Andy Milne and Unison - Time Will Tell

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2024

Personnel - Andy Milne: piano; John Hébert; bass; Clarence Penn: drums + Ingrid Laubrock: tenor saxophone (#1,4,6,9); Yoko Reikanu Kimura: koto (#2,4,6,9)

Pianist and composer Andy Milne reunites his Unison trio, featuring bassist John Hébert and drummer Clarence Penn, to present the ten captivating compositions that make up Time Will Tell, an album that feels invigoratingly fresh and demands attention. Milne’s previous album, The ReMission (2020), was inspired by his cancer diagnosis, treatment, and cure, but for this new one he was highly influenced by findings related with his biological family, as he was adopted as a child. The addition of illustrious guest musicians, Ingrid Laubrock on tenor sax and Yoko Reikanu Kimura on koto, enriches the sonic landscape, bringing their diverse talents and individual artistic influences to the forefront.

The album opens with the harmonious waltzing cadence of “Purity of Heart”, where Laubrock’s firmly centered tone and Milne’s melodic prowess take center stage. “Lost and Found”, reflecting Milne’s quest to locate his birth mother, introduces Kimura’s koto, adding enigmatic tones and a dark atmosphere that, without anticipation, morphs into a sweeter passage where the melody breathes. Later on the recording, Laubrock joins the quartet for the more straightforward “Lost and Found: Reprise”, which, nonetheless, blossoms in seven.

“Beyond the Porcelain Door” and “Kumoi Joshi” also include saxophone and koto, each offering distinct sonic journeys. The former shapes as a half-dreamy, half-realistic avant-garde procession with a bold rhythmic shift into septuple meter and a malleable bass solo, while the latter, evoking poignancy through the exoticism of sounds, exposes thoughtful saxophone considerations and piano lyricism over a firm lockstep before modulating the surroundings for a fine koto solo.

The trio’s chemistry shines brightly on Penn’s “Papounet”, characterized by an enlivening harmonic progression and a nonuple meter backdrop produced by the regular alternation of five and four beat groups. Commanding the attention, Milne constructs and distorts phrases with impressive pliability. The piano-bass-drums triangle works its way through nicely textured pieces, and the closer, “Apart”, is no exception, delivered with soulful balladic instinct and sensitive brushwork.

Opting for variety under a post-bop umbrella with a special eclectic touch, Milne explores colorful frameworks where the voices of his bandmates become an extension of his own clear and accurate compositional delineations.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Lost and Found ► 03 - Papounet ► 04 - Beyond the Porcelain Door

Jamie Baum Septet+ - What Times Are These

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2024

Personnel - Jamie Baum: flutes, spoken word; Jonathan Finlayson: trumpet, spoken word; Sam Sadigursky: alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet; Chris Komer: french horn; Brad Shepik: guitar, singing bowls; Luis Perdomo: piano; Fender Rhodes; Ricky Rodriguez: acoustic and electric bass; Jeff Hirshfield: drums // Guests - Theo Bleckmann: voice (#4); Kokayi: voice (#6); Sara Serpa: voice (#5,7,8); Aubrey Johnson: voice (#3,6,9); Keita Ogawa: percussion (#1,3,10).

During the pandemic confinement, flutist Jamie Baum, renowned for her modern artistic vision and noble artistic conscience, found inspiration in poems posted on Bill Moyers’ website, composing music that responded to the challenges of the time. Her fifth septet album, What Times Are These, was orchestrated with specific voices in mind, encapsulating this response to the pandemic.

Bookending the album, both featuring the percussive talents of Keita Ogawa, are “In the Light of the Day” and “In the Day of Light”, related yet distinct in sound. The opener introduces a repetitive piano note and regular chiming vibration before low-pitched melody inundates the bustling pulsation created by the collective’s forward motion. Before the strong counterpoint returns, you can indulge in head-spinning solos from Baum and trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson. The closing piece completes the whole cycle, smoothly surfing in polished waves of funk and percussive juxtaposition, with pianist Luis Perdomo taking the spotlight.

Among the highlights is “An Old Story”, a funk crusade where Finlayson reads a poem by Tracy K. Smith and explores rhythmic figures within his sophisticated brass terminology. Vocalist Aubrey Johnson also puts chromatic and intervallic boldness to good use. “In Those Years” features Theo Bleckmann’s luminous vocal work and a compelling, energetic alto statement by saxophonist Sam Sadigursky, while “Dreams” offers a half-grounded, half-provocatively loose experience touched by magical counterpoint and nice melody. 

Portuguese singer Sara Serpa shines on “My Grandmother in the Stars”, demonstrating vocal, facility, plasticity, and range. The song’s featured poem by Naomi Shihab Nye about her grandmother in Palestine deeply resonated with Baum, who dedicates this 7/4 excursion to her dementia-affected mother, Edie. On a completely different register, Kokayi introduces “Sorrow Song” with words of wisdom and hip-hop energy. Despite the title and Lucille Clifton's poem about war-victimized children, this groovy funk act feels more uplifting than desolating. The awesome melodicism and sound of guitarist Brad Shepik sparkles not solely within this realm but also on “To Be of Use”, a vehicle for key shifting and intricate meter.

The Jamie Baum Septet+ breathes as a unit while also encouraging the individualism of its members and guests. In addition to the power of words, the universal language of sounds envelops the listener with arrangements that include lustrous textures and tight grooves.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - In the Light of the Day ► 03 - An Old Story ► 04 - In Those Years

Julian Lage - Speak To Me

Label: Blue Note Records, 2024

Personnel - Julian Lage: acoustic and electric guitar; Jorge Roeder: bass, vibraphone; Dave King: drums; Patrick Warren: piano, keyboards; Levon Henry: tenor saxophone; Kris Davis: piano. 

Guitarist and composer Julian Lage explores different styles and group formats - from solo to quartet to sextet - in his fourth full-length album for Blue Note, Speak To Me. On seven tracks, his versatility is showcased alongside regular associates bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Dave King, with keyboardist Patrick Warren adding distinct flavors to their sharp sound.

On the opener, “Hymnal”, strings emulation flow from his keys while Lage’s acoustic phrases dialogue with Roeder’s bass lines. It’s all delivered with a liberal narrative perspective. “Northern Shuffle” infuses cheerful rock n' roll-flavored blues with outside electric guitar playing, adding a slight dissonance that enhances its appeal. Featuring a sextet arrangement, Levon Henry's tenor saxophone shines on this piece.

Similarly presented in a sextet setting, "South Mountain" leans towards folk with strummed passages in five and a loose-limbed finale. "76" delivers an intoxicating rock tale with Lage on acoustic guitar and pianist Kris Davis contributing a gripping solo. "Speak To Me" electrifies with free spirit, saturating the atmosphere with vibrant colors, while "Two and One" revisits acoustic blues with hints of Django Reinhardt's swinging propensity.

If “Omission” is a dyed-in-the-wool contemporary country song, then “Serenade” waltzes unhurriedly with passionate romanticism, highlighted by Warren’s soaring keyboard accompaniment. “Tiburon” features vibrant guitar improvisation over a rich harmonic progression and King’s simmering drum work, while “As it Were” captivates with Lage’s dissonant acoustic swoops and fragile aesthetics.

Lage’s ability to infuse songs with unexpected twists while maintaining a strong foundation showcases his unique musical vision, which, never rigid but not completely rooted in improvisation, relies on a sure-footed synthesis of post-bop, rock, and American music. On this account, this eclectic artist, who often combines angular detail with pleasant melodicism, cannot be reined by an obvious classification. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Hymnal ► 06 - South Mountain ► 11 - As it Were

Abdullah Ibrahim - 3

Label: Gearbox Records, 2024

Personnel - Abdullah Ibrahim: piano; Noah Jackson: double bass, cello; Cleave Guyton Jr.: flute, piccolo.

The legendary South African pianist and composer, Abdullah Ibrahim, is heard leading a trio - with members of his EKAYA band: bassist/cellist Noah Jackson and flutist Cleave Guyton Jr. - in a double album that captures music in different contexts. The first disc consists of six originals recorded without an audience ahead of a concert at London’s Barbican Centre in 2023. The second disc is the concert itself, featuring a blend of original compositions and covers.

Expressing himself with distinctive idioms, Ibrahim flows calmly, benefiting from the wholehearted accompaniment of his peers, who tackle old tunes like “Tswake” and “Ishmael” on their own. The former starts with a flurried bass, and the flute imparts a pronounced bluesy and jazzy feel, while the latter revolves around a central bass groove. To contrast these piano-less numbers, “Krotoa-Crystal Clear”, previously included in the album Mukashi - Once Upon a Time (Sunnyside, 2014) - takes the form of a solo piano meditation with rich, exquisite harmonies sustaining quietly poignant melodies where emotions flow effortlessly.

The opening track, “Barakat”, rests in a slow movement characterized by grace, elegance, and space. The flute takes center stage, complemented by an enriching cello operating on the groove side but also melodic at times. “Marába” is a reverential African folk song delivered with a delicate touch, positive attitude, and gentle rhythm. The first half concludes with the meditative classic “Mindif”, at once beautiful and heartbreaking.

The second disc includes not only well-known Ibrahim compositions like “Water From an Ancient Well”, “The Wedding”, and “Nisa”, but also renditions of tunes by Duke Ellington (“In a Sentimental Mood”), John Coltrane (“Giant Steps”), and Thelonious Monk (“Skippy”).

Nothing really burns intensely on Ibrahim’s latest release but the music, possessing healing powers, maintains its flow with a refined gloss that reflects the heritage, unique playing, and masterful compositional prowess of a great artist.

Favorite Tracks (Disc One):
01 - Barakat ► 04 - Marába ► 06 - Mindif

João Frade & Bruno Santos - Rascunhos

Label: Kimahera, 2023

Personnel - Bruno Santos: guitars, braguinha, rajão, electric bass, percussion; João Frade: accordion, samples.

Bruno Santos, a versatile Lisbon-based guitarist, has dedicated himself to diverse multi-genre projects, including his recent release, a guitar-hammond-drums trio album titled Wild West. That album showcases his commitment to evoking the hard bop and soul jazz sounds of iconic figures such as Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith, and Lou Donaldson, creating a classy atmosphere all its own. João Frade, another talented Portuguese artist, is an accomplished accordionist known for his eclecticism in jazz, fado, and Brazilian music. Their duo effort, Rascunhos, is the result of a remote collaboration, featuring 11 pieces – five compositions by each artist and one collectively composed - where they sink their teeth and hearts into world music territory with plenty of rhythm.

In Frade’s well-calibrated “Lyssa”, they intercalate uptempo waltzing passages with moments of calm detachment. The exoticism continues in Santos’ “Cabo Verde”, responding to the previous cut with a contagious African-tinged pulse. Here, the braguinha and rajão (stringed instruments from Madeira Island) and accordion harmonize perfectly before Frade’s warm improvisation.

“Chorinho Tila” and “Dázz to Dézz” showcase impetuous Brazilian rhythmic drives and beautiful melodies, while “Delirious Tremens”, a collectively composed effort with a more experimental nature, immerses the listener in hazy, tremolo-soaked acoustics. 

Fusion elements are present in “Plastik Man”, an old yet unrecorded piece by Santos that seamlessly blends eclectic sounds to reach a cross between Toots Thielemans, Milton Nascimento, and Ralph Towner. On the other hand, Frade’s “Chacrach!” brings shades of Larry Coryell’s flamenco jazz, Chick Corea’s gipsy-tinged fusion, and Rabih Abou Khalil’s Eastern flavors to the table. The album concludes with Santos’ “A Cadeira, o Baloiço e as Rosas”, a smooth waltz previously featured on Mano a Mano Vol. 2. 

Musically sensitive and not self-centered, Santos and Frade deliver Rascunhos as a breezy, sunny record where lovely dialogue unfolds. The music will please crossover jazz and world music enthusiasts alike.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Lyssa ► 05 - Plastik Man ► 10 - Chacrach!

Jaimie Branch - Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die (world war)

Label: International Anthem Records, 2023

Personnel - Jaimie Branch: trumpet, voice, keyboard, percussion; Lester St. Louis: cello, voice, flute, marimba, keyboard; Jason Ajemian: acoustic and electric bass, voice, marimba; Chad Taylor: drums, mbira, timpani, bells, marimba. Guests - Nick Broste: trombone (#5,6); Rob Frye: flute (#5), bass clarinet (#5,6,7); Akenya Seymour: voice (#5); Kuma Dog: voice (#5); Daniel Villarreal: conga, percussion (#2,5,6,7).

The late trumpeter and composer Jaimie Branch, a dynamic force of nature, left an indelible mark on contemporary jazz with her beautiful and innovative work. This posthumous album, recorded with her renowned quartet Fly or Die, was in the final stages of production just one month before her passing. The music, captured during a residency at the Bemis Center for the Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Nebraska, comprises eight tracks, many of which explore extended forms and modulations. 

The album opens with the anthemic melody of "Aurora Rising”, seamlessly blending keyboards, timpani, and high-pitched trumpet notes. It segues into the rhythmic celebratory procession that is “Borealis Dancing”. Branch pushes and pulls throughout the firm tides, followed by cellist Lester St. Louis, whose soaring lines top off the arrangement. The abrasive backbeat of drummer Chad Taylor, a standout behind the kit, is the tune’s ballast. His pulsatory killing rhythm is also key on the upbeat “Take Over the World”, a concoction of African-tinged hooks, punk rock, and electronic rave. It all burns with hard-hitting energy.

Branch's artistry extends beyond composing and playing - she infuses a sense of fun into her work, exploring expanded approaches. This is evident in her use of vocals and lyrics on "Burning Grey”, where a punk flavor meets avant-garde proficiency, maintaining a persistent rhythm and groove throughout.

The jubilant “Baba Louie” takes on a rollicking African-tinged vibe under the aegis of Taylor’s mbira and Daniel Villarreal’s percussive articulation. There’s a change of pace halfway, which helps modulate to a more psychedelic passage with additional vocals and hazy effects. The quartet is further augmented on this occasion by special guests, adding trombone and flute to the mix. There’s still space for Meat Puppet’s country song “Comin’ Down”, here re-titled “The Mountain”, and featuring bassist Jason Ajemian as the sole accompanist. He joins Branch on vocals.

Jaimie Branch left a solid body of work whose sound doesn’t hide the sensitive colorist within her. Her music remains a lasting expression of creativity and gratitude.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Borealis Dancing ► 03 - Burning Grey ► 08 - Take Over the World

Peggy Lee Band - A Giving Way

Label: Songlines Recordings, 2023

Personnel - Peggy Lee: cello; John Bentley: saxophone; Brad Turner: trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet; Jeremy Berkman: trombone; Ron Samworth: electric and acoustic guitars; Tony Wilson: electric guitar; André Lachance: electric bass; Dylan Van Der Schyff: drums.

Canadian cellist, improviser, and composer Peggy Lee boasts excellent credentials, having collaborated with spontaneous creatives such as Butch Morris, Wadada Leo Smith, Gordon Grdina, and Barry Guy. As a leader, she gained notoriety with her own octet, currently featuring two electric guitarists and a three-horn frontline. Following an 11-year hiatus, their sixth release, A Giving Way, is likely to attract new converts with eclectic music influenced by jazz, avant-garde, classical, Eastern music, and pop/rock.

In a brief span, “It’s Simple” exhibits a poignant melody and folk ascendancy, but the group digs deeper on the polyrhythmic “Internal Structures”, the first standout moment of the album. The electric bass lines of André Lachance is the glue that holds everything together, while Lee’s cello provides textural consistency. The horn players - saxophonist John Bentley, trumpeter Brad Turner, and trombonist Jeremy Berkman - exude a contagious sense of bliss, while guitarists Ron Samworth and Tony Wilson opt for distortion-infested washes. The undercurrents might be disorienting but the uninhibited group, propelled by Lee’s husband, drummer Dylan Van Der Schyff, swings boldly, allowing for a captivating trumpet statement.

While Turner takes a more active role in the first half of the album, Bentley shines in the second. The trumpeter is a standout assets on “Boat Ride Into Go Home Bay”, a rich piece bookended by pensive thoughts, and “Justice/Honour”, a response to George Floyd’s murder where the ensemble conjures something modal and epic, with Eastern spice and raw percussive tract. Among devotional horn expression, there’s classical suggestions and subtle modulation.

“Promise” serves up polished post-bop anthemics laced with a marked rock rhythm, full-bodied unisons, and a bluesy guitar solo. If this is bracingly immediate on the ear, the delicate “A Giving Way” brings the cello to center stage, later joined by tenor sax for a final emotional crescendo. The ensemble updates The Band’s haunting ballad “Whispering Pines” with enthusiasm and respect, leading “Walk Over Walk” to an ecstatic collective moment after starting cautiously.

Peggy Lee proves to be a generous composer in this transformative sonic journey, seamlessly blending profundity and abandonment.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Internal Structures ► 05 - Justice / Honour ► 06 - A Giving Way

Joel Harrison - Anthem of Unity

Label: High Note Records, 2023

Personnel - Joel Harrison: guitar; Greg Tardy: tenor saxophone, flute; Gary Versace: Hammond B-3 organ, piano; Jack DeJohnette: drums.

American guitarist/composer Joel Harrison showcases the pragmatic eclecticism that characterizes his music on Anthem of Unity, his 25th album as a leader. The disc features phenomenal rhythmic pulsations engendered by legendary drummer Jack DeJohnette, the adventurous melodicism of saxophonist Greg Tardy, and the extra harmonic color of organist Gary Versace, who, together with Harrison, creates colorful groove-centered tapestries.

Inspired by the influential late guitarist Mick Goodrick, the title track opens the album as an enjoyable concoction of funk, rock and Americana. The anthemic theme reveals a mild temperament but the solos by Tardy and Harrison are pure fire. In a similar tone but with a more incisive post-bop attack, “Survival Instinct” features another otherworldly tenor statement and the excellent underpinning of DeJohnette, who assures that his drum fills shine with a special energy.

Only two of the eight tracks that compose this work weren’t penned by Harrison, namely, “The Times Are A-Changin’” and “Doxy”, by Bob Dylan and Sonny Rollins, respectively. The former, a protest folk tune, waltzes smoothly with jazzy colors; the latter, served with jazz and funk ingredients at the base, boasts its heavenly melody with transparency and a laid-back groovy feel.

“Migratory Birds” develops in five and at some point places a heart-reaching flute at the center in unison with guitar, whereas “Today is Tomorrow’s Yesterday” swings energetically with casual post-bop fling. Before bringing the album to a close with “Mohawk Valley Peace Dance”, a blues rock incursion with a saucy wah-wah guitar solo on top of a dub substratum, Harrison offers “Parvati”, a rousing fusion with a great melodic theme, chromatic shifts, and a drum intro that’s quite interesting to hear.

Versatility abounds in a record that, not reaching the levels of America at War (Sunnyside, 2020), consistently satisfies. 

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Survival Instinct ► 05 - Doxy ► 07 - Parvati

Meshell Ndegeocello - The Omnichord Real Book

Label: Blue Note Records, 2023

Personnel includes - Meshell Ndegeocello: vocals, bass, omnichord, keyboards, key bass; Jebin Bruni: piano, keyboards, B3 organ, vocals; Josh Johnson: saxophone, vocals; Chris Bruce: acoustic guitar, bass, vocals; Abe Rounds: drums, percussion, vocals; Jeff Parker: solo guitar; Julius Rodriguez: clavinet, B3 organ; Deantoni Parks: drums; Joel Ross: vibraphone; Mark Guiliana: drums; Sanford Biggers: vocals; Joan As Police Woman: vocals; Cory Henry: piano; Jason Moran: piano; Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet; Thandiswa Mazwai: vocals; Burniss Travis II: bass; Brandee Younger: harp; and more.

The music of singer-songwriter, bassist and composer Meshell Ndegeocello is filled with socio-political commentary and shaped with the help of substantial production. The music, often levitates while the words weigh a ton over beats and rhythms that flow with purpose. Yet, her super polished new outing, The Omnichord Real Book, the first for Blue Note Records, is more of a contemporary R&B record composed of cerebral, groove-centered numbers that, being a hodgepodge of different influences stitched together, not always works for my ears.

Even if most of the album's 17 tracks don’t achieve the desired impact, there are some that stand out, being particularly recommended: “ASR”, which blends a Pharaoh Sanders-like vocal riff with a funk revival instrumentation that takes us to Chic, Funkadelic and Sly & The Family Stone; “Vuma”, a celebratory African gesture at its sneaky finest with vocals from South African singer Thandiswa Mazwai, a 10-beat cycle groove on the bass, and Joel Ross’ admirable vibing; and “Clear Water”, a Sly Stone-inspired funk song with a taste of Prince in the vocals, featuring guitar solos by the amazing Jeff Parker and wah guitar strumming by Chris Bruce, who doubles on bass.

As second choices I would point “Omnipuss”, a funk meets afrobeat instrumental piece; and “Virgo”, a neo-soul/smooth-funk swoop  touching on spiritual rebirth and ancestry with the help of harpist Brandee Younger, Julius Rodriguez on Farfisa organ, and Ndegeocello’s snappy key bass.

All songs fit in the album’s fabric but pieces like the African-flavored “Georgia Ave”, which incorporates omnichord and acoustic guitar; “An Invitation”, whose alternative R&B style empowered by a bold beat; and “Perceptions”, an ear-candy soul-pop song driven by the piano of Jason Moran, didn’t live up to my expectations. Despite the collaboration with trendy individualities of the jazz genre, The Omnichord Real Book fails to bring out the appeal of The Ventriloquist (Naive, 2018), Ndegeocello's previous album, and the candor of more stripped-down, less produced albums such as Weather (Naive, 2011). 

Favorite Tracks:
06 - Clear Water ► 07 - ASR ► 15 - Vuma

Iago Fernández - Luzada

Label: Fresh Sound New Talent, 2022

Personnel - Iago Fernandez: drums, organ, voice; Mark Turner: tenor saxophone; Joris Roelofs: bass clarinet; David Virelles: piano; Ben Street: double bass; Yumi Ito: vocals (#1,4,9); Wilfried Wilde: guitar (#1,4); Kuba Dworak: double bass (#1); Song Yi Jeon: vocals (#9). 

Luzada is a grown-up album with a beautiful collective sound fabric and sublime improvisational occasions. The Galician drummer and composer Iago Fernandez, who is based in Basel, Switzerland, assembled a formidable group with a dynamic two-horn frontline composed of American saxophone titan Mark Turner and Dutch bass clarinetist Joris Roelofs. The bassist Ben Street and pianist David Virelles are majestic in the rhythm section, and there are guests on selected tracks that help coloring some of his healing undertones and thoughtful meditations.

“Almas Viaxeiras” opens the doors to Fernandez’s sonic world with a quintuple time feel and a delicate, homogeneous texture that, suggesting a slight Brazilian tinge, serves as a keynote to Japanese-Polish singer Yumi Ito’s singing. The poem, written in Galician by Iago, is about the impossibility of physical contact between two deeply connected souls during the pandemic. Turner and the guest French guitarist Wilfried Wilde are featured here, the latter adorning the concluding head.

Ito also sings in Galician on the appreciable “Flor Esvelta” and joins timbres with South Korean singer Song Yi Jeon on “Purple Light”, which has illuminating arpeggiated piano clearing the path to improvisations by Turner and Roelofs. Commanding their instruments with authority, both musicians interweave lines on Xan Campos’ energizing “Cadeas Por Fin”, the sole non-original of the album, as if they came from the same mind. Before that, the spotlight was on Virelles, who introduces the excellent “Arrolo de Alba” with a slow drive and deep chordal underpinning. Roelofs explores darker corners and timbres here, which contrast with the surrounding light lines, and Street delivers a fine, grounded solo.

Brimming with self-possessed pleasure, “Doces” is underlined with a surefooted rhythm after a gauzy chamber-like intro. Roelofs really hits the spot while making fluid conversation; he’s followed by the intervallic grandness of Turner, who effortlessly gives wings to a brilliant phrasing. The album closes with “Curarei”, whose folksy melody and churning rhythm don’t blur other elements drawn from chamber jazz and classical music. 

Surrounded by wonderful musicians who understood his music, Fernandez shows he’s a sensitive drummer and qualified composer. Unhesitatingly, Luzada was one of the most agreeable surprises I had this year.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Doces ► 05 - Cadeas por Fin ► 09 - Purple Light

Antonio Sanchez Shift - Bad Hombre Vol. II

Label: Arts Music, 2022

Personnel - Antonio Sanchez: drums, percussion, electric bass guitar, keyboards, mandolin, synthesizer, ukulele, vocals + Guests - Dave Matthews: vocals; Pat Metheny: guitar; Ana Tijoux: vocals; Becca Stevens: vocals, guitar; Trent Reznor: vocals; Atticus Ross: synth; MARO: vocals; Thana Alexa: vocals, beat box; Lila Downs: vocals; Meshell Ndegeocello: vocals, electric bass; Silvana Estrada: vocals; Kimbra: vocals, guitar; Rodrigo Y Gabriela; guitars; Ignacio López Tarso: featured artist.

Renowned Mexican-born drummer Antonio Sanchez is a prominent bandleader (Migration is probably his best project) and valuable sideman (Gary Burton, Pat Metheny) with an eclectic taste. His second insdtallment of Bad Hombre (the first was released in 2017 on CAM Records) comprises 16 tracks where he plays several instruments. 14 of those tracks feature guest artists and were recorded remotely in its vast majority, but the super-polished production winks to a more commercial audience.  

The themes are sculpted with some rhythmic provocations, but as a whole, this work is less successful than what I was hoping for, struggling to maintain momentum. The mix of styles presented here is definitely not my thing, and while some collaborations gain an unschooled spark, others curb the impetus by adopting a fairly restrained temperament.

The album opens with the words of Sanchez’s grandfather, the 97-year-old Mexican actor Ignacio López Tarso, on top of a light and cool instrumentation. Yet, the standout tracks are: “Eh Hee 2.0”, a glamorous push into a sort of trad-rock arena featuring the American singer-songwriter Dave Matthews (who penned it) and the iconic crossover jazz guitarist Pat Metheny; “I Think We’re Past That Now”, a dark and muscular ebb and flow of industrial rock and electronic music with Nine Inch Nails’ members Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on board; and “Alambari”, a dreamy sound cloud fronted by Portuguese singer Maro, which starting with odd-meter disposition, is ultimately rounded up to a symmetric cycle. 

There’s also “The Bucket” (feat. Becca Stevens), which probes an alternative pop/rock style driven by shifting textures and peculiar beats; “Trapped (Red Room)”, whose mysterious and dark tones à-la NIN are embraced by Croatian American vocalist Thana Alexa; and the nu-soul incursions of “Waiting”, a solo effort, and “Comet Come to Me”, where Meshell Ndegeocello sings atop of a strong dub vibe and exotic rhythms.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Eh Hee 2.0 ► 05 - I Think We’re Past That Now ► 06 - Alambari

Tom Harrell - Oak Tree

Label: High Note Records, 2022

Personnel - Tom Harrell: trumpet, flugelhorn; Luis Perdomo: piano; Ugonna Okegwo: bass; Adam Cruz: drums.

The incredibly talented trumpeter and composer Tom Harrell releases Oak Tree, another hard-to-resist album, such is the variety and sophistication of the music presented. In a career that spans 50 years (with appearances alongside Phil Woods, Jim Hall, Bob Brookmeyer, Joe Lovano, and Horace Silver), the trumpeter has been championing the jazz tradition and developing a clear, precise and fluid language that puts him in a league of his own.

Teamed with Venezuelan-born pianist Luis Perdomo (in their first studio collaboration) and regular collaborators, German-Nigerian bassist Ugonna Okegwo and American drummer Adam Cruz, Harrell explores 11 new originals that exemplify his signature aesthetic, often based on modal centers, smart rhythm changes, diverse musical influences, and fantastic melodies.

The opener “Evoorg” (reads ‘groove’ backwards) starts the proceedings with enormous hard-bop and post-bop appeal and notable support of the rhythm team, whose members keep playing closer to the vest. Harrell dishes out a graceful, uplifting solo, being followed by Perdomo, who is given more latitude to expand beyond the lilting accompaniment. In the same vein, “Archaeopteryx” pays a fun tribute to both dinosaurs and Charlie Parker, featuring a fine conversation between Okegwa and Cruz while trading fours.

As it happened in the latter tune, Harrell overdubs his horns on the exciting and agile “Zatoichi”, a tribute to the enigmatic fictional character of the same name, a blind Japanese blademaster who is the hero of many films and TV series. Cruz’s proficiency comes with ease here, whether employing occasional snare drum rolls or engaging in tom-tom terminology.

If “Tribute” brings to mind “Samba de Uma Nota Só” by the master Brazilian composer Tom Jobim, then “Sun Up” conjures up the reggae of Bob Marley. “Shadows” also breathes some bossa feel, and even includes some waltzing bars at the end. Both “Fivin’” and the title cut favor pristine playing. The former develops with Perdomo emanating an amiable, soulful funkiness on Fender Rhodes; the latter features the group languorously peeking through a cadenced harmonization.

On this recording, Harrell and his associates emphasize the genre-bending versatility that is their common strength. The result is extremely pleasing to the ear. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Evoorg ► 02 - Fivin’ ► 05 - Zatoichi

Steve Turre - Generations

Label: Smoke Sessions Records, 2022

Personnel - Steve Turre: trombone, shells; Emilio Modeste: tenor and soprano saxophone; Wallace Roney, Jr.: trumpet; Isaiah Thompson: piano; Corcoran Holt: bass; Orrion Turre: drums. Guests - James Carter: saxophone; Ed Cherry: guitar; Andy Bassford: guitar; Trevor Watkis: keyboards; Buster Williams: double bass; Derrick Barnett: electric bass; Lenny White: drums; Karl Wright: drums; Pedrito Martinez: percussion.

Making the most of a line-up of veteran and young artists, the masterful trombonist Steve Turre remains faithful to his vision of borderless music, delivering ten pieces, which, impeccably rooted in tradition, take us to different places. Special guests contribute to a diverse repertoire filled with spellbinding musical narratives.

Both the opener “Planting the Ceed” and “Pharoah’s Dance” combine Latin pulses with a modal harmonic spirit. The former piece, a tribute to pianist Cedar Walton (Turre’s former bandmate in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers), also swings confidently with hard-bop melodies atop, whereas the latter, homaging the late saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders and the pianist McCoy Tyner, leans more toward the post-bop side.

The venerated groundbreaking pianist Duke Ellington is also praised with the heartrending “Dinner with Duke”, and his influence is equally detected on “Sweet Dreams”, another beautiful ballad that features Buster Williams on bass and a magnificent saxophone solo by James Carter. An Afro-Latin-infused “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” is the sole standard on the album, whereas the blues presents itself as a dedication to the iconic Harlem’s venue Smoke Jazz Club and its associated record label on “Blue Smoke”. The noticeable guest here is guitarist Ed Cherry, most known by his association with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie in the last phase of the latter's career.

“Don D.” makes another compliment, this time to Jamaican trombonist Don Drummond. The entirety of the song hinges on the reggae pocket created by the ensemble, in a nice arrangement that spotlights the electric bassist Derrick Barnett, guitarist Andy Bassford and keyboardist Trevor Watkis. “Good People” and “Flower Power” are brought to life with ideas that have antecedents in Turre's previous work. The former is amiable and joyful, propelled by Pedrito Martinez’s percussive skills; the latter sets the perfect atmosphere for the known shell playing of the bandleader, here in direct communication with trumpeter Wallace Roney, Jr. The mature drummer Lenny White plays in both pieces.

Generations wraps up with “Resistance”, whose irresistible trotting groove, rhythmic accents, and Latin vibe culminate in a fine soprano solo by Emilio Modeste, a former member of Wallace Roney Quintet. Turre invests each song with pure musicality, using his compositional strengths as an anchor to explore fascinating sonic worlds to which no jazz lover is indifferent.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Planting the Ceed ► 05 Don D. ► 06 - Pharoah’s Dance