jazz2love

Album:  Five Play Live from the Firehouse Stage Artist:  Five Play Label:  Diva Jazz Orchestra Ltd. Website:  www.divajazz.com/about/five-play   Exploring the vast palette of straight-ahead jazz from swing, bop, samba, torchlight blues, and burlesque/Vaudeville-style minstrels, Five Play shares their expansive repertoire on their live recording from the Firehouse Stage, a club located in Johnson City, New York.  A quintet comprised of the rhythm section and two horn soloists from the Diva Jazz Orchestra, Five Play amasses a bright and uplifting collection of cover tunes and originals that celebrate the jazz mode of expression. "Just Squeeze Me," a Duke Ellington customized piece, is a fine sample of the quintet's ability to interpret the burlesque dialogue as reedist Jami Dauber and brass player Janelle Reichman strut and stroll across the sensual swells of the melodic progressions generated by pianist Tomoko Ohno, bassist Noriko Ueda, and...

Album:  Globetrotter Artist:  Luca di Luzio Label:  Self-Released Website:  www.lucadiluzio.it   Guitarist Luca di Luzio's upcoming CD, Globetrotter  is an assortment of contemporary jazz tunes bridging funk, blues, soul, and Latin music.  Comprised of a few jazz standards and a handful of original works written by Luca di Luzio, a prolific guitar player who studied different styles of music, the recording expresses his personal vision of jazz guitar based on melody and groove.  Joining Di Luzio in his vision are bass guitarist Jimmy Haslip, drummer Dave Wecki, keyboardist George Whitty, and saxophonists Max Ionata and Alessandro Fariselli. From dance-funk numbers like "Jazzlife" and "Elisir" to the soft billows and reflective moods projected in "Smile" and " Buena Suerte," Di Luzio's artistry stems from his vision to make music that is aesthetically pleasing.  "Sunshower," a tune written by Kenny Barron, is a pr...

Album:  Can't Get Out of this Mood Artist:  Beverley Church Hogan Label:  Cafe Pacific Website:  http://www.beverleyhogan.com/ Torchlight vocalist Beverley Church Hogan intimates human vulnerabilities, temporal desires, and lingering reflections about life on her debut recording Can't Get Out of this Mood .  Projecting a dimly lit atmosphere in the sparse throbs of Lyman Medeiros' bass, the strolling gait of John Proulx's piano keys, the gentle strums of Graham Dechter's guitar, and the lightly brushed strokes of Clayton Cameron's drumming, Hogan creates a cozy setting for her audiences as though she is tapping into their thoughts and emotions on a personal and private wavelength. She ruminates in the title track, "Can't get out of this mood / Last night your lips were appealing / The thrill should have been all gone by today / And the usual way / But it's only your arms I'm out of / Can't get out of this dream / Oh, w...