jazz2love

  New Release:  Hard Bop: For The Record from Greg Chako Label: Mint400 Records Release Date: September 4, 2026 Website:  https://gregchako.com Hard Bop: For The Record is the 25th offering from composer-leader-guitarist Greg Chako, a piano-less two-horn quintet recording that places Chako's guitar at the center of the ensemble while demonstrating his commitment to the hard bop language and traditional jazz idioms.  Inspired by the classic quintets of Horace Silver and Art Blakey, the album features shards of swing alongside hard bop, blues, and chillout jazz, most notable in the tribute tune "Bop for Bud," paying homage to pianist-composer Bud Powell.  Chako's improvised thrumming on the guitar is embellished by the frilly tooling of Brooks Giles's saxophone on "Mr. Higgins," a nod to drummer Billy Higgins that is keeled by the steady pulse of David Lloyd's bass and Alex Merk's drumming, while Spencer Mark's lyrical phrasing on the trombone...

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...

Album:  Imaginably Artist:   Yuto Mitomi and Yuto Kanazawa Label:   Self-Released Website:  yutomitomi.com   Saxophonist-composer Yuto Mitomi and guitarist Yuto Kanazawa perform one of a kind recording Imaginably .  Pairing the soulful strumming of the guitar with the malleable curves of the saxophone, the duo create a dulcet sojourn that magnetizes the listener to their performance. "Sweet Lorraine" is a warm ballad that displays the duo's impeccable timing and complementing response to each other's assertions.   The title track is a charming tune that spotlights Mitomi's agile dexterity on the saxophone, demonstrating a flexibility in his performance that is admirable.   "Karatachi no Hana" is a serene melody that integrates caressing strokes and wistful flutters, interpolating glinting swells.     The buoyant musings of the saxophone splayed across "Dorelice" are cradled in the tender strums of the guitar, shifting into the languid w...

Album:  The Venetian Artist:  Vin Venezia Label:  Innervision Records Website:  www.vincentvenezia.com Guitarist Vin Venezia's latest release, The Venetian , features 13 tracks consisting of vintage jazz standards, contemporary works, and original material by Venezia.  Supporting Venezia are Richie Morales on drums, Harvie S on bass, David Budway on piano, Danny Walsh on tenor saxophone, and special guest Bob Magnuson, who plays tenor sax on Miles Davis's gem "Solar" with a fervor reminiscent of Davis himself. Venezia mesmerizes the audience with his interpretation of Victor Young and Ned Washington's tune "Stella By Starlight," stroking his guitar strings with a tenderness that ignites waves of soothing emanations. Another vintage standard "Alone Together," penned by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz, is treated with a funky flare in Harvie S's grooving bass line as Walsh's tenor sax intersperses twirling toots along the rollicking prog...

Album:  Solo Artist:  Ricardo Silveira Label:  Moondo Music Website:  https://en.ricardosilveira.com                   https://musicabrasileira.org/artists/ricardo-silveira Solo , the latest CD from guitarist-composer Ricardo Silveira offers a compilation of reflective musings which are the grist for the atmospheric soundscapes.  His performance is sparse, making audiences intensely aware of each note, each lift, each inflection, and each curve made along the tracks.  The listener isn't a spectator but actually walks with Silveira through the music, experiencing the rolling knolls and melodic expressions articulated by Silveira. Silveira includes six of his original tunes, all of which he recorded on previous albums but re-imagined for his solo guitar effort.  Filling out the recording is a selection of songs written by notable Brazilian composers like Marcos Valle and...