jazz2love

  Album:   Simply ‘S Wonderful-The Magic of Gershwin Artist:   Juliet Ewing Label:   HoneyDiva Music/Lexicon Classics Website: www.julietewing.com INSTAGRAM @thejulietset Facebook #thejulietset Juliet Ewing, a former Broadway theater performer, reveals her affinity for swing jazz in her 2025 release Simply 'S Wonderful, a collection of standard favorites written by George and Ira Gershwin.  From the sashaying samba beats of "Oh, Lady Be Good" to the sauntering stride of "But Not For Me" and the thoughtful mood of "The Man I Love," Ewing reminds audiences what makes the Gershwin tunes relatable to the human spirit and heart.   Her elongation of poignant notes along "The Man I Love" keeps the listener on tenterhooks, solicited to share in the hopeful aspirations expressed in the lyrics. "A Foggy Day" ensconces Ewing's upbeat vocals in a swinging rhythm while the candlelight ambience of "The Lorelei" kindles a ragtime rh...

Album:  Jazz Passion & Satin Latin Artist:  Jimbo Ross Label:  Bodacious Records Website:  Bodaciousrecords.com/about-jimbo-ross Facebook.com/jimboross Jazz Passion & Satin Latin , the latest edition to violist Jimbo Ross's catalog takes audiences back to his jazz roots with selections from the Great American Songbook, jazz standards, and a few original compositions.  Partaking on this adventure with Ross are guitarist Joe Gaeta, pianist Stuart Elster, bassist Peter Marshall, and drummer Ron Wagner. The band recorded the 13 tracks at the Sonic Boom Room studio using minimal overdubbing and no track-stacking over a four-day period.  The press release supplies, "Ross plays a modified copy of a classic viola, reproduced on a 3-D printer, and dually upgraded with a 5th string to extend the upper range of the instrument, and an electronic pickup to allow it to be heard alongside the other instruments." Ross's viola is well pronounced on each track while ...

Album:  Somewhere Artist:   Angela Verbrugge Label:   Origin/OA2 Records Websites: Official YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/angelaverbrugge Official website: https://www.angelaverbrugge.com   Vancouver Island based vocalist and songwriter Angela Verbrugge intones expressive and nuanced vocals with a youthful aplomb that is infectious.   The clarion tune of her timbres is Broadway showtunes worthy as the warm resonance in her register grips the human heart.   Her latest release Somewhere demonstrates the suppleness of her voicing and the nimbleness in her articulation.    From soothing lullabies to romantic ballads and stargazing ruminations, Verbrugges captures the most alluring cross-section of the jazz spectrum. Most stunning is her original number “Je Ne Veux Pas Te Dire Bonsoir,” translated “I Don’t Want To Say Goodnight To You.”  The languid gait in Verbrugge’s vocal purr is magnetic as Dave Say’s lounging saxophone toots and Mile...

Album:  Rezurrektion Artist:  Wayne Alpern Label: Henri Elkan Music Website:  www.waynealpern.com Reimagining compositions is a talent of arranger, composer and leader Wayne Alpern that has garnered him worldwide notoriety.  His 2023 offering Rezurrektion features a string quartet, the Sirius Quartet, that integrates jazz idioms into a classical repertoire.  The recording reconfigures 5 compositions of Mozart followed by a mash-up of works by Jonathan Larson and Edvard Grieg.  Another track is a reinterpretation of Duke Ellington's classic piece "Black Beauty" before closing with a reworking of George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess." The outcome is a lavish and bountiful feast that showcases Alpern's visionary inclination.  His penchant to meticulously knead chord patterns makes each note call to the listeners attention with effortless persuasion.  Listeners are naturally drawn to the music, hanging onto each phrase, each transition, each crescendo, ...

Album:  Saxology Artist:  Wayne Alpern Label:  Henri Elkan Music Website:  www.waynealpern.com Saxology, the latest release from leader and arranger Wayne Alpern, showcases a quartet of saxophones performed by Steve Kenyon, Todd Groves, Dave Noland, and John Winder.  The recording features an array of jazz standards and classic pop novelties reworked with Alpern's acute sensibilities and finesse. The sassy twizzles accenting the saxophones phrasing and their fiery punctuations dotting "Fascinating Rhythm," written by George and Ira Gershwin, shows Alpern's confidence to take control of the reins and make moves along the track that are bold and daring.  Alpern's treatment of the Beatles pop hit "Hide Your Love Away" is envisioned with a torchlight ambience as the softly twirling saxophones evoke a reflective mood. Another pop hit for the Beatles, "When I'm Sixty-Four," is delivered with vaudeville-style pomp and joviality.  Contrastly, Rich...

Album:  Transitions Artist:  Yaron Gershovsky Label:  Dorron Music Website:  www.yaronmusic.com Transitions , the 2022 release from keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader Yaron Gershovsky is an assortment of original music and cover tunes, stylistically moving between traditional straight ahead jazz and contemporary jazz, classic pop, Latin soul, and samba in the recording.  The album is comprised of a variety of combinations from solo piano to trios, quartets, and jazz vocals featuring Aubrey Johnson's engaging vocalese.  Gershovsky's endeavor is alight with melodious configurations and elevating phrasing that is pleasing to the aural senses. Gershovsky's original work "Awakening" shows his keys communicating briskly and freely with bassist Will Lee and drummer Clint de Ganon,  whipping up a jovial mood that turns reflective, driven by Gershovsky's ruminating keys in "I’ll Be Seeing You," penned by Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal.  Gershovsk...

Album:  DIVA Swings Broadway Artist: The DIVA Jazz Orchestra Label: DIVA Jazz Website:  https://divajazz.com/ The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, a 15-piece all female ensemble, is comprised of versatile musicians seasoned in reed, woodwind and brass instruments as well as rhythmic and percussive tools.  The group's latest CD entitled DIVA Swings Broadway is an assortment of covers showcasing nostalgic Broadway musicals personalized by these innovative musicians.  Led by drummer Sherrie Maricle, the DIVA Jazz Orchestra are torchbearers of swing jazz and big band romps.  Bursting with merriment from start to finish, the recording leaves elation and mirth in its wake. Noriko Ueda's bass solo opening George and Ira Gershwin's ageless tune "The Man I Love" sets the momentum along a course of rolling crests and ebbs through the melodic progressions.  Horns take flight intermittently, catapulted by the knolls crafted by the bass line.  Turning reflective, the languid ...