With "Love Is Simple," Jeremy Pelt returns to the art of balladry, distilling eight deeply felt performances into his first vinyl-only anthology and shining a light on one of the most quietly persuasive sides of his artistry. Drawn from his HighNote recordings, the set favors emotional honesty over grandstanding, pairing a few familiar titles with lesser-known gems that reward close listening. From Pelt's own disarmingly direct title track to relaxed, assured readings of songs by Rodgers & Hart, Jule Styne, Adams & Strouse, and Marian McPartland, the music unfolds with patience, grace, and a deep sense of purpose. Recorded primarily at the legendary Rudy Van Gelder Studio and featuring a heavyweight cast including George Cables, Buster Williams, Billy Hart and others, these sessions offer a rare balance of warmth and clarity, leaving plenty of room for breath, nuance, and atmosphere. Long celebrated as one of jazz's most eloquent ballad players, Pelt bares his soul here with confidence and restraint, offering a retrospective that feels timeless without ever sounding self-conscious. "Love Is Simple" marks his first appearance on LP, a format perfectly suited to music that asks you to slow down, lean in, and stay awhile.
More than perhaps any other jazz vocalist the name Chris Connor is mentioned with an almost mystical reverence. From her stints with Claude Thronhill and Stan Kenton, through her illustrious solo career, to her most recent appearances and reocrdings on HighNote, Chris brings a lifetime of experience to every song she sings, making it not just a track on a record, but a commentary on life itself.
Wesla Whitfield is known for her deft sense of swing and incisive ballad readings. Now she returns to release IN MY LIFE, a gorgeous collection of 15 wonderful works by such diverse composers as Leonard Bernstein, Vernon Duke and Lennon/McCarney.
The release of a Mark Murphy recording renders hyperbole superfluous. Other people have said it all: Murphy is "a hipster's hipster," writes the New York Post. Featuring his latest effort Links, Mark performs classic tunes and original lyricst and otehr adventurous choices make this mark's finest record to date.
Ever since his arrival in New York back in 1984, Don Braden has been one of the most impressive tenor saxophonists of his generation. He has uplifted the bands of the Harper Bros., Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, Tony Williams & others along the way, yet it is his work as a leader that is most significant. From start to finish, this CD is one of his finest recordings & it shows why he is rated as one of the top sax men of the early 21st Century. Together with his quartet, his chosen medium now, Braden offers a program of jazz classics, as well as a sprinkling of original tunes, including an innovative tenor sax/drum duet.
Hear history in the making as saxophonist Ventura & trombonist Harris team up on this astounding session, captured live in 1947, and unavailable on any format for over 25 years; Harris shows his inimitable way with ballads, while Ventura leaps into his famous "High On An Open Mike," propelled by drummer Davey Tough
