jazz2love

  New Release:  Overlook from Ben Clifton Label: BCM Street Date: July 11, 2025 Website: https://www.ben-clifton.com Pianist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Ben Clifton documents pieces of his life, transcribed into music for his debut release Overlook as a leader.  The recording is, according to the press release, "a celebration of Clifton honoring his father’s legacy while also telling the story of his journey from grief to acceptance, carrying his father’s spirit within himself and into the music. It is no coincidence that the album release date is July 11, 2025, the anniversary of his father’s birthday."  Ambient and soothing on the senses, Clifton's music is adult contemporary jazz at its finest.  Music for audiences that seek to escape to a sonic paradise.  He is accompanied by bassist Chad Wesselkamper and drummer Gavin Moolchan alongside many other featured artists on individual tracks.  Each track has multiple layers and detailing that p...

  Album:   Alice Blue Artist:   Ravita Jazz Label:   Ravita Music Website:   https://www.baltimorebass.com/   Ravita Jazz is a jazz sextet led by bass player Phil Ravita and includes: percussionist Mark Leppo, saxophonist Paul Carr, pianist Greg Small, drummer Nucleo Vega, and vocalist Deidre Jennings.  Their 2025 release Alice Blue canvasses a wide breadth across the adult contemporary jazz spectrum, intersecting swaying bossa nova swells with bebop trimmings, torchlight atmospheres, and straight-ahead jazz harmonies.  Ravita Jazz's sonic representations are reflective of the adult contemporary jazz culture, featuring five originals by Ravita, two compositions by Small and three covers. Diving in, the dreamy atmosphere of "Almost Blue" is blanketed in ruminating keys, traveling along plush rhythmic beats, creating a tranquilizing vibe. The soothing timbres of Jennings's vocals caress the lyrics tenderly with a deep reverence in "From the Start," ...

Album:  Self-Titled Artist:  Woodsliders Collective Label:  Self-Released Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/woodsiderscollective Website:  https://woodsiderscollective.com/#ABOUT Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@woodsiderscollective7810 Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/3GWsbX6rA41kjhrhCP0Wqx Based in New York City's Woodside, Queens neighborhood, the Woodsiders Collective is a collaboration of saxophonist Luis Sigüenza from Ecuador, trombonist Justus Heher from Germany, pianist Andrew McGowan from New Orleans, Louisiana, guitarist Yuto Kanazawa from Japan, and Russian/Belgian drummer Ilya Dynov.  Together, the quintet takes harmonious aesthetics and melodic sensibilities, relatable to icons like Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond and John Coltrane, to the next level of adult contemporary jazz.   Their self-titled recording from 2021 shows a flare for straight-ahead jazz improvising and cool Bohemian jazz stylizing, propagating a r...

Album:   Hidden Gems Artist:   Brent Laidler Label:   BEL Records LLC Website: https://brentlaidler.com/ https://www.facebook.com/BrentLaidlerMusic/ https://brentlaidler.bandcamp.com/album/hidden-gems   Hidden Gems  is the third project from composer-arranger-guitarist-bandleader Brent Laidler and features arrangements inspired by such jazz luminaries as Dave Brubeck and Cannonball Adderly.  Some listeners will consider the compositions as contrafacts, creating improvisations based on original material.  And some listeners will consider Laidler's works as completely original, being adaptations of original works with new melodies and new chord reharmonizations.  However people wish to view Laidler's material, there is no denying that the compositions are easy on the ears, promoting sleek improvisations and harmonious collaborations among his sextet. Accompanying Laidler in his adventure are Mark Buselli on trumpet, Ned Boyd on saxophone a...