Recent Releases

September 2024
Some 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:

I receive so many requests to review recordings it is impossible to include them all.
Unlike some publications/blogs, Sandy Brown Jazz is not a funded website and it is not possible to pay reviewers.
Reviews tend to be personal opinions, something a reviewer likes might not suit you, or vice versa.
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 September 2024

UK

Richard Fairhurst - Inside Out
(Ubuntu Music) - Released: 14th June 2024

Richard Fairhurst (piano); Dave Whitford (double bass); Tim Giles (drums)

'The wide tapestry of sounds on 'Inside Out' reflects many of Richard's musical influences as a pianist. He has always strived to find his own voice when it comes to composition and improvisation, and this comes into focus with the music recorded here. The album features Richard's original compositions and two arrangements of tunes penned by the legendary Carla Bley. The album blends intricate melodies, evocative harmonies and energetic grooves alongside pieces where space becomes the sonic focus. When the band plays as a trio there is always a sense of exploration and freedom within the music and this feeling is what makes this band, and this record, a special one.' (album notes)

Details : Listen to Ash Catcher : Listen to Flyby :

Julian Costello & Vertigo - Julian Costello & Vertigo
(Elsden Music) - Released: 28th June 2024

Julian Costello: (tenor and soprano saxophones); Natalie Rozario (cello); Stefanos Tsourelis (guitar and oud); Sophie Alloway: (drums); Guests: Iqbal Pathan (tabla); David Beebee (double bass)

'Saxophonist and composer Julian Costello presents his magnificent album 'Julian Costello & Vertigo', where he debuts a new band with a set of compositions that combine contemporary jazz and world music in an intoxicating blend. With 'Vertigo', Costello brings together leading musicians from the UK and beyond, and in doing so creates an ensemble with a unique sound. The lineup features drummer Sophie Alloway and Natalie Rozario on cello alongside the guitar and oud of Stefano Tsourelis, with special guests Iqbal Pathan on tabla and David Beebee on double bass. Alongside Julian's own tenor and soprano this gives the saxophonist a marvellous tonal palette to work from. From Sophie Alloway's drum intro to 'Sorry But No' interest is aroused and when joined by double bass and the gentle swell of Tsourelis's electric guitar it is obvious something special is going on. Enter the cello of Natalie Rozario and the hairs stand up on the back of the neck. With quiet drama Costello enters on tenor with a sound that seems to just float over the ensemble with a lyricism and tone that is breathtaking. Thankfully, after such a strong opening number, Costello backs this up with ten original compositions that keep the music moving in highly melodic way that bring out the unique sound of each of the musicians individually and as a collective. Julian Costello & Vertigo is not just the birth of an exciting new group but also reveals a new facet of Costello as a composer in some of his most imaginative writing for small ensemble to date.' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Sorry But No : Listen to Inspector Morse :

Kevin Figes - You Are Here
(Jazz Now Records) - Released: 20th May 2024

Kevin Figes (alto & soprano saxophone, arrangements); Pete Judge (trumpet); Raphael Clarkson (trombone); Jim Blomfield (piano); Riaan Vosloo (double bass); Tony Orrell (drums, percussion)

'Kevin Figes’ new sextet You Are Here release their debut CD which features Kevin’s new arrangements of five pieces by Keith Tippett, plus compositions by Elton Dean, Harry Miller, Dudu Pukwana and others. You Are Here is a loving tribute to friends, mentors and collaborators no longer with us. Featuring new arrangements of compositions by Keith Tippett, Elton Dean, Harry Miller and others, the album's 14 tracks are a worthy monument to some of the greatest composers in British modern jazz.' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Dedicated To Mingus : Listen to Cat Food :

Modern Vikings - Tales Of The Skald
(self release) - Released: 2nd August 2024

Stephen Henderson (drums, composition); Fergus McCreadie (piano); David Bowden (bass); Graeme Stephen (guitar and pedals); Konrad Wisniewski (saxophone)

'Tales of the Skald’ is the debut album from ‘Modern Vikings.’ The 9-track album composed by band leader Stephen Henderson, takes the listener through an array of grooves, colours and styles all connected to the jazz tradition and beyond, capturing Henderson’s broad musical upbringing. The all-star band are individually featured in the writing, allowing their unique personalities to take turns at coming to the forefront, then subtly blending together to create a bold and exciting new sound.' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Cracks In The Clay : Listen to Tales Of The Skald :

Slowly Rolling Camera - Silver Shadow
(Edition Records) - Released: 26th July 2024

Dave Stapleton (keys); Deri Roberts (sound design & production); Elliot Bennett (drums); Jasper Høiby (bass);, Josh Arcoleo (saxophone); Stuart McCallum (guitar); Verneri Pohjola (trumpet).

'SRC’s latest album, 'Silver Shadow,' delves even deeper into that cinematic realm. Inspired by the visual and musical interplay in film montages, 'Silver Shadow' centers around a fictional protagonist, encapsulated both in the album’s narrative arc and its striking artwork. The tracks, concise and emotionally consistent, mark a departure from earlier long-form composition, aiming instead for more immediate impact ... Marking their sixth studio release, 'Silver Shadow' not only confirms Slowly Rolling Camera's innovative spirit but also celebrates its impressive streaming success, with over 20 million streams to date. This album is a reaffirmation of the group’s enduring sound and evolving legacy in the contemporary music landscape.' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Silver Shadow : Listen to Evergreen

America

Simon Nabatov Quartet featuring Ralph Alessi - Lovely Music
(Clean Feed Records) - Released: 25th April 2024

Simon Nabatov (piano); Ralph Alessi (trumpet); Sebastian Gille (tenor saxophone); David Helm (bass); Leif Berger (drums).

'.... On his latest long-player, Lovely Music, Russian-American pianist Simon Nabatov revisits old acquaintances, scouring his back catalogue for captivating case studies of l’amour, seeking in passages of poetry and prose, tales anecdotal and personal, the inspiration for his audacious mood music suffused with sentiments suggesting affection, tenderness, adoration, and even obsession. Revisiting past liaisons for their lyrical core, chaperoned by his freshly-formed Cologne contingent featuring Sebastian Gille (saxophones), David Helm (bass) and Leif Berger (drums), plus special guest Ralph Alessi (trumpet), Nabatov shuns the hollow mawkishness of the Hallmark carnivals, eschewing saccharine and schmaltz for post-bop workouts and abstruse chamber pieces appropriately fecund with fervour, revelation and bite. And yet, for all its edge, Lovely Music might also be Nabatov’s most overtly melodic offering yet. Whether riding the tempestuous rollercoaster of romance on the skittering ‘Amour Fou’, free-floating a wistful love-at-first-sight meditation inspired by Mikhail Bulgakov’s allegorical masterpiece, The Master and Margarita, or rousing a frolicsome vamp throughout ‘Koscha’s Delight’, a tune dedicated to Nabatov’s pet cat, this full-hearted quintet manifest the complexity of emotions associated with Turgenev’s disease which knows no law. A landmark recording, and a love compendium quite unlike any other. ' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Autumn Music : Listen to Koscha's Delight :

Dan Loomis - Revolutions
(Adhyâropa Records) - Released: 3rd May 2024

Dan Loomis (bass, words); Sebastian Noelle (guitar); Owen Broder (clarinet); Rodrigo Recabarren (drums); Ches Smith: tanbou #1,3,5,7,9,11, 13,15,17,19); Jeff Miles (guitar #1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17,19); Taïna Cerat Ligonde (spoken word.)

'Revolutions is a story-driven suite of rhythmically-infectious, thought-provoking songs and spoken word pieces that functions as a call to the barricades. In the Americas, our exemplars for a just and equitable revolution are 1) the Haitian Revolution — the only revolution in the history of the world in which enslaved people liberated themselves and formed a nation— and 2) the South American liberation from Spain — the only ‘new world’ revolution which envisioned a society inclusive of all its inhabitants — Indigenous, African and European. This music celebrates the heroes and ideals of these remarkable movements. The music of REVOLUTIONS draws on music from the pan-American experience. Rooted in jazz, it mixes grooves from various Brazilian, Afro-Caribbean and Argentine traditions with post-punky electric and chamber music textures. Cinematic melodies guide the listener through the pieces, alternating with fiery episodes of improvisations over beguiling rhythms. The fullness of this album from composer Dan Loomis takes us on an unforgettable musical journey through the messy, tragic and heroic revolutionary struggle for freedom, equality and self-determination in the Americas.' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Skies : Listen to The Road:

Frank London and the Elders - Spirit Stronger Than Blood
(ESP-Disk) - Released: 7th June 2024

Frank London (trumpet); Marilyn Lerner (piano); Hilliard Greene (bass); Newman Taylor Baker (drums); Greg Wall (tenor saxophone #1,2,3,4).

Frank London Spirit Stronger Than Blood.jpg

'Spirit Stronger Than Blood pays homage to some of the recordings that shaped my musical-spiritual aesthetic: Charles Mingus’s Changes 1&2, Booker Little’s Strength and Sanity, Pharaoh Sanders’s Peace and Love, Clifford Thornton’s Gardens of Harlem, Alice Coltrane’s Ptah, The El Daoud. Each of these artists, as different as they are from each other, shared a commonality of intention that set me on my life and career path. Their music is spiritual, political, romantic, at turns angry and peaceful, and inspires us to transcend and challenge the inequities of quotidian existence in order to make the world a better place, to heal the broken world (tikkun olam)........ I was recently diagnosed with myelofibrosis, an extremely rare and fatal blood cancer, and dedicate this recording to my dear friends and colleagues who have passed away from blood diseases & other cancers ....Spirit Stronger Than Blood is my celebration of life, making music with my friends and chosen family. - Frank London ' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Let There Be Peace : Listen to Resilience :

Emmet Cohen - Vibe Provider
(Mack Avenue Records) - Released: 23rd August 2024

Emmet Cohen (piano); Philip Norris (bass); Kyle Poole (drums tracks 1-4, 8); Joe Farnsworth (drums tracks 5, 6, 7, 9); Tivon Pennicott (tenoror sax tracks 3, 4, 9); Bruce Harris (trumpet tracks 3, 4, 9); Frank Lacy (trombone tracks 3, 9); Cecily Petrarca (koshkah track 3).

'Critically acclaimed pianist, composer and bandleader Emmet Cohen has traveled the world performing sold out performances, created and hosted the "most highly watched regular online jazz show in the world (The Guardian)" with Live From Emmet's Place, and has earned a reputation for cultivating an atmosphere with his musicality for generations of musicians to find new inspiration. However, it's his friendship with jazz legend Michael Funmi Ononaiye, the iconic Vibe Provider, that has profoundly shaped his musical journey since 2012. On Vibe Provider, Cohen presents a masterful blend of original compositions and beloved classics, dedicated to his friend and mentor, Funmi, alongside an all-star band including: Bruce Harris (trumpet), Tivon Pennicott (tenor saxophone), Frank Lacy (trombone), Cecily Petrarca (koshkah), Philip Norris (bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums) and Kyle Poole (drums, producer).' (album notes)

Details and Sample : Listen to Emmet's Blues :

Wayne Escoffery - Alone
(Smoke Session Records) - Released: 30th August 2024

Wayne Escoffery (saxophone); Gerald Clayton (piano); Ron Carter (bass); Carl Allen (drums)

'In the summer of 2023, saxophonist and composer Wayne Escoffery found himself alone in a way that he’d never quite experienced before. He was away from home, on sabbatical in Europe with a month to himself between tours. A long-term relationship had just ended, and he was confronted with the loss of friendships that he’d once valued. Worst of all, he’d suffered a broken finger that left him unable to play the saxophone for the first time since he’d picked up the horn in high school. Normally, my coping mechanism would be the saxophone,” Escoffery laments. “But even that wasn't available to me for about nine weeks, so I just had to be alone in my thoughts.”
He made good use of this alone time, conceptualizing the music that makes up his striking and singular new album, Alone. What emerged from that solitude was an extended mood piece, an album unique in Escoffery’s typically wide-ranging catalogue for its sustained atmosphere of stark melancholy and searching introspection. The music is breathtakingly interpreted by an all-star quartet featuring iconic bassist Ron Carter, drummer Carl Allen, and pianist Gerald Clayton...... (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Alone : Listen to The Ice Queen :

Europe and Elsewhere

Dawda Jobarteh & Stefan Pasborg - Live In Turku

(April Records) - Released: 17th May 2024

Dawda Jobarteh (kora); Stefan Pasborg (drums)

'...... Gambian kora virtuoso Dawda Jobarteh and Danish master drummer Stefan Pasborg join forces to release their exhilarating live album, 'Live In Turku'. A captivating fusion of traditional West African sounds and contemporary improvisation, the record is set to release on April Records on May 17th. Jobarteh was born and raised in Brikama, Gambia into a musical legacy - his uncle and grandfather before him are recognized as great masters of the kora. Initially learning calabash and all other kinds of percussion at the feet of his uncle, it wasn’t until Dawda’s travels to Denmark that he picked up the 21-stringed kora. He’s since gone on to tour worldwide with the famous Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra and release five albums under his own name to rave reviews from leading magazines such as Songlines. Stefan Pasborg, godson and protege of famous Danish drummer Alex Riel, is a world class drummer with a deep understanding of African music few western musicians possess, evidenced by his many collaborations with the likes of Morocco’s Majid Bekkas and their joint project Magic Spirit Quartet, as well as Danish trio Ibrahim Electric. ..... '(album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Folkman : Listen to Communication Of A Kind :

Martin Küchen's Angles & Elle-Kari Sander With Strings - Death Of Kalypso
(Thannatosis Records) - Released: 26th April 2024

Martin Küchen (composition, libretto, wind arrangements, additional percussions on Une certaine paits); Elle-Kari Sander: (vocal arrangements; Alex Zethson (all string arrangements, plus wind arrangements on Kalypso in Karlsbad, and A campaign of tragedy); Elle-Kari Sander (vocals, backing vocals, additional trumpet, synth and glockenspiel); Raed Yassin (vocals); Magnus Broo, (trumpet); Mats Äleklint (trombone); Johan Berthling (double bass); Konrad Agnas (drums); Mattias Ståhl (vibraphone/glockenspiel); Alex Zethson (piano/synth/Hammond organ); Fredrik Ljungkvist (baritone saxophone/clarinet); Martin Küchen (tenor/soprano saxophones); Anna Lindal (violin/octave violin); Eva Lindal (violin/viola); My Hellgren (cello); Brusk Zanganeh (violin).

'After eleven albums with a varying ensemble size, Martin Küchen’s Angles returns with The Death of Kalypso, its most ambitious statement to date: a jazz opera for our times. Joining forces with vocalist Elle-Kari and Angles pianist Alexander Zethson, who wrote the string arrangements and band notations, Küchen adds another volume to the band’s sizeable, yet coherent catalog, which merges infectious free jazz grooves with tumultuous emotional cadences that reflect both human and political concerns. Musically, the project is rooted in Küchen’s urge to work with Sander and a string quartet. As is often the case recently, the pandemic – which Küchen refers to as “...that period when making music suddenly became this absurd, almost suspicious idea and polarization seemed to reach an all time-high” – provided the creative trigger. Starting with “Une certaine paix” (a special kind of peace) as a working title, Küchen provided Zethson with home-recorded demos, containing layers of saxophones, rhythmical ideas and, in some cases, the most basic ideas for the strings, recorded on a Casio-synth. Later, the band leader also sent both Zethson and Sander versions with vocals, to share his ideas about the relation between melodies and lyrics ...... '(album notes)

Details and Samples :

Reissues

Johnny Griffin Quartet - Live In Valencia '92

(Storyville Records) - Released: 7th June 2024

Johnny Griffin (tenor saxophone); Hervé Sellin (piano); Reggie Johnson (double bass); Doug Sides (drums)

'The legendary tenor saxophonist, Johnny Griffin’s electrifying performance in Valencia, Spain in 1992 is immortalized on this release, Live in Valencia 92. Accompanied by an all-star trio with French pianist Hervé Sellin, bassist Reggie Johnson and Doug Sides on drums, this recording, consisting of 6 tracks, is a chance to hear Johnny Griffin at his best, enjoying being out there live with an enthusiastic Spanish audience. The recording made in a defunct savings bank auditorium adorned with warm fabrics and wood accents, sounds great with its cozy ambiance and impeccable acoustics. From the moment Griffin stepped onto the stage, his charisma was palpable, captivating audiences with his inimitable style, sense of humor and swing. Griff at his best! ...... ' (album notes)

Details and Samples : Listen to Just Friends : Listen to Sophisticated Lady

Adrian Rollini - Swing Low : His 26 Finest 1927-1938

(Retrospective Records) - Released: 2024

Adrian Rollini (bass sax, goofus, hot fountain pen, vibraphone, celeste) with various personnel

'Here is a great portrait of the master of the bass saxophone, Adrian Rollini (1904-1956), giving a hugely enjoyable cross-section of his many classic jazz recordings from the 20s and 30s. Rollini was a prodigious talent (he gave a Chopin concert at the age of four!); he became a composer, arranger, bandleader and a multi-instrumentalist playing vibraphone, goofus, hot fountain pen, cello and piano – but he is famous as the man who put the huge bass saxophone on the map as a jazz instrument. “Swing Low” is a showcase for Rollini’s unique talents. The first 16 tracks show him as a soloist with various top bands of the 20s and 30s that comprised the cream of white jazz greats: The California Ramblers (with whom he established his reputation), Red Nichols’ Five Pennies, Miff Mole’s Molers, Joe Venuti’s Blue Four, Bix Beiderbecke’s Gang and The Dorsey Brothers’ Orchestra. In the course of these, Rollini is heard on most of the instruments mentioned, including goofus and hot fountain pen, but especially on his uniquely uncumbersome-sounding brass monster sax. He was also a member of Spanish-Filipino pianist Fred Elizalde’s band (Dixie, Arkansas Blues). From late 1933 Rollini led his own groups, and the final 10 tracks are from this source, latterly with his vibes becoming more prominent (played with four mallets). The band boasted such stars as Benny Goodman, Bunny Berigan, Wingy Manone, Jack Teagarden (the wonderful Davenport Blues), and cornettist Bobby Hackett, sounding sublime on the final two quintet tracks.' (album notes)

Details :

Wayne Shorter - Celebration Vol 1

(Blue Note Records) - Released: August 2024

Wayne Shorter (tenor sax, soprano sax); Danilo Perez (piano); John Patitucci (bass); Brian Blade (drums)

'Celebration, Volume 1 is the first in a series of archival releases that the legendary saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter curated before he passed away in 2023. This thrilling 2014 live recording captured Shorter’s acclaimed quartet with pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Brian Blade at the Stockholm Jazz Festival in Sweden. The intrepid set includes some of the band’s favorite vehicles of exploration including “Zero Gravity,” “Smilin’ Through,” “Orbits,” “Lotus,” and “She Moves Through The Fair.” “In the fall of 2022, Rob Griffin started sending a lot of unreleased music for Wayne to sort thru,” writes Carolina Shorter in the album’s liner notes. “He started listening around the clock. I’d be doing something around the house, talking on the phone, doing work and he’d yell ‘Carolina! You’ve got to come and hear this shit! Check out what these guys are doing!’ Wayne made detailed notes - some of them are reprinted on this album jacket.” ...... (album notes).

Details

Sonny Rollins - Freedom Weaver : The 1959 European Tour Recordings

(Resonance Records) - Released: 2024 [3 CDs]

Sonny Rollins (tenor sax); Henry Gimes (bass); Pete Laroca, Joe Harris, Kenny Clarke (drums)

'Freedom Weaver: The 1959 European Tour Recordings is the first official release of the 'Saxophone Colossus' Sonny Rollins' European tour in 1959 with bassist Henry Grimes, and drummers Pete La Roca, Kenny Clarke and Joe Harris. Freedom Weaver includes an elaborate booklet with rare photos by Ed van der Elsken, Jean-Pierre Leloir, Bob Parent and many others; lead liners by jazz scholar Bob Blumenthal, and new interviews with Rollins himself, Branford Marsalis, James Carter, Joe Lovano, James Brandon Lewis and Peter Brötzmann. Mastered by the legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman.' (album notes)