August 2024
Some Recent Releases
Recent Releases
A few words about recent releases / reviews:
Apart from where they are included in articles on this website, I don't have a 'Reviews' section for a number of reasons:
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I receive so many requests to review recordings it is impossible to include them all.
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Unlike some publications/blogs, Sandy Brown Jazz is not a funded website and it is not possible to pay reviewers.
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Reviews tend to be personal opinions, something a reviewer likes might not suit you, or vice versa.
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It is difficult to capture music in words, so much better to be able to listen and see whether the music interests you.
For these reasons in particular I just include a selection of recent recordings below where I share the notes issued by the musician(s) as an introduction and links to samples so you can 'taste' the music for yourselves. For those who like to read reviews, these, of course, can be checked out on other sites.
Some albums are priced in dollars or other currencies. These are marked ^. There are currency options if you proceed to order. Recordings are now regularly available on different formats (CD, mp3 downloads, vinyl) or platforms e.g iTunes, Spotify, etc. I am unable to list them all so it is worth checking if you have a favourite platform).
Featured In August 2024
UK
Ant Law and Brigitte Beraha - Ensconced
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 16th August 2024
Ant Law (guitars & composition); Brigitte Beraha (voice & lyrics); With: Petros Klampanis (bass, 5), Ernesto Simpson (drums, 5), Max Luthert (electronics, 6), Duncan Eagles (tenor saxophone, 6), Jamie Murray (drums, 6), Matt Calvert (electronics, guitar, 6,7), Kit Downes (piano 7), Adam Kovacs (percussion, 7)
'Ant & Brigitte are excited to present this box of treasures - new music they have developed over the last couple of years. The album includes new interpretations of their favourite jazz songs ever, and original songs they have written together. Ant & Brigitte also invited some very special guests on a couple of tracks.' (album notes). An article on this website about the album is here.
Ross Lorraine - More From The Heart
(Ross Lorraine Records) - Released: 2nd August 2024
Ross Lorraine (composer, songwriter); Nikki Iles (piano, accordion); Mike Walker (guitars); Laurence Cottle (electric bass); Ian Thomas (drums, percussion); Joe Giddey -(cello tracks 6 & 7); James McMillan (trumpet, flugelhorn, keyboards); Claire Martin and others (vocals)
' .... Lorraine has chosen six contrasting vocalists who sing two songs each to better serve the many genres and moods of the music. “Christine Tobin’s rich and emotional tones were a natural choice for the more folk-oriented tracks,” explains Lorraine. “I was very pleased to discover the voice of Charlie Wood, with its warmth and humanity, which seems to suit my songs perfectly. I already knew and loved the singing of Irene Serra - she has a strong, rhythmic style with a lot of character, that suited some of the more upbeat numbers, and Noemi Nuti’s sweet, expressive singing suited the gentler tracks. And I was delighted to get to know the singing of Joanna Eden, with her amazing vocal technique and emotional honesty, who perfectly realised the two songs that probably mean the most to me on a personal level, ‘After You’ and ‘Down On My Knees’.” Most of Lorraine’s songs come from personal feelings or experiences, often starting with an improvised riff or melody that evokes a memory or emotional response including ‘After You’, ‘Down On My Knees’, ‘Human Kindness’ and ‘After All’. Others are imagined stories from people’s lives – ‘Dear Betty’ was prompted by a genuine three-line Victorian letter: Dear Betty/ I hate you/ Love, George. ‘Scissors Paper Stone’, ‘Finding Our Feet’, and ‘Sleep My Darling’, have associations with childhood, seen from the perspective of older age. Songs, such as ‘What You Got’, ‘He Said She Said’, Downtime’ and ‘You Never Knew Me’, have a more ironic view on life and relationships......... (album notes)
Sam Norris - Small Things Evolved Slowly
(Sam Norris Music / Resonant Records) - Released: 30th August 2024
Sam Norris (alto saxophone); Jay Verma (piano); Will Sach (double bass); Harry Ling (drums)
'This album consists of a body of compositions I have worked on over four years, inspired by life in bustling North London. The title is lifted from a quote by French composer Erik Satie: ‘I took to my room and let small things evolve slowly'. I have been playing with Jay, Will and Harry for over five years now, so we have had a long time to let things develop organically. Thus, I feel there is a shared musical vocabulary with permeates all eight compositions- a level of understanding which transcends the notes on the page. Small Things Evolved Slowly' is an homage to the process of developing a band sound, because a lot of my favourite music is by bands who formed their distinctive identity by performing regularly together. The groups of John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Paul Motian and Tim Berne are all major inspirations in this regard....... (album notes)
Mike Westbrook - Band Of Bands
(Westbrook Recordis) - Released: 28th June 2024
Kate Westbrook (voice); Chris Biscoe (alto / soprano saxophones); Peter Whyman (alto / soprano saxophones / clarinet); Karen Street (accordion); Mike Westbrook (piano); Marcus Vergette (bass); Coach York (drums)
'Band of Bands' brings together key musicians from legendary British jazz pianist and composer Mike Westbrook's many small-scale projects. Joining the trio of vocalist/songwriter Kate Westbrook, Mike and saxophonist Chris Biscoe, are four long-time alumni- accordionist Karen Street, saxophonist/clarinettist Pete Whyman, Marcus Vergette on bass and Coach York on drums. The mix of composition, song and improvisation has been at the heart of many Westbrook projects, from the seminal Brass Band of the '70s to the Westbrook Trio and the Uncommon Orchestra. In 'Band of Bands' there are re-creations of Westbrook classics alongside new compositions, and arrangements of some lesser-known standards, all interpreted by some of the UK's most original and distinctive soloists. 'Band of Bands' was recorded live by Matthew North at Ashburton Arts Centre, Devon in November 2023. It was mixed and produced by Jay Auborn with dBs Pro Bristol.' (album notes)
Threeway - Harken!
(Jazz Cat Records) - Released: 5th July 2024
Steve Waterman (trumpet, flugelhorn); Steve Lodder (piano, keyboard, organ); Ben Crosland (bass), John Etheridge (guitar)
'Threeway have been engaging audiences for twenty years with their melodic, subtle jazz, all the while developing the intense interplay between the players that so characterises the group's identity and sound - a chamber jazz trio distinguished by the absence of drums. The group consists of Steve Waterman on trumpet/flugelhorn, Steve Lodder on piano, Rhodes and Hammond organ and Ben Crosland on electric bass with special guest guitarist John Etheridge. Harken! celebrates the trio's 20th anniversary with eleven original compositions written by the trio and John Etheridge as well as an interpretation of Joni Mitchell's "Black Crow". Four of the tracks make up The Hark Suite by Crosland and the inspiration for the title of the album. "Sedbergh School in Cumbria, where I studied, and where I still enjoy a musical connection, is celebrating its Quincentenary next year," explains Crosland. "HARK " is an acronym for the four core values which encompass life at the school: Humility, Ambition, Resilience and Kindness." (album notes)
America
Pat Metheny - Moondial
(Modern Recordings) - Released: 26th July 2024
Pat Metheny (guitar)
'Guitarist, composer, and bandleader Pat Metheny is one of the most successful jazz musicians in the world, being the only artist to win 20 Grammy Awards in ten different categories. His 2024 album 'MoonDial' will feature solo recordings in line with the beloved 'One Quiet Night' (2003) and 'What's It All About' (2011). It is a purely solo guitar record with no overdubs, using a custom nylon string baritone guitar. He experimented with this new guitar while on tour last fall.' (album notes)
Anthony Branker & Imagine - Songs My Mom Liked
(Origin Records) - Released: 21st June 2024
Anthony Branker: (composer, musical direction); Donny McCaslin (tenor, soprano saxophone); Philip Dizack (trumpet); Fabian Almazan (piano); Linda May Han Oh: (bass); Rudy Royston (drums); Pete McCann (guitar); Aubrey Johnson (vocals).
'Celebrating the life and resilience of his 88-year-old mother, composer Dr. Anthony Branker’s 10th Origin release is a gift to Joan Branker who has been mightily challenged by the ongoing cognitive decline of dementia. Conceptualized after witnessing how her face would brighten and her body would start to move when listening to his earlier music, he was driven to re-imagine 11 of these compositions, along with “If,” written by his daughter at 11, for his brilliant ensemble, Imagine. Saxophonist Donny McCaslin, trumpeter Philip Dizack, pianist Fabian Almazan, bassist Linda May Han Oh, drummer Rudy Royston, guitarist Pete McCann, and vocalist Aubrey Johnson, each bring inspired musicianship and deep soul to the lyrical ow, ingenious rhythmic interplay, and spirited performances that have come to dene Branker’s projects. “Songs My Mom Liked” is yet another engrossing project and celebration of life, from the mind and pen of Anthony Branker.' (album notes)
Harry Skoler - Red Brick Hill
(Sunnyside Records) - Released: 12th July 2024
Harry Skoler (clarinet); Joel Ross (vibraphone); Dezron Douglas (bass); Johnathan Blake (drums); Guests - Christian Sands ( piano #6); Marquis Hill (trumpet #4); Grégoire Maret (harmonica #13).
'Things of beauty can come from the release of one’s traumas. Harry Skoler experienced the loss of a friend as a teenager, a passing that deeply impacted the clarinetist/composer and left an indelible mark on his person. On his new recording, Red Brick Hill, Skoler revisits the past and delivers the story instrumentally with an incredible array of musicians in an effort to cleanse his soul, keep his friend’s legacy alive, and to, hopefully, help others with such burdens through the gift of music. Skoler grew up in a house his father designed at the top of a red brick hill. Though there weren’t many children in their neighborhood, Skoler was able to develop deep friendships with a young girl named Nancy and a quiet, serious boy named Bill. When they were teenagers, Bill moved away from the hill but first brought Skoler a box of his childhood toys and trinkets. It wasn’t until later that Skoler was walking with a friend and saw Bill’s mother pulling into his friend’s house. Curious as to her appearance, Skoler asked his friend about Bill. His friend told Skoler that he wasn’t supposed to tell him anything. Pressing the friend, Skoler found out that Bill was dead....... (album notes)
Matt Pavolka - Disciplinary Architecture
(Sunnyside Records) - Released: 19th July 2024
Matt Pavolka (bass, composer); Ben Monder (guitar); Santiago Leibson (keyboards); Allan Mednard (drums)
'Bandleaders frequently have different ensembles that represent particular aspects of their musical personalities. Bassist/composer Matt Pavolka maintains a handful of groups, some focusing on his writing in more traditional jazz formats and others that provide more open, raucous fare. The Matt Pavolka Band represents the latter, their freewheeling style on full display on their new recording, Disciplinary Architecture ....The album title, Disciplinary Architecture, comes from a twentieth century architectural concept of influencing public behavior through design of public spaces, like putting spikes on benches to prevent sleeping or ridges on curbs to discourage skateboarding......' (album notes).
Miles Okazaki - Miniature America
(Cygnus Recordings) - Released: 19th July 2024
Miles Okazaki (guitars, composition); Matt Mitchell (piano); Anna Webber (tenor saxophone, flute); Jon Irabagon (mezzo soprano, sopranino, slide sax); Caroline Davis (alto saxophone); Jacob Garchik (trombone); Patricia Brennan (vibraphone); Fay Victor, Ganavya, Jen Shyu (vocals).
'Miniature America is Miles Okazaki’s 12th album and is strikingly different from his previous work, which has been firmly based in song forms and live performance in the studio. After a statement of the album’s poignant theme, the listener moves quickly through a wildly contrasting succession of abstract fragments, atmospheres, and mysterious events. The unusual sound of the album comes from a compositional approach that uses the studio itself as an instrument, where the goal is not just to capture a performance, but to create a library for post-production work. Okazaki describes the idea in his liner notes: “. . . I realized I could write some instruction pieces to create the raw materials (“slabs,” as I called them), and then excavate them, sanding and polishing to find hidden musical artifacts . . . There are many pieces on this album that use variations on this technique, which makes them less like compositions and more like sonic treasure hunts.” ..... (album notes)
Europe and Elsewhere
Giovanni Guidi - A New Day
(ECM Records) - Released: 12th July 2024
Giovanni Guidi (piano); Thomas Morgan (bass); João Lobo (drums); James Brandon Lewis (tenor saxophone #1,4,5, ).
'Rekindling the familiarly flowing interplay with fellow travellers Thomas Morgan and João Lobo – the trio’s musical partnership goes back over a decade at this point –, on A New Day Italian pianist Giovanni Guidi moreover expands the group’s instrumental grasp with the introduction of American saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, who makes his ECM debut here. Not only is the ensemble scope widened; with Brandon Lewis in tow, new dialects and fresh perspectives are broached, and different instrumental paths taken, inspired by an overall heightened sense of communication and Lewis’s unmistakable, confident tone. On the opportunity to include the saxophonist in his band, Giovanni explains that his conversations with Brandon Lewis go back many years and that witnessing him live led Guidi “to believe that with James, the group dialogue could develop towards more abstract, open and improvisational approaches. In a way it was quite the gamble, as we come from very different paths, but the session for A New Day proved us right: the trio is pushed into new territories, while James – in my view – finds a very unique and interesting way to connect with us. It was a sincere journey of discovery.“ ..... (album notes)
Vinicius Mendes - Macunaismo Tardio Vol. 1 & 2
(Notes On A Journey Records) - Released: 25th May 2024
Vol 1: Vinícius Mendes (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, G flute); Lucas de Moro (Rhodes electric piano and Wurlitzer electric piano); Paulo Cardoso (electric and acoustic bass); Cyrano Almeida (drums and additional percussion in A3 and B1). Vol. 2: Vinícius Mendes (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute and additional percussions (Caxixi, Agogô, Tamborim, Queixada and Apitos); Igor Neves (Rhodes electric piano and Wurlitzer electric piano); Rafael de Sousa (acoustic bass); Estevan Barbosa (drums and additional percussions (Queixada in Meio a Meio)
'Vinícius Mendes is a saxophonist, flautist, composer, improviser and researcher from the inland state of Minas Gerais in Brasil, known not only for its wealth of minerals and mining activities, but for its deep musical traditions founded by such pioneers as Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges. Having graduated from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, one of the most important centres of excellence in Brasil, with a BA in Popular Music and an MA in Music, Mendes continued to research Improvisation in Free Jazz and in Brasilian Popular Instrumental Music at the university. In Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais’ capital city, he became embroiled in the instrumental music scene - a style that’s always been a challenge to Brasileiros, who have a tradition of needing something to sing along to! The counter-tradition though, inspired by artists like Victor Assis Brasil and Hermeto Pascoal, who developed a more sophisticated sound that echoed the work of North American jazz artists like John Coltrane and Horace Silver, was still alive and well and very much being practised by local musicians like Rafael Martini and Federico Heliodoro........ (album notes)
Lis Wessberg - Twain Walking
(April Records) - Released: 12th April 2024
Lis Wessberg (trombone); Steen Rasmussen (Fender Rhodes, Moog, synths, piano); Lennart Ginman (double bass and electronics); Jeppe Gram (drums)
Leading Danish trombonist Lis Wessberg is grounded by the concept that a strong melody, and a rich sound are the two most important elements in composition and performance. A continuation of the refined contemporary answer to the ‘Cool Jazz’ sound she’s been cultivating for the past 30 years, her sophomore album ‘Twain Walking’ is set to release on April 12th on April Records. With more than 50 album credits to her name ..... 2021 saw the release of her debut album “Yellow Maps” to critical acclaim from all around Europe. Diving deep into the personal exploration of her creative roots, ‘Twain Walking’ hails from the warm vitality of New Orleans jazz, to the reflective hum of the ECM sound, and the boundary pushing songwriting of Radiohead ...... Led by Wessberg’s dynamic trombone playing, her breathlike approach to the instrument mimics a lamenting human voice singing intricately lyrical melodies. Rock inspired drum grooves, thick synth timbres, and cavernous reverbs craft an expansive and dream-like contemporary soundworld in which Wessberg’s thoughtfully crafted compositions can unfold. From spacious, Nordic ballads to dance floor psychedelia, the ensemble tackle all ten varied compositions with confidence, maturity, and a dedicated sense of self-expression....... (album notes)
Reissues
Wes Montgomery - Four Classic Albums
(Avid Jazz) - Released: 2024 [2 CDs]
Wes Montgomery (guitar) with various personnel
'AVID are pleased to present a long overdue second release from legendary jazz guitar great Mr. Wes Montgomery. On this set you will find Wes in the company of his brothers Buddy and Monk for the hard to find "live" classic "The Montgomery Brothers In Canada" plus a wonderful pairing of Wes with Milt Jackson for "Bags Meets Wes!" and then we feature a couple of albums recorded under his own name, the brilliant "So Much Guitar!" and the equally brilliant live set "Full House". The original sales notes for our first Montgomery set (AMSC1027) describe how label owner Orrin Keepnews was urged by Cannonball Adderley and a review by composer, musician and critic Gunther Schuller to check out an "extraordinarily spectacular... unbearably exciting" young guitarist by the name of Wes Montgomery. Listen for yourself and you will discover that their enthusiasm was well founded! We also discovered that Wes's self-taught style had much in common with that of John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins in that instead of the flowing style of a Charlie Christian his was of a more jabbing, fierce intensity, attacking the instrument in the same way the two saxophonists attacked their horns. On our four selections Wes is in great company, aside from his two brothers on the "Canada" set, the great pianist Hank Jones appears on "So Much Guitar" alongside bassist Ron Carter with Lex Humphries on drums and Ray Barretto for an extra percussive punch! There's Milt Jackson, of course on "Bags Meets Wes" with Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones on bass and the great "Philly" Joe Jones behind the skins. Finally, for the live Full House set, we have the driving tenor sax of Johnny Griffin ably supported by three guys from Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue line up, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb. ........' (album notes)
Details :
Fingers - The Complete Fingers Remember Mingus
(Jazz In Britain Records) - Released: 29th May 2024 [3 CDs]
Lol Coxhill (soprano & tenor sax); Bruce Turner (alto sax & clarinet); Michael Garrick (piano); Dave Green (bass); Alan Jackson (drums).
'Co-produced by Jazz In Britain with Dave Green, who formed and led the Fingers quartet and who provided most of the recordings from his own tape archive and wrote new notes to complement the 24 page booklet which compiles contemporary reviews and articles about Fingers, as well as many previously unseen photographs and other Fingers memorabilia. “I have always felt that an important part of the process of making music is the social interaction of the members within the group. I conceived the idea of Fingers with that thought in mind. Both Bruce Turner and Lol Coxhill were totally unique and highly individual players and although they had never met musically or socially I knew that Lol had a deep respect for Bruce and I had an instinctive feeling that getting them together would work - I'm glad to say I was right.”
Dave Green, March 2024' (album notes)
Art Pepper - Art Of Art
(Red Records) - Released: 10th May 2024
Art Pepper (alto sax); George Cables (piano); David Williams (bass); Carl Burnett (drums)
'Art Pepper’s brilliance was not in his control, it was like a chemical combination in the laboratory; his horrible childhood and his incredible musical gift, with his desire to communicate, are things he did with great success… For Art, there was nothing better than being on stage. He lived for it. On tour he was spectacular and he always managed to convey something, no matter what it was. The concert in Genoa shows once more how well Pepper played in the last period of his life, perhaps better than he ever did.' (album notes).
Sarah Vaughan - The Divine One - A Centenary Tribute : Her 50 Finest : 1944-62
(Retrospective Records) - Released: 2024 [2 CDs]
Sarah Vaughan (vocals) with various personnel
"To celebrate the centenary of the divine Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990) here is the best double-CD survey available of her career during her golden heyday, displaying the full range of her phenomenal artistry in both jazz and popular settings. “The Divine One” (as she was known) was quite simply one of the great vocalists of the last century. As a jazz singer of the post-war era, Ella Fitzgerald was her only rival, yet she achieved even greater success when she breathed life into romantic ballads. With her wide vocal range, precise timing, perfect pitch, command of colour, effortless swing and ability to interpret a lyric she was indeed a phenomenon. To celebrate the centenary of the divine Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990) here is the best double-CD survey available of her career during her golden heyday, displaying the full range of her phenomenal artistry in both jazz and popular settings. “The Divine One” (as she was known) was quite simply one of the great vocalists of the last century. As a jazz singer of the post-war era, Ella Fitzgerald was her only rival, yet she achieved even greater success when she breathed life into romantic ballads. With her wide vocal range, precise timing, perfect pitch, command of colour, effortless swing and ability to interpret a lyric she was indeed a phenomenon. Retrospective’s tribute presents 50 of the classic recordings Sarah Vaughan made between 1944 and 1962 Her greatest popular successes are here of course, including notable duets with Billy Eckstine (Passing Strangers), her exquisite Serenata and the million-selling Broken-Hearted Melody. Here was a truly divine voice – let’s celebrate it. " (album notes)