jazz2love

Album:  Heat Songs Artist:  George Nazos Label:   Street of Stars Website:  www.georgenazos.com Born in Athens, Greece and working in New York City, guitarist-composer George (Giorgos) Nazos blends various styles of guitar from acoustic jazz and flamenco to collaborative freestyle and ambient.  Nazos moves through a gamut of expressions on his latest recording Heat Songs , weaving sublime sensations in the chord sequences integrated with improvised patterns.  His studies on the guitar demonstrate his imaginative leanings and melodic sensibilities.  Joined by Harvie S on bass, Tony Jefferson on drums, and vocalist Tamuz Nissim, the effort is a finely orchestrated collaboration. Nissim's soothing lullaby-lilt along "Bird on a Wire" is catacomb by Nazos' guitar trickles as his chords amble in a meditative fashion.   Plucking at notes in a freestyle manner across "Our Melody," Nazos creates a mosaic of sounds framed in Harvie S' throbbin...

Album:  New Songs for Old Souls Artist:  The Lost Melody Label:  TIE Records Website:  www.thelostmelody.con The Lost Melody, a jazz trio comprised of Joe Davidian on piano, Austin McMahon on drums, and Jamie Ousley on bass, is a collaborative ensemble whose original works on their latest recording New Songs for Old Souls utilizes the traditional technique of structuring instrumentals based around the melody.  The outcome is music that draws the listener's attention to catchy hooks in each track, making them identifiable and hummable.  As common as it may seem to make melodies that listeners can recall after hearing them by humming the hooks, it's that common element which makes the Lost Melody's music special and attractive. From the wispy piano ballad of "When First We Met" to the swinging rhythmic swells of "Before I Forget," the trio cling to one another, answering each other's call with complementing responses.  The lively flutter and flare...

Album:  Hit It Artist:  BK Trio led by Brian Kooken Label:  Self-Released Website:  www.kookenguitarpiano.com From mollifying grooves to quick step meters, Hit It from BK Trio led by guitarist Brian Kooken courses through a vast array of harmonic forms across the jazz pallet.  Dripping with imaginative phrasing and organic interaction between Kooken's guitar, Greg Hatza's Hammond B3 organ, and Robert Shahid's drums, the trio's personable style in their communication speaks to listeners in an intimate and friendly manner. Collaborative activity among the members is continually illustrated like in “Always Looking Up” where Kooken's bubbly chords are interlaced in the pulsating drumbeats of Shahid and the deep toned throbbing of Hatza's Hammond organ.  Their exchanges and interplay are animated, moving freely while having the sensibilities to be aware of where each one is traveling and steering them in crisscrossing patterns.  A beautifully relaxing ...

Album:  Americana Artists:  Grégoire Maret, Romain Collin, and Bill Frisell Label:  ACT Music Websites: https://www.billfrisell.com https://www.romaincollin.com https://www.gregoiremaret.com A blend of country folk, ambient jazz, indie rock, and acoustic pop, the trio of Grégoire Maret on harmonica, Romain Collin on piano, and Bill Frisell on guitar and banjo come together on Americana from ACT Music label.  The trio's collection of cover tunes permeates healing attributes as the music feels like a soothing balm on the listener's senses.  Track after track shepherds soulful passages from the trio, arranging them into a cavalcade of blissful soundscapes.  The natural flow of the music keeps the chord progressions advancing, producing fluxing movements that harvest elegant sprigs along the coasting swells. The trio's rendition of Bon Iver's serenely lilting "Stacks" features the soothing verses of Maret's harmonica trussed in Frisell's comfy guitar ...

Album:  Bangalore Blues Artists:  Radha Thomas and Aman Mahajan Label:  Subcontinental Records Website:  www.radhathomas.com Based in Bangalore, India, vocalist Radha Thomas and keyboardist Aman Mahajan intertwine musical elements inherent in their native culture, offering their own brand of smooth ambient jazz.  Intrinsically comparable to the charismatic vocalese of Nina Simone, Mahajan's delicate musings on the piano keys radiate a classical orchestral luster as the duo interlock blues, rap, and cool jazz on their latest effort Bangalore Blues . The pair administer a personalized touch on their tracks, fusing Thomas's alto-bass register with Mahajan's sparsely kindled doodles. Melodies like "Load Shedding" and "Only Illusion" are led by Thomas's stark vocals, reflecting about life's circumstances and contemplating a course to take.  The provocative lilt in Thomas's narrative vocals evoke the listener to join her in considering her quan...

Album:  We've Just Begun Artist:  Sinne Eeg & The Danish Radio Big Band Label:  BFM Jazz Website:  https://www.bfmjazz.com/sinne-eeg We've Just Begun , the latest offering from Danish vocalist Sinne Eeg is a collection of jazz standards performed in her deep bluesy register and features the Danish Radio Big Band backing her up.  The assortment of vintage swing and torchlight blues melodies harks back to the clarion voicing of jazz music's pioneers like Billie Holiday and Dinah Shore. The refinement in Eeg's vocal nuances are alluring, moving with a charismatic stride along "Hv asorfor er lykken så lunefuld" as the winsome scatting in her vocalese embellishes the tune, giving it greater depth and sex appeal.  Stretching out her vocal inflections through the verses of "Detour Ahead' enhances the intimate mood that she conveys with her audience, making the enunciation of the words long and languid, oozing with desire in her delivery of the lyric...

Album:  Stuff I Heard Artist:  Troy Roberts Label:  Toy Robot Music Website:  troyroberts.com Practically a one man show, Troy Roberts' performance on soprano, alto and tenor saxophones is countered by his chord movements on the acoustic bass and electric bass.  His recording Stuff I Heard becomes a dialogue between the instruments his plays supported by a backbeat from Jimmy MacBride on drums.  With all original works featured on the program, Roberts creates a textural variety that showcases his skills as a versatile musician and composer. “Lifeline” is a wonderful addition to Roberts repertoire.  The tranquilizing aesthetics are smoothly orchestrated with Middle Eastern style accents and saxophone phrases that integrate complementing furls.  His saxophone solo slinks gently as the notes nestle into the nooks and crannies of the chord progressions.  Exploring the orchestral colors of the saxophone, the pensive mood of “Prayer of Hope” i...

Album:  Looking Back Play It Again Artist:  Herb Silverstein and Michael Ross Label:  Silver Tunes Website:  www.herbsilversteinjazz.com Looking Back Play It Again from pianist Herb Silverstein and bass player Michael Ross features all original works by Silverstein.  A compilation of piano ballads and improvised chord patterns, Silverstein demonstrates his artistic inclinations and melodic sensibilities on the piano. The caressing glide of Silverstein's keys ambling along "Love in My Heart" produces a pacifying effect as the mellow tone of the music courses an even flow through the arrangement.  "Helix 49r" picks up the tempo with a tinge of zest, speeding up the pulsating beat of the keys, which switches its texture to a creamy froth through "Improvisation."  Silverstein's improvised doodles on the keys create an ethereal lift along the composition that changes to a brisk sweep across "Magic Sam." The sprightly movements of the keys...

Album:  Taking A Chance On Love Artist:  Linda Purl Label:  Reaching Records Website:  https://www.lindapurl.com/product/taking-a-chance-on-love/ Night club singers have a long history of singing the blues, and just as equally for singing about romance, Linda Purl indulges in the latter theme on her latest release Taking A Chance On Love from Reaching Records.  From the swing-infused "Pure Imagination" to the bossa nova swells of "Wave" to the consoling atmosphere portrayed by the piano ballad driving "Too Late Now," Purl charms her audience with caressing vocal strokes and a delicate touch in her delivery of the lyrics. Channeling the penetrative voicing of a magnetic narrator, Purl's treatment of Billy Joel's mollifying sonnet "Lullaby (Goodnight My Angel)" projects a loving sentiment that is palpable as she soothes, "Goodnight my angel / time to close your eyes / and save these questions for another day / I think I now what yo...

Album:  I Love To See You Smile Artist:  3D Jazz Trio Label:  DIVA Jazz Website:  3divasjazztrio.com A collection of jazz standards tweaked and reimagined, I Love To See You Smile from the 3D Jazz Trio is a melting pot of skillfully syncopated beats and vibrant exchanges between the trio.  Comprised of pianist Jackie Warren, bassist Amy Shook, and drummer Sherrie Maricle, the music is performed to put a smile on the listener's face. The slinky strut of Warren's keys cruising along "Moonglow" has a burlesque flare as the syncopated beats of bassist Shook and drummer Maricle induce a sensual feel protracted by their chord movements. The trio's harmonic form pronounces an elegance that is synonymous with the likes of Oscar Peterson's orchestras and Mary Lou Williams' bands. Moving onto the jumping blues romper "Back at the Chicken Shack," the jaunty rhythmic pattern of Jimmy Smith's tune displays a boogie woogie swagger in the trio's pr...

Album:  Tie Me To You Artist:  Kathleen Grace and Larry Goldings Label:  Monsoon Records Website:  http://kathleengracemusic.com Part soulful torch singer and part spiritual healer, vocalist Kathleen Grace fills her recording Tie Me To You with lamenting melodies that warm the listener's soul. Supported by pianist Larry Goldings, the release features original songs by Grace and Goldings in addition to cover tunes by Francois Hardy, Son House, the Beatles, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart.  Opening the recording with the title track, Goldings musings on the glockenspiel is partnered with the weeping voicing of Gabe Witcher's violin, setting the mood for Grace's poetic verses.  The languid stride of the rhythmic pattern cradles the listener in a sweet lullaby. Lifting the tempo up a few notches, "Where Or When" propagates optimistic sensations propelled by the upswing in Grace's vocal nuances while the country folk twang in ...