jazz2love

Album:  A Nomad of Sound Artist:  Marina Albero Label:  Self-Release Website:  https://marinaalbero.net Serene and soothing, the music of pianist-composer Marina Albero projects an intimacy with her audience, illustrated in her 2024 self-released effort A Nomad of Sound .  Swells of improvised excursions and classic bop-infused emanations emerge along the shuffling, crinkling and rippling of the recording, as an inviting repartee surfaces among Albero and her compadres.  Supported by Amina Scott on bass, Pedro Segundo on drums, and mult-instrumentalist Yusa, the melodic transitions are seamless, integrating the suaveness of swing and the creative strokes of cool jazz. "Old Song" surges with billowing saxophone toots that blaze vigorously, as Albero's keys heighten the simmering jazz aura, having the effect of creating a smoldering atmosphere loaded with emotion and fervor. Albero's daughter Serena takes the vocal reins in "19 y 42," intensifying the simmeri...

Album:  Gotham Artist:  Wayne Alpern Label:  Henri Elkan Music Website:  https://www.waynealpern.com Arranger, composer and bandleader Wayne Alpern has made substantial and meaningful contributions to the jazz emporium, and he continues go strong.  His 2024 release Gotham brings together elements of R&B, classic jazz, and sultry Latin swing to enhance a selection of classic standards.  Combined with his melodic sensibilities, the recording pulls the listener into Alpern's world of merrymaking and solemn reflection. The playful interaction of the horns cleated by a swinging Latin beat along "Desafinado," authored by Antonio Carlos Jobim, filament a lively mood and produce an elevating experience.  Turning reflective and amorous, Wayne's reimagination of "Norwegian Wood," written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, opens with breathy guitar strings punctuated by the balmy riffs of the horns.  The smooth waltzing motion of the rhythmic beats are ...

Album:  Cohesion Artist:  David Larsen Label: Larsen Jazz Website: larsenjazz.com In the spirit of jazz artists who endeavor to fill the room with music, saxophonist, composer and bandleader David Larsen accomplishes this task on his latest release Cohesion .  Joining Larsen are Darryl Yokley on tenor saxophone, Zaccai Curtis on piano, Alex Apollo on bass, and Wayne Smith, Jr. on drums.  The outfit's synchronicity is pristine and their rapport is elevating for the listener.  From smooth jazz to hard bop, the quintet creates a lively experience for their audience. Curtis's keys burst with a sonic pop across "Movement," as the lofty flares of Yokley's and Larsen's saxophones color in the landscape with large, buoyant strokes.   The musicians engage in a comfortable conversation along "Wishing Well," fusing spiraling saxophones with the animated musings of Curtis's keys and a supportive rhythm section that engulfs the listener in a lively story.   T...

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:  I Am Soul Artist:  Sofia Rubina Website:  https://www.sofiarubina.eu/ https://sofiarubina.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-soul Bridging the lanes of cool jazz, smooth blues, R&B/soul, and sonic pop, I Am Soul from Estonian vocalist Sofia Rubina is a pleasing synthesis.  Her command of the vocal melody is reminiscent of Joss Stone, and her natural fit into the melodic grooves is emblematic of jazz music's treasures like Dianne Reeves and Jane Monheit. The album is a collection of eleven tracks with six songs written or co-written by Rubina and the others are covers of works by L. Spenser Smith and Testament, George Duke, Chick Corea and Neville Potter, Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin.  Rubina collaborates with Evgeny Lebedev, an award-winning pianist and graduate of Berklee College, on the recording.  Also joining Rubina are Anton Revnyuk on bass and Ignat Kravtsov on drums, along with a string quartet featured on several tunes. The bluesy texture of her v...

Album:  Up and Gone Artist: The Moore-McColl Jazz Society Label: Madison Records Website: www.mooremccolljazz.com In the vane of jazz fusion combos like Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and Sly and the Family Stone, the music of The Moore-McColl Jazz Society has a jam session vibe, acting as a conduit of the present phase of bluesy, grooving, strutting, cool jazz along the time continuum.   As time moves forward, so too does the music of The Moore-McColl Jazz Society.  Comprised of Beth Moore (vocals, piano, Rhodes, and organ) and Chance McColl (electric guitar and vocals), the duo exhibit a bond that enthralls the listener.  Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the pair's third recording Up and Gone fuses a modern panoply of blues, funk, and contemporary hues of jazz. The opening track, “What’s Still Happening!!” has a ‘70s-inspired buoyancy, accentuated by the lobbing arcs of the alto saxophone and the gritty blues features of McColl's guitar riffs.  Moore's gr...

Album:  Parabbean Tales Artist:  Iwan VanHetten Label:  Blue Canoe Records Website:  http://www.iwanvanhetten.com/ UK based trumpeter, keyboardist, musical director, composer/songwriter, arranger, and producer Iwan VanHetten delights listeners with his latest offering Parabbean Tales .  Born from the concept of combining Caribbean-influenced music with particles of contemporary cool jazz and R&B/funk, VanHetten creates a synthesis that rouses his creativity as he plays with an enthusiasm that is infectious.  His experiences as a stage perfomer, playing beside such notable artists as Sister Sledge, The Pointer Sisters, Jimm Haslip, Jools Holland, and Paul Turner (Jamiroquai) to name a few, has honed his sharpness to conjure up verses that come from his soul.  He leads his ensemble, consisting of Russell Ferrante on piano and keyboards, Will Kennedy on drums, Lenny Castro on percussion, Andy Narell on steel pans, Bob Mintzer on saxophone, and on bas...

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:  True Stories Artist:  Mark Wade Label:  Mark Wade Music Website:  http://markwademusicny.com Modern jazz composer and bassist Mark Wade looks to jazz luminaries like Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, and Wayne Shorter for wisdom while making music that serves his day and age.  His latest release True Stories is not a rehashing of straight ahead jazz/after hours club music from a bygone era but rather his arrangements are a descendant of the works from such pioneers of the art form.  Audiences will recognize that Wade has a kindred spirit with after hours club staples.  He is a product of their lessons and willpower to see that jazz music endures into contemporary times. Wade exhibits a frolicking nature along the recording, continuously shifting the dynamics moving effortlessly from being somber like in "Song with Orange and Other Things" to jovial like in "I Feel More Like I Do;" from being sedate and reflective like in "Falling Delores" to uplifti...

Album:  Feel Again Artist:  Elena Maque Website:  https://www.elenamaque.com The confluence of soul and cool jazz is illustrated beautifully and meaningfully on vocalist-saxophonist Elena Maque's latest release Feel Again .  Diametrically different, the two styles of music have a true pathfinder in St. Petersburg, Russia born and Seattle, Washington based Maque whose tender vocal resonance can beguile a baby to sleep and equally brandish steamy vibrations that stir uplifting moods in listeners. Her remake of "And I Love Her" by the Beatles emotes a hypnotic sensuality that brings out a feminine allure, wrapped in the smoky mist of Leonardo Amuedo's guitar and the soft rustle of Brad Dutz's percussion, adding a bossa nova texture to the melody. Amuedo's guitar solo ignites a poignant, fiery blaze whose sinewy flame is slowly doused in the closing of the tune.  The sensual swerves of Maque's saxophone cruising along her original track "Weightless" ...

Album:  Wonderful World Artist:  Chris Standring Label:  Lateralize Records Website:  http://www.chrisstandring.com Guitarist and improviser Chris Standring performs with a 19 piece orchestra on his 14th release as a leader, Wonderful World .  He puts his own unique spin on songs from the Great American Songbook as he reimagines an assortment of jazz standards, setting the listener at ease track after track.  His articulation of the verses beckons the listener to savor each musicians input, enticing one to be absorbed by the warm climate Standring creates with his guitar riffs. His treatment of Cole Porter's staple "Night and Day" highlights the ruminating mood of the track, transitioning into the soft billowy phrasing of "Autumn in New York," composed by Vernon Duke.  Vocalist Kathrin Shorr's performance on "What a Wonderful World" is spellbinding as her vocals caress the lyrics with warm, feminine tenderness.  The low-lit simmer in her timbres h...

Album:  Best Buddies Artists: Troy Roberts & Tim Jago Label: Toy Robot Music Website:  www.toyrobotmusic.com Post bop, swing, cool jazz, and jazz improvisation are all elements which can each be found in the recording Best Buddies from saxophonist Troy Roberts and guitarist Tim Jago.  Supported by Karl Florisson on acoustic bass and Ben Vanderwal on drums, Roberts and Jago flex their creative instincts, articulating a call and response banter that embodies the phrase freedom of expression. The quartet's symbiotic repartee demonstrates their best friends relationship as each acts like a catalyst for the others, building on one another's statements and moving the course of the melodic progressions forward.  Jago's original composition, “A New Porpoise,” is an energetic interaction among the band members.  Based on Bronisław Kaper’s iconic “On Green Dolphin Street,” Vanderwal slings a playful rhythmic patter as Roberts sax whips up a cool froth and Jago's guit...

Album:  Bangalore Blues Artists:  Radha Thomas and Aman Mahajan Label:  Subcontinental Records Website:  www.radhathomas.com Based in Bangalore, India, vocalist Radha Thomas and keyboardist Aman Mahajan intertwine musical elements inherent in their native culture, offering their own brand of smooth ambient jazz.  Intrinsically comparable to the charismatic vocalese of Nina Simone, Mahajan's delicate musings on the piano keys radiate a classical orchestral luster as the duo interlock blues, rap, and cool jazz on their latest effort Bangalore Blues . The pair administer a personalized touch on their tracks, fusing Thomas's alto-bass register with Mahajan's sparsely kindled doodles. Melodies like "Load Shedding" and "Only Illusion" are led by Thomas's stark vocals, reflecting about life's circumstances and contemplating a course to take.  The provocative lilt in Thomas's narrative vocals evoke the listener to join her in considering her quan...

Album:  Rearranged Artist:  Jenny Davis Label:  Three Penny Records Website:  jennydavisjazz.com Rearranged , the 4th recording by Jenny Davis as a leader sees her joined by the the Yeoman Warders Sax Quartet and other musicians.  A composer, bandleader and critically acclaimed jazz vocalist, Davis's offering features 9 original works penned by her, accompanied by 3 covers.  Supporting her on the tracks is 3-time Grammy nominated pianist Jovino Santos Neto, who integrates a Latin flavor into the scores.  Her cool jazz temperament evokes a lounging atmosphere throughout the recording while the balmy and breezy traipsing of the keys enhance the tranquilizing impression.  The cool rhythmic strut in the undertow of "And What If I Don't Want," a piece written by Herbie Hancock, fuses jazz-inspired traits like swing, blues, and bossa nova.  Her smooth vocalese on "Come with Me," an original track written by Davis, resonates lulling epistles tha...

Album Review:  Emergence from Larry Corban Album:  Emergence Artist:  Larry Corban Label:  Nabroc Records Website:  http://larrycorban.com/ Guitarist Larry Corban demonstrates a kindred spirit to those lyrically-inspired bop artists before him, recalling the music of saxophonist Stan Getz and pianist Bud Powell. Dapper and smooth, the music on his latest CD Emergence from Nabroc Records shows the ingenuity of 60's jazz with influences of modern adult pop and fusion.  As a result, Corban's distinctive brand of jazz co-mingles decades of bop, fusion, and cool jazz. The subtle pulse of Harvie S's upright bass strolling comfortably along "Never Let Me Go" is cushioned by Steve Williams's gentle percussive strokes and Corban's sweet sounding notes, all lyrically strewn to exude a lullaby-like glow.  The tempo is quicken to a speedy shuffle across "On the Fly" as Jerry Bergonzi's saxophone emerges, scrolling a sequence of improvised phrases th...

Album:  Intimate Journey Artist:  Michael C. Lewis Label: Cybervision websites:  www.michaelclewis.com                  www.karigaffney.com Creamy jazz isn't technically a genre on the music spectrum but listeners know it when they hear it, and it is indisputable that trumpet player/vocalist Michael C. Lewis has made a mold for it on his sophomore offering Intimate Journey .  A fusion of soul, soft funk, R&B, adult contemporary pop, and cool jazz, the recording finds diversity in the simple pleasure of staying within the confines of its single mission.  A mission to make music that soothes the soul, caresses the body's rattled nerves, and relaxes the overactive mind. The music is richer than the style of smooth jazz that is heard over the intercoms of coffee houses, shopping malls, casino rooms, or cabarets.  It is music that is conducive to intimate moments, being alone with a spe...

Album:  Say It Artist:  John Proulx Label:  Artist Share Website:  www.johnproulx.com   Say It , the 4th CD from pianist/vocalist John Proulx, is fraught with cool jazz tunes and easy listening brews.  From the bopping groove blues steering "I Don't Worry about a Thing" to the classic pop propulsion towing "Both Sides Now," the recording straps listeners in and takes them for an uplifting ride. The smooth jazz musings of Larry Koone's guitar strings saunter leisurely along the title track, putting listeners in a relaxing state of mind as Proulx's vocals elevate the track to a heavenly lilt. The peppy cantor in Proulx's vocals gives "Scatsville" a catchy dance beat that subsides along "Something To Live For," paddling along with ruminating strokes.  The candlelight ambience of "Stained Glass" highlights the vocal harmonies of Proulx and Melissa Manchester, penetrating audiences with their clarion sound. The delicate...