Se balader: a French verb meaning to stroll, wander or roam. In other words, a slow and easy movement through time. Musically-speaking, this is what Sienna Dahlen and Bill Coon set out to experience in early January of 2020 under a misty evening sky in Vancouver, BC. There was really no end goal, only the moment to honour, as living in a jazz ballad means remaining open and vulnerable while navigating silence and shaping time. We strive to sink into the soul of the story, reacting in the ways that the music needs us to do so. We listen and we follow through accordingly. Lovers of the music that was made by people like Ed Bickert and Shirley Horn, (both masters of ultra-relaxed, soulful playing and vocalizing), Dahlen and Coon also feel most at home when residing in the realms of spacious spontaneity. The tempos and vibes on this album run the gamut of sometimes unpredictably minimal and quirky, sometimes dirgy, sometimes ballroom dance-ballad, sometimes rubato etc. (with the exception of the last song on the record which was included as a sort of tongue-in-cheek clin d'oeil as if to say yes, we like up-tempos too!) Each of the tunes on the album,(many well-known and others not as much), has resided in Dahlen and Coon's respective repertoires for decades. Balladextrous is a guaranteed mood-setter. It goes down well with a bottle of red shared among loved ones, a hot soak in a bubble bath or, perhaps a long and luxurious drive to the beach to catch the last rays of the sun. Whatever your fancy, we hope you enjoy the ride now as much as we did then.

Ulysses Owens Jr. & Generation y - A New Beat / Grammy Award winning drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. Unleashes his Generation y band giving the listener a front row seat to this generation's top talent. - Generation y is a band concept that was conceived back in 2019 with the goal promoting the next generation of dynamic talent from the top conservatories in NYC and beyond. Led by Ulysses Owens Jr. #who is a Multi Grammy Award-winning Drummer, Producer, Educator and Cultural Entrepreneur. Serving at The Juilliard School in the role of Small Ensemble Director within the Jazz Department for the last 8 years, has given Ulysses a front row seat to this Generation's top talent. The material on this album is a culmination of repertoire from Ulysses' influences and mentors like Mulgrew Miller, Roy Hargrove, George Cables, and of course the great Art Blakey. This Generation y is an updated model of the Jazz Messengers, and many of these band members also perform in Ulysses' big band, and he met many of them at The Juilliard School. This album also features a few original compositions from Luther Allison who is an emerging talent performing with Samara Joy as her pianist, and the album also features a classic from Louis Armstrong titled Heart Full of Rhythm featuring Milton Suggs. This album is a culmination of repertoire that has been performed by this band around the world over the last 4 years and to add another level of nostalgia; it was recorded at the Legendary Rudy Van Gelder Studios in Englewood, NJ

Twenty-eight years ago, in March 1994, Mike Melito's fellow Rochesterian, Chuck Mangione, presented a traveling festival in upstate New York. He hired Roy McCurdy to play with Nat Adderley - with whom McCurdy had played on 7 leaders, plus another 19 with Cannonball Adderley, between 1966 and 1979 - in a band that included pianist Don Menza and Rochester guitar stalwart Bob Sneider. He assigned Melito to the other act, James Moody, in a unit including then up-and-coming pianist Danilo P�rez. Roy and I hit it off right away, Melito says. I'd obviously been checking him out for years. We played the same set of drums, same cymbals - and I learned a lot about sound. He didn't talk to me about anything. I watched him, and figured out what he was doing that I wasn't. I believe you're a student forever. I work a lot on my sound, on my hands, on my cymbal beat. My goal has always been to sound as authentic as possible as a player and strive for the same sound as my heroes. Melito offered this self-assessment after relating an encounter some thirty years ago with iconic drum conceptualist Max Roach, whom he'd studied closely since age 12, when Melito heard the 1947 Charlie Parker-Miles Davis-Roach classic Dewey Square on the first jazz record I ever bought on my own. Another Rochester friend, trumpeter John Sneider, had played Roach some tapes featuring Melito, and the maestro noticed. I met Max and he gave me one of the greatest compliments I've ever received, Melito recounts. He said, 'You really know how to phrase; the snare drum...' - and gave me a big hug. The 56-year-old master offers a highly personalized refraction of Roach's late 1950s investigations of the possibilities of 3/4 waltz time towards the end of his eighth self-released album, To Swing Is The Thing, a title that efficiently encapsulates the imperatives that have driven him through 40 years as a professional drummer.

Ray Gallon - Grand Company / Grand Company showcases Ray Gallon, Ron Carter and Lewis Nash's inimitable and distinctive personal and collective sound. - "The inimitable and distinctive personal and collective sound of Ray Gallon, Ron Carter and Lewis Nash has transparency and clarity, where every note and gesture mean something. Ray Gallon's music is informed, passionate, and personal. He possesses a unique rhythmic imagination and a wrought iron vocabulary. Grand Company is a milestone." Bill Charlap

PRESENTING THE ROSS TAGGART TRIO

Brian Ho Trio Featuring Paul Bollenback And Byron Wookie Landham - Bridges This is Brian Ho's second full length recording. It features two thirds of Joey Defrancesco's original trio, Paul Bollenback and Byron "Wookie" Landham. As Brian was sitting on the B subway train coming back from recording this CD in Brooklyn, he crossed the Manhattan Bridge. He remembered all the "Bridges" he's crossed to becoming a "top call B3 organist," (Pat Bianchi, 2024.) As a second generation Chinese American whose parents do not play any instruments, he has dedicated countless hours to learning the rich history of the Hammond Organ on and off the bandstand, while simultaneously adding his own voice and influences into the music. Ho has recorded or played with incredible musicians like Azar Lawrence, Billy Hart, Troy Roberts and Gary Bartz, and featured in jazz clubs and festivals all over the world. This album showcases four of his original compositions along with six other "standards" that are reworked or arranged by Brian.

Adam Shulman - We Wish You A Funky Christmas / Adam Shulman's festive release takes a clutch of well-loved Christmas melodies and reflects them through the lens of a 70s funk/fusion group. - Adam Shulman's festive release on Cellar music takes a clutch of well-loved Christmas melodies and reflects them through the lens of a 70s funk/fusion group. Recorded at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco in the same room as Herbie Hancock's seminal album "Headhunters" with Shulman on Rhodes, Wurlitzer, organ and synths, Jesse Levit on saxophone, Jason Muscat on bass and Jeff Marrs on drums.

Charles Chen - Charles, Play! / Charles, Play! Showcases the joy of creation and the fun of play with a stellar band composed of Ralph Moore, Peter Washington and Kenny Washington. - Charles, Play! #is pianist Chen's debut album. The album represents how Charles approaches play: both very serious and very fun. Listeners will hear catchy compositions, danceable arrangements, & dynamic solos. Charles, Play! Showcases the joy of creation and the fun of play. The stellar band is composed of Ralph Moore on tenor saxophone, Peter Washington on bass and Kenny Washington on drums.

Twenty-eight years ago, in March 1994, Mike Melito's fellow Rochesterian, Chuck Mangione, presented a traveling festival in upstate New York. He hired Roy McCurdy to play with Nat Adderley - with whom McCurdy had played on 7 leaders, plus another 19 with Cannonball Adderley, between 1966 and 1979 - in a band that included pianist Don Menza and Rochester guitar stalwart Bob Sneider. He assigned Melito to the other act, James Moody, in a unit including then up-and-coming pianist Danilo P�rez. Roy and I hit it off right away, Melito says. I'd obviously been checking him out for years. We played the same set of drums, same cymbals - and I learned a lot about sound. He didn't talk to me about anything. I watched him, and figured out what he was doing that I wasn't. I believe you're a student forever. I work a lot on my sound, on my hands, on my cymbal beat. My goal has always been to sound as authentic as possible as a player and strive for the same sound as my heroes. Melito offered this self-assessment after relating an encounter some thirty years ago with iconic drum conceptualist Max Roach, whom he'd studied closely since age 12, when Melito heard the 1947 Charlie Parker-Miles Davis-Roach classic Dewey Square on the first jazz record I ever bought on my own. Another Rochester friend, trumpeter John Sneider, had played Roach some tapes featuring Melito, and the maestro noticed. I met Max and he gave me one of the greatest compliments I've ever received, Melito recounts. He said, 'You really know how to phrase; the snare drum...' - and gave me a big hug. The 56-year-old master offers a highly personalized refraction of Roach's late 1950s investigations of the possibilities of 3/4 waltz time towards the end of his eighth self-released album, To Swing Is The Thing, a title that efficiently encapsulates the imperatives that have driven him through 40 years as a professional drummer.

Michael Weiss - Homage Michael Weiss' new album affords us one of the most intimate and sustained views of his artistry to date. 'Homage' is a collection of compositions and arrangements that his trio have been developing and refining organically on the bandstand over many years. Featuring Weiss on piano, Paul Sikivie on bass and Pete Van Nostrand on drums and showcasing their subtle chemistry and rhythmic precision.

One could suppose that, given Cory Weeds' position as owner of The Cellar jazz club and associated label, that his records are mere vanity projects, but if the first album from his quintet didn't convince you otherwise (and it should have), then this one will. It's a solid bop/post-bop recording with pleasant soloing and interesting writing. "Little Unknown One" is suitably sensitive and mellow, while the shuffle "Bailin' on Lou" is energetic without getting frenetic. In fact, you could almost say, given the style of play, that this recording came from the wrong coast. ENJOY!

The Magnificent Brad Turner returns to Cellar Live for his new album alongside Peter Bernstein, Neil Swainson, Cory Weeds and Quincy Davis. The incredible Brad Turner returns to Cellar Live with a new album 'Magnificent', comprising nine original compositions, including it's title track in homage to Thad Jones. Recorded partly live and partly in studio, Turner plays both piano and trumpet and is joined in this dream quintet by Peter Bernstein on guitar, Neil Swainson on bass, Cory Weeds on saxophone and Quincy Davis on drums.

Juno-award-nominee Jefferson's third release as a leader showcases nine original compositions alongside Amanda Tosoff, Jon Maharaj and Morgan Childs. Rituals is Jefferson's third release as a leader and features nine original compositions, written over a twelve-year period. Juno-award-nominee Jefferson called upon three long-standing connections to bring his music to life - pianist Amanda Tosoff, bassist Jon Maharaj, and drummer Morgan Childs are the perfect support and bring a palpable synergy to the project.

Audrey is the fifth volume in the series and the name-dropping titles include; Buddy Covelle, Lorraine, Wild Child Gipson, Uncle John, Billy Lehman and The Penn-Men, Audrey, The Valiants, Frieda, Frieda, Ross Minmi, Oh Janet, Chip Fisher, Oh Ye Louise, Sonny Fisher, Sneaky Pete and many more. Between the thematic titles you hear about rockers searching for love; Varetta Dillard, Promise Mr. Thomas, Ben Hughes, Crazy Man, and The Phaetons only want a Fling. Shorty Billups has found a Boss Chick. Who is the cool kid posing in the corner? It's no less than The Boy With The Be Bop Glasses, The Dawn Breakers, Fox Hall wants to dance and Do The Rock And Roll, and Bill Carey is the guy in charge of the Record Hop. Collay and The Satellites sing about the cutie from the street, Little Girl Next Door, and Ruth Christie is certain that things will work out and brings the fun to an end with her smooth love song This Must Be Love.

TIPPIN