jazz2love

Album:  The World and Its People Artist:  Yosef Gutman Levitt Label:  Soul Song Label Website:  https://yosefgutman.com Bassist and composer Yosef Gutman Levitt of Jerusalem releases his latest offering, The World and Its People , available from Levitt’s recently formed Soul Song imprint.  Leading a drum-less, chamber-jazz-newgrass foursome influenced in part by The Goat Rodeo Sessions with Chris Thile, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Stuart Duncan, Levitt delivers a collection of atmospheric melodies and spiritual renderings that have a soothing effect on the listener. The tracks are Levitt's original works cowritten and arranged by producer Gilad Ronen, with meaningful contributions from Levitt’s close musical associates Tal Yahalom on nylon and steel string acoustic guitars, Omri Mor on piano and Yoed Nir on cello.  Pairing elements of orchestral spirituals, country dance, Indian-Asian folkloric, ambient jazz, and improvisation, the quartet dazzles the listen...

Album:  The Vienna Sessions Artist:  Markus Burger Label:  Challenge Records Website: www.markusburger.com An ardent storyteller on the piano, Markus Burger strings together harmonious tales in his piano arrangements enlivening his latest release The Vienna Sessions from Challenge Records.  His recent trip to Vienna, Austria proved to be an inspiring sojourn that ignited creative impulses and sparked a surge of poetic prose on the piano keys.  Burger's meanderings form intertwining rings of melodic swirls, darting flickers, searing soars, and protracted lobes. The babbling brook personified by Burger's keys trickling across "Along the Creek" infuse a meditative atmosphere in the track, and embodies a Baroque-imbued vibe along the frolicking flicker of his keys ambling along "A Knight's Tale."  Each unfold into a harmonious arrangement that keeps the listener spellbound.  The dulcet strokes of Burger's keys evolve into glittery swells along "Caf...