CD Reviews

Kenny Reichert’s album “Switch” features intricate melodies and creative compositions performed by a talented ensemble, including Ethan Philion, Devin Drobka, Lenard Simpson, Geof Bradfield, and Alyssa Allgood. Known for his inventive guitar style, Reichert collaborates with Allgood on poetic songs and lifts arrangements with his solos, spotlighting each musician’s artistry.

Phil Haynes 4 Horns & What? The Complete American Recordings (3 CDs) Corner Store Jazz Having read with much fascination Phil Haynes memoir, Chasing the Masters: First Takes of a Modern Drumming Artist, a forthcoming issuance of recordings from his band 4 Horns & What? seemed inevitable. For anyone who wants a better understanding of […]

Something Else! Soul Jazz Featuring Vincent Herring Smoke Sessions Having witnessed a live performance by the collective Something Else! a little over a year ago at Exit Zero Jazz Festival, this album comes with anticipation. That’s because the soul jazz genre is not often heard much these days. It’s like traditional blues; we grew up […]

Etienne Charles’ “Creole Orchestra Featuring René Marie” fuses Caribbean influences with big band jazz, reflecting his Trinidadian heritage and memories of American music played on Trinidadian radio. The album features diverse tracks including originals, covers, and collaborations, showcasing Charles’ skill as a composer and arranger on an 80-minute, multi-artist journey.

Matthew Whitaker On Their Shoulders: An Organ Tribute MOCAT If you’ve ever attended a Matthew Whitaker show, you know that the young pianist/organist/drummer Matthew Whitaker has a more than engaging rapport with his audience. They are often on their feet dancing from his first few notes. Whitaker is still only 23 years old and has […]

Olivia Foschi’s album “A Window Within” delivers unique, captivating jazz with her original compositions and expressive vocals. Notable tracks include “Caught Me by Surprise,” “Pieces of Central Park,” and “Live With It.” Foschi’s versatile voice and the talented band create a contemporary, refreshing sound with Brazilian influences. Each song invites listeners into her emotional journey.

YUKO ITO SEDUZIR Funny Baby Face Records New York Yuko Ito, vocals; Helio Alves, piano; Edward Perez, bass; Alexandre Kautz, drums/percussion; Willie Ruiz, percussions/vocals; Romero Lubambo, guitar; Steve Wilson, alto saxophone; Vanessa Falabella, vocals. Yuko Ito is a Tokyo-born vocalist who has a deep appreciation for Brazilian music and jazz.  She is fluent in Portuguese […]

John Escreet the epicenter of your dreams Blue Room Music John Escreet’s 2022 trio album Seismic Shift (covered here) was so bold and impactful that it likely made it difficult to return with the trio and produce a similarly startling result. Pianist and composer Escreet was wise enough to recognize this and although returning with […]

RADAM SCHWARTZ SAXOPHONE QUARTET MUSIC Arabesque Records Radam Schwartz, composer/arranger; Marcus G. Miller, soprano saxophone; Irwin Hall, alto saxophone; Anthony Ware, tenor saxophone; Max Schweiger, baritone saxophone. GUEST ARTISTS: Micha Josephs, guitar; Carrie Jackson, vocals; Andrew Atkinson, percussion. Radam Schwartz is well-known in the jazz world as a jazz organist.  His recordings as a bandleader […]

SERGIO PEREIRA BOSSA + Tiger Turn, LLC Sergio Pereira, voice/guitars/violão/percussion/composer/arranger/producer; Luis Guerra, piano/keyboards; Ariel Ramirez, electric bass; Mauricio Zottarelli, drums/percussion/arranger/co-producer; Chipi Chacon, trumpet/flugelhorn. SPECIAL GUESTS on “One for Pat”: Romero Lumbambo, violão; Ivan ‘Melon’ Lewis, piano; Ivan Ruiz Machado, bass; Jose San Martin, drums. Still smiling from his 2024 win of the World Entertainment Award […]

THE BRUCE LOFGREN GROUP INSTRUMENTAL ADVENTURES: EARTHLY AND COSMIC TALES Night Bird Records Bruce Lofgren, acoustic & electric guitars/composer; Billy Hulting, hand percussion instruments; Craig Fundiga, vibraphone;  Randy Landas, acoustic, electric & fretless basses; Hope Easton, cello; Geoff Nudell, B flat clarinet. This production reminds me of the Pan Pipe projects.  It reflects the original […]

ALLEGRA LEVY OUT OF THE QUESTION SteepleChase Records Allegra levy, vocals/lyricist/composer; Carmen Staaf, piano/Fender Rhodes; Mimi Jones, bass; Allison Miller, drums/shaker; Roxy Coss, tenor & soprano saxophones; Andrew Baird, guitar/ukulele; Aubrey Johnson, background vocals. “Are You Real?” is a tune by Benny Golson with lyrics by Allegra Levy.  This song opens Levy’s album with power […]

Oded Tzur My Prophet ECM It’s long been said that some of the greatest saxophonists such as Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Coleman Hawkins are easily identifiable in just the first few notes they play. While we’re not yet putting the Israeli-born and raised New York City based saxophonist Oded Tzur in that ‘all-time […]

MAC GOLLEHON & THE HISPANIC MECHANICS BITE OF THE STREET Nefarious Industries Mac Gollehon, trumpet/scat vocals/keyboards/composer; Eric Klaastad, bass; Jeanne Carne, drums; Ismael Sanchez, percussion; Adam Perez, keyboards; Ariel Lawler, background vocals; David Brenner, sound effects. The trumpet of composer, Mac Gollehon, bounces boldly atop the percussion of The Hispanic Mechanics featuring Jeanne Carne on […]

SHAWN MAXWELL J TOWN SUITE Cora Street Records Shawn Maxwell, alto & soprano saxophone/flute/composer; Michael Barton, electric bass; Collin Clauson, Fender Rhodes/Wurlitzer; Greg Eassig, drums/percussion. Maxwell’s first original tune marches off the compact disc with the drums and bass driving the groove beneath Maxwell’s soprano saxophone solo.  His album is appropriately named  for his hometown […]

Fernando Huergo Big Band Relentless Whaling City Sound Bassist and composer Fernando Huergo leads his 18-piece big band on Relentless, a set of compositions inspired by Luke Mogelson’s article in the New Yorker, titled “Relentless Absurdity.” These pieces reflect not only the absurdity of war but societal struggles, oppression, discrimination, and environmental challenges. Huergo aims […]

SERGIO PAMIES TIME TO SAY Newtrad Records Sergio Pamies, piano; Ricky Rodgriguez, bass; Jimmy Macbride, drums; Samuel Torres, percussion; Marshall Gilkes, trombone; Michael Thomas, alto & soprano saxophones; Alex Norris, trumpet /flugelhorn. GUEST ARTISTS:  Dave Liebman, soprano saxophone; Paquito D’Rivera, clarinet. The title tune of this album encompasses Straight-ahead, Latin jazz, and high energy, percussive […]

Alex Sipiagin Horizons Blue Room Horizons is trumpeter/flugelhornist and composer Alex Sipiagin’s twenty-seventh album as a leader. Having covered just two of those, both on Posi-Tone – Upstream (on these pages) and Ascent to the Blues, Sipiagin impressed with his challenging compositions, fiery playing, and improvisational talent.  This is his second for Blue Room, following […]

ISREA BUTLER CONGO LAMENT Independent label Isrea Butler, trombone; David Loeb, piano; Steve Flora, bass; Bob Chmel, drums; Douglas Lawrence, tenor saxophone. The Isrea Butler quintet opens with the title tune, written by the great Bennie Green.  The trombonist (Butler) steps out-front and establishes the melody, with Dave Loeb on piano setting the tempo and […]

RICKY ALEXANDER JUST FOUND JOY Turtle Bay Records Rickey Alexander, soprano saxophone/clarinet/vocals; Kevin Dorn, drums; Rob Adkins, bass; Brennen Ernst, guitar; Jon Thomas & Dalton Ridenhour, piano; Jon-Erik Kellso, trumpet/cornet; SPECIAL GUEST: Vanisha Gould, vocals. This album turns back the hands of time.  With the exception of a solitary Alexander original composition (Promenade), the songs […]

Bruno Råberg Tentet Evolver Orbis Music Sweden-born, U.S. based bassist/composer Bruno Råberg has made 14 recordings as a leader and more than 50 as a sideman since coming to the U.S. in 1981. For this project, Evolver, Råberg returns to a large ensemble format for the first time in 22 years with players familiar to […]

Jake Hertzog Longing to Meet You Self-released Guitarist and composer Jake Hertzog has performed and composed across multiple genres and served as musical director for pop stars. For Longing to Meet You he convened a jazz quartet comprised from their mutual time attending the Manhattan School in New York. They are altoist Matt Woroshyl, bassist […]

JEREMY GIGNOUX ODD STILLNESS Alberta foundation for the Arts Jeremy Gignoux, violin/viola/composer; Jiajia Li, bass flute/dizi; Keith Rodger, double bass; André Wickenheiser, trumpet; Carsten Rubeling, trombone; Robin Tufts, drums; Rebecca Bruton, voice; Mark Dejong, bass clarinet. Somewhere between restraint and wonder, the string instrument master, Jeremy Gignoux offers this experimental album of ambient instrumental music.  […]

Koppel Blade Koppel Time Again Cowbell Music This organ trio emerges surprisingly. We’ve gotten used to the trio albums, three of them, from altoist Benjamin Koppel, drummer Brian Blade, and bassist Scott Colley. We’ve also witnessed that same threesome performing in front of Anders Koppel’s brilliant symphonic piece, The Mulberry Street Symphony. Yet, close followers […]

CHAD EDWARDS WYOMING ROADS Independent Label Chad Edwards, piano/organ/composer; Robert Kyle, saxophones/flute; Hussain Jiffry, basses; Kevin Winard, drums/percussion. The Chad Edwards project comes lilting through space like a gliding seahawk. The very first tune, “Wyoming Roads” is an original by the pianist.  He was inspired by a road trip where he set out to feel […]

ANTONIO ADOLFO LOVE COLE PORTER AAM Records Antonio Adolfo, piano/arranger/vocals; Lula Galvao, guitars; Jorge Helder, double bass; Rafael Barata, drums/percussion; Dada Costa, percussion; Jesse Sadoc, trumpet/flugelhorn; Danilo Sinna, alto saxophone; Marcelo Martins, tenor & soprano saxophones/flute; Rafael Rocha, trombone. Since childhood, Antonio Adolfo says that the music of Cole Porter has been the soundtrack of […]

The Bobby Broom Organ-Sation Jamalot Steele This year’s reviews from yours truly are not as heavily populated with organ trios as in years past but this throwback album by Bobby Broom’s Organ-Sation may well compensate in spades. These are live performances from 2014-2019 of familiar pop songs and standards, in the tradition of his once […]

JIHYE LEE ORCHESTRA INFINITE CONNECTIONS Motema Music Jihye Lee, composer/conductor; Adam Birnbaum, piano; Matt Clohesy, bass; Jared Schonig, drums; Keita Ogawa, percussion; Alex Goodman, guitar; Ben Kono, alto saxophone/piccolo/flute; Dave Pietro, alto saxophone/flute/alto flute; Jason Rigby & Jonathan Lawary, tenor saxophone/flute/clarinet; Carl Maraghi, baritone saxophone/bass clarinet; Brian Pareschi, Nathan Eklund, David Smith & Stuart Mack, […]

Nir Felder III la.reserve In a year when we’ve been blessed by so many terrific guitar records from the likes of Julian Lage, Bill Frisell, Gilad Hekselman, and others, we welcome back Nir Felder with his third solo release, III, now on a new label, the burgeoning la.reserve. The Katonah, NY native enlists mostly the […]