Jonn Reyna Quartet - Consolidão (2014)

Although versatile Dutch pianist Jonn Reyna (born 1969) boasts a remarkable track record, the CD "Consolidaõ" marks his first fully self-produced album, featuring primarily original compositions and arrangements. Not only that, but he also assembled three prominent names for his quartet: Rick Margitza (Miles Davis and Chick Corea) on tenor saxophone, Gene Jackson (Herbie Hancock and Christian McBride) on drums, and our very own Joris Teepe on bass. This ensemble delivers a beautiful album that varies in style and is brimming with lovely melodies, adventure, and rhythm. There's room for punchy grooves in the funky and melodic "Deep Throat," the exhilarating "Sensodyne," and the Tania Maria ode "Tania Mania." The Joris Teepe composition "Art & Science Blues," heavily influenced by the classic Blue Note sound, is particularly strong. But there's also room for tranquility, as in the languid "Chasin' Clouds," brimming with lyricism. Melancholy and romance flow freely in the nightclub atmosphere of "Dark Blue," and you drift away during the captivating "Lullabye." Special guests on the album are trumpeter Philip Harper, saxophonist Dmitri Shapko, and singer Deborah J. Carter, whose warm vocals deliver a successful "Summertime." Reyna's playing on both acoustic and electric piano is dynamic, rhythmic, intense, and melodic. Although this is his first album with this lineup, it sounds as if he's been playing with these gentlemen for years. The joy and craftsmanship are evident. "Consolidaõ" is an excellent production from a remarkable quartet. ~ Serge Julien, Jazzflits Issue 232. [Translated From Dutch] 

Jonn Reyna Jazz Records, Digital, 2014 

Musicians:
Jonn Rayna - Acoustic & Electric Piano
Rick Margitza - Saxophone
Joris Teepe - Bass, Bass Guitar
Gene Jackson - Drums
+ Special Guests:
Philip Harper - Trumpet (#3,4,10)
Dmitri Shapko - Tenor Sax (#4,8,10)
Deborah J. Carter - Vocals (#9)

Tracks:
01. Consolidão {Jan Reinen, Jonn Reyna} (5:17)
02. Deep Throat {Jan Reinen, Jonn Reyna} (7:34)
03. Chasin' Clouds {Jan Reinen, Jonn Reyna} (5:30)
04. Art & Science Blues {Joris Teepe} (5:34)
05. Lullaby {Rick Margitza} (6:02)
06. Dark Blue {Jan Reinen, Jonn Reyna} (8:26)
07. Sensodyne {Jan Reinen, Jonn Reyna} (4:53)
08. Waltz For M. {Jan Reinen, Jonn Reyna} (5:05)
09. Summertime {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (5:27)
10. Tania Maria {Jan Reinen, Jonn Reyna} (5:02)
11. Doin' The Laundry {Jan Reinen, Jonn Reyna} (6:28)
12. Deep Throat [Electric Version] {Jan Reinen, Jonn Reyna} (5:54) 

Total Time: 71:21

LINK

Art & Science Blues

Makoto Terashita - The Great Harvest (1978) [vinyl]

A great harvest of sounds from Japanese pianist Makoto Terashita -- a set that also features strong contributions from Bob Berg on tenor, who comes in at a few key spots to really deepen the sound! The core of the record features Terashita working with his trio -- Errol Walters on bass and Jo Jones on drums -- plus a bit of guitar from Yoshiaki Masuo -- and these trio tracks are really wonderful, with a long-flowing vibe that's a bit like work from the time by Fumio Karashima. Berg really steps it up in the right places -- especially on the wonderful 12-minute track "Tell Me An Old Story Grand Papa" -- which is a perfect illustration of the strength of the Japanese jazz scene at the time, and the way it found a unique way to blend together post-Coltrane ideals of soul and spiritualism, but at a level that's different than the US. Other tracks include "Samoa", "Dai Hokasu", and versions of "Ruby My Dear" and "Take The Coltrane". © Dusty Groove, Inc. 

Union Records, GU-5014, 1978
Recorded 3rd June, 1978 at West End Sound, New York 

Musicians:
Makoto Terashita - Piano
Bob Berg - Tenor Saxophone
Yoshiaki Masuo - Guitar
Errol Walters - Bass
Jo Jones Jr. - Drums

Tracks:
A1. Samoa {Makoto Terashita} (7:22)
A2. Take The Coltrane {Duke Ellington} (5:27)
A3. Dai Hosaku [Great Harvest] {Makoto Terashita} (11:25)
B1. Tell Me An Old Story, Grand Papa {Makoto Terashita} (12:35)
B2. Ruby My Dear {Thelonious Monk} (5:27) 

Total Time: 42:16 

Credits:
Producer - Yoshiaki Masuo
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Tom Michaels
Music Director - Masaaki Onuki
Photography - Akira Aimi
Design - Adacheeno
Liner Notes - Toshio "Monty" Honda

LINK

Tell Me An Old Story, Grand Papa

Monty Alexander - The River (1985)

On this Concord CD, pianist Monty Alexander performs religious hymns plus a few of his originals that also fit comfortably in that tradition. Accompanied by bassist John Clayton and drummer Ed Thigpen, Alexander's sensitive, but generally swinging, interpretations of these timeless melodies communicate very well. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Beautifully Lyrically Sacred Music
=========================
Monty Alexander is not exactly a pop star but he should be included in any serious music connoisseur's collection. Monty's prowess on the piano is legendary in his native Jamaica, but even his fans may not know his spiritual side so beautifully revealed in The River: an inspired sacred collection played in inimitably playful, non-conventional Monty style - rhythm & syncopation with sweet, sensuous (oops - pure Monty ;-) musicality. ~ Melanie N, 5 Stars, Amazon.com. 

Concord Jazz, CCD-4422, 1990
Recorded in October 1985 at Omega Studios, Rockville, Maryland 

Musicians:
Monty Alexander - Piano
John Clayton - Bass
Ed Thigpen - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus {George Duffield, George James Webb} (5:23)
02. The River {Monty Alexander, Frank Severino} (5:37)
03. The Serpent {Monty Alexander} (3:26)
04. Ave Maria {Franz Schubert; Arr. Monty Alexander} (4:32)
05. David Danced {Edward Kennedy Ellington} (4:55)
06. Renewal {Monty Alexander} (8:30)
07. Ain't Gonna Study War No More {Traditional; Arr. Monty Alexander} (4:05)
08. Holy! Holy! Lord God Almighty {Reginald Heber, John Dykes; Arr. Monty Alexander} (3:31)
09. What A Friend We Have In Jesus {Horatius Bonar, Charles Crozat Converse} (6:17)
10. How Great Thou Art {Traditional; Arr. Monty Alexander} (5:18) 

Total Time: 51:38 

Credits:
Producer, Liner Notes - Monty Alexander
Executive Producer - Caarl E. Jefferson
Recording Engineer - Bob Yesbek
Assistant Recording Engineer - Billy Brady
Assembling Engineer - Phil Edwards
Mastering Engineer - George Horn
Art Direction - Sandi Young

LINK

Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus

Sumire Kuribayashi Trio - Toys (2014)

Toys is pianist Sumire Kuribayashi’s debut leader album from 2014. Since then, the spirited musician has been on an outpouring, with several more leader albums released from her own projects as well as collaborations with a variety of Japanese and international musicians. With Toys, Kuribayashi plays nine tracks on the forty-eight-minute album, with five of her own songs and four beloved covers arranged together in a lively display of her musical vision. Whatever Toys may mean as a concept title (hinted at in the Obi Notes), it's a playful album that works as a perfect medium for her musical worldview. Some of the most melodically striking and immediately felt songs on the album are Kuribayashi’s own originals. Of these five songs, "Forest and an Elf" is fluid and magical, "Grand Line" is busy yet delicate, "Flying Toys" is sparkling and exciting, "W.M.P." is bluesily modal and modern, and "Somethin’ Warm" is patient, pretty, and sincere. The medium tempo and straight-eights time feel color the songs with modern finesse and understated power. What’s clear in each is that Kuribayashi thinks through her compositions, not only the mechanics of structure and form, but how she wants them to imaginatively feel, how the players should think about them, and where she wants them to go. Her selection of the four cover songs also demonstrates her consideration for balance and respect. She brings together songs from distinct planes of influence, from the worldwide megapop stars U2, to the sweet lyricism of Bill Evans, to the current-day Japanese vibraphonist and musical peer Reiko Yamamoto, to a deep cut from the much-loved bop pianist Sonny Clark. "I Still Don’t Know What I’m Looking For" is down-home groovy, "Letter to Evan" is comfortably plush, "That Blue Bird" is tender and engrossing, and "Minor Meeting", as the last cut on the album, hooks listeners and leaves them ready to hear more from Sumire Kuribayashi’s toy trove. ~ by Brian McCrory, www.jazzofjapan.com. 

Somethin' Cool, SCOL1003, 2014
Recorded 20th, 21st May, 2014 at Studio Mech, Tokyo, Japan 

Musicians:
Sumire Kuribayashi - Piano
Shinichi Kato - Bass
Takehiro Shimizu - Drums

Tracks:
1. Forest And An Elf {Sumire Kuribayashi} (9:01)
2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For {U2} (4:54)
3. Grand Line {Sumire Kuribayashi} (4:07)
4. Letter To Evan {Bill Evans} (5:10)
5. That Blue Bird {Reiko Yamamoto} (5:17)
6. Flying Toys {Sumire Kuribayashi} (5:54)
7. W.M.P. {Sumire Kuribayashi} (4:12)
8. Somethin' Warm {Sumire Kuribayashi} (3:33)
9. Minor Meeting {Sonny Clark} (4:57) 

Total Time: 47:05 

Credits:
Producer - Ryuichi Sakamoto, Hitoshi Namekata
Engineer - Akihiko Kurazono
Assistant Engineer - Sayaka Ogoshi
Mastering Engineer - Akihito Yoshikawa
Cover Photo - Hozumi Nakadaira
Inner Photo, Liner Notes - Fumiaki Fujimoto

LINK

Forest And An Elf

Victor Gould - Clockwork (2016)

Pianist Victor Gould's debut utilizes a variety of large gears, pinions, and regulators to help fashion his own ideas. You just never know who'll be standing in for which of those parts. The high-octane combination of Gould, bassist Ben Williams, and drummer E.J. Strickland is at the center of each scene, but they're joined, at different times, by a variety of other musicians and instruments - saxophones, trumpet, flute, strings, and percussion - which help to create an intricate sonic mesh and add a variety of tonal colors to the mix. It's heady modernistic jazz language and high art rolled into one. The album opens on the title track, a bubbly Latin cauldron fired and forwarded by the aforementioned trio in cahoots with percussionist Pedrito Martinez. The pieces that follow - "Room," a sunny yet contemplative work in three, and "Chaancé," a mellow, strings-enhanced feature that puts the spotlight on Jeremy Pelt's flugelhorn and the composer's piano - stand apart in mood and musical complexion, marking Gould as a composer of great ambition and skill. While shifting focal points, different emotional tides, and the track-to-track addition and subtraction of musicians all allow the listener to indulge in a variety of musical worlds and fantasies, Gould's voice rings true in each and every one. He excels at every turn, regardless of where those turns may lead. He brilliantly works the beautiful-to-brooding range on the prelude to "Apostle John"; he shows patience and restraint over a throbbing base/bass on that tune proper, standing in stark contrast to the raw intensity that comes from his colleagues; and he delivers a scene-stealer statement full of daring and darting maneuvers on "Blue Dales." It's easy to see what his A-list employers - trumpeter Wallace Roney, drummer Ralph Peterson, and saxophonist Donald Harrison, among others - see in Gould. He's got the musical world on a string, in his mind, and at his fingertips. ~ by Dan Bilawsky, AllAboutJazz. 

Fresh Sound New Talent Records, FSNT 502, 2016
Recorded 14th Dec., 2015 & 19th Jan., 2016 At Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, New York

Musicians:
Victor Gould - Piano, Composer
Jeremy Pelt - Trumpet (#1-3,6-8,11)
Godwin Louis - Alto Saxophone (#1-3,5-8,11)
Myron Walden - Tenor Saxophone (#1-3,6-8,11)
Anne Drummond - Flute (#3,7)
Ben Williams - Bass (#1-5,7,9-11)
E.J. Strickland - Drums (#1-5,7-11)
Pedrito Martinez - Percussion (#1,4,7)
Yoojin Park - Violin (#3,6,7)
Heejin Chang - Viola (#3,6,7)
Veronica Parrales - Cello (#3,6,7) 

Tracks:
01. Clockwork (7:39)
02. Room (7:09)
03. Chaancé (5:22)
04. Blue Dales (5:21)
05. The Return (7:55)
06. Apostle John [Prelude] (3:09)
07. Apostle John (9:00)
08. Sir Carter [Intro] (0:45)
09. Sir Carter (4:52)
10. Nefertiti (5:37)
11. Three Souls (8:06) 

All songs composed & arranged by Victor Gould, except #5 by Wayne Shorter 

Credits:
Co-Producers - Victor Gould, Myron Walden
Executive Producer - Jordi Pujol
Recording Engineer - Max Ross
Mixing & Mastering Engineer - Dave Darlington
Painting - Martel Chapman
Photos - Anne Yatskevich
Liner Notes - David R. Adler

LINK