Monika Herzig's Sheroes - All In Good Time - ACME Records
On All In Good Time, Herzig is once again joined by Sheroes charter members Jamie Baum on flute, Reut Regev on trombone and Leni Stern on guitar. Drummer Rosa Avila returns from her appearances on 2018’s Sheroes and 2020’s Eternal Dance, while newcomers Camille Thurman on tenor sax and vocals (a former member of the DIVA Jazz Orchestra and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra) and bassist-composer Gina Schwarz fill out this current potent lineup. Together their chemistry is undeniable, as they skillfully navigate the challenging originals by Herzig and Schwarz — and one surprising cover — while delivering impassioned improvisations along the way. The various Sheroes ensembles over time represent an extended family of bandleaders in their own right. All In Good Time is their latest step in their ongoing mission to elevate some of these iconic composers and players.
Antonio Faraò - Tributes - Criss Cross
Antonio Faraò’s newest project, titled Tributes, is Faraò’s Criss Cross label debut, which was recorded in Meudon Studios in Paris in July 2023. The Milan-based pianist, then 58, convened an equivalently virtuosic trio comprising bassist John Patitucci and drummer Jeff Ballard, presented them with eight originals and two standards, and let them loose. Each member operates at a creative peak on this kinetic, beautifully proportioned 65-minute recital. It’s Faraò’s sixth trio album and he eschews ironic deflection and gratuitous structural complication, sustaining an attitude of in-the-moment creation and a fierce will to swing.
Alexis Cole – Jazz Republic: Taiwan, US, and the Freedom of Swing – Tiger Turn
This wonderful new big band album is the result of decades of cultural diplomacy. Renowned educator Dr. Gene Aitken founded the Taipei Jazz Orchestra in the 1990’s. Currently directed by world class saxophonist Cheng-yu Jimmy Lee, they brought New York veteran vocalist Alexis Cole to Taiwan in 2023 for a festival performance and recording. This big band is full of youthful energy and approaches erasing the gender gap with 1/3 women in the band including in lead chairs. Jazz is alive and well in Taiwan thanks to the diligence and persistence of these great champions of the music.
Hollaway - Jazzish – Nemblu
The Jazzish album from Eric Hollaway was recorded in New York with a trio led by world renowned Jazz pianist Benito Gonzalez and his side musicians who provided stellar instrumental support to Hollaway’s soulful, buttery, bass voice. This release takes the listener on a journey with imaginative acoustic jazz arrangements of classic songs. Hollaway is truly an artist with a distinctive signature sound of his own. Great listening from start to finish. Hollaway, known online as “thatbassvoice,” is a renowned bass vocalist celebrated for his rich, resonant bass tone. “Hollaway” has leveraged social media to share his talent with a global audience. His online presence is significant having fans all over the world tuning in to listen to his covers. He has carved a unique niche with his vocal artistry. In addition to being a singer he is an established voice over artist and podcaster. He has performed collaborations with various artists and musicians showcasing his versatility with various musical styles. His collaborations have gone viral spanning multiple genres and have been featured in numerous media outlets, including TV, film, video and gaming franchises.
Bill Banfield's Jazz Urbane - Take Time To Listen - Mesa/Bluemoon
As a program of music, Take Time to Listen makes an excellent case for hybridity. There are standards old and, in the making, songs associated with jazz and pop, plus six original compositions. While some, like “Autumn Leaves,” sustain an infectious tempo, others like “Summertime” argue that feelings establish their own metabolism. Earl Klugh’s “Mirabella” has a beautifully controlled ebb and flow, while “Some Day My Prince Will Come” and the Isley’s “For the Love of You” contain more unpredictably kinetic improvisations. As expected, Banfield the composer also displays his chops, albeit in a more intimate setting than is his norm. “AM for Birdie” may be the most likely earworm of the lot, a leaping tune with sustained energy; “Brooke” and “Her Serenade” strike this listener as the most heartfelt. Tradition shines through in “Pass Me the Blues,” a display of pre-urban roots and pure expression. All six originals capture a composer and a soloist rich in ideas. Beyond the merits of individual tracks, Take Time to Listen is a model of consistency. Each performance is the product of an artist overflowing with ideas, all contained within a concept all his own. This will not surprise those familiar with Bill Banfield the composer, the conductor, the bandleader, the educator. Add to that list Bill Banfield the guitarist. (Bob Blumenthal)
Addison Frei – Coin Flip – Next Paradigm
Next Paradigm is pleased to present Addison Frei’s latest release Coin Flip accompanied by Tamir Shmerling on bass and Diego Joaquin Ramirez on drums. A proud Yamaha Artist, Frei’s previous records include Time and Again (2022), Oread (2021), No Defense (2018), Transit (2016), and Intentions (2014). He also co-leads AMP Trio, contributing compositions to each of their five studio albums. Our paths can alter at a moment’s notice, thrust between chance outcomes of “heads” or “tails”. When facing a coin, the beholder’s eye sees one face, left to trust in the presence of the shadowy, invisible side. Only through accepting this limitation of perspective can two sides be conjured whole. Coin Flip is a must play. We hope that you sincerely add this masterpiece to your summer collection of music. On behalf of Next Paradigm Records, we would like to thank you for your time and consideration.
Michael Pagan – Paganova – Capri Records
Paganova the new album from the prolific pianist/composer Michael Pagán, who has become a fixture of the Kansas City jazz scene over the past two decades, documents five of his compositions and three arrangements of tunes by some of the most celebrated masters of the post-bop era. While the instrumental format of two saxes and rhythm section, a pillar of the jazz lexicon, may call to mind such seminal works as the Lennie Tristano Quintet featuring Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh, the Cannonball Adderly Quintet in Chicago, and the Tribute to John Coltrane: Live Under the Sky featuring Wayne Shorter and Dave Liebman, Paganova’s front line breaks ground in that its reed men, David Chael and Michael Herrera, switch instruments between tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones throughout the entire set, resulting in a breath-taking showcase in the art of sax doubling.
Lakecia Benjamin – Phoenix Reimagined – Ropeadope
First announced on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, 3x GRAMMY nominated alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin releases her first LIVE studio album, Phoenix Reimagined (Live) via Ropeadope. This transcendent performance boasts three new songs, including the title track featuring John Scofield, Randy Brecker and Jeff “Tain” Watts. The success of her most recent releases, 2023’s Phoenix and 2020’s Pursuance: The Coltranes, positioned Benjamin among jazz’s most celebrated recording artists: In addition to absolute raves in outlets like The New York Times, The Guardian and DownBeat, she received three Grammy nominations for Phoenix, as well as an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Jazz Album. And yet — the ever-rising star from Washington Heights remains, at her core, an improviser best experienced in her soul-stirring concerts. Each and every time she hits the bandstand, she takes her repertoire, and her wide-ranging audience, to sublime new planes. And her message — of spiritual uplift, of social and political liberation — soars higher still.
Malcolm Strachan - About Time - ITI Music
Scottish jazz trumpeter Malcolm Strachan releases his first stateside album, About Time through ITI Records. Nodding slightly to the late 1960s classic Blue Note Records jazz, where soul and funk beats are at the heart of the arrangements. The album is a collection of original compositions, all written and arranged by Malcolm, which are firmly rooted in the classic acoustic modern jazz style typified by the great 60’s and 70’s recordings on the legendary Blue Note Records label. A nice variation of themes and tempos featured throughout the album. From full-on Latin vibes to beautiful ballads, soul-jazz grooves to cinematic soundtrack flavors, all woven together by a great group of experienced musicians. Malcolm’s core quartet is himself on trumpet/flugelhorn, fellow Haggis Horns members George Cooper (piano) and Erroll Rollins (drums), plus Courtny Tomas on double bass. Featured guests are Atholl Ransome on tenor sax (The Haggis Horns), Rob Mitchell on baritone sax (Abstract Orchestra) and Danny Barley on Trombone. Strings are courtesy of Richard Curran and the percussionist is one of the finest session players in Europe, Karl Vanden Bossche (Incognito, Robert Palmer, Joss Stone, The Gorillaz, Sade).
Galactic Tide ft. Andy Timmons - The Haas Company Vol 1 - PR&T
Galactic Tide’s The Haas Company Vol. 1 is one of the most powerful rock/fusion albums of recent times. The set of Pete Drungle compositions showcases the inventive guitarist Andy Timmons, with a special appearance by the late trumpeter Wallace Roney. Steve Haas and Pete Drungle formed a close artistic relationship during the many hours they spent working together in Mr. Haas’ studio writing these tunes and hashing out the marvelous, lush and intricate arrangements you hear on these recordings. Working together at the best recording studios with the finest recording and mastering engineers in the industry ensured that their vision for this project materialized.