Sean Jones - Kaleidoscope (2007)

Trumpeter Sean Jones emphasizes various vocalist friends for his fourth recording as a leader. His previous CDs have leaned toward a more produced pop-oriented approach within a definite modern jazz framework, and this effort leans toward a balance of combining those elements without being overtly commercialized. The first eight cuts all feature the singers, the most effective being rising star Gretchen Parlato. Her beautiful voice levitates Kendrick Scott's ballad composition "Journey," done on his debut CD, receiving a different, less expansive treatment, while the sunny swing waltz "It's Just a Matter of Time" has Parlato and Sachal Vasandani swapping opposing transposed crowded vocal lines. Parlato is special; please pay attention to her in the future. Even more impressive are two spiritualistic pieces, reminiscent of the recent work by pianist Robert Glasper. The opener, "Allison," drips with emotion, informed by the lovely piano playing of Orrin Evans, slight Latin spice, and the wordless vocals of J.D. Walter, while "Esperanto" (not sung in Esperanto) has Carolyn Perteete's siren-song singing, pristine as morning dew. At this point one barely notices the trumpet player, until you hear four consecutive instrumentals. "Say Brah" is a cooking typical neo-bopper, "Blak Music" a less clichéd hard bopper, the title track a more modern near-fusion Fender Rhodes-infused piece, and "The Sluice" revealing Jones as a singsongy Lee Morgan/Freddie Hubbard-influenced Young Lion. The pacing and programming of this recording could have been more effectively revisited; it feels like block formatting. It is another fine, not yet definitive musical effort from Jones, easily a Top Ten rising star of contemporary jazz trumpet. ~ by Michael G. Nastos, AMG. 

Mack Avenue, MAC 1037, 2007
Recorded at:
Audible Images, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Avatar Studio, New York, NY
Dirtysoap Studios, New York, NY 

Musicians:
Sean Jones - Trumpet (#2,4,5,7-13), Flugelhorn (#1,3,6)
Antoine Drye - Trumpet (#5)
Brian Hogans - Alto Sax (#5,9-12), Flute (#1,7,8), Rhodes (#1)
Walter Smith III - Tenor Sax (#5,9-12)
Tia Fuller - Flute (#1)
Orrin Evans - Piano (#1-3,6-10,12), Rhodes (#4,5,11)
Alton Merrill - Keyboards (#4,13), Organ (#5), Rhodes (#5), Piano (#13)
Luques Curtis - Acoustic Bass (#2,3,7-13), Bass (#1,6), Percussion (#1)
Mike Boone - Electric Bass (#4,5)
Obed Calvaire - Drums (#1-13), Percussion (#1)
Jay Ashby - Percussion (#1)
Gretchen Parlato - Percussion (#2), Vocals (#2,7,8)
J.D. Walter - Vocals (#1,3,5), Arranger
Kim Burrell - Vocals (#4,13)
Carolyn Perteete - Vocals (#6)
Sachal Vasandani - Vocals (#7,8)

Tracks:
01. Allison {Sean Jones} (6:48)
02. Journey {Kendrick Scott, Gretchen Parlato} (5:19)
03. Never Let Me Go {Ray Evans, Jay Livingston} (4:48)
04. I Come To Thee {Orrin Evans, Tiffany Jones, Heidi Martin} (6:28)
05. So Wonderful {J.D. Walter} (5:53)
06. Esperanto {Vince Mendoza, Kurt Elling} (6:13)
07. It's Just A Matter Of Time [Intro] {Ron Westray} (0:50)
08. It's Just A Matter Of Time {Ron Westray} (6:18)
09. Say Brah {Walter Smith III} (5:56)
10. Blak Music {Brian Hogans} (6:33)
11. Kaleidoscope {Walter Smith III} (5:03)
12. The Sluice {Orrin Evans} (6:40)
13. You're The Reason {Alton Merrill} (6:34) 

Total Time: 73:31 

Credits:
Producer, Audio Production - Al Pryor
Producer, Audio Production, Vocal Producer - Orrin Evans
Producer, Director, Creative Services Coordinator - Maria Ehrenreich
Production Assistant, Production Coordination - Will Wakefield
Audio Production, Engineer, Audio Engineer, Vocal Producer - Antoine Drye
Audio Engineer, Audio Production, Engineer, Vocal Producer - Donald Edwards
Audio Engineer, Engineer - James Farber, Jay Dudt, Dave Stoller, Hollis Greathouse
Audio Engineer, Assistant Engineer - Anthony Rutolo, Brian Montgomery
Mastering Engineer - Doug Sax, Sangwook "Sunny" Nam
Photography - Frank Stewart

LINK

The Sluice

Sean Jones - Roots (2006)

This is Jones’ second Mack Avenue album ably produced by Al Pryor exploring historical jazz implications. Gemini was his homage to, and exorcism of, Miles Davis’ influence, both acoustic and electric. Roots explores the jazz connection to the church, and the devotional heft of gospel music. The CD follows a definite arc, beginning with a short a cappella traditional hymn and ending with a trumpet-piano duet on a spiritual. In between, Jones plays in quartet, quintet (mining soul-jazz) and trio (churchy organ and drums) contexts, in a repertoire of new and classic jazz and gospel tunes. Ellington’s “Come Sunday” is exquisite, Jones’ trumpet solo indelible. Pianist Orrin Evans is the most impressive of a fine group of supporting players. But this album is most winning as a warm, heartfelt, all-of-a-piece jazz mood of faith and creativity. ~ Extract by George Kanzler, JazzTimes.com. 

Mack Avenue, MAC 1031, 2006
Recorded in 2006 at Avatar Studios, New York City 

Musicians:
Sean Jones - Trumpet
Tia Fuller - Alto Sax (#2,4,8,11,12)
Orrin Evans - Piano, Electric Piano (#2-6,8-11)
Eddie Howard - Piano, Organ (#7,12,13)
Luques Curtis - Bass (#2-6,8-11)
Obed Calvaire - Drums (#2-4,6,8,11)
Jerome Jennings - Drums (#5,7,9,10,12) 

Tracks:
01. Children's Hymn {Traditional} (1:34)
02. Roots {Sean Jones} (7:12)
03. Divine Inspiration {Tim Green} (6:46)
04. God's Gift (Obed Calvaire} (7:03)
05. Come Sunday {Duke Ellington} (7:05)
06. Lift Every Voice {James Weldon Johnson} (8:03)
07. Offering Time {Sean Jones} (1:43)
08. Conversations {Orrin Evans} (5:11)
09. El Soul {Ali Jackson} (5:19)
10. Puddin' Time (Brad Leali} (5:03)
11. What We Have {Sean Jones} (8:00)
12. John 3-16 {Brad Leali} (5:35)
13. I Need Thee {Traditional} (5:01) 

Total Time: 73:38 

Credits:
Producer - Al Pryor
Executive Producer - Gretchen Valade
Engineer, Mixing - Don Murray
Mastering - Doug Sax

LINK

Roots

Helen Sung - Anthem For A New Day (2014)

Although she has released several trio albums, Helen Sung's 2014 album, Anthem for a New Day, is the pianist's first quintet album. As the 2007 Mary Lou Williams Piano Competition winner, Sung has displayed her virtuosic abilities backing such luminaries as trumpeter Clark Terry, saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and trumpeter Jon Faddis, just to name a few. Here, Sung takes center stage backed by a stellar cast of supporting players including saxophonist Seamus Blake, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, bassist Reuben Rogers, drummer Obed Calvaire, and others. In a jazz world split between more esoteric avant-garde albums and safe, standards-heavy albums, with Anthem for a New Day Sung finds the perfect balance between intellectual, exploratory improvisation and no-nonsense, finely tailored jazz arranging. On Anthem for a New Day, Sung primarily delves into a handful of new compositions, from the buoyant "Armando's Rhumba" to the expansive "Hidden," as well as several well-chosen covers, including a gorgeous "Never Let Me Go," featuring violinist Regina Carter, and the tense yet funky "Epistrophy." These are immaculate and organically arranged pieces, all played in a swinging, straight-ahead style that allows for all musicians involved to shine. All of which is even more impressive when you consider that Sung, a classical student in college, didn't seriously began exploring jazz until after graduating from the University of Texas in 1995. After years of paying her dues as a sideman and "shedding" her chops in trio settings, with Anthem for a New Day Sung has delivered the soundtrack to the next phase of her career as a jazz leader. ~  by Matt Collar, AMG. 

Concord Records, CJA-34496-02, 2014
Recorded at Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, New York 

Musicians:
Helen Sung - Piano, Fender Rhodes, Handclaps & Foot-Stamping (#2)
Ingrid Jensen - Trumpet
Seamus Blake - Soprano & Tenor Saxophones
Reuben Rogers - Bass
Obed Calvaire - Drums, Handclaps & Foot-Stamping (#2)
Samuel Torres - Percussion, Handclaps & Foot-Stamping (#2) 

Guests:
Regina Carter - Violin (#3,7)
Paquito D'Rivera - Clarinet (#2)
John Ellis - Bass Clarinet (#6) 

Tracks:
01. Brother Thelonious {Helen Sung} (5:37)
02. Armando's Rhumba {Chick Corea} (4:37)
03. Hidden {Helen Sung} (5:48)
04. It Don't Mean A Thing [If It Ain't Got That Swing] (Ellington, Mills} (4:10)
05. Hope Springs Eternally {Helen Sung} (5:33)
06. Anthem For A New Day {Helen Sung} (5:43)
07. Never Let Me Go {Ray Evans, Jay Livingston} (7:18)
08. Chaos Theory {Helen Sung} (5:04)
09. Epistrophy {Kenneth Clarke, Thelonious Monk} (5:30)
10. Equipoise {Stanley Cowell} (2:16) 

Total Time: 51:40 

Credits:
Producer, Liner Notes - Helen Sung
Recording Engineer - Mike Marciano
Mixing Engineer - Jeremy Loucas
Mastering Engineer - Paul Blakemore
Art Direction - Albert J. Roman
Photography - Kat Villacorta