There have been a number of famous jazz artists whose offspring have followed their father's footsteps into music. Think only of Ellis Marsalis and his sons, Dewey and Joshua Redman, Papa John and Joey DeFrancesco, Bucky and John Pizzarelli, Walter and Nicholas Payton and Harry Connick Senior & Junior. But for every famous father in jazz there are an unknowable number of fathers who inspired and nurtured their progeny's talent from the sidelines and encouraged them to go into music and pursue their dreams. Such a man was McDonald Chestnut whose internationally renowned son, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, remembers his dad with this touching memorial, My Father's Hands. By carefully choosing a wide range of repertoire - including originals, standards and jazz classics - and with the great bassist Peter Washington and the legendary Lewis Nash on drums, Cyrus has crafted not just an intensely personal reminiscence but a truly beautiful jazz album in all respects. The material is strong, the sequencing uniquely satisfying and the performances display a unity of conception and execution that can only be called remarkable. Top it off with the exceptional recording quality and you have not only another fabulous jazz record, but a lasting and moving tribute to a father from his son.

LIVE AT THE THREE DEUCES 2

Playing jazz is a lot like love itself. It is as much about poignancy as it is about joy. It is Jeremy Pelt's understanding of this dichotomy of passion and restraint that makes this album so compelling. The set list is as all-encompassing as a love affair - from the straight-ahead feeling of "I Can't Escape from You" to the breathless stillness of his muted trumpet on "There'll Be Other Times." His sly, half-valve effects on "Blues in Sophistication" show an impish delight while Henry Mancini's "Slow Hot Wind" throbs with an ever so discreet Latin feel. This may be considered a "with strings" record but Pelt does not let this descend into a vibrato-laden string sound. There is an unusually classical feel to this album with the string quartet supporting, reinforcing and commenting on Pelt's playing rather than sugar-coating it. Buddy Rich once said, "Jazz should be treated the same as classical music." He was right. He "got it" and, as evidenced herein, so does Jeremy Pelt.

ALONE

This is third album by one of the world leading exponents of vocal improvisation, Sheila Jordan. Featuring musical back by by the Steve Kuhn Trio and a guest appearance by Tom Harrell.

David "Fathead" Jordan, a native of Dallas, came to national prominence in the 1950s while working wit the legendary Ray Charles. He has been a reliably swinging force on the scene and a imaginative, well-respected leader for the past 4 decades. With keyboard giant John Hicks, Winard Harper propelling the rhythm along with vibist Bryan Carrott, the Gift is most definitely a hip way to start out the year.

TOUCH OF TIME

Veteran saxophonist explodes back on to the jazz scene w. Coltrane-inspired music w. a Latin tinge, straying away from his Panamanian heritage, feat. Carlton Holmes-pno, Brad Jones-bss, Shingo Okudaira-drms, Neil Clarke-perc

Bassist makes his HighNote debut w. a well-planned program of original tunes, classics, a pop tune & Astor Piazzolla's wonderful "Prelude To A Cyclical Night", feat. Israeli-born violinist Miri Ben-Ari, the ensemble produces a vast spectrum of musical color

Have a close encounter of the jazz kind w. tenor icons Teddy & Houston - this sax battle is more complimentary than confrontational, and their easy rapport is evident on these swinging tunes that are full of warmth & humor

Here is the under-recorded vocalist Andy Bey, backed only by his own piano playing - which at one time, propelled the bands of Roland Kirk, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Cecil Taylor and Thad Jones/Mel Lewis - singing with a luxuriant, mature approach that pulls no punches. His delivery is totally unique. He has a message to get out, a story to tell and tell it he does. Featuring four of his own intensely personal compositions the set list is as thought-provoking as it is satisfying, just like Andy Bey himself.

FINE ARABIAN STUFF

Album highlights jazz guitarist's uncanny ability to revisit jazz standards & imbue them with new life & ideas; this session was recorded at the famed Van Gelder Studios & features Ronnie Matthews, Mark Sherman, Yoron Israel & others.

Tenor sax player brings together a winning team of players in the famed Rudy Van Gelder Studio, inc. Richard Wyans, Russell Malone, Ray Drummond & Grady Tate

This recording has not been available since it's initial release in France in 1959; on the album, tenor sax genius Thompson is joined by an extraordinary back-up group feat. Martial Solal, perhaps one of the most original jazz pianists to come out of Europe

PLACES

Tenor sax player is recorded here at the famed Harlem night spot, joined by a young Thelonious Monk & Helen Humes (in Monk biographies, the Minton sessions are viewed as his emergence)

Specially priced 2-CD set established a new high-w ater mark in the life of the extraordinary trio of Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack Dejohnette. One of the most exciting releases in the history of the trio. Recorded on two night in Tokyo last year, this double album is an endlessly fascinatin g document that takes the full measure of the grou p's creativity.

Veteran jazz man leads an all star assault recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's place, feat. pianist John Hicks, trumpet/flugelhorn player Don Sickler, bassist Ray Drummond & drummer Kenny Washington

Jazz vocalist gives a program of standards from the rich repertoire of American popular music

The incendiary tenor of Carlos Garnett burns through a set of original works & a Gershwin favorite - Russell Gunn joins in as a guest musician

Father & son duke it out on B-3 organs on this funky family fued, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's place, feat. Bootsie Barnes, Houston Person, Melvin Sparks & Byron Landham

Tomorrow's Another Day may be trumpeter and composer Jeremy Pelt's most experimental recording to-date, with greater emphasis on the dynamic aspects of sound. This thought-provoking record gets a huge lift from the participation of drummer/technologist Deantoni Parks, who previously has lent his remarkable talents to such visionaries as Meshell Ndegeocello and Andr� 3000. Pelt's newest band features Jalen Baker (vibes), Wintz (gtr), Leighton McKinley Harrell (bs) and Allan Mednard (dms), with Frank LoCrasto (pno) on two tracks. The ensemble seamlessly works together to produce a unique galaxy of sounds which have the ability to evoke gritty scenes that pulse with primal energy or surge transcendently skyward. Through it all, it is the trumpet and creative presence of Pelt which provides a sense of ballast to the myriad sounds and textures, with an intensely personal and mesmerizing weave of arguably some of the most stunningly imaginative and communicative work he has given us so far.

Larry Willis sits down in the famed Fazioli piano showroom in Italy for this 2012 HighNote solo piano recording which highlights his inexhaustible imagination, the stunning sound of the Fazioli piano and songwriting abilities of the composers represented here. Whether it be Kurt Weill's hauntingly beautiful "My Ship," the pop-tinged "True Love," by Cole Porter or his own compositions, Larry Willis displays the intense creativity and impeccable taste which made him the preferred pianist of greats such as Jackie McLean, Nat Adderley, Carmen McRae, Lee Morgan, Woody Shaw and others.

At first, there was the Blues and Jazz and then there was Latin music-lots of it-traditional Cuban, Purto Rican, Caribbean, Brazilian and more. Once Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo joined their creative and music forces the percolating & uplifting beats & rhythms of Latin music were infused with significant doses of the expression, fire and heat of jazz improvisation and chord changes... The music world itself was changed. And, it appears to have changed forever.