Adam Rongo - Tell Your Story (2013)

Young saxophonist Adam Rongo introduces himself to a national audience on the appropriately-titled Tell Your Story, delivering a sparkling debut of straight-ahead post-bop material featuring a seasoned cast of players superbly interpreting a selection of new and exciting cover tunes—all telling a musical story that is unfolding quite nicely. Originally from Essexville, Michigan, and coming from a musical family, Rongo gravitated to the saxophone, studied in Chicago as well as at Michigan State University and learned the jazz ropes from such masters as Dick Oatts, Rob Parton, Tom Garling, Mike Smith and Diego Rivera just to name a few. 

Based in New York where the saxophonist has been performing as a sideman and bandleader, Rongo has established himself as one of the rising young guns in the area's jazz scene performing with some of the finest musicians in the world. Trombonist Michael Dease and drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr. are just two of the players he has collaborated with and does so again here as part of a core quintet for this album. Eight other players appear as guests bringing the vibraphone, guitar, and baritone sax into the mix. 

Having declared a personal goal of "not just to make my own music flourish, but the music of others...," Rongo draws upon the music of jazz greats like Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Griffin, Jimmy Heath and others to light the fire beginning with Steve Wilson's "Turnin' The Corner" and continues on the following Gene De Paul classic "You Don't Know What Love Is." Wielding the alto saxophone like a wild man, Rongo performs his first of three compositions with the fast-paced "Temporary Paralysis" featuring the great Etienne Charles on trumpet, Behn Gillece on vibes and Rodney Whitaker on bass with solos of their own. 

The soft piece of the set goes to the lovely Johnny Green standard " You're Mine, You " performed in a duet with guitarist Randy Napoleon for one of the memorable tunes of the recording. The exciting original "Doppelganger" captures the sax man's finest performance on the alto as well as featuring Emmet Cohen on excellent piano work. One of the most challenging charts of the album has to be the Dease original "Good & Terrible" showcasing some of Rongo's chops along with fine key work from pianist Miki Hayama and stellar cymbal accents from drummer Owens. The Wager is a hard-driving original falling squarely within the hard bop genre while, "Two Tees" and Carmichael's "Stardust" are traditional in texture. 

The session rounds out with the title track and closes on the energetic Griffin standard "Fifty-Six" capping an attention- grabbing set of splendid jazz. Perhaps little known at this junction in his young career, saxophonist Adam Rongo has one heck of a musical tale to tell on the impressive Tell Your Story and does so with intensity, elegance and grit in delivering a gem of a debut, well done! ~ by Edward Blanco, AAJ. 

D Clef Records, DCR 160, 2013
Recorded 13th July, 2013 at Tedesco Studios, Paramus, New Jersey;
14th July, 2013 at Trading 8's Recording Studios, Paramus, New Jersey 

Musicians:
Adam Rongo - Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Arranger (#2,7,9-11)
Michael Dease - Trombone
Emmet Cohen - Piano
Rodney Whitaker - Bass
Ulysses Owens Jr. - Drums 

Guests:
Anthony Stanco - Trumpet (#1,2,6)
Etienne Charles - Trumpet (#3,5)
Tim Mayer - Tenor Saxophone (#1,2,6)
Tony Lustig - Baritone Saxophone (#1,2,6)
Miki Hayama - Piano (#6)
Behn Gillece - Vibraphone (#3,7,10)
Randy Napoleon - Guitar (#4,8,9), Arranger (#4,8)
Evan Sherman - Drums (#11) 

Tracks:
01. Turnin' The Corner {Steve Wilson} (5:41)
02. You Don't Know What Love Is? {Gene De Paul} (5:12)
03. Temporary Paralysis {Adam Rongo} (6:05)
04. You're Mine, You {Johnny Green} (4:16)
05. Doppelgänger {Adam Rongo} (5:27)
06. Good & Terrible {Michael Dease} (6:12)
07. The Wager {Adam Rongo} (3:43)
08. Two Tees {Jimmy Heath} (4:52)
09. Stardust {Hoagy Carmichael} (4:11)
10. Tell Your Story {Behn Gillece} (4:32)
11. Fifty-Six {Johnny Griffin} (5:52) 

Total Time: 56:26 

Credits:
Producer - Michael Dease
Recording Engineer - Tom Tedesco, Chris Sulit
Mixing, Mastering Engineer, Graphic Design, Layout - Andrew Swift
Photography - D Dipasupil 

Good & Terrible

Mayuko Katakura - Faith (2010)

Faith is the second album from Mayuko Katakura, an amazing jazz pianist with an impeccable touch that echoes jazz piano legends. Listening to Katakura, one can sense the fondness and appreciation for players like McCoy Tyner and Sonny Clark. In fact, the album’s wistful ballad "Blue Sonny" was written for Sonny Clark by Katakura. This straight-ahead jazz trio is marked by warmth between the musicians, who agreed to not over-arrange the recording session and have faith in the group and their love of jazz. Simple and irresistible, the group jumps in and swings hard together with skillful agility over five of the pianist's originals and five jazz covers. The resulting sense of relaxation allows their individual mastery and group cohesiveness to produce exciting results, proving their faith to be well-rewarded. ~ by Brian McCrory, jazzofjapan.com. 

M & I\Pony Canyon, MYCJ-30578, 2010
Recorded 22nd & 23rd May, 2010 at Avatar Studio, New York 

Musicians:
Mayuko Katakura - Piano
Rodney Whitaker - Bass
Carl Allen - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Mrs. Parker Of KC {Jaki Byard} (5:35)
02. Blue Sonny {Mayuko Katakura} (7:04)
03. Anywhere But Here {Mayuko Katakura} (5:28)
04. Monk’s Walking {Mayuko Katakura} (6:08)
05. I've Got The World On A String {Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler} (7:15)
06. Subconcious-Lee {Lee Konitz} (6:49)
07. Yours And Mine {Thad Jones} (5:51)
08. A Dancer's Melancholy {Mayuko Katakura} (6:51)
09. Reflections {Thelonious Monk} (7:19)
10. Two Roads {Mayuko Katakura} (6:44) 

Total Time: 65:04 

"Blue Sonny"

The Nagel Heyer Allstars - Uptown Lowdown + Bonus (1999)

A Jazz Salute To The Big Apple

It took a German recording team to enable trumpeter/arranger Randy Sandke to assemble this all-American, 12-piece ensemble for a panorama of New York-inspired tunes, recorded in the Big Apple in the Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse as part of the 1999 JVC Jazz Festival. In doing so, he raided the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, as well as several independent history-minded players in the area, and emerged with a band that fires off the numbers with crisp virtuosity in any idiom called for. Thankfully, there is also more than enough gusto in the playing, due in no small part to the live festival recording situation. "The Harlem Medley," a lengthy leadoff stream of delicacies from the land of Ellingtonia, gets close enough to the Ellington sound to convey the idea without being slavishly imitative or ghostly. From there, the band doubles back to Dixieland, works its way up to swing, and slides without a glitch into bebop "Scrapple From the Apple", a Mingus shuffle blues "Nostalgia in Times Square", transitional Coltrane "Grand Central", and some Monk "52nd Street Theme", before being deposited back in Harlem by -- naturally -- the “A” Train." In between the main tour stops, Concord Jazz teammates guitarist Howard Alden and clarinetist Ken Peplowski serve up another of their fluid duets on Irving Berlin's "Slumming on Park Avenue." Other high points include clarinetist Allan Vaché wailing in the trad flagwaver "Chinatown" and trumpeters Sandke and Warren Vaché duking it out on "42nd Street." In all, a well-recorded souvenir of what sounds like a heartwarming local celebration. ~ by Richard S. Ginell, AMG. 

Nagel Heyer Records, nagel heyer 2004, 2004
Nagel Heyer Records, Digital DL, 2021
Recorded 16th June, 1999 Live at Sylvia & Danny Kaye Playhouse, NYC 

Musicians:
Randy Sandke, Warren Vaché - Trumpet
Wycliffe Gordon - Trombone
Joe Temperley - Saxophone
Ken Peplowski - Saxophone, Clarinet
Scott Robinson - Saxophone, Flute
Allan Vaché - Clarinet
Eric Reed - Piano (#1-6,11-13,15)
Mark Shane - Piano (#7-8,10,14)
Howard Alden - Guitar
Rodney Whitaker - Bass
Joe Ascione - Drums 

Tracks:
The Harlem Medley:
01. Echoes Of Harlem {Duke Ellington} /
Drop Me Off In Harlem {Duke Ellington, Nick Kenny} (3:07)
02. Jungle Nights In Harlem {Duke Ellington} (3:37)
03. Boys From Harlem {Duke Ellington} (3:33)
04. Sugar Hill Penthouse {Duke Ellington} (2:31)
05. Blue Belles Of Harlem {Duke Ellington} (3:07)
06. Harlem Speaks {Duke Ellington} (5:28)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
07. Chinatown {Jean Schwartz, William Jerome} (3:09)
08. Rose Of Washington Square {James Hanley, Ballard MacDonald} /
Broadway Rose {Martin Fried, Otis Spencer} (6:43)
09. Slumming On Park Avenue {Irving Berlin} (5:13)
10. 42nd Street {Al Dubin, Harry Warren} (5:59)
11. Scrapple From The Apple {Charlie Parker} (5:48)
12. Nostalgia In Times Square {Charles Mingus} (8:14)
13. Grand Central {John Coltrane} (8:31)
14. 52nd Street Theme {Thelonious Monk} (4:42)
15. Take The "A" Train {Billy Strayhorn} (7:46) 

Bonus Track
16. What's New? {Johnny Burke, Bob Haggart} (5:09) 

Total Time: 82:45 

Credits:
Producer - Charlie Bertini
Director, Arranger - Randy Sandke
Executive-Producer - Hans Nagel-Heyer, Sabine Nagel-Heyer
Recording Engineer - David Baker
Recording Assistant - Katsuhiko Naito
Mixing Engineer - Ben Ahrens
Photography - Alan Nahigian, Ed Berger 

Bonus Track [What's New?]

Tim Warfield - Tim Warfield's Jazzy Christmas (2012)

Veteran saxophonist Tim Warfield delivers one of the finest modern Christmas jazz albums around on Jazzy Christmas. Performing a selection of familiar songs with a heavy contemporary flavor, the music is so straight-ahead in nature that such seasonal tunes like "Let It Snow," "Joy To The World," and "Silent Night," are almost unrecognizable as Christmas music and could easily be part of any playlist throughout the year. The arrangements take advantage of Warfield's star-studded cast, including trumpeter Terell Stafford, pianist Cyrus Chestnut and vibraphonist Stefon Harris. Assuring its uniqueness as a holiday album, Warfield's renditions of some of these Christmas classics are, as he states, "deliberately varied in length...allowing them to develop" - all with a measure of sophisticated improvisation sufficient enough to disguise some of the familiar melodies under a veil of terrific harmonies. The result is a lively, hard-driving showcase of sensational solos presented with boppish flair, begging for repeated spins. The traditional "Santa Clause Is Coming to Town" begins the session in a most untraditional fashion, with Warfields's earthy tenor leading a barrage of terrific solos, as Stafford and Harris join in on the fun. Vocalist Joanna Pascale appears on three tracks, introducing the Sammy Cahn favorite "Let It Snow" before yielding to Harris, who infuses his interpretation with a slight touch of Latin rhythms on this nine-minute burner. Percussionist Daniel Sadownick provides the sounds of the sleigh bells, while pianist Neil Podgurski runs the keys on the leader's soprano version of "Joy To The World." Drummer Clarence Penn's crashing cymbal accents seem all that appropriate on "Little Drummer Boy," another piece in which Warfield provides more torrid time on the soprano. One of the album's standouts is a traditional rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," where Warfield is at his sensational best, wielding his tenor aggressively and assertively. Other bright moments include a special rendition of "Oh Christmas Tree," featuring the great baritone vocalist Jamie Davis, as well as a new arrangement of "Silent Night" and Claude Thornhill's "Snowfall." Though a Christmas project at its core, the album also includes a bonus track in celebration of Hanukkah ("The Dreidal Song”). With Jazzy Christmas, Warfield takes a selection of well-known traditional Christmas songs and morphs them into a session of hard-improvised jazz, distinguishing it from other jazz holiday albums. ~ by Edward Blanco. 

Musicians:
Tim Warfield - Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax
Terell Stafford - Trumpet
Stefon Harris - Vibes
Cyrus Chestnut - Piano
Neil Podgurski - Piano (#1,3,8,10)
Rodney Whitaker - Bass
Clarence Penn - Drums
Daniel Sadownick - Percussion
Joanna Pascale - Vocals (#2,5,7)
Jamie Davis - Vocals (#6) 

Tracks:
01. Santa Clause Is Coming To Town {J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie} (8:12)
02. Let It Snow {Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne} (8:59)
03. Joy To The World {Traditional, Lowel Mason, Isaac Watts} (6:50)
04. Little Drummer Boy {Katherine Davis, Henri Onorati, Harry Simeone} (8:44)
05. Caroling Caroling {Alfred S. Burt, Wihila Huston} (4:02)
06. Oh Christmas Tree {Traditional} (5:51)
07. Silent Night {Traditional, Franz Gruber, Joseph Mohr} (7:00)
08. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen {Traditional} (7:12)
09. Snowfall {Claude Thornhill} (8:33)
10. The Dreidel Song {Traditional Hanukkah} (7:37) 

Arrangements by Tim Warfield except, Caroling Caroling, arranged by Joanna Pascale

"It is simply one of the best holiday albums I've heard" ~ Edward Blanco, WDNA Florida.

Terence Blanchard - Simply Stated (1992)

Terence Blanchard is in top form throughout this highly enjoyable outing. The trumpeter is most memorable on "Dear Old Stockholm" (a song from the 1950's that he helped revive), an emotional "When It's Sleepy Time Down South" and a medley of his "Glass J," the theme from "Mo' Better Blues" and Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman." Blanchard, who also plays "Detour Ahead" and four of his originals, is joined by tenor-saxophonist Sam Newsome, pianist Bruce Barth, bassist Rodney Whitaker, either Troy Davis or Billy Kilson on drums and (on "Dear Old Stockholm") the up-and-coming altoist Antonio Hart. The music is tied to the hard bop tradition yet is quite fresh and open to more modern influences. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Columbia Records, CK 48903, 1992
Recorded 1992 at BMG Studios, New York, New York 

Personnel:
Terence Blanchard - Trumpet, Piano [Solo] (#5)
Antonio Hart - Alto Saxophone (#4)
Sam Newsome - Tenor Saxophone
Bruce Barth - Piano
Rodney Whitaker - Bass
Billy Kilson - Drums (#7)
Troy Davis - Drums, Cymbals 

Tracks:
1. Lil' Fawdy {Terence Blanchard} (5:23)
2. Central Focus {Terence Blanchard} (4:38)
3. Simply Stated {Terence Blanchard} (8:24)
4. Dear Old Stockholm {Traditional} (10:03)
5. Little Miss Olivia Ray {Terence Blanchard} (2:32)
6. Glass J {Terence Blanchard} / Mo' Better Blues {Bill Lee}
/ Lonely Woman {Ornette Coleman} (11:25)
7. Detour Ahead {Lou Carter, Herb Ellis, John Freigo} (11:41)
8. When It's Sleepy Time Down South {Clarence Muse, Otis & Leon René} (8:34) 

Total Time: 62:44

Credits:
Producer - Terence Blanchard
Executive Producer - Dr. George Butler
Recording, Mixing & Mastering - James P. Nichols
Studio Technician - Marian Conaty, Major Little
Art Direction, Design - Joel Zimmerman
Photography - Jim Galante

Rodney Whitaker - Winter Moon (2002)

Winter Moon (Sirocco), bassist Rodney Whitaker's fifth album as a leader, focuses on his current quartet, eschewing guest artists and highlighting either his compositions or those from his band: pianist Eric Reed, saxophonist Ron Blake and drummer Carl Allen. It is an excellently engineered, well-played date, bolstered by three fine lengthy pieces (and several shorter ones that are no less intriguing). Heading the list is "Fall," a tune taken at such a slow tempo it could be a lament except for Blake’s boisterous, bawdy solo, which transforms it into an enticing exercise. Whitaker's walking bass and Allen's carefully paced drumming are balanced by Reed's precise piano solo. The number charms, beckons and delights before reaching a fitting conclusion. The same is true for "Coming Ship," which includes another strong solo from Blake and wonderful accompaniment by Whitaker and Allen.

Reed can be dashing or sedate, play soulful blues or a surging bop line, but he's at his best on such numbers as "Spring Birth," "Winter Moon" and "John Lewis," a great testament to a venerable jazz figure. His composition "Beauty and the Beast" wraps the album with a joyful, exuberant number that also features a bright, decisive solo from Blake and more outstanding assistance from Whitaker and Allen. Winter Moon is one of the better mainstream albums that's come my way in a while. ~ Ron Wynn, JazzTimes, 1^st January, 2005.

Sirocco Jazz Ltd., SJL 1026, 2004

Recorded September, 2002 At Systems Two Recording Studios, Brooklyn, New York

Musicians:

Rodney Whitaker - Acoustic Bass

Ron Blake - Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone

Eric Reed - Piano

Carl Allen - Drums

Tracks:

1. For Garrison {Rodney Whitaker} (3:55)

2. Fall {Rodney Whitaker} (8:22)

3. Sacrifice {Carl Allen} (6:01)

4. Coming Ship {Rodney Whitaker} (8:22)

5. Spring Birth {Rodney Whitaker} (4:22)

6. Avocado {Ron Blake} (6:46)

7. John Lewis {Rodney Whitaker} (8:42)

8. Winter Moon {Rodney Whitaker} (7:09)

9. Beauty And The Beast {Eric Reed} (6:13)

Credits:

Producer - Rodney Whitaker

Executive Producer, Producer - John Priestley

Engineer, Mastering - Michael Marciano

Total Time: 59:52

Roy Hargrove - Approaching Standards (1994)

This compilation serves as a fine entrance point into Hargrove's work. The playing is measured and a fine representation of he the jazz played by the Young Lions of the early 90's. Hargrove would evolve and his sound would change. These 10 songs are the sound of promise, later albums would arguably deliver on that promise. This is a must have if you're interested in the early sound of Hargrove's ballads. ~ by Dave Rullo, AMG.

Here Is Beauty Pure And Simple

Every track is a delight, just put it on and let it go. It very beautifully showcases the trumpet as a jazz instrument and reaffirms Roy Hargrove as a main interpreter of the standards. This CD is a good introduction into jazz for anyone not yet acquainted. It is also one of my favorites to put on at night for go-to-sleep music. ~ Paul Phelps, Amazon.com

RCA/Novus Records, 01241 63178 2, 1994

Jazz Heritage, 513900W, 1995

Recorded December, 1989 to February, 1993
At BMG Studios & Clinton Recording, New York

Personnel:

Roy Hargrove - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Frank Lacy - Trombone

Ran Blake - Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone

John Hicks - Piano

Stephen Scott - Piano

Christian McBride - Bass

Rodney Whitaker - Bass

Scott Colley - Bass

Al Foster - Drums

Billy Higgins - Drums

Gregory Hutchinson - Drums

Tracks:

01. Easy To Remember {Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers} (6:17)

02. Ruby My Dear {Thelonious Monk} (6:17)

03. Whisper Not {Benny Golson} (7:31)

04. What's New? {Johnny Burke, Bob Haggart} (5:10)

05. September In The Rain {Al Dubin, Harry Warren} (7:23)

06. You Don't Know What Love Is {Gene DePaul, Don Raye} (6:20)

07. End Of A Love Affair {Thelonious Monk} (8:05)

08. Things We Did Last Summer {Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne} (5:38)

09. Everything I Have Is Yours {Burton Lane, Harold Adamson}
/Dedicated To You {Sammy Cahn, Hy Zaret} (4:48)

10. My Shining Hour {Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer} (6:09)

Credits:

Producer - Larry Clothier

Mastering - Jimmy Nichols At BMG Studios, NYC

Photography - Ruedi Hofmann

Art Direction - Jacqueline Murphy

Design - Amy Wenzler