Mark Masters Ensemble ft. Billy Harper - Sam Rivers 100 - Capri Records
A celebration of Sam Rivers music for his 100th birthday. Masters arranged 11 tracks from Rivers classic Blue Note sessions which features Billy Harper. Sam Rivers 100 grew out of a series of performances in late 2023 to celebrate what would have been Rivers’ 100th birthday on September 25. Masters was drawn to Rivers’ earlier, mid-’60s work for Blue Note Records, in particular the saxophonist’s classic 1964 debut, Fuchsia Swing Song. He arranged all six of the album’s tracks for Sam Rivers 100, which comprise more than half of its 11 pieces. ‘I’ve been a fan of Sam Rivers for many years,’ Masters says. The idea for arranging his music was born almost 20 years ago, when Masters brought Rivers, then in his early 80s, and his trio to Claremont McKenna College as part of a series produced by the American Jazz Institute.
Mark Masters Ensemble ft. Billy Harper - Dance, Eternal Spirits, Dance! - Capri Records
On a pair of thrilling new albums for longtime label home Capri Records, acclaimed arranger and bandleader Mark Masters works his re-compositional magic on the work of two masters of the tenor saxophone, both very different but equally brilliant composers. With Sam Rivers 100, Masters honors the 2023 centenary of avant-garde jazz pioneer Sam Rivers, while on Dance, Eternal Spirits, Dance! he explores the wide-ranging compositions of spiritual jazz legend Billy Harper. Both albums, to be released in June 2025, feature ingenious new arrangements for different configurations of the Mark Masters Ensemble, and are graced by the breathtaking solo work of Billy Harper. “Billy Harper is a longtime hero of mine,” says Masters, who first invited the tenor great to guest on his 1990 album Priestess, which also featured trombonist and Charles Mingus sideman Jimmy Knepper. “Billy is a very gifted composer whose music is singular, and I also love his playing.”
Greg Murphy - Snap Happy – Whaling City Sound
Snap Happy, pianist Greg Murphy’s eighth album as leader, abounds with infectious rhythms and jubilant melodies. This recording showcases a unique blend of technical prowess and musicality across a wide variety of jazz styles, from the finger-popping original Snap Happy and Chick Corea’s Humpty Dumpty, to the luscious ballad I Fall in Love Too Easily. Bassist Obasi Akoto and drummer Steve Johns complete what is arguably one of today’s nest jazz piano trios. Mark Whitfield adds his signature warm soulful guitar to the title tune Snap Happy, George Duke’s Geneva (augmented by vocalist Sy Smith) and Lenny White’s The Shadow of Lo. Snap Happy concludes with brilliant fresh takes on a couple of Monk tunes (Pannonica as a bossa nova and Monk’s Mood as a jazz waltz) and the blazing up-tempo version of the jazz standard All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm. With uplifting tunes performed by some of today’s best musicians, Snap Happy exudes happiness, achieving Greg’s objective “… to make people happy.”
Samuel Hallkvist - Song For Mimi: The Hass Company vol 3 - PR&T
Song For Mimi is the third set of passionate and inventive fusion from The Haas Company. Guitar Virtuoso Samuel Hällkvist stars on this release which includes notable contributions from keyboardist Pete Drungle, drummer Steve Haas, violinist Jerry Goodman, and guitarist/bassist Sean Lennon. The Haas Company, which has at its core, a high-powered quartet led by drummer Steve Haas, previously released a pair of prior CDs, Galactic Tide featured guitarist Andy Timmons while Celestial Latitude put the focus on guitarist Frank Gambale. Song For Mimi is a full set of original material, composed, arranged, and produced by keyboardist Pete Drungle with an assist from his collaborator and long time friend Steve Haas. In addition to Haas and Drungle, the brilliant Swedish guitarist Samuel Hällkvist is generally the lead voice, Kirwan Brown and Guy Pratt (of Pink Floyd) alternate on bass, and there are guest appearances by guitarist Sean Lennon (who also provides bass atmospherics), and violinists Jerry Goodman (famed for his work with the Mahavishnu Orchestra), Nicolas Draps, Todd Reynolds, Robert Wechsler, Mark Feldman, and Scott Tixler.
John Stein - Among Friends - Tiger Turn/JS Jazz
In 1997, just two years after the versatile guitarist JOHN STEIN launched his extraordinary three-decade career as a recording artist, he invited cellist CHRIS WHITE and vocalist FAY WHITTAKER to his home for a spirited, live session in his living room. Stein borrowed a DAT recorder, mixer, and some mics from Berklee College of Music where he was a professor in the Harmony Department and recorded four guitar/cello/vocal trio pieces and two guitar/cello duets. He later recorded four guitar/vocal duets with Whittaker in his office at Berk lee after hours using the same equipment. For his 20th album, Stein is finally releasing these sessions with a title that captures the trio’s great camaraderie: AMONG FRIENDS. Stein has become one of jazz’s most versatile and acclaimed guitarists, with three decades of recordings in a wide variety of settings, while his cohorts are longtime pals from his early performance days and prominent performers in the Northeast. AMONG FRIENDS gives Stein’s fans special insight into the artist’s early sensibilities and points the way toward the large body of work he has accomplished in his stellar recording career.
Elijah Rock - Memories Unleashed - Impulse 1 - The Elijah Rock Foundation Inc
Memories Unleashed – Impulse 1 features Elijah Rock performing nine beloved standards from the Great American Songbook, with arrangements provided by Rayford Griffin and Todd Hunter. Their arrangements for the project are fresh, swing, and wrap the music around Elijah Rock’s voice. In his busy and productive career, Elijah Rock has accomplished a great deal as a singer, an actor, and an entertainer, including recording three well-received albums. But Memories Unleashed – Impulse 1 is a particularly special project. “My Dad is living with Alzheimer’s disease so I was on a mission to see how my artistic work could help,” he explains. In addition to being a performer, Elijah Rock is a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health from the Global Brain Health Institute at the University of California, San Francisco. “These are songs that Dad grew up with and they bring back memories. It is about treasured moments and reflects the emotional and neurological impact of music.” All of the proceeds from the sale of Memories Unleashed – Impulse 1, which is dedicated to his father and all of the families affected by Alzheimer’s and related diseases, will go towards brain health advocacy.
Deb Bowman - Reflection - Mama Bama Records
Multi-faceted vocalist Deb Bowman salutes decades of great songwriters. In the course of her brilliant and varied career as an actress and vocalist, DEB BOWMAN has embraced several diverse styles, including jazz, pop, gospel, Broadway and Latin music. She brings elements of all of these styles into her new Mama Bama Records release, REFLECTION. Bowman worked closely with her musical director, pianist Dean Fransen, to create atmospheric settings which enhanced the song lyrics. They felt free to approach the repertoire with arrangements that are quite different than the status quo. After a long sojourn in New York City, Bowman relocated to Atlanta, where she performs in a variety of concert and theater settings and has appeared in movies and on television. Her musical appearances range from performances with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra to intimate cabaret shows. Bowman’s discography includes blues, standards and original songs.
Lucía - Lucía - La Reserve
Three years ago, 23-year-old singer Lucía was a finalist at the prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition – and the first Mexican artist to enter the contest. For the final round, she picked a standard that reflected her musical sensibility, colored in equal parts by the beauty of jazz and the Latin American songbook – a mash-up of “What a Difference a Day Makes” with its initial incarnation as a bolero in Spanish written in Spanish by María Grever. Lucía won the competition. “What a Difference a Day Makes” is now the opening cut of the self-titled Lucía, an exquisite debut album that showcases the luminous qualities of her voice, and her superb technique and versatility. From her velvety reading of McCoy Tyner and Sammy Cahn’s “You Taught My Heart To Sing” and an achingly vulnerable cover of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Lacy” to a mournful “Alfonsina y el Mar” and a version of “Veracruz” that brims with Lucía’s Mexican pride, the Matt Pierson-produced album finds the emerging singer surrounded by a cadre of jazz virtuosos: Venezuelan pianist Edward Simon, American double-bassist Larry Grenadier, Mexican drummer Antonio Sánchez, and Puerto Rican saxophonist David Sánchez.
Albare – Eclecticity - AlFi Records
Melbourne’s Jazz Alchemists: Forging Eclecticism into Gold. From the vibrant heart of Melbourne’s jazz scene emerges a collective of extraordinary talent—a sonic crucible where diverse musical backgrounds and global influences fuse into breathtaking alchemy. The Jazz Alchemists, a band forged from the fires of passion and honed by decades of experience, are set to release their highly anticipated album, Eclecticity, under the visionary brand of guitarist/composer Albare. This is not just another jazz ensemble; it’s a constellation of virtuosos, each a luminary in their own right, united by a shared vision to push the boundaries of contemporary jazz. Phil Turcio, serves as both Executive Producer and pianist. Mat Jodrell on trumpet, leads the horn section alongside Phil Noy on saxophone, Felix Bloxom on Drums, and Phil Rex on bass. Adding an international layer is Salva Persico on Percussion.
Dave Bass - Trio Nuevo vol 2 - Dave Bass Music
Dave Bass’ newest album, Trio Nuevo, Vol 2, reveals an artist at the top of his form. His first three releases featured vocalists, but in 2021, he turned his attention to the trio format. Bass says, “I think playing in a trio is one of the most challenging situations for a musician. There’s no place to hide. You have to play at the highest level. But it’s also very satisfying, because you can really develop a kind of telepathy with other musicians, especially if you’ve been performing together for a while. Tyler, Steve, and I have shared many gigs over the last year, and our playing has gotten even tighter. There’s almost a telepathic connection between us now.” Dave Bass is one of the most interesting piano players on the scene today. He is a true jazzer with the ability to seamlessly meld bebop, classical, Latin, and pop, creating richly textured, high-energy music that takes you on surprising journeys. With stellar accompaniment from Taylor Miles and Steve Helfand, Trio Neuvo Vol 2 is another superb release from a piano master who keeps on making progress.