jazz2love

  Album:   Conceptions Artist:   Geoffrey Dean Quartet Label:   Cellar Music Website:  www.geoffreydeanmusic.com Conceptions is the second album from the Geoffrey Dean Quartet featuring leader-pianist Geoffrey Dean, bassist Harish Raghavan, Dr. Eric Binder on drums, and Justin Copeland on trumpet.  The recording is an array of original music using the framework of straight-ahead jazz with each track written individually by Dean, Binder and Copeland.  The group’s multi-dimensional writing styles showcase a diversity of expressions and interplay using jazz principles.   The heavenly furls of Copeland's trumpet swirling leisurely across "Amidst a Dream" recede as Dean's lightly prancing keys take centerstage, held steady by the trotting beats of Binder's drums and Raghavan's bass.   The bold strokes of Copeland's trumpet flares open "Conflagration" into a blossoming meadow of sonic ripples that retract as Dean's nimbly choreographed keys ...

An American saxophonist and composer, Sean Imboden has released three albums as a leader, and continues to cultivate new discoveries using the jazz form.  The language of jazz is Imboden's chosen musical expression, enabling him to design abstract landscapes that he envisions in his mind, giving voice to the sounds in his head. "I like the freedom of jazz music," he professes, "and that as a jazz musician you are encouraged to be yourself. When you learn the music, you study other players and their musical personalities, but only as a means to an end, which is to fully embrace your personal, unique sound and style."  He considers, "I like that the term 'jazz' now encompasses a broad range of sound and styles, and I like that the term has become more difficult to define. We need artists to think outside the box and not be scared to sound different than what has come before."  "I like that by studying jazz music intensely," he precipita...

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:   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:  Continuation Artist:   Yuto Mitomi Label:   Self-Released Website:  yutomitomi.com   Japanese jazz saxophonist and composer Yuto Mitomi makes his debut as a leader with his release Continuation .  Based in New York, Mitomi blends his musical roots with influences of American bebop, improvisation, swing, and straight-ahead jazz.  Featuring eight original compositions and two jazz standards with his arrangements, the album showcases Mitomi's fluency in the jazz framework, leading his band mates Takahiro Izumikawa on keyboards, Moto Fukushima on six string bass, and Kazuhiro Odagiri on drums. The recording's title is inspired by Mitomi's continuous journey from being a pupil of Japan's folk and pop music to becoming a participant on the Manhattan jazz circuit, discovering contemporary perspectives from modern musicians, shaping his artistic leaning and contributing to the world music market.  Mitomi displays a sympatico with his band mates th...

Album:  Soft Light Artist:  Mark Scott III Label Name: Miller Three Publishing Artist Website: https://markscottiii.com Soundcloud Link: https://soundcloud.com/mark-scott-419586889/sets/soft-light Mark Scott III is a jazz guitarist based out of Austin, Texas.   He makes his debut as the leader of a jazz trio with their recording Soft Light from Miller Three Publishing.  Joined by bass player Ben Triesch and drummer Mike Gordon, Scott composed a suite of original compositions dedicated to his loved one that have passed away and to those who are alive, celebrating the joy that life offers.  His music is softly lit, and his melodic prose projects a sentimentality and vulnerability that bonds with listeners. The tracks chronicle pieces of Scott's journey to adulthood, demonstrating a maturity that is laudable.  His thoughts and emotions are channeled into the rustling of his chords.  The listener is a spectator along the ride as Scott intimates a ran...

     Trusting in one's collaborators is a principle that saxophonist-composer-arranger-leader Yuto Mitomi follows by instinct.  Mitomi has enjoyed shaping compositions and improvisations from simply trusting in the collective experience of riffing with his collaborators.  His 2025 release Epicycle harnesses this synergy, blending traditional jazz parlance with modern perspectives. "With Epicycle ," he declares, "I aimed to capture not just the sound but also the atmosphere and human energy—the intangible elements that emerge when musicians create together in the moment." A shining example of Mitomi's songwriting process, capturing human energy that emerges when immersed in a collaborative setting, is his improvised arrangement "Grappling Cats" from Epicycle .  He explains, "This track is actually a free improvisation. I probably just counted in the tempo then started playing without any sheet music." "I don’t remember the exact det...

Album:  Epicycle Artist:  Yuto Mitomi Label:  Self-Released Website:  https://yutomitomi.com   The improvised prose penned by saxophonist-composer Yuto Mitomi gives his new recording Epicycle character and depth, keeping the dynamics of the tracks fluctuating and shapeshifting.  The title of the recording "refers to a geometric model used to explain the variations in speed and direction of the apparent motion of the Moon, Sun, and planets," states Mitomi's electronic press kit, giving the listener a vision of his motivation. The arrangements are created by seaming polyrhythms, harmonic forms and melodic patterns, making tangential musings that wrap around one another then return to a middle ground where all the musicians come together.  Joining Mitomi on this expedition are Takahiro Izumikawa on piano, Moto Fukushima on six-string electric bass, and Keita Ogawa on drums and percussion. The improvised flutter and flare of Mitomi's sax emotes an organic...

Album:  Self-Titled Artist:  Joe Elefante's Wheel of Dharma Label: Self-Released Website: https://www.joeelefantemusic.com SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/o3mTyKuYxndfss2j7 YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@joeelefantemusic The theme of jazz pianist Joe Elefante's Wheel of Dharma's 2025 recording is personal as well as meaningful on a broad scale that touches families far and wide.  After losing his wife to cancer in 2024, Elefante set out to revive his passion to make music, fueling his drive to create and share his material as never before.  His offering is a tribute to his wife's memory and a celebration of his dedication to his craft. Joining Elefante are old friends, Freddie Hendrix on trumpet and David Heilman on drums.  Their friendship stretches back over 25 years to their college days, when they first met and began their musical journey together.  Rounding out the ensemble are Erena Terakubo on saxophone and Sameer Shankar on bass.  ...

Album Name: Play Space Artist: Omer Lesham Label: Ubuntu Music Artist Website: omerleshem.net Originally from Herzliya, Israel and now based in Brooklyn, New York for the past decade, saxophonist and composer Omer Leshem has honed a compositional style that is influenced by a wide range of concepts, including classical European harmonies, Middle Eastern grooves, Mediterranean lyricism, and contemporary free jazz. His third release Play Space is composed of nine original scores featuring his quintet with Leshem playing tenor saxophone, Moshe Elmakias on piano, Nadav Remez on guitar, Elam Friedlander on bass, and Ben Silashi on drums.  All members are Israelis currently residing in New York City, channeling their shared ethnic roots and affinity for improvised jazz. Leshem pays homage to the British psychoanalyst Donald Winnicot on the recording, who devoted his career to studying child play.  Interpreted as the concept that a child’s imagination liberates the mind from establi...

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:  It's Hard To Say Goodbye Artist:  Enrico Granafei Label:  CAP Records Website:  www.enricogranafei.com http://Facebook..com/enrico.granafei]Facebook.com/enrico.granafei YouTube channel: Youtube.com/@johnmeixner1809 IG: @granafei Jazzbeat.com/project/enrico-granafei It's Hard To Say Goodbye , the fourth US release from harmonica virtuoso, classical guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and composer Enrico Granafei, is a compilation of Latin-infused jazz rhythms sauté ed in Granafei's soulful playing.  Inspired by harmonica master Toots Thielemans, Granafei illustrates the potency of the reed instrument to helm the melodic direction of arrangements as its wind-imbued texture intensifies the make-up of the scores.  Composing six of the 11 tracks, Granafei's delivery affects the listener profoundly. He titled the album It's Hard To Say Goodbye in memory of three people who were very special to him:  Toots Thielemanns, and two musicians who pla...

Album:  I Was Here Artist:  Andy Ezrin Label:  Ez It Iz Music Website: andyezrinmusic.com Instagram: Andyezrinmusic A prolific composer, arranger, pianist, and bandleader, Andy Ezrin is the Sidney Sheldon of jazz, articulating life and its encounters as being fun and mind-opening exchanges, filled with experiences that expand one's world.  His music expresses thoughts in a lyrical symposium, embracing the joy generated from doing the work that one loves.  Andy Erzin's new release I Was Here , produced by Ezrin and Chris Hajian, is clad in original compositions and arrangements by Ezrin.  From the sheer merriment projected in "Grapes" to the relaxing ruminations that arch across "Greenwoman," Ezrin's nimble movements are accentuated by the freestyle verses played by Donny McCaslin on tenor saxophone and Randy Brecker on trumpet.  Improvisation and harmony walk hand in hand in the music, notably along the swift exchanges and spontaneous banter documenti...

Album:  Commitment Artist:  Jae Sinnett’s Zero To 60 Quartet Label: J-Nett Music Website:  jaesinnett.com Commitment is drummer Jae Sinnett's 19th recording as a leader and his 15th recording with his Zero to 60 Quartet.  Performing are Sinnett on drums, Allen Farnham on piano, Steve Wilson on alto and soprano saxophones, and Terry Burrell on acoustic and electric bass forming the quartet.  The recording features Randy Brecker on trumpet and flugelhorn, who makes an indelible mark on several tracks.  Comprised of an assortment of straight-ahead jazz textures, swinging melodies, and improvised dynamics, the recording has three originals by Sinnett, two originals by his bandmate Allen Farnham, and attractive interpretations of five jazz standards. Brecker's trumpet melds harmoniously into the melodic formations of the quartet along "Simone," producing an amorous sonorous that engulfs the listener in winsome aesthetics.  The combination has a heavenly ef...

Album:  Perseverance Artist:  Melvin Smith Label Name: MISMWO Music Website: melvinsmithsax.com Leader and saxophonist Melvin Smith has honed his chops on both commercial and spiritual recordings and performances.  The jazz improviser in him comes through on his latest offering Perseverance from MISMWO Music.  Produced by Smith, the recording has the liberating spirit of John Coltrane fused with a warm sizzle slanted to instill an after-hours decompression in the listener.  Smith's music fits into one's lifestyle as a way to unwind and soak up the peaceful aesthetics he offers. The calming atmosphere of "Letter to the Ancestors" is bolstered by the buttery texture of Smith's whimsical musings as organist Greg Lewis embellishes the track with teased knots and loose furls etched along the melodic patterns.  “Beatitudes - Interlude,” a Bobby Watson original, has a soothing sonorous that caresses the listener with a pure tenderness.  "One By One," an Art ...

Album:  Opening Artist:  Chris Keefe Label: Zugzwangbebop Records Website:  chriskeefemusic.com The camaraderie demonstrated by pianist Chris Keefe, bassist Harvie S, and drummer Adam Nussbaum on Keefe's latest release Opening displays a genuine esprit de corps that affects the listener instantly.  Launching the recording with "Got a Chick?," Harvie S and Nussbaum work with Keefe's musical statements, inseminating arcs and rhythmic beats that enhance the revelry and interplay. The trio's kinetic interplay makes each track enjoyable.  The refinement and liveliness of "Just in Time" is magnetic, and the sleek pendulum-like swells of "Modern" are aurally comforting.  The shuffling beats of "Along Came Betty" have a hardcore bop luster, and the solemn ambience of "Fall In Love Too Easily" has a tranquilizing effect on the listener, imbued with a straight-ahead jazz shine.  "Chobim" permeates a dreamy bossa nova sway t...

Album:  Nu Jive: Live at the Perth International Jazz Festival Artist:  Troy Roberts Label:  Toy Robot Music Website:  https://troyroberts.com/ https://troyroberts.bandcamp.com/album/nu-jive-live-at-the-perth-international-jazz-festival Nu-Jive, led by composer and saxophonist Troy Roberts and supported by guitarist Tim Jago, keyboardist Silvano Monasterios, bassist Eric England, and drummer David Chiverton, has released their first live recording, captured at 2022's Perth International Jazz Festival.  Based in Roberts' hometown of Perth, West Australia, where he made his debut at the festival 11 years prior, the recording consists of two complete shows, performing tracks from the quintet's portfolio of studio albums. In Nu-Jive's fashion, the ebbs and flow in the melodic patterns have a spontaneous feel, demonstrated by the prancing keys of Monasterios, cresting and receding intermittently across "Tribes and Tribulations," creating space for Robert's saxo...