Trumpet player, bandleader, composer, and arranger Tom Harrell picked up rave reviews for 2022's Oak Tree, and here he follows it up with another ambitious, hard-to-resist album, once again made up entirely his own remarkable compositions. Harrell is supremely regarded, not for playing loudly, fast, or high, but rather for his extraordinary talent at fashioning ravishingly beautiful auricular shapes with a wonderfully expressive tone and depth. He is also an exceptionally fine arranger, crafting scores embroidered with felicities of detail and an inevitability which are unique in jazz. Teamed here for the second time with Venezuelan-born pianist Luis Perdomo, featuring the tenor saxophones of Danya Stephens and Mark Turner, the guitar of Charles Altura and regular collaborators, German-Nigerian bassist Ugonna Okegwo and American drummer Adam Cruz, Harrell and his associates emphasize the diverse musical influences of the compositions with a versatility that vividly displays their common strength.
Coryell made his HighNote debut with this All-Star line-up and pays tribute to the Jazz giants who influenced him and helped him develop his unique Jazz guitar style which has made him the touchstone against which all other Jazz guitarists are measured. With the great John Hicks on piano, saxman Willie Williams, drummer Yoron Israel laying down the foundation and the imaginative bass-ics of Santi Debriano, Larry pours some new wine into the old bottles with innovative takes on classic tunes by Monk, Trane, Miles and, of course, Larry Coryell.
Tenor Saxman Eric Alexander has more than lived up to his Young Lion hype. Last year he released his amazing 18th recording as leader for HighNote, IT'S ALL IN THE GAME. It only reinforces what has been clear from his work of the past decade, Alexander is one of the leading talents of modern tenor saxophone. Eric and his working band explore a wealth of material, finding treasures and mining each gem without getting tedious, varying his strategies from fluttering wisps, meaty arpeggios and evocative swirls.
2012 NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan's performances are always intriguing blends of imaginative music making and deeply felt, richly emotional story telling. More than many performing artists, she lays her life on the line with everything she sings. And more than any other jazz vocalist she reflects the power of the instrumentalists who shaped her musical life. She alone, it seems, can combine Rollins' drive and Parker's soaring invention with Ella's spunk and Billie's passion. This recording with bassist Harvie S shows off her immaculate phrasing and dead-on pitch on a dozen standards.
Jazz legend George Cables celebrates his 80th birthday with a stunning new recording, showcasing the timeless artistry that has defined his illustrious career. Known for his flawless technique and unparalleled musicianship, he has established himself as a towering figure in the jazz world. With icons like Art Pepper, Dexter Gordon and Freddie Hubbard he solidified his reputation as one of the most versatile and sought-after pianists of his generation. This album does not just honor his storied past but, with tunes both old and new, it captures the essence of a musician who has not only shaped jazz history but continues to influence it's evolution. The recording features jazz standards by legends like Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, and Horace Silver, as well as a tribute to the next generation of jazz talent with a piece by Arcoiris Sandoval, an exciting female pianist making waves in the jazz scene today. Throughout, Cables bridges the past and future of jazz, crafting an album that is a must-listen for any jazz aficionado. Join in celebrating this milestone and the remarkable contributions of a true jazz giant.
Joey DeFrancesco has come a long way from his recording debut made in 1989 as a fresh-faced 17-year-old. From the get-go, he established his credentials with virtuoso technique and an innate soulfulness that he developed under the tutelage of his father, Papa John DeFrancesco. Combining monstrous chops with a flair for showmanship, DeFrancesco is regarded by organ aficionados as the baddest B-3 burner in the business. Joey's latest manages to look both ahead and back ? back to the trio's roots which extend back 15 years ? and ahead to musical triumphs to come.
Few can match Steve Turre's skill as a trombonist. His technical mastery, which has seen him win five Down Beat polls, goes hand-in-hand with a deep respect for the music that has gone before him. Turre is also an acclaimed shellist, or conch player, extracting warm lyricism from this unusual instrument from the seabed. On this, his fourth HighNote release, Steve is joined by tenor sax great Billy Harper and piano giant Larry Willis, with whom Steve had worked in the band of Woody Shaw. If ever an album lived up to it's name, it is Steve Turre's "Delicious and Delightful."
After a full career which has spanned decades without a lull Tom Harrell is as busy as ever. Here is a project which supplements his working quintet with two additions saxophonist Jaleel Shaw and bassist/singer Esperanza Spalding. Esperanza can be heard lending her voice to a number of Tom's impressive compositions, sometimes using it in a such way that it takes on the role of a instrument and also delivering a wonderfully unique version of his popular "Sail Away" in Portuguese ("Velejar"). Colors of a Dream is perhaps Harrell's most imaginative recording to-date.
From the moment he picks up his guitar, Thom Rotella's passion for music is palpable. Every phrase is crafted with intuitive care and precision that reflect a total commitment to his art. Each performance is an intimate journey into the expressive potential of jazz, where every chord tells a story and every solo speaks directly to the listener. Beyond his solo work, Rotella's collaborations with legendary artists and contributions to various projects cover an extraordinarily wide spectrum of music and entertainment heavy-hitters including Stanley Turrentine, Tommy Tedesco, Frank Sinatra, Burt Bacharach, Bette Midler and countless others. His compositions and his playing have been featured in high-profile television and film projects such as Family Guy, Ellen DeGeneres, Sex and the City, Criminal Minds and Altos (2015), underscoring his ability to craft memorable and communicative music. Thom Rotella continues to inspire and innovate, as evidenced on his HighNote Records debut recording, Side Hustle. With the remarkable organist Bobby Floyd and the propulsive drumming of Roy McCurdy, Rotella swings, smolders and sizzles through a set of imaginative original tunes and standards, with HighNote regulars Eric Alexander and Jeremy Pelt on hand to welcome him to the label.
When Mark Murphy died in October 2015, the obituaries claimed that he had been almost the last of his kind. Murphy, it was said, was a man who embodied the spirit of postwar bohemia, the 'On The Road' Kerouac generation who fought against the straight life of prosperity and numb consumerism they saw all around them. With a catalogue of more than 40 albums under his own name as well as numerous collaborations, Mark Murphy resisted orthodoxy. He could very likely have enjoyed a successful mainstream career had he remained a crooner in the vein of Mel Torme or Jack Jones, but he had greater ambition to carry the jazz vocal flame. He was a consummate improviser, who never sang a song the same way twice. It is that Mark Murphy we encounter here in a historic engagement at the Keystone Korner which was his only performance in the club. Familiar Murphy favorites are here along with a few surprises with Mark's voice alternately thundering and whispering through the inspired setlist.
George Freeman has been part of jazz for nearly a century. Brother of Von and uncle of Chico Freeman, he's worked with the greats, such as Charlie Parker and Ben Webster. Appearing on the recording is legendary organist Joey DeFrancesco, going into the studio just a couple of months before his untimely death. DeFrancesco admired Freeman's work on a Jimmy McGriff LP so it is quite touching that the two were able to collaborate here. Also featured on 4 tracks is bass phenom Christian McBride stoking up some swinging performances with Freeman. Drummers Lewis Nash and Carl Allen provide propulsive rhythms throughout. It must be said, however, that the pulsing heart of the band is Freeman himself, who plays with integrity and enthusiasm and who continues to bring an impressive lifetime of experience to his work.
Kenny Burrell has appeared on so many essential jazz K recordings that jazz history and his biography seem irretrievably intertwined. He has recorded 97 albums under his own name and several hundred with other artists including Duke Ellington, Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Tony Bennett, Billy Holiday, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Smith, Art Blakey, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, and Louis Armstrong. On Unlimited 1 Burrell is captured live at the West-Coast jazz mecca, Catalina's, with a well-oiled big band, The Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra Unlimited, which is made up of some of the West Coast's greatest jazz men and studio players. Burrell leads the group, solos and sings through a set list of original tunes, standards and, of course, what would a Kenny Burrell record be without some some Duke Ellington?
Few singers have the emotional depth and versatility of Abbey Lincoln. With a voice capable of evoking the joys and pains of life, she has carved a niche as a singer, songwriter, and storyteller for over 40 years. As a singer, she avoided 'grandstanding' and rarely, if ever, improvised; she did, however, wring a lyric for it's emotional content, while bringing a searing, dramatic quality to the musical line.
