New Releases Only

[dsschicago]

My newest weekly recommendations are posted up at the eMusic site (you don't need to be a member to read the list)...

http://www.emusic.com/17dots/2013/01...-jazz-picks-7/

Of most interest is "Heels Over Head," from Billy Martin's Wicked Knee... a quartet of Martin on drums, Curtis Fowlkes on trombone, Steven Bernstein on trumpet, and Marcus Rojas on tuba. Celebratory music steeped in the blues, but with avant-garde flourishes as one would expect from the quartet's personnel. Stream a couple album tracks on Soundcloud.

Also, Benje Daneman's "Estelle's Farewell Gift," a trio recording with Daneman on trumpet and featuring Jeremy Siskind on piano (whose "Finger-Songwriter" made my best of 2012 list). Moody quiet night trumpet jazz. Beautiful stuff. Stream on bandcamp.

Also, the Swiss Jazz Orchestra released "Lucidity," a big band recording that has all the euphoria of a large ensemble but finds some ways to tweak some contemplative moments out of the tunes, too. Stream an album track on Soundcloud.

My article will list about twenty other recs, though some of them are older albums that are new to eMusic.

Also, expect extended review for many of them on my site Bird is the Worm.

Cheers.

[slowshoes]

Yelena Eckemoff Trio: Glass Song

I have this one pre ordered for it's release next month. I really love her past trio albums - this should be a great one as well.

[jkelman]

My review of Rez Abbasi Trio's Continuous Beat, today at All About Jazz.

Following the more ambitious and broad-scoped Suno Suno (Enja, 2011), the Pakistani-born/American-based guitarist pares down to a simple trio. with bassist John Hébert and drummer Satoshi Takeishi, two players with whom he's collaborated in the past, just not together. Originally to be a trio with Paul Motian, when the drummer pulled out for health reasons, Abbasi decided to move forward with a show in his honor; when he passed away a month later it made this superb collection of Abbasi originals and lesser-known covers all the more poignant, though the music itself is far from melancholic. Instead, with a range of textures and a language that, in the past 5-7 years, has really become his own, Abassi's combination of combination of motivic development, purposeful virtuosity and unshackled imagination makes Continuous Beat a guitar trio record well worth checking out.

Review here.

[jkelman]

My review of Joe Locke's Wish Upon a Star, a collaboration with Lincoln, Nebraska's Symphony Orchestra, today at All About Jazz.

Meetings between jazz ensembles and orchestra run the risk of turning the sweet into the saccharine, the dramatic into the melodramatic, but there's no risk of that with vibraphonist Locke, whose melodic disposition has been a constant undercurrent throughout his career, even when he's ripping it up and demonstrating why he's quite possibly the most important mallet-slinger of his generation. With arrangements by quartet-mate/pianist Ryan Cohan and Storms/Nocturnes Trio collaborator/reed player Tim Garland, Wish Upon a Star's charts are deep, and Locke's quartet - fleshed out with bassist Lorin Cohen and drummer Carmen Intorre - proves as capable of fiery swing as it does more textural fare.

Since signing with Motéma Records, Locke has finally hooked up with a label capable of spreading the word and building on his already strong but nowhere near sufficiently broad reputation. With his blues & ballads record coming later this year the triptych of that record, last year's Signings, with The Joe Locke / Geoffrey Keezer Group, and now Wish Upon a Star, define, in a relative short period, the breadth and depth of Locke's musical interests - though those who know him were already fully aware.

Review here. You can also download an entire track, "Available in Blue," as today's AAJ Download of the day.

[jkelman]

My review of Jasper Blom Quartet's Gravity, today at All About Jazz.

The conclusion of the triptych that began with Statue of Liberty (2008) and continued with Dexterity (2011), the Dutch saxophonist's group, which also includes Jesse van Ruller kicking it up with some gritty, overdriven work that's in sharp contrast to his own more mellow tone with the famed Dutch guitarist's Chamber Tones Trio, shifts gears a tad. With the three covers suggesting head, hands and feet, Dexterity is the quartet's most upbeat recording (though there's still space for some darker balladry as well); it's also the first to feature a guest - percussionist and (wordless) vocalist Tutu Puoane spices up the Latinesque "The Jaive Song" while Blom, himself, contributes some uncredited vocals to the funkified closer, "Angelocology (Payé, Payé, Paya)."

A wonderful end to a wonderful trilogy; let's hope it doesn't mean the end of the band, though, as there's clearly more to be said from this superb Dutch quartet. Review here.

[cincyjake]

Don't think I've seen it mentioned here, but Bill Carrothers has a new trio disc out on Pirouet, with Drew Gress on bass and Dre Pallemaerts on drums. Seems that it came out in mid-November, but is just becoming available in the U.S. this week.

http://www.pirouet.com/home/album.php?release=PIT3067

Bill doesn't get nearly as much press as some piano players, but he's become one of my favorites. And throwing Gress into the mix is icing on the cake. Really looking forward to hearing this one.

[HutchFan]

Originally Posted by cincyjake

Bill doesn't get nearly as much press as some piano players, but he's become one of my favorites. And throwing Gress into the mix is icing on the cake. Really looking forward to hearing this one.

Thanks for the heads up!

You're right: Carrothers is FANTASTIC.

[Alypius]

Wayne Shorter Quartet, Without a Net (Blue Note, 2013): To be released Feb. 5, 2013



At last!! Something new from Wayne. He's had one of the best working groups in jazz for over a decade, but to my mind, they've been insufficiently documented, only two records, Beyond the Sound Barrier (2005) and Footprints Live! (2002) (His Alegria was a mix of musicians). I hope that some of the adventurous stuff that I saw them do live the other year will be the sort of thing they do here. And it was adventurous! The clips sound like it will be.

Rudresh Mahanthappa, Gamak (ACT, 2013): To be released: Jan. 29, 2013




The Kandinsky Effect, Synaesthesia (Cuneiform, 2013): Released: Jan. 15, 2013:



A thrilling sax-bass-drum trio based in Paris. For me, their 2010 debut was one of the two or three best of that year. I can't tell if this is a download-only or if one can actually order a CD (Amazon reports being out of stock on the CDs).

[Lunar Drift]

Originally Posted by Alypius

The Kandinsky Effect, Synaesthesia (Cuneiform, 2013): Released: Jan. 15, 2013:



A thrilling sax-bass-drum trio based in Paris. For me, their 2010 debut was one of the two or three best of that year. I can't tell if this is a download-only or if one can actually order a CD (Amazon reports being out of stock on the CDs).

Was going to post about it myself

It's a CD / digital release.

You can get it directly from the label: http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/band...skyeffect.html

[jkelman]

My review of Hanna Paulsen Concept's Waltz for Lilli, today at All About Jazz.

All too often, European and especially Scandinavian jazz artists are criticized for being too distanced from the American Jazz tradition. Not the case here; this young Norwegian saxophonist and her young band (also featuring drummer Hans Hulbækmo, who is in another exciting new group, Moskus) play a set of original material but while Paulsen is somewhat characteristic in her attention to tone, search for melody and avoidance of pyrotechnics, this is a band that, at times, swings, and swings hard.

All young players worth watching, including bassist Trygve Waldemar Fiske and, especially, pianist Oscar Grönberg. Review here.

[jkelman]

Originally Posted by Alypius

Wayne Shorter Quartet, Without a Net (Blue Note, 2013): To be released Feb. 5, 2013



At last!! Something new from Wayne. He's had one of the best working groups in jazz for over a decade, but to my mind, they've been insufficiently documented, only two records, Beyond the Sound Barrier (2005) and Footprints Live! (2002) (His Alegria was a mix of musicians). I hope that some of the adventurous stuff that I saw them do live the other year will be the sort of thing they do here. And it was adventurous! The clips sound like it will be.

It is, it is! I don't think you'll be disappointed. And it includes a track from the group's brief collaboration with Imani Winds, the 23-minute "Pegasus," that also shows Shorter's writing chops are still very much intact.

[niels]

Originally Posted by jkelman

It is, it is! I don't think you'll be disappointed. And it includes a track from the group's brief collaboration with Imani Winds, the 23-minute "Pegasus," that also shows Shorter's writing chops are still very much intact.

Man, I'm so much looking forward to this album (and the new Chris Potter on ECM. I think the album with Motian and Moran, Lost in a Dream, is one of my top 3 ECM albums from the last years).

Does anyone know if the Wayne Shorter album will also be released on vinyl?

[Steven Reynolds]

DKV Live - Past and Present - 7 CD's recorded live between 2008 and 2011.

[robmid]

Originally Posted by jkelman

My review of Jasper Blom Quartet's Gravity, today at All About Jazz.

A wonderful end to a wonderful trilogy; let's hope it doesn't mean the end of the band, though, as there's clearly more to be said from this superb Dutch quartet. Review here.

Absolutely love Blom and his quartet. Jazz doesn't get much better than this. Immediately downloaded it (CD Baby - not on Amazon or eMusic yet) and am listening now. Wonderful!!

So many exciting new releases coming up! Potter, Shorter, Mahanthappa, Quest... plus just picked up the new Lovano and Kandinsky Effect. Plus a few goodies to check out from Dave.

And January's not even over!

Cheers, Robert

[robmid]

Originally Posted by dsschicago

My newest weekly recommendations are posted up at the eMusic site (you don't need to be a member to read the list)...

http://www.emusic.com/17dots/2013/01...-jazz-picks-7/

Of most interest is "Heels Over Head," from Billy Martin's Wicked Knee... a quartet of Martin on drums, Curtis Fowlkes on trombone, Steven Bernstein on trumpet, and Marcus Rojas on tuba. Celebratory music steeped in the blues, but with avant-garde flourishes as one would expect from the quartet's personnel. Stream a couple album tracks on Soundcloud.

Also, Benje Daneman's "Estelle's Farewell Gift," a trio recording with Daneman on trumpet and featuring Jeremy Siskind on piano (whose "Finger-Songwriter" made my best of 2012 list). Moody quiet night trumpet jazz. Beautiful stuff. Stream on bandcamp.

Also, the Swiss Jazz Orchestra released "Lucidity," a big band recording that has all the euphoria of a large ensemble but finds some ways to tweak some contemplative moments out of the tunes, too. Stream an album track on Soundcloud.

My article will list about twenty other recs, though some of them are older albums that are new to eMusic.

Also, expect extended review for many of them on my site Bird is the Worm.

Dave, I checked out a few of these and two got my immediate attention and I downloaded them: Gregg August, Four by Six and Yoron Herman, Alter Ego. Beautiful! Thanks for being such a great bird dog for new music! Love your short and pithy reviews. I can't tel you how many new discoveries you've turned me onto!

Cheers, Robert