To say “Pierre Dørge” and not to follow it with “& New Jungle Orchestra” is almost impossible. Dørge created that small big band in 1980, which became a successful and stable vehicle for his adventurous music. They toured all over the world and built an impressive discography along the way. The guitarist/composer/bandleader, however, has never neglected to seek new palette to draw his music in smaller ensembles. Following highly acclaimed quartet release “Blui” of 2016, Dørge surrounds himself with all American colleagues who have deep understanding of Pierre Dørge’s unique soundscapes. “It’s an inspired collection of musicians and all serve the material well, eight songs written by Dørge …. When people think of Dørge, they tend to gravitate toward the NJO releases but his small-group recordings provide an excellent alternative and a more expansive picture of this unique guitarist.” (Robert Iannapollo – NYC Jazz Record on SCCD 31797 “Blui”)

Ferrara assembles again his dream rhythm section of Versace/Anderson/Drummond to further unveil his maturing musical universe. He started to play saxophone at age 9. His unique talent was already obvious. Shortly after graduation from NYU’s Jazz Studies program he released his debut album Early Spring (SCCD31920) in 2021. “.. quite a musical present – filled with wonderful original tunes composed by the leader, all graced with these very personal lines and inflections on tenor sax! “(Dusty Groove)

NYC is one of the most vibrant cities in the world. Osaka will arguably make the second place in that category. Magnarelli in the past made a couple “junction” albums but this ultimate junction connecting the NY trumpeter with dynamic Osaka-born B-3 player Tsuruga with the ace baritone player Smulyan sharing front line will make probably the very first trumpet-baritone-organ band. “Joe is known for his engaging, melodically-rich lines, and his powerhouse rhythm.” (Zan Stewart)

This album is all about Tadd Dameron (1917 - 1965), one of the most important American jazz composer/musicians. Multiple award-winner Gary Smulyan conceived the brilliant idea of recording Dameron compositions with lyrics. The vocal part is phenomenally rendered by the young talent Anaïs Reno. Three songs including the lovely This Night Of Stars have never been recorded before. “an exhibition of the finest baritone sax playing.” (M McKergow – LondonJazzNews on Alternative Contrafacts SCCD 31844)

Rich Perry’s career encompasses almost four decades at the center of NY jazz scene as the leader of his group and as the lead tenor player of renowned big bands like The Maria Schneider Orchestra and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Here on his new album Perry, like his two previous albums, focuses on performing his original materials. “Rich Perry unveils yet another melodious, mellifluous recording that defies convention. …a beauty, a humbling jolt of musical perfection.” (K. Micallef – Jazztimes on Happy Destiny SCCD 31913)

From Darkness

Andrew Rathbun invited fellow tenor player Rich Perry to co-front this his 9th album on SteepleChase. Rathbun’s admiration for Perry prompted him to conceive and design this album not as tenor battle but as deeply engaging conversation between the top instrumentalists. Semantics showcases how the two unique musical minds interact. “This remarkable session reveals a musician who is clearly not going to be satisfied with the status quo.” (Ken Dryden – All Music on SCCD 31762 Shadow Forms)

Still active at 81 venerable bassist McClure calls this quartet “another Dream Team”. The highly acclaimed original Dream Team also featuring Rich Perry was released in 1997. The group made the first outing in NYC after the two-year Covid induced hiatus. The CD recaptures the magic of their live performance the night before. “McClure presents Lucky Sunday, pleasingly intelligent, subtly swinging, polished and intimate, designed for anytime-listening” (Howard Mandel – Downbeat on SCCD 31877 ****)

The most requested Miles Davis reissue arrives for his centennial in spectacular style. What began as a holiday residency at Chicago's Plugged Nickel Caf� became the crucible where the Second Great Quintet forged it's identity. Miles, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams delivered a masterclass in risk and invention, dismantling familiar tunes and rebuilding them on the fly. Producer Teo Macero captured every note across seven sets on December 22 and 23, 1965. Portions trickled out in the '70s and '80s, but only in the early '90s did Legacy reveal the full scope across seven and half hours of revelatory music-instantly hailed as one of the greatest live jazz recordings ever and earning the Penguin Jazz Guide's coveted "Crown." Now, 30 years later and six decades after the shows themselves, veteran fans finally get the reissue they've demanded, and new fans get a chance to own one of the most mythologized live engagements in jazz history. This new 8CD edition mirrors the original sequence. Each CD comes in it's own newly designed mini-gatefold jacket, housed in a gold foil-embossed slipcase box. The 44-page perfect bound book includes rare Plugged Nickel photos and extensive new liner notes and track-by-track commentary by Syd Schwartz alongside Bob Blumenthal's original essay.

3 more classic Herb albums are being reissued! Part of a huge campaign to re-release Herb's classic discography, Herb Alpert / Hugh Masekela, Blow Your Own Horn and Bullish and are remastered from their original analog tapes and presented in their original, iconic artwork!

Midnight Sun is an album of late-night jazz standards recorded by Herb Alpert. This was Alpert's final release of newly recorded music for A&M Records in 1992. It would also mark the 30th anniversary of A&M Records. Featured tracks include "Friends" (an original composition featuring a duet with the late Sax legend Stan Getz recorded in 1990), as well as an orchestral arrangement of the hit "A Taste Of Honey". Alpert offers two vocal efforts, "Someone to Watch Over Me", and a new version of "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face". The album closes with "Smile", co-written by Charlie Chaplin, whose legendary lot became the home of the A&M Studios back in 1966.

“No matter what group Riley puts together for a record date, he merits top marks every time.” Ken Dryden (NYCJR) attested on Riley’s Hold‘em Joe SCCD 31850. Here Riley put together his first-ever organ trio with Brian Charlette, one of the hottest B-3 players today. The organ trio setting propels Riley’s unique sound to a new dimension. “Riley continues to surprise listeners with his creative settings of familiar jazz.” (Ken Dryden on SCCD 31892 Friday The 13th.)

Classical Music

Another culmination of Harold Danko’s half a century-long fascination and study of Igor Stravinsky’s groundbreaking ballet music The Rite of Spring (world-premiered in 1913 in Paris causing a riot among the audience). Danko’s previous release SCCD 31909 Spring Garden, his first attempt of exploring and adapting Stravinsky’s material with Danko’s original quartet of the 90’s drew a slew of applaud from critics and public alike. This new album shares with us his interpretation in a solo setting. “Each excerpt on Spring Garden is expanded into often unexpected directions, building upon the late maestro’s genius, with Danko taking rhythmic and melodic liberties, transforming this century-old music into compelling jazz.” (Ken Dryden – New York City Jazz Records on SCCD 31909)

Herb Geller-as & ss, Tom Ranier-pno, John Leitham-bs, Louis Bellson-dms, Jimmy Rowles-pno, incl.. Tunes by Geller, Strayhorn, Weill, Sondheim+, recorded Aug. 1993 in Hollywood.

Award-winning tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger and his solid duo cohort, guitarist Max Light showcasing here how the younger generation of jazz instrumentalists exercise their creative muscles to turn the 80s pop music into the New Standard repertoire. Preminger at 35 and Light at 29 grew up emotionally and musically with the songs they adapted here. Some of the critics have already noticed Preminger’s sense for finding rock/pop materials that can be made into jazz in his previous release (also with Light) where “The Red Hot ChiliPeppers’ “Porcelain”... is transformed by an imaginative, spacious arrangement, with the rhythm section interacting rather than accompanying…” (Ken Dryden – New York City Jazz Records on SCCD 31906 Contemptment) “Instrument combination of guitar and tenor sax creates an air-tight and urgent soundscape…with the music on a high level it is warmly recommended.” (Ole Mathiesen – Jazz Special on SCCD 31906)

The album title of Chris Byars’ 13th release on SteepleChase “Rhythm and Blues of The 20s” needs some clarification. It is not about the roaring 20s and not the R&B as you know it. It is about here and now 2020s and Rhythm and Blues comes from the fact that Byars’ compositions are either based on Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm or on Blues where jazz finds its cradle. Now the title explained we hope you will enjoy the fascinating music performed by Byars’ unique Original Jazz Sextet. “Mr. Byars is in the pantheon of the contemporary breed of composer-bandleaders. His music is highly original and thoroughly eclectic yet solidly within the jazz mainstream.” (Will Friedwald – New York Sun)

SUNDAY MORNING JAZZ (1950-1959)

Duke Jordan’s early success came as member of the Charlie Parker Quintet contributing some of the most endearingly apt introductions of the jazz’ classic repertoires such as “Embraceable You”. He composed quite a few great jazz tunes that became standard numbers like “Jor-du” and “No Problem” among others. After a lengthy hiatus due to his drug problems in the 60s Jordan was rescued by a handful of Danish jazz enthusiasts and started resuming his professional career in Europe and Japan. The featured young tenorist Bent Jædig had shared the bandstand with Jordan during the years into the 80s. Along with Jædig two guest players were sitting in: bassists Eddie Gomez (in town with Bill Evans), and South African Johnny Dyani. This live recording finds Jordan at the famed jazz club Montmartre in the heart of Copenhagen the night before the (studio) recording session of his best-selling album “Flight To Denmark” SCCD 31011. Duke Jordan made Denmark his permanent home until his death in 2006.

The late journalist/author Chris Sheridan’s liner notes for Sheila Jordan’s first album for SteepleChase “Sheila” SCCD 31081 declares, “This recording is an acutely personal statement. Only rarely in the history of jazz have a singer‘s feelings been so affectingly bared ... only a few vocalists have had the grit to subordinate technique and »style« to expressiveness ... And the experience is breathtaking.” Mr. Sheridan’s assertion from 1977 still rings true and even more so. Sheila Jordan at the age 92 does not show any sign of slowing down or taking it easy. Her intensely creative power is evident throughout this album presented in a cross-generational collaboration with trioTrio consisting of three young elite instrumentalists of the New York scene. “...a spiritual experience and heart-to-heart communion ... Jordan makes these tunes all her own, with personal, almost prayer-like readings...” (Down Beat - *****) “... Sheila Jordan personifies a song like no one has since Billie Holiday.” (Unicorn Times)

Award winning veteran tenorist Ralph Lalama came out the generation of hard driving muscular toned tenor saxophonists of the 70s’ big band scene. Starting out with Woody Herman then to Buddy Rich he still plays as a core member in the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (via Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra of the 80s). During the world pandemic of 2020/21 a few vocabularies were invented and “Staycation” (meaning having vacation by staying home) is one of them. Lalama and his wife singer Nicole Pasterak and Lalma’s friend and colleague trumpeter Joe Magnarelli with his organist wife Akiko Tsuruga got together in the studio February last year to create this album filled with artistic energy they have harnessed by “staycationing”. “Listening to an album like The Audience, it's easy to forget how skilled the players are because they play with such poise and confidence that it all sounds so easy. But make no mistake¬¬ this is the product of true veterans, musicians who've honed their craft for so long that you can no longer hear them "working." (¬¬Daniel Krow- AudiophileAudition.com)

Yuko Mabuchi Trio thrills audiences with every concert. Her January performance opening for Branford Marsalis in the 1,800 seat Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall whet international jazz appetites. She next headlined the Arlington Jazz Festival in Texas, and Yuko Mabuchi Trio performed in Blues Alley in April as part of the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D. C. European and Asian stages beckon. Yuko s debut recording on Yarlung, "Yuko Mabuchi Trio," was a top seller in the Yarlung catalog last year, in all formats. Yuko deserves this success. "The Absolute Sound" published a rave review of her Segerstrom concert. Elaborating further, Rick Brown writes in Yarlung News Yuko Mabuchi combines sexy athleticism at the piano with serious musical poetry. The young fans in the house responded to both with great enthusiasm. So did audience members in their 70s and 80s. This was a fast up tempo set resulting in thunderous applause with audience members yelling and stamping their feet for the standing ovation at the end.... I recognized some audience members who had driven from San Francisco or flown in from Hong Kong and different parts of the country for the event....

Saxophonist and composer Travis Laplante releases his latest project merging compositional and improvisational impulses. He is joined by pianist Erika Dohi, harpist Charles Overton, percussionist Eduardo Leandro, and double bassist Lizzie Burns for an album length piece in three parts that seeks to circumvent the self-critical voice that so often comes with the creative process, and, channeling the 12th century Taoist acupuncture practice that is the source of it's title, to "snap open" the path to connection.

The first solo album of Swiss double bass player and composer Fridolin Blumer is an exceptional album, even for the rarity-driven catalogue of Carpe Diem Records. Acting as a stylistic counterpoint to the many Early Music solo albums on the label, "Anklam" is a solo album of entirely improvised contemporary double bass music, focusing on instantaneous musical creation in the moment, instead of reviving century-old compositions. Fridolin Blumer is a jazz musician who has dedicated his whole musical career to exploring music beyond the written score, even beyond formal musical concepts. His style is not easily determined by conventional understanding of music. His music is primarily sound that evolves and moves in time, creating structures while moving through and past them, taking the listener on an unforeseeable trip into the feeling and thinking process of the creative mind. His music is non-descriptive, not trying to depict anything outside of itself, not telling a story other than it's own. The album is called Anklam simply because that's where it was recorded. It is split into twelve pieces just to give it a conceivable structure. The parts have numbers, as they together form a sort of larger musical structure. Any intrinsic meaning, inner beauty or musical logic remains at the listener's disposal to be discovered, heard or felt. Fridolin Blumer opens a vast space of possibilities of understanding and insight by staying as grounded and elementary as possible. In this way, he creates a sonic artwork that is at the same time spiritual and deeply human. "The line I trace with my feet walking to the museum is more important and more beautiful than the lines I find there hung up on the walls." (F. Hundertwasser)

His new album "Dedication II" is an expansive affair (nine long songs provide a playing time of 73 minutes) and covers a lot of musical landscapes. Chick Corea once said that he made music to make people happy, and Moises P. Sanchez can certainly concur with this viewpoint. And "Dedication II" – the first "Dedication" album was released with the same line-up – is a bit reminiscent of the music of Chick Corea, who was open to the most diverse influences.