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Amendola vs. Blades – Greatest Hits – Sazi

by Audiophile Audition | Jan 17, 2017 | Jazz CD Reviews

Camaraderie and friendship on full display. Amendola vs. Blades – Greatest Hits [TrackList follows] – Sazi sr004, 47:39 [10/7/16] *****: (Scott Amendola – drums, cymbals, co-producer; Wil Blades – Hammond B-3, Hohner Clavinet, co-producer) What is the sound of deep-rooted friendship? Cajoling and jokes. Finishing each other’s sentences. And in case of drummer Scott Amendola and keyboardist Wil Blades [yes, he spells his first name with only one ‘l’], it’s the sound of music. The two San Francisco Bay Area musicians began performing together on stage as Amendola vs. Blades a decade ago. The 47-minute Greatest Hits is the duo’s debut recording. Of course the title is tongue-in-cheek, since the seven tunes will be new to most. Some of the compositions were recorded by Amendola and Blades for other projects, so fans might recognize some of the music. When the twosome decided it was finally time (and they had the time) to put their artistry onto tape, it was important to maintain an impromptu vibe. Amendola explains, “It’s all about keeping it fresh and keeping the audience engaged.” Which is why they turned Greatest Hits into a live recording, taped during two evening concerts inside an intimate downtown Oakland music […]

Jeff Libman, guitar – Strange Beauty – CellarLive

by Audiophile Audition | Dec 7, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

Jeff Libman, guitar – Strange Beauty [TrackList follows] – CellarLive CL040916, 51:01 ***: A straightforward release with a strong unimpeded style. (Jeff Libman – guitar; Michael Kocour – piano; Ben Hedquist – acoustic bass; Dom Moio – drums) There is a maxim in George Bernard Shaw’s play Man And Superman which goes as follows:” He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches”. Fortunately, this does not apply to Jeff Libman, who is Clinical Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at Arizona State University. In this release for the CellarLive label entitled Strange Beauty, Libman shows unequivocally that he can do, and does so with a vision and creativity. While this session should not be construed as breaking any new ground, it is nevertheless straightforward, and showcases a strong unimpeded style from all the participants. Leading off with John Lennon’s “And I Love Her,” the melody is set out in 3/4 time with Libman running through the theme and not straying far from centre. Pianist Kocour makes the most of his solo time. ”A Portrait Of Jenny” has a samba style that works well, and sets a frame for Libman’s Latin-flavoured guitar runs. Kocour’s piano solo is effervescent and avoids clichés. Three […]

Nate Lepine Quartet: Vortices – ears&eyes

by Audiophile Audition | Nov 28, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

Saxophonist Nate Lepine: helping put the new Chicago sound on the musical map. Nate Lepine Quartet: Vortices – ears&eyes ee:16-054, 44:48 [9/30/16] ****: (Clark Sommers – bass; Nick Mazzarella – alto saxophone; Nate Lepine – tenor saxophone; Quin Kirchner – drums) Jazz fans may not realize it, but Chicago is a city with a vibrant jazz scene with talented musicians who regularly move outside of the jazz norm. For instance, tenor saxophonist Nate Lepine often goes toward the edges where free improvisation meets composed jazz. He cultivates material which has one step in the past and one foot in the ever-changing present. A sense of shifting between straightforward and forward-thinking permeates Lepine’s 44-minute debut, titled Quartet: Vortices. Alongside Lepine are other Chicago jazz artists who appreciate Lepine’s musical vision: bassist Clark Sommers (who has performed with Brian Blade, Bennie Maupin, Jeff Parker, and others); alto saxophonist Nick Mazzarella (who has participated in other Chicago-based improv/jazz groups); and drummer Quin Kirchner (who has connections to Chicago bands such as Bill MacKay’s Darts & Arrows, the Rob Clearfield Trio and Old Door Phantoms). This foursome brings sympathetic perception to Lepine’s 11 originals, which range from whirlwind tunes to wafting cuts which have […]

Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra – Make America Great Again – Troubadour Jazz

by Audiophile Audition | Nov 20, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

New Orleans jazz – helping to “make America great again?”… Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra – Make America Great Again – Troubadour Jazz TJR103016, 62:48 (9/16/16) ****: (Delfeayo Marsalis – trombone; Khari Allen Lee – alto & soprano sax; Jeronne Ansari – alto sax; Roderick Paulin – tenor & alto sax; Gregory Agid – clarinet & tenor sax; Scott Johnson – tenor & baritone sax; Roger Lewis – baritone sax; Terrance Taplin, Charles Williams, Jeffery Miller, T. J. Norris, Maurice Trosclair – trombones; Andrew Baham, Scott Frock, Dr. Brice Miller, John Gray, Jamelle Williams – trumpets; Kyle Roussell – piano; Meghan Swartz – piano; David Pulphus – bass. With special guests – Dee-1 – rap; Cynthia Liggins Thomas – vocal; Wendell Pierce – narration; Branford Marsalis – tenor sax; Victor Goines – tenor sax; Oliver Bonie – baritone sax; John Culbreth – trumpet; Jeff Albert – bass trombone; Uptown Music Theatre Choir – Cynthia Liggins Thomas, Tara Alexander, Ebon George, Jazmine Piper-Marsalis, Kiya Henderson, Justice Smith, Celeste Metoyer, Hillary Vaucresson) Jazz artists are not typically political junkies, with some notable exceptions, i.e Bob Brookmeyer, and Charlie Haden. However, many jazz musicians have keen hip observational skills in finding […]

“F. Gerard Errante, New Music for Clarinet – Another Look” – Works by USSACHEVSKY, HAILSTORK , ERRANTE & Others – Ravello

by Audiophile Audition | Aug 14, 2016 | Classical Reissue Reviews

A valuable collection of some of the most avant-garde clarinet work. “F. Gerard Errante, New Music for Clarinet – Another Look” = WILLIAM O. SMITH: Solo for Clarinet with Delay System; Asana; VLADIMIR USSACHEVSKY: Four Studies for Clarinet and EVI; ADOLPHUS HAILSTORK: A Simple Caprice; DANA WILSON: Piece for Clarinet “alone”; F. GERARD ERRANTE: Souvenirs de Nice; SYDNEY HODKINSON: The Dissolution of the Serial – F. Gerard Errante, clar./Lee Jordan-Anders, p./William Albright, p./ Nyle Steiner, EVI – Ravello RR7941, 60:25 (8/12/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: The booklet notes to this very unusual collection begin by reminding us (reminding me!) of the 1976 book, “New Sounds for Woodwinds” by Bruno Bartolozzi; which I own (somewhere) and haven’t even thought about for over forty years. Similarly, these works are all, in their own way, landmark compositions in the style that was the “latest thing” in the 1960s and ‘70s. The style of clarinet playing in which F. Gerard Errante was/is an absolute master depends heavily on the player’s ability to perform a vast array of extended techniques such as multiphonics, pitch bending, quarter tones, and a command of the extreme altissimo register. Errante was one of the first and one of the […]

Bryan Nichols (solo piano) – Looking North – Shifting Paradigm

by Audiophile Audition | Aug 8, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

Pianist Bryan Nichols takes listeners northward. Bryan Nichols (solo piano) – Looking North [TrackList follows] – Shifting Paradigm SP-119 46:20 [5/27/16] ****: The American upper-Midwest is a location of placid beauty: wintery landscapes, warm summer nights, windswept countryside, and lonely rural roads; forests, lakes, towns, and families. Minnesota is the place which permeates Bryan Nichols’ first solo piano album, the aptly titled Looking North. Nichols grew up in what is known as the Star of the North, spent time in Iowa and Chicago, and then returned home. The ten tracks on Looking North (eight originals and two regional cover tunes) form a centralized narrative which surveys raising children and being married; living amid nature; and the act of musical creation. Minneapolis-St. Paul and the surrounding Minnesota area isn’t widely acknowledged by outsiders as having a thriving jazz community, but in reality Nichols is part of a first-rate jazz fellowship. The Bad Plus is probably the most recognized jazz group from Minneapolis. Nichols is friends with Bad Plus drummer Dave King, who is also active in the less-familiar Minnesota jazz trio, Happy Apple. Happy Apple’s 1997 debut had an important impact on Nichols as a teen discovering jazz, so when Nichols […]

Magnet Animals – Butterfly Killer – RareNoise

by Audiophile Audition | Jul 31, 2016 | Pop/Rock/World CD Reviews

Willfully risk-taking music from the RareNoise label. Magnet Animals – Butterfly Killer [TrackList follows] RareNoise RNR063, 49:35 [5/20/16] ***1/2: (Todd Clouser – guitar, vocals; Eyal Maoz – guitar; Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz – bass; Jorge Servin – drums) Magnet Animals live up to their name. On the foursome’s debut, the 49-minute Butterfly Killer, the band can be polarizing; can attract and repel; can be sonically beastly; and can be as potent as a large magnetic force. Magnet Animals is the brainchild of guitarist/vocalist Todd Clouser, whose background includes the New York City downtown jazz/skronk scene. It’s there he met guitarist Eyal Maoz (who has worked with John Zorn and released solo albums on Zorn’s Tzadik label). Clouser also found his bassist, Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz, in the same NYC community. Clouser and Blumenkranz met at a John Lurie tribute show. Rounding out the group is drummer Jorge Servin. Clouser discovered Servin in Clouser’s new home, Mexico City. Butterfly Killer has been issued as a digital download, as a vinyl LP, and on compact disc. This review refers to the CD configuration. Over the course of ten Clouser originals, Magnet Animals oscillate through a myriad of auditory approaches, and like other performers on […]

Melissa Aldana – Back Home – Word of Mouth

by Audiophile Audition | Apr 24, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

Family, friendship, love; saxophonist Melissa Aldana knows it’s all a part of home. Melissa Aldana – Back Home [TrackList follows] Word of Mouth Music WOM0006, 52:40 [3/11/16] ****: (Melissa Aldana – tenor saxophone; Pablo Menares – bass; Jochen Rueckert – drums) If you don’t know tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana you should. In 2013, she became the first female instrumentalist—and the first South American—to win the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition. She has won accolades from other jazz circles, and was bestowed the Altazor Award, a significant prize given out in her home country, Chile. Her earlier recording, 2014’s Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio (on the Concord label) got lavish reviews and notice. She previously apprenticed with Greg Osby and George Coleman. Aldana’s new nearly hour-long album, Back Home, is her fourth release as a leader and second in a trio format. Over the course of nine tracks she, bassist Pablo Menares and drummer Jochen Rueckert evoke feelings of departures and arrival; of saying goodbye to loved ones and conveying joy for people who have influenced her life; and the importance of family and cultural bonds. Several tunes are tributes to individuals who have been or continue to be […]

From the Attic of My Mind – Sam Most, flute – Xanadu/ Elemental

by Audiophile Audition | Dec 29, 2015 | Jazz CD Reviews

A 1978 session with one of the top jazz flutists around. From the Attic of My Mind – Sam Most, flute – Xanadu Master Edition 906074 (digitally remastered by Elemental Music) [6/30/15] ****: (Sam Most, flute; Kenny Barron, piano; George Mraz, bass; Warren Smith, percussion; Walter Bolden, drums) The late Most (died in 2013) really brought the flute into jazz as a solo voice, and has been a musical innovator for decades. Leonard Feather called him the first great jazz flutist. He played with Tommy Dorsey, Don Redman, Chris Connor and Paul Qunichettte, among others, and was a band member of the Buddy Rich band. He made three albums for the Xanadu label, of which this was the third. He was named by Down Beat as the New Star on Flute in 1954. Flute has been one of my personal favorite instruments in jazz, so this reissue really peaked my interest. The eight tracks on it are all originals by Most. That was the suggestion of Don Schlitten, CEO of the former Xanadu label. There are lovely ballads as well as good swingers. All of his sidemen are terrific, even though Most had not performed with them before. He had […]