
Although this CD is part of a Fresh Sound series titled “The Best Voices Time Forgot,” Rita Reys (1924-2013) is actually well remembered. She was one of Europe’s top jazz singers of the 1950s and ‘60s. Born and based in the Netherlands, she made her recording debut with Lars Gullin in 1953, recorded with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in 1956, and led sessions of her own as late as 2009. She had a warm voice, always swung, her English was impeccable, and she always displayed a winning and happy musical personality. On Two Jazzy People, the singer is joined in 1958 by pianist Bengt Hallberg (1932-2013) who was a major swing-to-bop pianist from Sweden, bassist Gunnar Larsson, and drummer Egil Johansen for a set of standards. She is in fine form on such songs as “Avalon,” “Stardust,” “Cabin In The Sky” and “After You’ve
Gone.” Three of the 12 songs are instrumentals that showcase Hallberg including an unaccompanied piano solo on “I Fall In Love Too Easily.”
In contrast to Reys, Elia Fleta (1928-2019) is quite obscure today outside of her native Spain. She began her career singing boleros and pop music in the 1950s (often in vocal duets with her sister), discovering jazz in the early 1960s. Her jazz career was fairly brief although she made an impact at the time. Fleta’s first jazz session was on an EP with the Jazztet of Madrid. Her only other jazz recordings took place in Barcelona, Spain in Oct.1966 and Jan. 1967 where she was joined by the great pianist Tete Montoliu, bassist Eric Peter, and drummer Peer Wyboris. The nine songs that resulted from those sessions are reissued in full on this CD along with three of the seven selections featuring Fleta and Montoliu with bassist Giovanni Tommaso and drummer Gege Munari from a radio program in Italy on Feb. 1967, performances that were never previously released. Elia Fleta displays a complementary style to that of Rita Reys as can be heard on “Love For Sale” which both singers recorded. She displays a very attractive voice and, while not quite as adventurous in her improvising as Reys, she sounds appealing and swinging. Tete Montoliu, a masterful soloist, is mostly content to accompanying the singer although his short statements are excellent.
The Best Voices Time Forgot, which mostly focuses on vocalists who only had one or two jazz albums, is a series that fans of superior singers who swing should explore. It is available along with many other jazz recordings from www.freshsoundrecords.com.