TWOGETHER

Edward Kennedy Ellington was known as "The Duke," a most appropriate and fitting title for the man, the artist, and the musical creator who would become possibly the single most towering figure in all American music. Ellington's legacy is vast, with perhaps a total of 3,000 composed works overall. Here, we're concentrating on Ellington's more familiar song forms performed by the likes of David 'Fathead' Newman, Cedar Walton, Mark Murphy, Houston Person, Eric Reed, Sheila Jordan and others. This anthology, at a midline price, should be on the shelf of anyone who loves the work of "The Duke."

Tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander made his first CD as a bandleader at the age of 25. That was 17 years ago and, oddly enough, you can still sometimes see Alexander described as an "up-and-coming" jazz saxophonist. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth he's fully developed into one of the finest bebop saxophonists in the world and the proof is in this session. With Harold Mabern, Nat Reeves and Joe Farnsworth providing the rhythmic spark, Eric presents an imaginative program recorded by Rudy Van Gelder.

In the studio again for HighNote, George Cables takes a lifetime of experience and distills it into an unhackneyed program of originals, standards and not-so-standards that pays tribute to those artists whose talent, personality and in some cases genius have left their indelible marks on George Cables the man and the musician.

STRANDS

Hearing tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander is one of the great treats in jazz. There are few artists on stage today who combine chops, imagination and technique with a fluidity of ideas as he does. This imposing improviser is reunited here with pianist David Hazeltine and they're joined by another jazz great, the always daring trumpeter Jon Faddis on a couple of the tracks. Add in the swing engendered by bassist John Webber and drummer Joe Farnsworth and you have a formula for excellence, if ever there was one. Alexander produced the session and there is a strong latin feel throughout thanks to the contributions of vibrant percussionist Alex Diaz spurring the band on with a whole trunk load of Latin percussion instruments. In addition to the Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66 title tune, the set-list features a satisfying mix of originals and covers all given the patented Alexander treatment.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

In 1968, at a Washington D.C. gig, Etta Jones teamed up with tenor saxophonist, Houston Person and his trio and decided to from a partnership that lasted over 30 years. Together they set a new gold standard by which all subsequent instrumental / vocal duos were judged. Etta received a Grammy nomination in 1980 and again in 2001 for ETTA JONES SINGS LADY DAY. Etta left US that year but through her HighNote legacy, her voice, talent and joie de vivre live on. This notable live recording finds her together with Houston and his organ trio in concert at NY's one-time jazz Mecca, Salt Peanuts. It contains a cache of previously unavailable treasures - vocals of course, but their is a liberal sprinkling of instrumentals by Houston and the organ trio as well. No one in the legion of Houston & Etta fans will want to miss this fine disc.

SOMETHING GOLD SOMETHING BLUE

CHARMED CIRCLE - LIVE AT THE KEYSTONE KORNER

After a long absence from recording Andy Bey returned to the studio for his HighNote debut in 2013 and the result, The World According to Andy Bey won a prestigious Academie Charles Cros Coups de Coeur Jazz Award and was a Grammy finalist. Insiders have always known about Andy Bey. Given his limited output of studio recordings, live performances were the source of Bey's reputation. Aretha Franklin has recalled the nights when Andy worked the Village in New York: Soon as I finished my gig I'd run over to hear him. Andy never got the recognition he deserved.

Larry Coryell, along with colleague John McLaughlin, nearly single-handedly redefined the technique and sound of jazz guitar. A true eclectic, armed with a brilliant technique, Larry is comfortable in nearly every style, covering almost every base from the most decibel-heavy, distortion-laden electric work to the most delicate, soothing, intricate lines on acoustic guitar. On this best-of anthology, Coryell's crackling up-tempo bursts and rough-hewn energy give this music a vividness and infectious enthusiasm that should appeal to a wide spectrum of the guitarist's jazz and fusion fans.

It has been quite a journey for Tom Harrell after commencing his professional career playing trumpet in Stan Kenton's band in 1969. He recorded his first album as a leader in 1976 and currently has 30 albums under his belt including "Moving Picture." It has been written that Tom has participated in 260 recordings but they may include arranging as well which is another (sometimes overlooked) facet of his prodigious talent. Since signing with HighNote Records in 2007 Tom has been working primarily with a quintet but kept things fresh with a quartet recording,"Trip," a two-bass sextet on "Colors Of A Dream" and the critically acclaimed "First Impresssions" which featured a nearly classical chamber ensemble playing the music of Debussy and Ravel. With "Moving Picture" Tom leads a quartet where he is the only horn, giving his legions of fans the pleasure of hearing more of his solo work backed by this venerable jazz format.

DREAM

Legendary jazz writer Nat Hentoff wrote in a lengthy article about Jeremy Pelt in the Wall Street Journal, "It is the beat of Jeremy Pelt's heart... that underscores the future of jazz." High praise indeed but Pelt lives up to it on every gig and with every new recording. FACE FORWARD, JEREMY is a multi-textured, thought provoking release which incorporates a sparing use of electronica along with unexpected acoustic instruments such as the cello and harp. The result is a wildly imaginative sonic landscape that exists in it's own time and space as defined by the artist and the leader himself.

Few people would fit the �jazz hero� mold less than Tom Harrell, whose modesty and lack of pretense is in direct inverse proportion to his talent. And yet, Harrell is revered, not for playing fast, high or loudly, but for his supremacy at fashioning astonishingly beautiful aural shapes with a tone of immense gentleness and depth. Many listeners may be familiar with his compositions, while many will have remembered his fine work in the 70's alongside Bob Berg in Horace Silver's band, and a decade later with Phil Woods. His essence, however, is most apparent in the small groups that he leads. Harrell is featured here with saxophonist Mark Turner in his �experimental� quartet, called simply TRIP.

LOVE HAVING YOU AROUND

Pianist Larry Willis has had an important and distinguished 40 year career in jazz. Since making his recording debut of Jackie McLean's landmark 1965 album RIGHT NOW!, the New York-born Willis has played everything from free jazz to fusion to rock (he was a member of Blood, Sweat and Tears in the 70's), while performing as a valued sideman with such jazz titans as Dizzy Gillespie, Lee Morgan, Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey and Woody Shaw. That versatility is highlighted on Larry's latest HighNote recording which finds him once again in the company of bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Billy Drummond. Also in attendance that day in the Rudy Van Gelder studio was, Eric Alexander, one of the busiest tenor men in jazz, lending his talents to the proceedings. Willis leads the group through a series of standards, originals, jazz classics and offers a new, jazz take on Gene Roddenberry's "Theme from Star Trek".

CHICAGO FIRE

Don Braden may be best known for his work with television funnyman Bill Cosby, but his musical talents go far beyond this arena. Having replaced Branford Marsalis in Wynton's combo and having appeared with Betty Carter, Roy Haynes, Dr Lonnie Smith, Art Farmer, Freddie Hubbard, Tony Williams and the Mingus Big Band it is clear that his abilities on the tenor sax are formidable. Braden is smooth and has killer chops, George Colligan plays supportive piano, and Cecil Brooks III has a propulsive style on drums which nicely compliments Joris Teepe's big robust bass sound. But the hero of the date is Braden himself. Whether lingering effortlessly on ballads or burning down the town, Braden's playing is a model of tasteful energy and disciplined brilliance.

FORMIDABLE

Jazz artists from Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, Ahmad Jamal, Miles, even Coltrane all relied on Tin Pan Alley, Broadway and the then current pop tunes as a basis for much of their most enduring recordings. To hear such respected jazz artists as those presented here re-casting songs written by the Fab Four, is evidence, if any is needed, that as popular composers, Lennon, McCartney and Harrison can probably be considered as leading voices in the New Pop Standard repertoire.

After decades in the music business, it's clear that David "Fathead" Newman has become one of the premier tenor players in a number of genres ranging from soul, funk, straight-ahead and post-bop jazz. His latest recordings for HighNote displays his formidable triple-threat skills on tenor sax, alto sax and flute. Newman's sultry tenor speaks volumes with his smooth and subtle phrasing, blowing masterfully with excellent accompaniment from keyboard great Cedar Walton and the legendary trombonist Curtis Fuller who gives the ensemble sound a pleasing new depth. Newman's playing remains at once forceful and delicate, noon-day bright and crepuscular, straight-forward and recondite and shows the many facets of both the man and the musician.

Jaki Byard always personified the past, present and future of jazz, wherever or whenever one might have been fortunate enough to experience his challenging ideas. An icon in the history of jazz, Jaki was Art Tatum, Earl Hines, Bud Powell, Ran Blake, Cecil Taylor and Bill Evans, all in one. Yet, like these fellow icons, he was his own uncompromising, unique, living entity. He isn't a household name, but most likely his low profile is the result of an irresistible need to constantly reinvent himself, the sure sign of the consummate artist.

HIGH ART