jazz2love

Album:  Celebration Artist:  Josh Levinson Big Band Label:  Wise Cat Records Website:  https://www.joshlevinsonseptet.com/news Trumpeter-composer Josh Levinson releases his fifth recording, appropriately named Celebration .  A multi-layered blending of big band, swing, hard bop, blues, hot jazz, and meringue, the tunes are deeply rooted in jazz traditions with a contemporary flare.  A veritable crowd pleaser, Levinson presents a dozen of his original works, entwining aesthetically pleasing motifs and fiery licks, parlayed into a harmonious whirlwind that keeps the audience's mood uplifted. At the core of the compositions are the horns, performed by Josh Levinson on trumpet, Mike Troy, Itay Goldberg, Greg Lapine, Matt Knoegel, and Bryan Cowan on saxophones, Roger Garcia, Mark McGowan, and Ben Seacrist on additional trumpets, Tim Shneier, Matt McDonald, Glenn Mills, and John Alexander on trombones .  The collective produces tiers of elevating spirals ac...

Album:  Legacy Artist:  Hollywood Paul Litteral Label:  Outrageous8 Records Website:  www.angelamaeoneill.com From playful swing and upbeat jazz to reflective torchlight and solemn blues, bandleader and trumpet player "Hollywood" Paul Litteral, who obtained his nickname for his work in Los Angeles, portrays a diverse set of moods on his latest offering Legacy , released by Outrageous8 Records.  His assortment of jazz and pop classics are personalized, attributing his melodic sensibilities to these standards and revitalizing their special spark with audiences. The recording is packed with instrumentals sprinkled by vocal-led numbers like "Makin’ Whoopie," composed by Gus Kahn and Walter Donaldson.  The track features Anna Orbison on vocals, whose sensual phrasing and suave resonance puts an uplifting glaze over the strutting beats of Bill Bodine's bass and Michael Rosen's drums. Transcribed by Litteral's alto saxophonist Michael Mull, a bevy of horns sash...