jazz2love

Album:  Standard Deviation Artist:  Wayne Alpern Label:  Henri Elkan Music Website:  www.waynealpern.com Having worked as a composer and arranger for numerous jazz ensembles, string quartets, woodwind and brass quintets, string orchestras, and piano arias, Wayne Alpern integrates pop music and jazz idioms on his latest release Standard Deviation .  By crisscrossing genres, Alpern recompositions and reimagines familiar melodies, deviating from the originals and giving them a contemporary jazz visage.  Songs made popular by Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, Journey, the Temptations, The Zombies, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Bobbie Gentry, Katy Perry, and Gotye are groomed with a jazz demeanor. The folksy tinged roots rock melody "She's Not There" by the Zombies was a model of 1960's mainstream pop/rock in its day.  Alpern's treatment of the song deviates from the original and applies new textures to the music. Benjamin Sutin's arching violin strings...

Album:  Rearranged Artist:  Jenny Davis Label:  Three Penny Records Website:  jennydavisjazz.com Rearranged , the 4th recording by Jenny Davis as a leader sees her joined by the the Yeoman Warders Sax Quartet and other musicians.  A composer, bandleader and critically acclaimed jazz vocalist, Davis's offering features 9 original works penned by her, accompanied by 3 covers.  Supporting her on the tracks is 3-time Grammy nominated pianist Jovino Santos Neto, who integrates a Latin flavor into the scores.  Her cool jazz temperament evokes a lounging atmosphere throughout the recording while the balmy and breezy traipsing of the keys enhance the tranquilizing impression.  The cool rhythmic strut in the undertow of "And What If I Don't Want," a piece written by Herbie Hancock, fuses jazz-inspired traits like swing, blues, and bossa nova.  Her smooth vocalese on "Come with Me," an original track written by Davis, resonates lulling epistles tha...

Album:  Truth Artist:  The Seth Weaver Big Band Label:  Outside in Music Website:  www.sethweavermusic.com An award-winning trombonist, vocalist, composer, arranger, and educator, Seth Weaver leads a 17-piece swing orchestra on his debut release Truth from Outside in Music label.  Following in the footsteps of his predecessors, Weaver's band works as a unified team while demonstrating the dexterity and virtuosity of individual band members.  Weaver's band continuously produce congenial aesthetics for the listener. Starting off, the serpentine scrolls of Addison Frei's piano keys pave a poetic missive through "Here's That Rainy Day," fringed by the soft glittering doodles in the cavalcade of horns.  A natural blues crooner, Weaver's vocals add sentiment and dimension to Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke's melody.  The track is distinguishable, toggling between the elegant crests of Weaver's vocals and the soaring altitude of the horns. Weaver...

Album:  Incontre Artist: Massimo Biolcati Label: Sounderscore Website: www.massimobiolcati.com Bass player, bandleader, and arranger Massimo Biolcati releases his sophomore endeavor Incontre , following his debut full-length release Persona from 2008.  Sensuous, refined, and inventive, Biolcati's offering caresses listeners senses and stimulates their concept of stylized arrangements. Biolcati's bass line on "Hello, I Lied" invites drummer Jongkuk Kim, pianist Sam Yahel, and saxophonist Dayna Stephens to travel on their own, inventing animated improvisations.  The main theme is a catchy hook that the wandering musicians venture off from and return to like a home base.  Moving on, "Boo Boo's Birthday," originally written by Thelonious Monk and dedicated to drummer Art Blakey, crafts rhythmic twists that absorb the listener and demonstrate the musicians flexibility and versatility.  Another tribute to jazz greats is Biolcati's rendition of "D...

 JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER’S 25TH ANNUAL ESSENTIALLY ELLINGTON COMPETITION & FESTIVAL POSTPONED High School Students from Finalist Bands to Participate in Exclusive Online Q&A with Wynton Marsalis New York, NY (Wednesday, March 18, 2020) – In response to the growing concerns about the spread of COVID-19, Jazz at Lincoln Center has postponed the nation’s premier jazz education event, the 25th annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival, scheduled to take place in Frederick P. Rose Hall, The House of Swing, on May 7-9, 2020. Jazz at Lincoln Center will announce a new date and plans to celebrate the top 18 high school big bands. To commemorate the 25th anniversary, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Managing and Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis will host an online Q&A, exclusively for the 2020 finalist bands—the students who are upholding the Essentially Ellington tradition in this banner year. Further details for this Q&A to be announced soon....

Album:  Survival Instinct:  the Evilution of the Pack Artist:  Justin Varnes Label:  Self-Released Website:  www.jazzdrummersresource.com The music of drummer/bandleader/composer Justin Varnes on his latest release Survival Instinct:  the Evilution of the Pack has political overtones according to the press release.  However, listening to the music and being completely unaware of Varnes's political messages in the music, one would think his sonic statements have nothing to do with politics and everything to do with the evolution of swing music, embracing the socializing among musicians synonymous with swing.  The instruments display a playful socializing from top to bottom of the recording, all making the music fun and delightful. The comfortable stride of Nick Rosen's keys cruising along "Many Sons" is tweaked by the furling tweets of the saxophone, producing a serene ambience.  The sextet perform a few bars from "The Star Spangled Banne...

Album:  Only Love Artist:  Anson Wright Label:  Saphu Records Website:  www.ansonwright.com Guitarist-composer Anson Wright fashions smooth blues with a flare for ambient ruminations on his latest release Only Love .  His sonic reflections flow with a stream of consciousness that induces soothing ripples from start to finish.  The recording features all original modern jazz instrumentals with seven compositions written by Anson Wright, and two compositions by his pianist Weber Iago (aka Jasnam Daya Singh). The breezy musings orchestrated by Wright on "Solstice" whisper softly in the listener's ear as Jasnam Daya Singh's piano keys twinkle with an undulating gait. The moonlit ringlets in the melodic trimmings canvassing "Chelsea" circle around the listener, focusing the instrumentation on producing a winsome sonorous.  Wright's guitar chords shape slinky verses along "Inner Motion" that resemble a gently tempo-ed samba, transitioning into ba...

Album:  Jazz Party Artist:  Delfeayo Marsalis and the the Uptown Jazz Orchestra Label:  Troubadour Jass Records Website:  www.dmarsalis.com On a mission to make music that uplifts, excites, and invigorates in the traditional jazz culture style of New Orleans, trombonist and bandleader Delfeayo Marsalis embarked on his latest offering Jazz Party , creating what audiences perceive to be happy jazz.  Indeed, he accomplishes his mission and delivers to audiences very happy, hot jazz on the recording with the big band splash of jazz music's forefathers. The twittering of the horns through "Blackbird Special" integrates funky swells contoured in Latin swing, and big band panache.  The party atmosphere has a catchy exuberance that is authentic in its delivery as the instruments interlock along the motifs.  The cha-cha rhythm underpinning "7th Ward Boogaloo" has horns trading off solos, entering intermittently and changing the bouncy vibrations that make th...

Album:  All I Am Artist:  Anthony Jefferson Label:  Self-Released Website:  https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/anthonyjefferson2 Anthony Jefferson's vocals are overflowing with sensuality and warmth as the limberness in his vocal control kneads like a deep tissue massage for the aural senses.  His latest release All I Am is comprised of jazz standards, pop favorites, and a handful of original tunes.  Produced by Jefferson and arranged by Corey Allen, the recording resonates a smooth vocalese reminiscent of Johnny Mathis paired with the caressing inflections liken to Luther Vandross.  His blend of soul, rhythm and blues, and bossa nova make for a very enjoyable ride. It is smooth sailing through his version of "Summertime," tailored with sensual curves and arcs in his vocals that personalize the tune.  The orchestral strings strewn across "Impossible" broaden Jefferson's repertoire, steering him into chamber music terrain that brings out the dreamy q...

Album: Soul Ransom Artist:  Jonivan Jones Label:  Self-Release Website:  https://jonivanjonesmusic.com/album/soul-ransom Smoky blues folk and roots rock atmospheres are paired with country western twange, simmering at a slow burn on singer-songwriter-guitarist Jonivan Jones's latest release Soul Ransom .  The freestyle fluidity in the chord patterns are reminiscent of Muddy Waters as the smooth growl of Jones's vocals brand a ghostly presence along  the melodies.  From the shimmying grooves of "Loose State" to the languid throttle of "Agua Mala," the recording showcase Jones's multi-faceted talent to be malleable and tailor each track to be individual and distinct. The grit and rawness of Jones's vocals chomp at the rustic terrain of "Fry," creating a heavy-footed stride.  Waves of psychedelic echoes emanate from the guitar strings along "Buzzards," as a wailing harmonica etches phantom-like silhouettes in the background.  Trav...