jazz2love

  New Release:  Live at Blue Llama from the David Janeway Trio Label: Steeplechase Release Date: May 4, 2026 Artist Website: davidjaneway.com Label Website: steeplechase.dk Recorded live on June 15, 2024 at the Blue Llama Jazz Club in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the David Janeway Trio demonstrates a collaborative engagement on their release Live at Blue Llama that is nimble, spontaneous, and lyrical.  Featuring David Janeway on piano, Robert Hurst on bass, and Billy Hart on drums, the album showcases a handful of jazz standards mixed in with a number of original compositions.   Their original work “Sweet and Lovely” draws from Latin influences in the rhythmic grooves, in addition to traces of bop in the melodic phrasing of Janeway's cantoring keys.  The trio's respond and exchange creates a dynamic dialogue.  The reflective mood of Gary Peacock's piece "Gardenia" is comfortably paced, displaying a warm interplay between Janeway's languid keys and Hurst's slo...

  Album:  Plaid Pants Artists:     Ron Cyger and Brent Butterworth, Label:   Outrageous 8 Records Release Date:   March 13, 2026 Website: https://cygerbutterworth.bandcamp.com/ https://www.angelamaeoneill.com/ao8records https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ron-cyger/1482212553   Plaid Pants from saxophonist Ron Cyger and guitarist Brent Butterworth moves along rhythmically, harmoniously, and collaboratively.   The duo's rapport produces a friendly environment for the listener, as they correspond casually between each other and their band mates: drummers Dimitris Terzpiis and Leo Oliveira, and bongo player Larry Salzman.     The pair spruce up " Pequeña Diabla " with a sexy, Latin salsa shimmy, while wielding a bluesy jazz gait along "Round & Round."   A slow trot drives "Clunky," contrasting the bopping beats propping the title track, as Cyger's saxophone seeds the track with a swinging pulsation.   The reflective mood of "L...

  Agua Con Gas from Dave Schumacher and Cubeye Label:   Cubeye Music Release Date:   April 17, 2026 Website:   cubeyemusic.com   Baritone saxophonist and Chicago native Dave Schumacher leads his jazz ensemble Cubeye along a whirlwind ride on Agua Con Gas.   A mix of Schumacher's originals sprinkled with jazz standards, Schumacher entwines Latin jazz with swing, bop, and improvisation.  Their tailored creations are finely detailed and seamlessly threaded.  Schumacher's original tune "Al Rosé" is harnessed in a bopping strut as he performs a series of dynamic acrobatics on the sax while Alex Norris carves out a path of spiraling toots on the trumpet.  Their embellishments on B. Reid's softly ambient "The Gypsy" demonstrates Schumacher's nimble playing, threading sprightly curlicues along Silvano Monasterios's lightly stroking keys, followed by the billowy ruffles of Jesus Ricardo's trumpet.  "Amosaya,"composed and arranged by Schumach...

  New Release: Bite Your Tongue from Interplay Jazz Orchestra Label:  Bigtime Records Release Date:  February 26, 2026 Website: https://www.facebook.com/InterplayJazzOrchestra IG: https://www.instagram.com/interplayjazzorchestra The youthfulness in Interplay Jazz Orchestra's performance penetrates the listener from the get-go.  The orchestra's present lineup sees their sophomore offering Bite Your Tongue out of the gate in 2026.  An assortment of covers and originals, the compositions are abound with bopping harmonies, swinging horns, jangly keys, and romping beats.  Layers of trombones, saxophones, and trumpets produce a party atmosphere that keeps the music bustling through numbers like "The Congregation," penned by Johnny Griffin and "Go Figure," written by the band's baritone saxophonist Chris Scarnato.  The bluesy cool jazz glaze of "My Foolish Heart," composed by Victor Young, is a wondrous serenade sprinkled in sparkling horns, coasting...

  New Release:  Under the Covers from Steve Luciano Label: Self-Released Add Date: June 3, 2024 Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAwUyesVye9EYWYJMNDlj4w Straight-ahead jazz guitarist and bebop impresario Steve Luciano has a style of playing that allows his notes to move seamlessly, articulating each phrase with a pristine tone, resembling the evocative playing of George Benson and Charlie Christian.  Supporting Luciano on his release Under the Covers are: Mike Avila on percussion, Charlie Siva on bass, Walt Hubbard on drums, and Dan Jordan on tenor saxophone and flute. The quintet swings with a classic swag on Duke Pearson's iconic “Chant," shifting to the laid-back strokes of "I'll Take Romance," a notable work by Oscar Hammerstein II and Ben Oakland, resonating a swell of glistening twinkles.  Luciano's tender playing on Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke's number “Like Someone In Love” is cradled in a warm bebop rhythm, ballooning into a lofty...

  Wake Up Call from Rick Roe Label: Cold Plunge Records Release Date:  December 19, 2025 Websites: https://www.gregghilljazz.com https://www.roejazz.com Pianist, leader and arranger Rick Roe, while in the company of Nate Winn on drums, Robert Hurst on bass, and Marcus Elliot on tenor and soprano saxophones, has cultivated a nouveau straight-ahead jazz style on his newest addition Wake Up Call:  The Music of Gregg Hill .  Roe and company make alternations to jazz composer Gregg Hill's compositions that set these tracks along a path of spiraling aerials and stimulating improvisations.  The main course of the album is the window brightening hues of "Sunspiration," escalated by the swinging fluctuations throttling the title track, and then rolling into the stargazing harmonies of "Wide River."   The bopping beats of "The Return of Mr. Pea" propel Roe's jutting keys and Elliot's zigzagging tenor into a nouveau stratosphere.  For the dessert, Winn...

  Album:  New Jazz Standards Vol 7:  The Music of Carl Saunders  Artist:  Marina Pacowski Label:  Summit Records Release Date:  May 9, 2025 Website:  https://marinapacowski.com French vocalist-pianist Marina Pacowski pays tribute to her friend, composer and trumpet player Carl Saunders on her 2025 recording New Jazz Standards Vol. 7:  The Music of Carl Saunders.   Performing Saunder's material with Pacowski on vocals are:  Roy McCurdy on drums, John Clayton on bass,  Josh Nelson on piano, Rickey Woodard on saxophones, Ron Stout on trumpet, Larry Koonse on guitar, Ken Wild on bass, Scott Whitfield on trombone, and special guests: John Proulx on vocals and Ken Peplowski on clarinet.   A classic jazz crooner and scat improviser, Pacowski keeps the melodies focused and palliative, projecting a consolatory voicing, particularly prevalent in "Feels Like Home" as her vocals rise and fall congruent with the palpitating beats ...

  Words Underlined from Patrick Smith Label:  Lit Soc Records Release Date:  December 12, 2025 Website:  https://www.patricksmithsax.com https://litsocrecords.bandcamp.com Saxophonist-composer Patrick Smith plays with a soulful script and unwavering determination, displaying a sensitivity that is penetrative and an instinct that moves in sync with his collaborators.  His 2025 program Words Underlined is an 11-track disc that evokes introspection, willpower and solace.  The mournful wails of his sax construct an ecclesiastical edifice for "Hazel," contrasting the fiery blazes roaring across "Banff" kettled by guitarist Dan Pitt and drummer Lowell Whitty, and ignited by Smith's belting saxophone howls.  He plays a swinging ragtime-like shuffle across "I've Found A New Nemesis," nimbly moving into a hollering squeal.  Smith halos "As Years Go By" with amorous, cool jazz flutters that evoke reflection and solace as his sax soars and ebbs, sl...

  The Nutcracker Remix from the Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra (CCJO) Label:  Self-Release Release Date:  October 31, 2025 Website:  www.cincinnatijazz.org The Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchesta (CCJO), a 17 piece ensemble, presents The Nutcracker Remix ,  a 12-track album featuring nine reimagined tracks from the Tchaikovsky's timeless suite "The Nutcracker" ballet, alongside three bonus Christmas-themed tracks sung by frequent CCJO collaborator Mandy Gaines, which include the candlelight shimmers of "Christmas Time Is Here," a bluesy soul spin on "Merry Christmas Baby," and the cushiony, lulling swells of Gaines’s original number “Christmas This Year."  Preceding is the orchestra's reinterpretation of Tchaikovsky's original compositions with a jazz twist, incorporating many different styles including bop, western swing, smooth jazz, and jive, all of which are sequenced fluidly and cozily into a roaring rendition of gyrating h...

  Dream Dancing: Celebrating Zoot Sims at 100 from The Scott Silbert Quartet Label:  Self-Released Release Date:  November 7, 2025 Website: https://www.scottsilbertmusic.com From the press release, "The Scott Silbert Quartet marks the centennial of one of jazz’s most beloved voices, tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims (1925–1985), with a heartfelt tribute recording, Dream Dancing . Released in 2025 to coincide with Sims’ 100th birthday on October 29, the album captures the warmth, humor, and effortless swing that made Sims a cornerstone of the jazz tradition."  Sparsely layered with Silbert on tenor and soprano saxophone, Amy Shook (of 3D Jazz Trio fame) on bass, Robert Redd on piano, and Chuck Redd on drums, the band fuses bop, swing, torchlight blues, and straight-ahead jazz into an easy listening package. The hynotic sway of Silbert's saxophone is bolstered by the brushed strokes of Chuck Redd's drumming, wrapped in the soft kayaking strums of Shook's bass, and the spr...

  Album:  Dziesmu Kamoliņš/Garland of Songs Artist:   Arta Jēkabsone Label:   Self-Released Website:   https://artajekabsone.com https://artajekabsone.com/soundspictures   Vocalist, arranger, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Arta Jēkabsone's newest endeavor, Dziesmu Kamoliņš/Garland of Songs , is a collection of 11 original arrangements of traditional Latvian folk songs interspersed with original compositions inspired by them.   For the recording, she embraces the past while ensconced steep in the present.   F olkloric melodies are intertwined with modern imagery and balmy aesthetics, rooted in blissful soul, uplifting blues, and pensive psalms.   Reflections of Celtic, Baroque, Alpine, and Baltic folk cultures vibrate throughout the tracks, wrapping the listener in a montage of sprightly cantors and soothing ballads.   Her vocals soar elegantly across “Dievin, Tavu Gaisuminu!,” supported by a bopping groove that interweaves a rhythm ...

Album:  Tribute: The Music of Gregg Hill Artist:  Rick Roe Label: Cold Plunge Records Websites:  gregghilljazz.com roejazz.com Pianist Rick Roe is joined by drummer Nate Winn and bassist Robert Hurst for his 2024 release, Tribute: The Music of Gregg Hill , a heartfelt homage to Lansing-based composer Gregg Hill.  The trio morphs twelve compelling tracks by Hill that explore bop jazz from swinging romps to caressing ballads and improvised lyricism. Starting off with the freestyle rivulets of Roe in “Elden’s Bop,” his frilly whorls and zestful playing is bolstered by the jaunty beats of Nate Winn’s robust drumming.  The track is followed up by the swinging rhythm of “Ducks Night Out,” seeing Robert Hurst’s arco bass propelling the bopping grooves as Roe's improvised doodles on the keys scroll animated notations along the melodic patterns. The trio's zealous approach continues through “Mr. Pea,” a frothy romp that showcases Roe’s lively piano work intertwined with ...

Album:  Justifiably J.J. Artist:  John Fedchock Label:  Summit Records Website:  Johnfedchock.com Facebook.com/JohnFedchockMusic IG: @Johnfedchockofficial Youtube.com/@JohnFedchockMusic Summitrecords.com For trombonist John Fedchock's eleventh album as a leader, he showcases a tribute to the trombone master J.J. Johnson’s Justifiably J.J. , marking its centennial. The release is a collection of eight swinging compositions either written by or associated with Johnson. Rather than “re-imagining” Johnson’s music, Fedchock performs Johnson’s original arrangements in honor of the pioneer. Johnson is noted for effectively fashioning the trombone's booming flair to be applied to the flexible tempo changes of the bebop style at a time when the trombone was popular in Dixieland and swing music.  Johnson is considered the first trombonist to adapt the trombone to the complexities of bebop, honing a legacy that has influenced jazz trombonists since. In 2024, in celebratio...

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...

Album:  All Is Merry And Bright Artist:  Donald Vega Label:  Imagery Records Website:  www.donaldvega.com Pianist and composer Donald Vega applies his distinctive artistic brush strokes to classic Yuletide tunes on his 2024 release All Is Merry and Bright from Imagery Records.  Produced by multi Grammy winner engineer and producer Jim Anderson, Vega is joined by Pete Van Nostrand on drums and Clovis Nicolas on bass.  The trio coalesce classic motifs with a flare for magnetic and innovative phrasing. Vega's poignant keyboard punctuations are scattered across tracks like "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," sprinkling the tunes with sparks of buoyancy and impromptu impressions.  The bubbly facets enhance the Yuletide experience. The solace emanating from Vega's keys along "O Little Town of Bethlehem" is inviting with warm aesthetics that are universally pleasing.  His rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" exud...

Album:  Conspiracy Deliracy Artist:  Andrew Binder Label:  Self-Released Website:  andrewbindermusic.com Conspiracy Deliracy , the creation of bass player, composer and leader Andrew Binder, makes interesting commentaries about American culture both conceptually and musically.  A fusion of bop, blues, funk, improvisation, and cool jazz, many of the arrangements are reharmonized contrafacts, reimagining original works and revealing the inner workings of Binder's mind and ingenuity.  His music makes commentaries about current events and popular impressions fashioned from whittling improvised phrases, structured motifs and bop-inspired patterns that bridge traditional jazz with a modern day mindset. Examining “Mandela Effect,” named after South Africa's late president, Nelson Mandela, who died in 2013, the music is a light, fluffy assemble as the delicate feathering of Brian Stark's flute is encircled by Binder's soft bass pluckings. “Rush for Area 51” is styl...

Album:  Wild Is Love Artis:  Naama Label:  La Reserve Records Website:  https://www.naamasings.com Naama sings and swings majestically on her latest release Wild Is Love .  On close inspection, her vocal inflections spur exhilarating sensations and the clarion tone in her vocal nuances cause listeners to pause and take notice.  Her sultry purring is reminiscent of the late Lena Horne, and her creamy crooning is akin to vintage Lainie Kazan.   The recording is elegant and refined like a gold reserve wine that equally satisfies the soul's need to be engulfed in a succor-rich escape. Naama's music is solace for the soul and mind.  Her sleek phrasing through "I Cried For You" intimates a vulnerability that audiences relate to instantly as she asserts, "Every road has a turning / that's one thing you're learning / now I cried for you / what a fool I used to be / my brown two eyes are a little bluer / I found a heart a little bit truer / I cried fo...

Album:  No More Excuses Artist:  Danette McMahon Label:  Self-Released Website:  https://danettemcmahon.com/bio/ Having received a scholarship to attend Houston Baptist University for music and drama, vocalist Danette McMahon blends the essence of R&B/soul with facets of torchlight jazz, Latin swing, and adult pop on her latest release No More Excuses .  Containing two cover tunes and twelve originals songs written by McMahon, the recording is laden in lyrics with adult themes, finding hope and strength amidst life's trials, losses, and heartbreaks.  She woos her audience into a comfy respite with the starry, dream-like escapes sewn across "Life Goes On" and "Come Dance with Me," as she intimates the lingering sentiment of a sorrowful past while in the next breath embraces love and strength of a positive outlook for the future. The music swings harmoniously like a tender caress that works as a balm on the listener.  Such smooth swing also surfaces ...

Album:  Heart Mind and Soul Artist:  Randy Bernsen Label: Jerico Jams Website:  randybernsen.com Randy Bernsen exerts his prowess as a lyrical composer and versatile guitarist with this six-track release, Heart Mind and Soul , his 11th project as a leader.  The melodic motifs, as though glass-blown from his guitar, are scaffold by the clarion toots of saxophonists Bob Mintzer and Bob Franceschini, interspersed by the sleek flickers of Dan Davis's trumpet.  The rhythm section comprised of bass player Jimmy Haslip, drummer David Nizri, and keyboardists George Whitty and Uzi Nizri complement the harmonic forms. The octet create multifaceted soundscapes, parlaying an assortment of jazz fusion blends from smooth jazz clauses, bop-induced lobes, and improvised excursions.  Bernsen inseminates sizzling streaks across"Chant 881," giving the score a shot of spontaneity as his improvised fragments form unrestrained ruptures and agile curves along its progression....

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...