Louis Stewart/Brian Dunning
Alone Together
(Livia)
The brilliant jazz guitarist Louis Stewart (1944-2016), who is widely considered to be Ireland’s greatest jazz musician, has been well served by the Livia label which has reissued many of his recordings, often with extra selections. Brian Dunning (1951-2022) was a virtuoso flutist who spent much of his career playing Irish music. However, as he shows throughout Alone Together, whenever he chose to perform it, he was one of the finest jazz flutists of this time period.
Recorded live in August 1979, this set of flute-guitar duets often borders on the miraculous. On such numbers as “There Will Never Be Another You,” Chick Corea’s “Windows,” Joe Henderson’s “Inner Urge,” and a rapid “Donna Lee” (listen to those remarkable unisons during the melody statements), Stewart and Dunning sound very much like a full band. The guitarist was used to playing unaccompanied solos so the absence of piano, bass and drums was no problem for him, but duos can be among the most difficult settings since there is no place to hide. Dunning not only holds his own with Stewart during these musical encounters, but constantly challenges the guitarist.
Alone Together consists of the original eight selections from the album which were performed before an audience (there were no second takes or editing) plus two previously unreleased studio performances (“Someday My Prince Will Come” and “West Coast Blues”) from the same period that add bassist Martin Walsh. The music is filled with magical moments that make one wish that these were not the only recordings that Louis Stewart made with Brian Dunning. This highly recommended disc is available from www.liviarecords.com.
Sacha Boutrous
Paris After Dark
(Hear Me Roar)
Sacha Boutrous has had quite a life so far. Raised in San Diego, she played soccer and tennis on a semi-professional level, founded a record label, publishing company, and the production company Hear Me Roar, and designed a mural (“The Place Where Soles Meet”) for a major border crossing. Prior to making Paris After Dark, Sacha had recorded four jazz albums that have sold quite well and given her a worldwide reputation. In addition, she speaks in seven languages and sings in 14.
Paris After Dark is her tribute to French and American music. Joined by pianist Franck Amsallem, trumpeter Stéphane Belmondo, guitarist Hugo Lippi, bassist Thomas Bramerie, and drummer Tony Rabeson, Sacha sings ten songs in French and English with a little bit of Italian. The music covers a variety of moods and displays her very appealing voice along with her ability to dig deep into lyrics with honest emotions.
The set begins with “Je Reviens te Chercher,” a song about returning to a former love many years after their breakup. Sacha interprets the piece as a joyful romp, one that is propelled by Rabeson’s infectious drumming. Sidney Bechet’s “Si tu Vois Ma Mére (If You See My Mother)” became a standard when it was used throughout the Woody Allen film Midnight In Paris. In this rare vocal version, Sacha’s sensitive singing is backed tastefully by Belmondo’s comments on trumpet.
A medley of Jacques Brel’s “Ne Me Quitte Pas” and “I’m A Fool To Want You” features the singer at her most sensuous in a memorable vocal that is full of longing and desire. “April In Paris” is much lighter and happier with Sacha singing, scatting, and swinging. She follows it up with a French pop song from the 1970s, “Et si tu n’existais,” which features some prominent playing from guitarist Lippi. “La Javanaise,” a hit in France in 1963, is turned into a jazz waltz with piano and guitar solos along with some particularly attractive vocalizing. Charlie Chaplin’s one contribution to the American popular song, “Smile,” finds Sacha interpreting the melancholy and ultimately uplifting lyrics with plenty of feeling while trumpeter Belmondo accompanies her with sympathy.
“Love In Portofino” is one of this album’s highpoints, an energetic and romantic song with a strong melody that Sasha embraces. She displays additional versatility on Cole Porter’s “In The Still Of The Night” which is given a mysterious atmosphere accentuated by the dark bass patterns of Bramerie. As a major contrast and in a way of summing up her love for the city, Paris After Dark concludes with an exuberant and joyful version of “La Belle Vic (The Good Life)” which has Sasha singing in French and English and includes swinging trumpet and piano solos.
Although there will certainly be many more musical adventures in her future, Paris After Dark (available from www.sachassupperlub.com) is arguably Sasha Boutrous’ finest recording to date and a true delight.
Herb Geller
Barcelona Session
(Fresh Sound)
Altoist Herb Geller (1928-2017) was a major saxophonist on the West Coast jazz scene of the 1950s, moved permanently to Europe in 1962. and had long-term positions with the Radio Free Berlin Orchestra and the NDR Orchestra that kept him solvent, happy, and free to play jazz.
In 1990 Geller came to Barcelona to perform at a club, bringing with him the 17-year old British trumpeter Gerald Presencer. The Johnny Griffin Quintet was playing close by and at the time featured 20-year old Roy Hargrove. Geller recorded two albums, one a quartet set with pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen, and drummer Mark Taylor that was released as Birdland Blues. Due to technical problems with the recording process, the second recording has not been released until now when modern technology made it possible.
Barcelona Session has Geller featured with the same rhythm section with two songs apiece having Hargrove and Presencer making the group a quintet. 35 years later, the music still sounds fresh and lively.
The set begins with the Charlie Parker blues “Big Foot” which is taken at a medium-slow pace. Geller is in prime form, Hargrove shows a great deal of maturity in his well-conceived solo, and Drew is up to his usual standards. Benny Carter’s ballad “Summer Serenade” features Geller at his most lyrical. The altoist’s one original of this set, “The Order,” is a joyous romp and has a hot if brief statement from Presencer.
Recording Lee Morgan’s “Ceora” took a little bravery since Morgan’s classic recording is a memorable gem. However after the melody statement, Hargrove makes a worthy and personal statement of his own as does Geller, Drew and Pedersen. Presencer is an asset on “You Don’t Know What Love Is.” Geller concludes the rewarding set with passionate quartet renditions of “Hot House” and “Some Other Spring.”
Barcelona Session serves as a very good introduction to late-period Herb Geller while giving one a sampling of early Roy Hargrove and Gerald Presencer. It is available from www.freshsoundrecords.com.
David Sneider
Introducing
(Cellar Music)
David Sneider, a young trumpeter with a bright and attractive tone, a style based in hard bop, and the skill to write appealing new tunes, is featured on Introducing. While he has recorded before including on two albums led by his father trumpeter John Sneider (one of which he co-led), Introducing is his first opportunity to be featured as the sole leader. Sneider is joined by altoist Erena Terakubo, tenor-saxophonist Jacob Chung, pianist Tyler Henderson, bassist Joey Ranieri, and drummer Willie Bowman.
All of the musicians on this set, while filled with youthful energy and enthusiasm, display maturity and their own individual sounds within the tradition. They perform five of the trumpeter’s originals plus “Bye Bye Blackbird,” an obscure vintage Quincy Jones song, and Thelonious Monk’s “Hackensack.”
The date begins with “Marvelous-Lee,” an original jazz waltz with an ensemble reminiscent of the Jazz Messengers. Sneider’s trumpet solo, while purposely displaying his love for Lee Morgan’s playing, has double time runs and fresh ideas that are all his own. The trumpeter is showcased on his attractive “Avale” before the group plays a surprisingly slow and melancholy version of “Bye Bye Blackbird” which has harmonized horns and tasteful solos. Quincy Jones’ rarely heard “Robot Portrait” is notable for Terakubo’s high-powered and Phil Woods-inspired alto. She also cooks on the uptempo “The Music Is The Bandleader,” Sneider introduces his ballad “Mama Bear,” and “Tim And Bim” is often rollicking. The memorable outing concludes with an uptempo version of “Hackensack.”
Throughout this heartily recommended set, Sneider’s inventive solos are matched by those of Terakubo, Jacob Chung (whose ideas are consistently original), and Tyler Henderson with Joey Ranieri and Willie Bowman offering stimulating support. Introducing (available from www.cellarlive.com) is an early milestone in the career of David Sneider and all of these talented musicians.
Various Artists
The Chess Records Christmas Album
(Chess)
During its prime years in the 1950s and ‘60s, the Chess label was the top blues-oriented record company with nearly all of the major Chicago blues artists (including Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Little Walter) being regulars on the label’s releases. In addition to blues, Chess also released some albums by musicians from the worlds of jazz, gospel, r&b, and, thanks to Chuck Berry, rock and roll.
This 14-song Lp has Xmas-related songs by a wide variety of performers. Some of the songs have little to do with Christmas other than their titles and only a couple would be considered Christmas standards, but the holiday spirit can be felt throughout.
It is a mixed bag. Chuck Berry pops up three times, performing “Run Rudolph Run” (in the vein of “Go Johnny Go”), the Charles Brown hit “Merry Christmas Baby” and an original blues simply called “Christmas.” The blues are also represented by Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Santa Claus.” Some of the other performances are vintage r&b or gospel with selections from the Moonglows, the Meditation Singers, the Gems, the Soul Stirrers, Rotary Connection, Lenox Avenue (an unusual version of “Little Drummer Boy”), and the Salem Travelers. There is also an offbeat rendition of Claude Thornhill’s “Snowfall” by the Soulful Strings. Jazz is represented by the Ramsey Lewis Trio’s “Christmas Blues” and Kenny Burrell’s “Silent Night.”
As with the best Christmas albums, the Chess Lp will sound good all year round for those who enjoy the many styles that are covered. It is available from www.amazon.com.
Christian McBride Big Band
Without Further Ado, Vol. 1
(Mack Avenue)
Christian McBride seems to be everywhere these days as a bassist, leader, radio host, and festival producer. Without Further Ado, Vol. 1 (available from www.mackavenue.com) reflects his life for it is quite a mixed bag.
McBride’s 17-piece big band is filled with impressive musicians but on seven of the eight selections on this CD, it is joined by a prominent guest singer. Without Further Ado, Vol. 1 begins with Sting and guitarist Andy Summers performing “Murder By Numbers” which was recorded originally by the Police. Jeffrey Osborne next sings the forgettable r&b/funk song “Back In Love Again.” On these first two numbers, the big band is quite faceless and anonymous.
Things improve with a classy rendition of “Old Folks” featuring the beautiful voice of Samara Joy. Whoever wrote the uncredited arrangement did a fine job. While José James does his best on “Moanin,’” it is obvious that jazz is not his first language. However, one finally gets to hear the big band a bit with trombonist Steve Davis and trumpeter Freddie Hendrix taking short solos. The great Cécilé McLorin Salvant is featured on an all-too-brief hard-swinging version of Cole Porter’s “All Through The Night.” Dianne Reeves does what she can to uplift the Carole King ballad “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” which has a fine soprano solo from Steve Wilson. Wilson also has a spot on alto during a predictable version of “Come Rain Or Come Shine” which has an ok vocal from the young Antoinette Henry. The 37-minute album concludes with its lone instrumental, McBride’s “Op. 48 – Cold Chicken Suite, 3rd Movement,” which features tenor-saxophonist Ron Blake.
Hopefully Vol. 2 will give the Christian McBride Big Band much more of an opportunity to stretch out and develop its own individual musical personality without having to be a backup band for guests.
Ohm
The Architects
(Shifting Paradigm)
The group Om consists of guitarist Dan Bruce, electric bassist Jordan McBride, and drummer Gabe Jones who also adds occasional electronics. The group is augmented on some cuts by four guests. Bruce, who has a sound that can be rockish while playing ideas full of surprising twists and turns, is generally in the lead with stimulating commentary offered by McBride and Jones.
The opening selection, “The Architects,” has a short and eccentric theme played by tenor-saxophonist Jason Kush whose solo is full of passion. There are four very brief “Incidentals” on which Nathan Douds’ programming adds to the electronic sounds. The closer, “Rare Birdsm” has Douds on keyboard and trombonist Reggie Watkins and is the closest that the music comes to being straight ahead jazz although the guitar is pretty rockish over the groove. The other main performances, “Eh?,” “Ice” (which has ensemble singing by Nadine Douds), “Glimpse,” and “Major_Chord” are trio explorations with the group straddling the artificial boundaries between post-bop jazz, the avant-garde and fusion.
The Architects offers listeners an unpredictable but rewarding musical journey. It is available from www.shiftingparadigmrecords.com.
Michael Sarian
Live At Cliff Bell’s Vol. II.
(Shifting Paradigm)
A modern jazz trumpeter who was born in Toronto, raised in Buenos Aires, and has long been based in New York City, Michael Sarian performs a set of originals plus two obscurities on this CD. He features his regular quartet which also includes pianist Santiago Leibson, bassist Marty Kenney, and drummer Nathan Ellman-Bell.
From the start of the opening “First Song” (a piece by Tomasz Stanko), it is obvious that Sarian has a powerful sound and an explorative style. His live set has mostly continuous music with just a few pauses for applause. Sarian constructs a dramatic statement on “Dle Yaman.” “Portrait Of A Postman” is played with passion, leading to an unaccompanied “trumpet interlude” and the fiery “Floating Sharks.” Pianist Leibson, who also contributes consistently rewarding statements, is particularly inspired on the latter piece. The expressive ballad “Regarding Kobe” and “Pickepuss Romp” (which has parade drumming from Ellman-Bell) concludes the stimulating set.
Live At Cliff Bell’s Vol. II, which finds Michael Sarian and his quartet in top form, is available from www.shiftingparadigmrecords.com.
Dan Barnett Big Band
Snapshot
(DB)
Dan Barnett, a fine singer and trombonist who is based in Sydney, leads his 14-piece jazz orchestra on Snapshot, his fourth big band album. His singing is a bit reminiscent tone-wise of Jack Sheldon and his trombone playing is colorful.
Snapshot puts the focus on Barnett’s singing which is heard on all of the 14 selections except the opening “Blues For Pat.” The latter displays the band’s potential during an exciting arrangement with fine solos from Barnett, pianist Peter Locke, guitarist Sam Rollings, and the full trumpet section. With often-rousing writing by Jim Ottaway, saxophonist Andrew Robertson and others plus solos from Locke, Rollings, trumpeters Ray Caesar and Simon Ferenci, all four saxophonists, and trombonist James Greening (who proves to be a strong asset on a few numbers where he switches to sousaphone) plus four from Barnett, this is a mighty orchestra. However while there are plenty of individual spots and some rollicking ensembles throughout the CD, the potential of the spirited band makes one wish that there were more instrumentals.
Dan Barnett’s singing is at its best on a spirited “Supercalifragilsticexpialidocious” (with the band members joining in), “Dindi,” “I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues,” and “Everything Happens To Me.” He is inspired by the presence of guest singer Monica Trapaga on “It Takes Two To Tango” and an uptempo “Side By Side,” and is joyfully eccentric on “Let Me Be” and “Everybody Wants To Rule The World.”
If one is in Australia, this would certainly be a big band well worth catching live. Snapshot gives listeners in the rest of the world some fine examples of Dan Barnett’s singing with his orchestra. It is available from www.danbarnett.com.au.
Jung Stratmann Quartet
Confluence
(self-released)
Pianist Sujae Jung (originally from South Korea) and bassist Wolf Robert Stratmann (from Germany) collaborated previously, recording Bird Of Luck, Live At 29th Street, and their duo EP Tree Huggers. For their recent five-song EP Confluence, their international group is doubled with the addition of American guitarist Steve Cardenas and Serbian drummer Marko Djordjevic.
The set begins with the pianist’s “Tree Huggers,” a new version by the quartet. Sounding a little like an upbeat Keith Jarrett-type piece from the 1970s, this rendition has rewarding piano and guitar solos but is most memorable for the joyous ensembles. “Summer Whale” musically traces the adventures of a blue whale as he makes his annual journey, seeing many sights while also missing his home. The bassist’s “This Wine Tastes Very Dry” is a melancholy ballad that puts the emphasis on the interplay between the co-leaders who often play out-of-tempo. “The Pull” is a happy tribute to the after-hours music scene of New York City with its funky basslines, infectious drumming, and spirited solos by Jung and Cardenas. The all-too-brief 29-minute EP concludes with the wistful ballad “After Sunset.”
Confluence, which is available from sujaejungmusic.com and wolfrobertstratmann.com, leaves one wanting more and looking forward to the future projects of Sujae Jung and Wolf Robert Stratmann.
Aldo Fosko Collective
Scattered Rhymes
(Hitchtone)
The Aldo Fosko Collective, which was founded in 2022, features some of the top jazz musicians from Croatia. They recorded This One Time in 2023 and have followed it up with the more recent Scattered Rhythms.
The group consists of Fosko on piano, electric piano and bass clarinet, singer Alba Nacinovich on five of the seven selections, guitarist Zvonimir Radisic, Robert Mikuljan on flugelhorn and trumpet, bassist Damjan Grba, and drummer Tonci Grabusic with accordionist Elvis Stanic guesting on one number. While it is fair to say that none of these musicians are household names in the U.S., they are all world class players.
The group performs five originals by Fosko (two of which were co-written with Nacinovich) plus a traditional song and a standard. The laidback and folkish melody “Campagna” gets the set off to an accessible and friendly start. The traditional piece “La piova” has Fosko harmonizing on bass clarinet with Nacinovich’s voice. On “Una,” which has Fosko on electric piano, the singer is at times a little reminiscent in her sound of Flora Purim. She sings some nice long tones on “Unless” which also has rewarding guitar and flugelhorn solos
The highpoint of the set is “Dancing Shoulders,” a spirited number that starts out as Balkan-type folk music and then really gets cooking. It has heated trumpet, piano and accordion solos at a fast tempo. “Siaan” is a jazz waltz that showcases the trio while the closer, “My One And Only Love,” finds the singer conjuring up the spirit of Billie Holiday while joined by slightly dissonant backing from bass clarinet and guitar.
The Aldo Fosko Collective is a group that is well worth discovering and shows that high-quality jazz, which has not been a purely American music for quite a few decades, can be found all over the world. Scattered Rhymes is available from www.amazon.com.
Lena Bloch/Kyoko Kitamura
Marina
(Fresh Sound)
Marina Ivanovna Tsvetaeva (1892-1941), who had a rather episodic and often-tumultuous life, was a major Russian poet. Her poetry is the inspiration for the seven performances on Marina by tenor and soprano-saxophonist Lena Bloch (who translated the poetry), pianist Jacob Sacks, bassist Ken Filiano, drummer Michael Sarin, and vocalist Kyoko Kitamura.
Kitamura displays a remarkable range on the opening “I Refuse” and is featured singing and/or reciting poetry on each of the selections; the words actually matter less in this setting than her emotional intensity. The music, which features many solos by Bloch (whose recordings are always well worth hearing) and Sacks, is adventurous, moody, sometimes stormy, frequently dramatic, and often melancholy. While “I Refuse” is the most extroverted of the pieces, other highlights include the calm if mildly unsettling waltz “Insomnia,” the loose bass and drum patterns on “Marina,” and the haunting “Such Tenderness.”
The result is a thought-provoking and rather moody tribute to the poet. Marina is available from www.freshsoundrecords.com.
Stephen Walker
Swinging In New Orleans – The Holiday Session
(self-released)
Trombonist Stephen Walker leads Swinging In New Orleans, an ensemble filled with current New Orleans-based players. The Holiday Session, a 24 1/2-minute EP, consist of six Yuletide favorites plus one original with arrangements by Walker, Grayson Brockamp, and Trevari Huff-Boone.
The set begins with one of its highpoints, an instrumental version of “O Christmas Tree” by a septet. Walker has a solo but the performance is mostly filled with spirited New Orleans-style ensembles. “Christmas Time In New Orleans” features an 11-piece band with a happy vocal from Leon Brown and solos from altoist Connor Stewart and trumpeter Aurelian Barnes. “The Christmas Song” has some pretty harmonizing by Stewart on clarinet and tenor-saxophonist Trevari Huff-Boone. “Sleigh Ride” includes spots for Walker and Boone while “Winter Wonderland” has a personable vocal from Sam Friend. “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” is worthy of its name and includes a solo from Huff-Boone on baritone. The EP concludes with David Harris’ romantic original “Every Day Is Christmas With You,” a piece worthy of being adopted by others.
All in all, The Holiday Session has plenty of spirit and happy feelings although I wish that it were twice as long! It is available from www.swinginginneworleans.com.