Steve Kaldestad with The Mike LeDonne Trio - Straight Up (2014)

The list of those jazz musicians past and present who play(ed) the tenor saxophone is long and varied. Those who were true innovators, and others who were great or near great, is not so long but nevertheless impressive. Trying to make the cut into either category is a daunting task. Steve Kalestad, who has a nice firm tone and easy manner will not fall into either, but that does not mean this album entitled Straight Up is not enjoyable or entertaining. 

Pianist Mike LeDonne was once described by Oscar Peterson as “one of the most promising and talented pianists of this era”. High praise indeed, but well deserved. His presence, along with Webber and Farnsworth, give an added luster to this session with his sympathetic support and exploratory solos. Fortunately, the band decided to forego the usual temptation of using only original material for this session and came up with a varied set list from both popular and jazz composers. 

The band opens with two tunes that fit into these categories starting with the Sammy Kahn/Julie Styne number “Beautiful Friendship” followed by Bobby Troup’s “Meaning Of The Blues”. The first starts off in a loping tempo with Kaldestad running through the melody then kicking in with a lengthy solo which shows he is an impressive improvisor. LeDonne then demonstrates his own solid credentials for several choruses before the band takes the tune out. Miles Davis included the Troup composition in his album Miles Ahead which gave the composition some cachet. Kaldestad and the band offer it in a bluesy frame which works well for all the principals. 

The Charlie Parker composition “Barbados” is well suited to the band’s strengths as it is simply a jumping off point to highlight their expressive versatility. Duke Ellington’s “Warm Valley” is a showcase for Kaldestad’s tenor wherein he captures some lovely turns of phrase and LeDonne gives full measure with some polished playing. The closing track is a minor blues entitled “Blues Straight Up” an original number from Kaldestad. Supported by some rock-solid drumming from Joe Farnsworth and Webber’s big toned bass, the band finds an earthiness and a swagger that is ear-catching. This is a cooly persuasive album from a dependable tenor saxophonist. ~ by John Sunier, Jazz CD Reviews. 

Cellar Live, CL120312, 2014
Recorded 3rd December, 2012 at Cory Weeds' Jazz Cellar, Vancouver, British Columbia 

Musicians:
Steve Kaldestad - Tenor Saxophone
Mike LeDonne - Piano
John Webber - Acoustic Bass
Joe Farnsworth - Drums

Tracks:
1. Beautiful Friendship {Jule Styne, Gus Kahn} (5:44)
2. Meaning Of The Blues {Bobby Troup} (5:41)
3. Let It Go {Stanley Turrentine} (5:47)
4. Barbados {Charlie Parker} (5:04)
5. Warm Valley {Duke Ellington} (5:04)
6. Sweet Siggi {Steve Kaldestad} (5:05)
7. Ligia {Antônio Carlos Jobim} (4:11)
8. Blues Straight Up {Steve Kaldestad} (8:20) 

Credits:
Producer, Executive Producer, Liner Notes - Steve Kaldestad
Executive Producer - Cory Weeds
Producer, Engineer, Mastering, Mixing - Dave Sikula
Graphic Design, Layout - Ian Hendrickson-Smith
Inside Photo - Jesse Cahill
Cover Photo - Steve Mynett 

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - Live At The Widder (1982)

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis is heard during two-night club sets (1982) on this CD, one of his last recordings prior to his death in 1986. The gritty yet swinging tenor saxophonist is joined by veteran drummer Oliver Jackson, bassist Ilsa Eckinger, and pianist Gustav Csik during this engagement in Zurich, Switzerland. Davis is in top form, whether playing a brisk blues like "Oh Gee" or an up-tempo swinger such as "S'Wonderful." But Davis is especially enjoyable during the numerous ballad features. Typically starting off each one unaccompanied, his total mastery of the form during his stunning performance of "I Can't Get Started With You" and his lush interpretation of "Misty" demonstrate how much he could do with standards that had already been recorded hundreds of times. This Swiss CD is well worth the extra effort to track down. ~ by Ken Dryden, AMG. 

Divox Jazz, CDX 48701-2, 1995
Recorded 19th & 20th March, 1982 Live at the Widder Bar, Zürich, Switzerland 

Musicians:
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - Tenor Saxophone
Gustav Csik - Piano
Isla Eckinger - Bass
Oliver Jackson - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Oh Gee {Matthew Gee} (7:43)
02. I Can't Get Started {Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin} (5:17)
03. Comin' Home Baby {Bob Dorough, Ben Tucker} (6:04)
04. If I Had You {Jimmy Campbell, Reginald Connelly, Ted Shapiro} (4:44)
05. 'S Wonderful {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (5:02)
06. Hey Jim {Babs Gonzales, James Moody} (5:19)
07. Meditation {Norman Gimbel, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Newton Mendonça} (6:24)
08. Misty {Johnny Burke, Erroll Garner} (5:06)
09. Speak Low {Ogden Nash, Kurt Weill} (7:12)
10. Love Is Here To Stay {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (6:20)
11. Intermission Riff {Ray Wetzel} (6:20) 

Total Time: 65:36 

Credits:
Producer, Liner Notes, Executive-Producer - Arnold Burri
Executive-Producer - Konrad Baeschlin, Wolfram M. Burgert
Engineer, Recording - Peter Pfister
Editing - Hans Krüsi 

'S Wonderful

Brent Jensen - Brent Jensen Meets The Dave Peck Trio (2000)

Here we have an earlier album by the formidable altoist Brent Jensen. For this date he assembles a tight quartet formation comprising of pianist Dave Peck, bassist Chuck Deardorf and drummer Dean Hodges. Together they present a wonderful array of well-known jazz standards with great acumen. All seven tunes will truly enthrall even the most fastidious jazz lover, enjoy! 

TGR Records, TGR101, 2000
Recorded 21st May, 2000 at the Morrison Center Recital Hall in Botse, Idaho 

Musicians:
Brent Jensen - Alto Saxophone
Dave Peck - Piano
Chuck Deardorf - Bass
Dean Hodges - Drums

Tracks:
1. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To {Cole Porter} (7:14)
2. Just Squeeze Me {Duke Ellington} (7:12)
3. Star Eyes {Gene De Paul, Don Raye} (7:30)
4. Darn That Dream {Jimmy Van Heusen} (5:52)
5. Alone Together {Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz} (8:12)
6. Moon And Sand {Alec Wilder} (6:10)
7. All The Things You Are {Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II} (6:05) 

Total Time: 48:17 

Credits:
Producer - Brent Jensen
Executive Producer - Jim DeBlasio
Engineer - John Fransen
Design, Photography & Layout - Jeff Fox 

All The Things You Are

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

Dave Valentin - Red Sun (1993)

This was flutist Dave Valetin's 15th release for GRP and, as with his previous ones, it features impeccable musicianship, subtle funk grooves, some heated Latin rhythms and rather lightweight melodies. Despite some passionate moments, the music always sounds a bit controlled, never exceeding prescribed time limits or emotional boundaries. There are some strong moments of interest on this relatively pleasing CD, particularly a restrained melodic statement by trumpeter Arturo Sandoval on "We'll Be Together Again" and a groovin' version of "With a Little Help from My Friends." ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

GRP Records, GRD-9699, 1993
Recorded at Sound On Sound Studios, New York City 

Musicians:
Dave Valentin - Flute (#1-4,6,9) Flutes (#5,7,8), Arranger (#8,9)
Arturo Sandoval - Flugelhorn (#4)
Steve Turre - Trombone, Shells (#8)
Bill O'Connell - Piano, Synthesizer (#1,2,5,6,8,9), Arranger (#1-5,7,8,9)
Bernd Schoenhart - Guitar (#1)
Lincoln Goines - Bass (#1,2,6-9), Acoustic Bass (#4), Arranger (#6)
Dave Samuels - Vibraphone (#3)
Richie Morales - Drums (#2,3,4,6,7), Cymbals
Robert Ameen - Drums (#1,5,8), Percussion [Cymbals, Stick]
Milton Cardona - Percussion, Congas (#1), Cowbell (#1), Shekere/Cajon (#5)
Sammy Figueroa - Percussion (#2,3,5,7,8), Congas (#7)
Jon Lucien - Vocals (#2)
Steve Shapiro - Synthesizer Programming

Tracks:
1. With A Little Help From My Friends {John Lennon, Paul McCartney} (5:20)
2. Red Sun {Bill O'Connell} (5:11)
3. Two Steps Ahead {Bill O'Connell} (3:46)
4. We'll Be Together Again {Carl Fischer, Frankie Laine} (5:17)
5. Beyond The Ridge {Bill O'Connell} (4:33)
6. Lia's Song {Lincoln Goines} (4:29)
7. Loco Motion {Bill O'Connell} (5:04)
8. Little Sunflower {Freddie Hubbard} (6:23)
9. Pensativa {Clare Fischer} (4:15) 

Total Time: 44:28 

Credits:
Producer - Dave Valentin
Producer, Recording, Mixing - Josiah Gluck
Executive-Producer - Dave Grusin, Larry Rosen
Mastering Engineer - Ted Jensen
Assistant Engineer - Devin Emke, Fred Kevorkian, John Siket, Peter Beckerman
Photography - Carol Weinberg
Art Direction - Scott Johnson
Graphic Design - Dan Serrano, Jackie Salway, Alba Acevedo 

Two Steps Ahead

Dick De Graaf Quartet - Moving Target (2007)

Dick de Graaf's Moving Target is well named, as the tenor saxophonist doesn't stick to one style during these 2006 sessions. Leading a quartet with pianist Jeroen van Vliet and bassist Guus Bakker (both of whom double on electric instruments) plus drummer Pascal Vermeer, the leader starts off very much in a post-bop setting with his potent "Cascade". Several of the leader's pieces were inspired by 20th century composer Béla Bartók, including the haunting "Stolen Dream" and the quirky swinger "Why Birds Always Sing" (the latter with de Graaf switching to soprano sax). Van Vliet's hand-muting of the piano strings in the opening to "Handiclap" gives the piece the feeling of a kalimba (African thumb piano), while this percolating composition never loses steam. The switch to electric instruments is a bit uneven, as the lively "Démasqué" works well but "Climate Change" sounds like warmed-over Weather Report from the 1970s. Still, this is a commendable outing by the veteran musician. ~ by Ken Dryden, AMG. 

Soundroots Records, SR02, 2007
Recorded 19th, 20th October & 9th November, 2006 at Tafelberg Studio Tilburg, NL 

Musicians:
Dick De Graaf - Tenor and Soprano Saxes
Jeroen van Vliet - Piano, Fender Rhodes
Guus Bakker - Acoustic and Electric Bass
Pascal Vermeer - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Cascade (6:59)
02. A Touch Of Bela (5:37)
03. Deka Deka (6:17)
04. Stolen Dream (4:23)
05. Climate Change (4:33)
06. Why Birds Always Sing (5:59)
07. Moving Target (5:32)
08. Handiclap (4:28)
09. Somsok Orkim Saleb II (5:21)
10. Démasqué (7:44) 

All compositions by Dick de Graaf 

Total Time: 56:53 

Credits:
Recording and Mixing - Bernard Jussen
Mastering Engineer - Peter Brussee
Photos and Art Design - Bernadette Leijdekkers
Liner Notes - Dick de Graaf, Rotterdam, January 2007 

Hiroki Miyano - Manhattan Skyline (1981, 2007)

Hiroki's own creative life began in Sapporo. As noted elsewhere on the web, Hiroki grew up collecting jazz records of early personal music idols like John McLaughlin and Django Reinhardt. By the age of 10, Hiroki had already bought a guitar and in short time began taking his first steps to play out around Tokyo’s storied jazz clubs. Somehow, in 1981, the noted editor of J-Jazz magazine Swing Journal clued in one Teo Macero (of Miles Davis fame) to the stylings of this young upstart. Shortly, Hiroki was signed to a contract with huge Japanese label Phillips and was sent out to NYC to record an album of originals with Teo functioning as producer. Working with truly gifted/prolific jazz session cats like Marcus Miller, Buddy Williams, and Ryo Kawasaki, they’d use his debut album (Manhattan Skyline) to launch off his career. ~ Extract by Diego Olivas, fondsound.com. 

Philips Records, 27PJ-1, 1981
Philips/Universal, DCT-1921, 2007
Recorded 17th-18th November, 1980 at Media Sound Studios, New York 

Musicians:
Hiroki Miyano - Acoustic Guitar, Arranger
Jeff Mironov - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Warren Bernhardt - Fender Rhodes
Jorge Dalto - Acoustic Piano
Ryo Kawasaki - Guitar Synthesizer
Marcus Miller - Electric Bass
Carol Steele - Percussion
Buddy Williams - Drums
Guests:
George Young - Soprano Sax, Sopranino (#1,3,5,7,9)
Dave Valentin - Flute (#2,4)
Ilana Morillo - Vocals (#3,8,9)

Tracks:
1. Let's Make Merry {Hiroki Miyano} (3:32)
2. Sunset City {Hiroki Miyano} (6:26)
3. Teo's Dance {Hiroki Miyano} (5:22)
4. Bird On The Wind {Hiroki Miyano} (5:23)
5. Slow Down For Love {Earl Klugh} (4:00)
6. Song Of Clouds {Ryo Kawasaki} (4:15)
7. Summer Light {Teo Macero} (3:28)
8. Go Away From Summer {Hiroki Miyano} (3:15)
9. Manhattan Skyline {Hiroki Miyano} (5:33) 

Total Time: 41:20 

Credits:
Executive Producer, Liner Notes - Hiroki Miyano
Producer, Arranger - Teo Macero
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Carl Beatty
Assistant Engineer - Lincoln Clapp
Cutting Engineer - Hiroshi Yuasa
A&R - Hiroshi Mitsuka
Design - Masao Ohgiya
Photography [Cover] - Tadayuki Naitoh
Photography - David Tan 

Bird On The Wind

Giovanni Sanguineti Quartet - Vibes & Moods (2014)

Another fine album release by italian bassist Giovanni Sanguineti. Again, with his quartet comprising of Stefano Guazzo on tenor, Leonardo Ravera on piano and Lorenzo Capello on drums, Giovanni continues to showcase his own compositions, five of seven tracks and remaining two well-known jazz standards, all beautifully played and arranged. In all a very entertaining album from start to finish. Enjoy! 

Ultra Sound Records, US-CD-136/S, 2014 

Musicians:
Giovanni Sanguineti - Doubler Bass
Stefano Guazzo - Tenor Saxophone
Leonardo Ravera - Piano
Lorenzo Capello - Drums 

Tracks:
1. I Fall in Love Too Easily {Jule Styne} (6:04)
2. Hipsation {Giovanni Sanguineti} (4:57)
3. Moondog {Giovanni Sanguineti} (5:00)
4. Between Hot Sand And Thin Ice {Giovanni Sanguineti} (4:48)
5. Big Ben {Giovanni Sanguineti} (4:11)
6. Beware The Fullmoon {Giovanni Sanguineti} (4:03)
7. All My Tomorrows {Jimmy Van Heusen} (5:57) 

Total Time: 35:02 

Beware The Fullmoon

Dave Valentin - Jungle Garden (1985)

Released in 1985 this was Dave Valentin's 7th album for Dave Grusin and Dave Valentin under their production company as he was the first artist signed by them for their label in 1978 with a successful debut. This album is a very strong and fun follow up to 1984's Kalahari which Valentin was just getting his feet wet with his new bandmates that included Bill O'Connell. The album is pure Latin fusion and funk mixing in the occasional interpretation of a hit song at the time which in this case was Stevie Wonder's "Love Light In Flight" from his hit soundtrack "The Woman In Red". Unlike Kalahari which was a little more laid back and somewhat restrained rhythmically, Valentin and his band lets loose on great Latin vibes on this album with "Tabasco", "Oasis", "Very Nice Indeed" and his own Latin rendition of "I Loves You Porgy" with Valentin playing off O'Connell in a duet setting which is very catchy and tranquil. The album is one of Valentin's best from this period of his career and well worth seeking out especially for its beautiful artwork as GRP Records would provide for their albums in the beginning of the label. ~ Danny Gonzalez, AMG. 

GRP Records, GRP-D-9523, 1985
Recorded at Secret Sound Studios, New York City 

Musicians:
Dave Valentin - Flute, Percussion, Synthesizer
Bill O'Connell - Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer
Lincoln Goines - Bass
Frank Malabé - Congas, Percussion
Robert Ameen - Drums
Tania Maria - Piano, Vocals (#6)

Tracks:
1. Awakening {Dave Valentin} (2:05)
2. Oasis {Bill O'Connell} (6:21)
3. Bones [A Lion Who Lived And Died In The Kalahari] {Dave Valentin} (4:57)
4. Love Light In Flight {Stevie Wonder} (5:00)
5. Jungle Garden {Dave Valentin} (4:41)
6. Very Nice Indeed {Tania Maria} (3:51)
7. I Loves You Porgy {George Gershwin} (5:42)
8. Eighty-One {Ron Carter} (4:55)
9. Tabasco {Bill O'Connell} (5:19) 

Total Time: 42:55 

Credits:
Producer, Mixing - Dave Valentin
Executive-Producer - Dave Grusin, Larry Rosen
Recording, Mixing Engineer - Josiah Gluck
Recording Engineer - Warren Bruleigh
Mastering Engineer - Ted Jensen
Photography [Black & White] - Fran Vogel
Photography [Front & Back], Artwork - Andy Baltimore
Design - Dan Serrano

Love Light In Flight

Helen Sung Trio - Helenistique (2006)

"I've always wanted to record a CD of jazz standards - I enjoy the challenge of making a standard "mine," and here are some of my favorites. The original "H*Town" is in reference to my hometown Houston, TX, a place with a twang all its own... ~ Helen. 

Helenistique, Helen's remarkable follow-up to 'Push', finds her in a trio setting with the amazing drummer Lewis Nash and young bass phenom Derrick Hodge. Piano great Benny Green writes of the recording "I am certain that anyone... will readily appreciate the life-affirming joy, the unmistakable intelligence, and most significantly, the love and dedication which Helen, Derrick, and Lewis have put into this beautiful set of music." ~ freshsoundrecords.com. 

Fresh Sound New Talent, FSNT 251, 2006
Recorded 18th (#1-9,11,12) & 9th (#10) May, 2005
at Acoustic Recording, Brooklyn, New York 

Musicians:
Helen Sung - Piano, Arranger
Derrick Hodge - Bass
Lewis Nash - Drums 

Tracks:
01. H*Town {Helen Sung} (3:01)
02. Lover {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (4:16)
03. Sweet & Lovely {Arnheim, Tobias, Daniels} (6:47)
04. Voyage {Kenny Barron} (7:09)
05. Willow Weep For Me {Ann Ronell} (4:54)
06. Where Or When {Rodgers, Hart} (4:38)
07. Black Narcissus {Joe Henderson} (6:03)
08. Bye Ya {Thelonious Monk} (5:49)
09. Cottontai {Duke Ellington} (3:04)
10. Carolina Shout {James P. Johnson} (3:59)
11. Alphabest Street {Prince} (3:59)
12. H*Town [Reprise] {Helen Sung} (2:08) 

Total Time: 55:21 

Credits:
Producer, Liner Notes - Helen Sung
Executive-Producer - Jordi Pujol
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Michael Brorby
Mastering Engineer - Chris Herles
CD Photography & Design - Misterarmando Design
Liner Notes - Benny Green

Lover

Jakob Bro Trio - Who Said Gay Paree? (2008)

This is a guitar trio album recorded at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen in May 2008, and is a collection of standards. The album title "Who Said Gay Paree?" is said to be written by Cole Porter, but I've never heard it anywhere else. They also do Coltrane's "Fifth House," which adds a little twist to the album. Before signing with ECM in 2015, they released a lot of albums at a pace of about one per year on their local label "Loveland," but in Japan, I remember them being "only known by those in the know." After signing with ECM, I think their recognition has finally increased due to differences in label publicity. I picked this up second-hand more than 10 years ago, and at the time I had no prior knowledge of it, but I was attracted to the fact that it was a pure guitar trio playing standards, and the jacket, which somehow gave me a good feeling. The whole album is played as a medium to slow ballad, reminiscent of a quiet cityscape late at night. The light and shadows that emerge in the dim light, the empty cobblestone road, the music that tries to express such silence. I think many people are looking for this kind of music, but its existence itself is too quiet. The atmosphere is different from the music he made after signing with ECM. For better or worse, ECM colors the music, which sometimes brings out the artist's hidden personality, and sometimes it is painted over by ECM's colors. This album is free from such concerns, and I think this is probably his true self. His guitar is like no one else's. It's not that he has a strong personality, but it's not that he has no personality. He is immersed in singing old melodies, but the music itself has a modern atmosphere, and the balance is exquisite. In the silence of the night, a rich music flows that cherishes the old memories that everyone has. ~ Memories Of The Night [Translated From Japanese] 

Loveland Records, LLR010, 2008
Recorded 25th-28th May, 2008 at Sweet Silence Studios, Copenhagen, Denmark 

Musicians:
Jakob Bro - Guitar
Anders Christensen - Bass
Jakob Høyer - Drums

Tracks:
01. Come Rain Or Come Shine {Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer} (5:49)
02. So In Love {Cole Porter} (8:10)
03. Love Me Tender {Vera Matson, Ken Darby} (5:10)
04. All Of Me {Gerald Marks, Seymour Simons} (3:45)
05. How Long Has This Been Going On? {George & Ira Gershwin} (5:33)
06. The Thrill Is Gone {Ray Henderson, Lew Brown} (5:11)
07. Fifth House {John Coltrane} (5:00)
08. She's Funny That Way {Neil Moret, Richard A. Whiting} (3:19)
09. Speak Low {Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash} (5:33)
10. Who Said Gay Paree? {Cole Porter} (4:30) 

Total Time: 52:07 

Credits:
Producer, Engineer - John Fomsgaard
Photos, Art Direction & Cover - Harmoni 

All Of Me

Chihiro Yamanaka - Somethin' Blue (2014)

Chihiro Yamanaka is an internationally renowned, hard-swinging jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader, whose fluid, athletic technique has drawn rave reviews and very favorable comparisons to legends such as Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum. She is based in New York. At age four she began formal piano studies. While she began with classical music and still practices it, she shifted her focus to jazz studies in high school. After graduation she attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. She played with a wide range of musicians in Boston and in New York before heading back home to Japan after she graduated from Berklee in 2000 with honors. In 2014, Yamanaka moved from Verve to the Universal-owned Blue Note label just in time for its 75th anniversary. Her debut, Somethin' Blue, was a sextet offering, and in addition to originals offered striking renditions of Bud Powell's "Un Poco Loco" and Herbie Hancock's "I Have a Dream." It reached into the Top Five on the jazz charts. ~ Extract by Thom Jurek, AMG. 

I've always felt that Yamanaka's music is very aggressive. However, unlike aggressive musicians who tend to focus on technique or miss the mark, she tries to play the melody well, which I think that's why I never get tired of Yamanaka's music, even if I keep buying more of her albums. ~ kazukazu, Amazon.com. [Translated From Japanese] 

Blue Note Records, UCCQ-1016, 2014
Recorded 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd April, 2014 at Eastside Sound, New York City 

Musicians:
Chihiro Yamanaka - Piano, Keyboards
Benny Benack III - Trumpet
Jaleel Shaw - Saxophone
Lage Lund - Guitar
Yasushi Nakamura - Bass
Kendrick Scott - Drums
Mark Whitfield Jr. - Drums (#11) 

Tracks:
01. Somethin' Blue {Chihiro Yamanaka} (8:31)
02. Orleans {Chihiro Yamanaka} (4:32)
03. I Have A Dream {Herbie Hancock} (5:58)
04. Un Poco Loco {Bud Powell} (5:51)
05. Funiculi Funicula {Traditional} (6:29)
06. A Secret Code {Chihiro Yamanaka} (4:56)
07. Pinhole Camera {Chihiro Yamanaka} (5:44)
08. For Real {Chihiro Yamanaka} (5:30)
09. On The Shore {Chihiro Yamanaka} (6:43)
10. You're A Fool, Aren't You {Chihiro Yamanaka} (5:55)
11. Go Go Go {Chihiro Yamanaka} (4:41) 

Total Time: 64:54 

Credits:
Producer, Arranger - Chihiro Yamanaka
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Lou Holtzman
Recording, Mixing, Photography - Eric Elterman
Mastering Engineer - Greg Calbi
Photography - Kana Doi
Art Direction - Hibiki Tokiwa 

Pinhole Camera

Chihiro Yamanaka Somethin' Blue Quintet - Live At Blue Note Tokyo (2014)

Popular pianist Chihiro Yamanaka is visiting Japan with her latest album, Somethin' Blue. Her fellow performers are Benny Benack (trumpet), Jaleel Shaw (alto sax), Yoshi Waki ​​(bass), and Kendrick Scott (drums). I was able to enjoy a fun and thrilling performance with her familiar New York friends. She is often seen playing in a piano trio, so it was refreshing to see her leading a two-horn quintet. Benack is a rising star who was praised by Wynton Marsalis in 2011 as "one of the jazz greats of the next generation." Although he still retains the appearance of a boy, his ability to freely play anything from a deep bass to a bursting high note is top-notch. Something Blue also commemorates the 75th anniversary of the founding of the prestigious Blue Note Records. In the former, Jaleel plays alto sax, while drummer Kendrick adds further momentum to the band with a variety of beats. The audience was thrilled by Yamanaka's incorporation of glissandos to get the crowd excited, and Kendrick's cymbal legato, reminiscent of Billy Higgins, one of the house drummers of Blue Note in the '60s. ~ Extract by Kazunori Harada, bluenote.co.jp. 

Blue Note Records, none, 2014
Recorded 26th September, 2014 at The Blue Note Tokyo, Japan 

Musicians:
Chihiro Yamanaka - Piano, Keyboards
Benny Benack III - Trumpet
Jaleel Shaw - Saxophone
Yoshi Waki - Bass
Kendrick Scott - Drums

Tracks:
1. For Real {Yamanaka} (11:55)
2. Funiculi Funicula {Traditional} (9:40)
3. Pinhole Camera {Yamanaka} (9:21)
4. Somethin' Blue {Yamanaka} (2:11)
5. Yagibushi {Traditional} (11:17) 

Total Time: 44:24 

N.B.
This rip is converted from DSD64 > WAV > FLAC [DR16]
Applause has been edited for improved listening pleasure.
Artwork taken from DVD [Blue Note UCBJ-1007] 

Credits:
Producer - Chihiro Yamanaka, Arranger
Executive-Producer - Hirokazu Tanaka, Yoshihisa Saito
Recording & Mixing - Atsushi Fujita
A&R - Hajime Isogai
Art Direction, Design - Kanako Okajima
Photography - Asami Hoshino

Blue Note Tokyo 2014 Trailer

Joris Posthumus Quartet feat. Tom Beek - The Abyss (2010)

A hot two-horn aggressive quintet from the Netherlands! They are not well known in Japan, but this bursting momentum has a huge impact. The alto and tenor are rushing with a modal feeling in the style of Coltrane. It is also full of spiritual feeling; this is a powerful mixture of the sound of the 60s and the modern era! The pianist is also McCoy-like! The modal phrases run and run and run again on the percussive block chords. The alto's fist is also amazing! In modern terms, can you imagine a saxophone like Rosario Giuliani? This spirit is hot, too hot. In recent years, European artists who have returned to hard bop have been seen mainly in Italy, but there have been few works that tackle the Coltrane mode. According to the liner notes, his roots were in New Orleans and Dixie, and after various experiences he also toured the Netherlands with David Murray. All the songs are performed with great power. This is a work that should be listened to by those who want to remember the passion of that genre. ~ from New Release Info. [Translated From Japanese] 

Challenge Records, CR73287, 2010
Recorded 6th & 7th October, 2008 at Fattoria Musica Studio's, Osnabrück, Germany 

Musicians:
Joris Posthumus - Alto Saxophone
Tom Beek - Tenor Saxophone
Jeroen van Vliet - Piano, Fender Rhodes (#8,9)
Jurriaan Dekker - Double Bass
Pascal Vermeer - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Portrait Of A Picture (5:56)
2. The Abyss (8:37)
3. Of A Different Kind (8:04)
4. The 2nd Day (6:00)
5. Death Of A Ladybird (7:31)
6. Sunshine (5:32)
7. 13 Solutions (5:24)
8. Out Of The Dreamworld (7:46)
9. Daybreak (5:39) 

All compositions by Joris Posthumus 

Total Time: 60:29 

Credits:
Producer, Mixing Engineer - Chris Weeda
Mastering Engineer - Peter Brussee
Production Coordination - Jolien Plat
A&R - Maurits de Weert [Challenge Records]
Design [Sleeve] - Esther Wiegert
Photography, Art Direction - Marcel van den Broek 

The Abyss

Larry Nozero feat. Dennis Tini - Time (1975)

The Time lineup includes Tini on keys, drummer Danny Spencer, bassist Ron Brooks, conguero George Pardo, and chamber strings. It was produced by Charles Moore. Nozero composed one tune and co-wrote the spacy, vanguard "Two Worlds" with Tini. The keyboardist composed three individual works. Also included are innovative versions of the standards "All the Things You Are" and "Baubles Bangles and Beads." The opener, Tini's "Reflections of My Past," is introduced by chime-like chords on Rhodes piano before Nozero's flute articulates the melody backed by Brooks, Spencer, and Pardo. Strings enter in the second chorus, adding dimension to Nozero's gorgeous solo. "Tony" is an expressionist pairing of tenor saxophone and strings. Nozero's interaction is seamless as he responds to their restrained harmonics with soulful, imaginative, and bluesy blowing. The two-part "Chronicle of a Murdered House" is the album's hinge piece. Its first entry is incantatory with melodic saxophone, rolling tom-toms, ghostly bells, and a minimal bassline. Nozero's playing approaches Gato Barbieri's score for Last Tango in Paris. It serves as an intro to the second part, which weds samba, bossa, and hard bop as the jazz quintet interacts with a pillowy string section and Tini lays out a gloriously funky and warm Rhodes piano solo. Tini's "Tune for L.N." is wondrously funky yet elegant. The bumping bass, congas, and rimshot snares meet a raw, wordless vocalese under swirling, distorted Rhodes piano, soaring flute, and a deep, funky bassline in dialogue with both drummers. Tini's "Impressions of My Lady" is a vulnerable, evocative ballad with graceful, elegant, harmonic abstractions. The classical vocal intro to the standard "All the Things You Are" offers scatted vocalese and Tini's clavinet that sounds like a harpsichord. Immediately after, Nozero leads the band straight into high-flying bebop as he sprints through the melody and solo. Closer "Baubles Bangles & Beads" is initially unrecognizable. It's deeply funky, its melody gets striated under Tini's Sergio Mendes-esque piano vamp and samba-style vocalese. (Nozero played with Mendes for a time and absorbed his successful experiments in melding Brazilian music to pop, soul, and jazz.) Time is rightfully considered a Detroit jazz classic. After DJ Amir reclaimed Strata in 2012, the label's expanded reach transformed the album's availability; it's a highly sought-after, international jazz classic that sounds like no other recording from the era. ~ by Thom Jurek, AMG. 

Strata Records, Inc., SRI-109-75, 1975
Recorded 10th December, 1973 at Pac Three Studios, Dearborn;
and Strata Sound Studios, Detroit, Michigan 

Musicians:
Larry Nozero - Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Arranger (#3-4)
Dennis Tini - Fender Rhodes, Clavinet [Hohner D6], Hohner String Vox,
Vocals, Arranger (#3-4,7)
Ron Brooks - Bass
Muruga Sharma - Percussion
George Pardo - Congas
Pat Appleman - Cello
Halina Lia, Kathie Spratt, Lorraine Periman, Zaida George - Violin
Jeff Steinberg - Arranger [Strings] (#1,3-4,6) 

Tracks:
1. Reflections Of My Past {Dennis Tini} (3:58)
2. Tony {Larry Nozero} (4:36)
3-4. Chronicle Of The Murdered House {Antônio Carlos Jobim} (8:50)
5. Tune For L.N. {Dennis Tini} (5:44)
6. Impressions Of My Lady {Dennis Tini} (3:00)
7. All The Things You Are {Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern} (2:17)
8. Two Worlds {Larry Nozero, Dennis Tini} (5:52)
9. Baubles, Bangles & Beads {George Forrest, Robert Wright} (4:29) 

Total Time: 38:46 

Note: Original tracks 3 & 4 joined at intersection
Chronicle Of The Murdered House = Part I & II
Approx. 3:54 + 4:56 

Credits:
Producer, Recording & Remix Engineer - Charles Moore
Recording Engineer - Bud Spangler, Richard Becker [Pac-3]
Recording, Technical Assistance - Joe Holdreith [Strata Sound]
Mastering Engineer - Bob Dennis [HDH Sound Studios]
Production Coordinator - Krista English
Art Direction - Rainbow Productions
Design, Liner Notes – John Sinclair
Cover Photograph, Production - Leni Sinclair
Liner Photograph - Clyde Stringer 

Reflections Of My Past

Myron Walden - Like A Flower Seeking The Sun (1999)

A Charming Shadowy Gem
-------------------------------
I’m a big fan of Brian Blade’s Fellowship Band and found this Myron Walden album because of that. But apart from Walden’s own penetrating sound on the alto the music has little to do with that of the Fellowship band. Here the mood is darker and more questioning, a feel that flows through the entire record and makes it a great, in my opinion anyway. The jazz idiom produces a lot of record, way too much as a matter of fact. The playing is often great, but albums just seem pointless and flavorless. On this collection of tunes however there is unity, and nothing seems out of place. The main theme is repeated three times on the album: at the beginning, in the middle and of course at the end. The other tunes seem to come from the same place, time and frame of mind. The pairing of Walden’s horn and Rosenwinkel’s guitar just works so well and again helps build that subdued tension that ties everything together. Once in a while every music lover come across a hidden record that just fits exactly his taste, this is one of those for me. ~ Timy Keller, AMG. 

NYC Records, NYC 6032-2, 1999
Recorded 16th February, 1998 at Avatar Studios Room A, New York 

Musicians:
Myron Walden - Alto Saxophone
Dwayne Burno - Bass
Eric McPherson - Drums
Guest:
Kurt Rosenwinkle - Guitar 

Tracks:
01. Like A Flower Seeking The Sun {Myron Walden} (5:52)
02. As Night Falls {Myron Walden} (7:28)
03. From This Moment On {Cole Porter, Arr. Myron Walden} (5:17)
04. Tears Of The Fallen One {Myron Walden} (3:49)
05. E Minor Untitled {Myron Walden} (7:10)
06. Like A Flower Seeking The Sun {Myron Walden} (4:37)
07. Momentum {Myron Walden} (7:01)
08. A Long Road Ahead {Myron Walden} (4:12)
09. Path Of The Sun {Myron Walden} (7:05)
10. Pulse {Myron Walden} (8:12)
11. Like A Flower Seeking The Sun {Myron Walden} (3:49) 

Total Time: 64:32 

Credits:
Producer - Myron Walden, Preston Powell
Engineer - James Farber 

Like A Flower Seeking The Sun

Ed Neumeister Quartet - New Standards (2005)

This self-produced and hard-to-find Austrian release features trombone phenom Ed Neumeister in a rare, intimate setting as leader of a first-class quartet. The American trombonist's classical music background is reflected in his carefully articulated lines and pristine sound, but as with Wynton Marsalis, Neumeister is equally at home playing jazz standards, as he does here with considerable aplomb. Boasting a comfortable three-octave range, the under-recorded Neumeister easily negotiates the changes to his complex "Spring Street," in which he leaps wide intervals with incredible speed, and on the signature Strayhorn tune "Take The "A" Train," on which the trombonist soloed regularly during his time with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. In terms of technique, Neumeister can do it all, from exhibiting expansive range; spectacular agility; trills; and old-time, down-home, gut-wrenching effects with the wah-wah mute, something he displays to excellent effect on Jimmy Rowles' "The Peacocks." At his best, as on the latter tune, the trombonist is one of the finest of his generation, an underrated giant waiting to be discovered. The only drawback is the lack of emotional depth on some of the tunes, in which a consistency in volume detracts from the overall effect. Nonetheless, for much of this recording, the trombonist brings his considerable bag of tricks to the table and leaves the listener largely satisfied, ready for more. His first-rate rhythm section, particularly drummer John Hollenbeck, is a big plus. ~ Steve Loewy, AMG. 

MeisteroMusic, CSM Y0221-C08, 2005
Recorded at Soundborn Studios, Vienna, Austria 

Musicians:
Ed Neumeister - Trombone
Fritz Pauer - Piano
Drew Gress - Double Bass
John Hollenbeck - Drums, Percussion 

Tracks:
1. Take The "A" Train {Billy Strayhorn} (7:22)
2. Picks & Pans {John Scofield} (7:45)
3. Spring Street {Ed Neumeister} (9:49)
4. The Peacocks {Jimmy Rowles} (8:18)
5. A Walk In The Woods {Ed Neumeister} (10:37)
6. Speak Low {Kurt Weill} (7:18) 

Total Time: 51:14 

Credits:
Producer - Ed Neumeister
Recording Engineer - Gerhard Wessely, Fabian Wessely 

Take The "A" Train