jazz2love

  New Release:  For the Record from Pete Mills Label:  Mighty Ernie Records 1002 Release Date:  September 5, 2025 Website:  www.petemills.com Toronto-born saxophonist Pete Mills fuses traditional bebop with modern swing and blues on his new release For the Record .  Comprised of original compositions by his quartet, which features Jon Eshelman on Hammond B3 organ, Tom Davis on electric guitar, Zach Compston on drums, and Mills on tenor saxophone, the recording effectively creates a synergistic performance, putting each instrument up front.  No musician takes a backseat in these performances and is heard bold and clear.  The rattling beats of Compston's drums form tremors along "Kenny, Ken," a track written by Tom Davis as a tribute to guitarist Kenny Burrell.  Interfacing with the ruffling motifs of Davis's guitar and frothy ripples of Eschelman's organ, Mills's tenor courses a serpentine path across the melody.  Switching to a relaxing...

  New Release:  Waking Dream from Randy Napoleon Label:  OA2 Records Release Date:  August 15, 2025 Website:  www.RandyNapoleon.com An amalgam of modern bebop, meditative blues, and straight-ahead jazz, composer, guitarist, and leader Randy Napoleon teamed up with four additional guitarists, who are all former students of his:  Luke Sittard, Chris Minami, Jocelyn Gould, and Ben Turner for his recording Waking Dream .  Consisting of original tracks written by Napoleon and Gregg Hill, the recording explores diversity in syncopation, melodic phrasing, and harmonic forms.  The atmospheric serenity shrouding the title track exudes a tenderness, which is contrasted by the complex intricacies of "The Speckled Frog," as each instrument moves to a different beat between Quincy Davis' syncopated drumming to the streaking flare of Anthony Stanco's trumpet and the curt bopping pulse of Rodney Whitaker's bass.  "The Singer" displays a Latin accent in the ...

  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," ...

  New Release:  Planet D Nonet presents Doctor Professor Leonard King in Tribute to Joe Williams Release Date: April 19, 2025 Label: Eastlawn Records Website: https://rjspangler.com/ The late Big Band vocalist Joe Williams, who sang with the Count Basie Orchestra through the 1950's and later enjoyed being a solo artist, is treated with reverence on Planet D Nonet's latest recording Planet D Nonet Presents Doctor Professor Leonard King in Tribute to Joe Williams .  King's vocals take the listener down memory lane, when jazz combos filled ballrooms with rhapsodic romps, swinging scat, bluesy candlelight vibes, and smoldering bebop.  The scores may stem from the 20th century but King's arrangements are contemporary, sowing meaningful interpretations that lure the listener in from his catchy vocal inflections to Michael Zaporski's percolating keys and the impromptu raptures of the horns.  The interaction is emblematic of the spontaneity audiences recall that made ja...

Album:  Aurora Artist:  Finn Wiest Quintet Label:  Self-Released Websites:  https://finnwiest.com/                   https://finnwiest.bandcamp.com/album/aurora                   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RItvtO8hfE Jazz drummer-educator-composer Finn Wiest merges the fluid musings of Chick Corea with the cozy stride of McCoy Tyner and the sleek spontaneity of Billy Cobham on his recording Aurora .  Joined by his quintet, consisting of Julius van Rhee on alto saxophone, Victor Fox on tenor saxophone, Leandro Irarragorri on piano, and Calvin Lennig on bass, together, their collaborations blend the vintage sounds of bebop with improvised twists and straight-ahead jazz threads. The title track, written by Irarragorri, travels at a leisurely pace held by the gentle glint of his keys, as the f...

Album: Clement Kovalcheck Hamar Artist: Clement/Kovalcheck/Hamar Trio Label:  Self-Released Websites:  www.dawnclement.com https://www.kovalcheckmusic.com/ https://jonhamar.com/ The drummerless trio of pianist Dawn Clement, guitarist Steve Kovalcheck, and bass player Jon Hamar demonstrate a charming rapport that highlights their lyrical sensibilities and penchant for harmonious motifs, comprised of improvised turns and wayfaring musings.  The trio's latest release Clement Kovalcheck Hamar indulges their exploratory natures with all original compositions, probing and traversing in a winsome spirit as they form melodic patterns that send them wandering merrily. From the complex entanglements of "Blind" and the somber passages of "Spirit Spin" to the elegant soundscapes of "Lazy Dragon" and the balmy rhumba flare of "Paseo del Mar," the trio's sense of rhythm keeps the listener engaged.  The bebop pulse of "Hard Ball" is steep in ...

Album:  Beatin' The Odds Artist:  Leigh Pilzer's Seven Pointed Star Label: Strange Woman Records Website: leighpilzer.com Label Website: strangewomanrecords.com The current project of saxophonist, composer, arranger, and educator Leigh Pilzer is creating a library of compositions and arrangements for her septet, Leigh Pilzer’s Seven Pointed Star. The group’s debut recording, Beatin' The Odds , released in March, 2024, includes eight of Pilzer’s original compositions and one by long-time DIVA colleague, bassist Amy Shook.  That one being the title track, a bebop jazz romp garnished in the flashing bellows of the saxophone flares moored by the pulsating thrums of Shook's bass and the stocky beats of drummer Sherrie Maricle, the leader of DIVA. The press release sites Pilzer's words about the recording, “the music on this recording was written between September 2017 and October 2023, a period that included life-changing events both personal (a cancer diagnosis) and uni...

Album:  Green Lights Artist:  Troy Roberts Label Name: Toy Robot Music Website:  troyroberts.com Record Label address:  toyrobotmusic.com Facebook:  @TroyRobertsMusic Instagram:  @mistertoyrobot Bandcamp link:  https://troyroberts.bandcamp.com Typical of saxophonist and leader Troy Roberts is his indelible skill to form dynamic conversations with his bandmates.  Uniquely individual of himself is his proclivity to be both a stimulant and to be stimulated, exploring multiple ways in which he interfaces with his musicians.  His saxophone turns thoughtful and pensive in his musings along "The Question," then moves with a whimsical flair through the title track, and pivots to a suave and lofty voice as he helms the melodic course of "By Your Side," all from his latest release Green Lights . Marking his 16th offering as a bandleader, Green Lights presents Roberts's innovative collaborations with John Patitucci on bass, Paul Bollenback on guitar, a...

Album:  The Door is Open: The Music of Gregg Hill Artist:  Randy Napoleon Label:  OA2 Records Label Website:  originarts.com/oa2 Artist Website:  randynapoleon.com A fusion of minds, The Door Is Open:  The Music of Gregg Hill from guitarist and leader Randy Napoleon is his second record with the core band of pianist Rick Roe, bassist Rodney Whitaker, drummer Quincey Davis, and vocalist Aubrey Johnson.  Adding to the mix are Lucas LaFave on bass, Anthony Stanco on trumpet, Walter Blanding on tenor saxophone, and Andrew Kim on trombone. Integrating blues, bebop, and soul, Napoleon's arrangements have an organic fluidity, culminating into animated passages.  Johnson's scatting and vivacious vocalese have tracks like "Spa-Teneity" and "Motel Blues" ensnare the listener, struck by Napoleon's piercing strings and Davis's rippling drumbeats.  The cool jazz vibe of the tracks imbue a contemporary peal. The bluesy tint of Napoleon's guitar chords and...

Album:  Aspenrose: Live at the Opera House Artist:  Herb Silverstein Label: Silver Tunes Website:  www.herbsilversteinjazz.com Pianist and composer Herb Silverstein's online biography reveals that "In the early 1980s, one of Herb’s sons introduced him to a recording of Chick Corea, and this began a long love affair with jazz music."  His bond with stride piano, bebop, and improvised music has motivated him to release his 17th recording Aspenrose:  Live at the Opera House , recorded with Michael Ross on bass and produced by Silversten.  Containing twelve original compositions written by Silverstein, the listener immediately becomes aware of Silverstein's ability to create lyrical phrases that are comforting and therapeutic for the aural senses.  His practice as an Otologist (the branch of medicine concerned with the ear) and as an Otolaryngologist (the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the ears, nose, and thro...

Album:  Red Beats Artist:  Steve Fidyk and the Live Wire Broad Band Label:  Blue Canteen Music Website:  www.bluecanteenmusic.com and www.jazzprofiles.blogspot.com Applying the standard of five saxophones, four trombones, four trumpets, and four rhythm players augmented by guitar and organ to the instrumentation featured on Steve Fidyk and the Live Wire Broad Band's latest endeavor Red Beats , the recording bears a burst of creative thinking that expands on the syntex of big band constructs.  Produced by Fidyk, the compilation consists of 9 original compositions by Fidyk as well, arranged for big band by 6 different arrangers from the DC and Philly region, namely the band's bassist Regan Brough, saxophonist Joseph Henson, trumpet player Andrew Carson, guitarist Michael Kramer, saxophonist Mark Allen, and saxophonist Jack Saint Clair. Well-versed in holding dynamic conversations spurred on by rhythm changes, chirpy interfacing and counter statements, the musician...

Album:  No Mentions, No Worries Artist:  Jonathan Mills Label Name: Self-Released Website:  www.jonathanmillsdrums.com No Mentions, No Worries is leader, composer and drummer Jonathan Mills’s debut full-length album intermingling a traditional straight-ahead jazz fare with contemporary stylizing, designed as a collection of thoughtful journeys that describe a harmonious world.  The lulling riffs of "For Hadley’s Folks” put listeners at ease with Luke Weathington's alto sax providing a stream of luxuriating sonic clusters.  The fibrillating saxophone toots leisurely paddling along “When My Mind’s Quiet” stokes a fireside warmth that lets the listener melt into its palliative fumes, coalescing the vibes of swing, bebop and bossa nova. “Solecism” is latticed in breezy saxophone swirls, eliciting a relaxing atmosphere as Patrick Arthur's guitar strings disseminate a soothing aroma through the homespun broth.  Wafting of bebop impulses permeating from Tyrone Ja...

Album:  Stories From Solitude Artist:  Domi Edson Trio Label Name: Self-Released Website: www.domiedson.com A musician and leader well beyond her years, bassist Domi Edson shows melodic sensibilities comparable to the best swing and bebop players around the world.  Her interplay with her trio, comprised of pianist Spencer Zweifel and drummer Bobby Wiens, on her latest release Stories from Solitude , displays a simpatico repartee where the players mingle freely as each participates in the conversation while keeping a swing-inspired continuity.  Made up of several original compositions penned by Edson alongside a few jazz standards, the recording is multi-faceted. The harmonious consistency fashioned from Zweifel's trotting keys and Edson's percolating beats, with Wiens' drum palpitations seamed along Edson's original work "Domi’s New Blues," has a rich bebop luster.  The trickling keys scampering briskly across "In Waltzed Minnie" have a playful cante...

Album: 9 to 5 Artist: 3D Jazz Trio Label: DIVA Jazz Website:  https://3divasjazztrio.com 3D Jazz Trio's original creations and reimagined arrangements are filled with nimble improvisations in union with finely groomed motifs.  The trio of pianist Jackie Warren, acoustic bassist Amy Shook and drummer Sherrie Maricle are a ball of kinetic energy that radiate merriment and an indefatigable zest for life.  Their latest recording 9 to 5 takes its title from Dolly Parton's popular hit song, and contains a collection of original creations by the trio alongside reimagined arrangements.  The trio tweak Parton's hit tune, applying a funky sprint in the rhythmic pattern, as the pumping action of Maricle's drum beats and Shook's bass lines are dotted by Warren's sprinkling keys playing the main motifs and branching out into sizzling improvisations.  The trio interweave the idioms of swing, bebop, straight-ahead jazz, blues, and funk, and add Latin flavors like samba, salsa...

Album:  Hodges: Front and Center, Vol. 1 Artist:  Owen Broder Label:  Outside In Music Website:  owenbroder.com outsideinmusic.com owenbroder.bandcamp.com outsideinmusic.bandcamp.com Hodges: Front and Center, Vol. 1 is Owen Broder's second album as a leader.  In its sonic passages, Broder pays tribute to iconic jazzman Johnny Hodges, who is best known for being a saxophonist for the legendary Duke Ellington Orchestra.  Featuring Broder on saxophone and supported by Riley Mulherkar on trumpet, Carmen Staaf on piano, Barry Stephenson on bass, and Bryan Carter on drums, Broder explores Hodges' material in Ellington's band as well as his contributions outside the band.  Broder's interpretation of nine of Hodges' melodies highlight the smooth waltzing style of the swing-imbued motifs and the bold and lyrical bebop-gilded improvisations. He refines the arrangements to a classic jazz shine, displaying a genuine tenderness for the warm human touch that the sw...

Album:  Love for Connoisseurs Artist:  Angela Verbrugge Label:  Gut String Records Websites:  www.angelasjazz.com www.facebook.com/AngelasJazz Fun and flirty, native Canadian vocalist Angela Verbrugge has a flare for making the listening experience delightful.  Her sophomore release Love for Connoisseurs is a compilation of three original works penned by Verbrugge alongside nine jazz-inspired songbook standards with lyrics written by Verbrugge.  She demonstrates a showtunes-tinted perkiness reflective of The Manhattan Transfer's crooner Cheryl Bentyne, complimented by a magnetic voicing liken to Fleur Seule's vocalist Allyson Briggs.  Supported by pianist Miles Black, bassist Jodi Proznick, drummer Joel Fountain, and saxophonist Dave Say, Verbrugge offers audiences an escape into a world laden with merriment and solace. Opening the recording with a smooth cabaret stylizing reminiscent of Sarah Vaughan, the  title track is driven by a slow simmer ...

Album: Distant Voices Artist: David Janeway Label: Steeplechase Lookout Website: www.davidjaneway.com   Distant Voices from pianist/leader David Janeway is his third jazz trio album and the first with his present working trio comprised of Cameron Brown on bass and the legendary Billy Hart on drums.   Featuring nine reworked arrangements and four original tracks penned by Janeway and inspired by his musical influences including Hank Jones, Walter Bishop Jr., Bill Evans, Duke Ellington, Ahmad Jamal, Larry Willis, Cedar Walton, and Herbie Hancock, the recording intertwines aspects of bebop, swing, blues, and straight-ahead jazz. The improvised excursions of Janeway’s keys are grounded by the swinging bass pulse of Brown and pulsating drumming of Hart along Hank Jones’ iconic “Minor Contention,” flexing a tranquil versing through Mercer Ellington’s trademark tune ‘Blue Serge” as Janeway showcases a flare for crafting soothing aesthetics, ideal for cocktail lounge amb...