jazz2love

Album:  Small Things Artist:  Jackson Potter Label: Shifting Paradigm Records Website:  jacksonpottermusic.com Small Things , the sophomore project from guitarist-composer Jackson Potter demonstrates his growth as a guitarist, composer, and arranger since moving to New York City in 2021.  His disc features several jazz luminaries, including Alex Ridout on trumpet, Troy Roberts on tenor saxophone, Hamish Smith on bass, and Marcello Cardillo on drums.  Additionally, saxophonist Jaleel Shaw and vocalist Sophia Formella perform on the title track. Potter's offering displays a free-style playing reminiscent of pianist Bill Evans, saxophonist Stan Getz, and guitarist Wes Montgomery.  The environment merges bop, straight-ahead jazz, and fusion into dynamic creations.  Potter is a musician's musician, showing others of his ilk the potential that the guitar offers to work as a contributing element within the jazz combo framework. Illustrating a charismatic play...

Single:  You're Driving Me Crazy Artist:  Naama Gheber Website:  https://www.naamagheber.com Naama Gheber's treatment of popular tunes from the Great American Songbook is manna for the ears.  Her reimagining of Walter Donaldson's 1930 classic blues ballad "You're Driving Me Crazy," made popular by vocalist Billie Holiday and saxophonist Stan Getz, is another delight that will be included in her November 2022 EP If I Knew Then. In the vane of Holiday, Gheber personalizes the song with flirty inflections and nuanced vocals that engage the listener's attention.  Joined by pianist Ben Paterson, bassist Neal Miner, and drummer Evan Sherman, Gheber indulges in a playful exchange with her band, displaying a charisma that is entirely of her own style.  Gheber's vocals move from a mambo-infused sway to a sprightly swing and closes with a bluesy vamp.  The arrangement keeps the listener bewitched by the versatility and flexibility in her vocals, and her instinct...