Drummer Makaya Ntshoko was born in 1939 in South Africa and had been an integral part of the famed Cape Town jazz scene before he moved to Switzerland in 1962. Since then Makaya has performed and recorded all over the world with a host of jazz luminaries such as Dexter Gordon, Don Cherry, Hugh Masakela, Dollar Brand, Weather Report, to mention a few. “Here is a magnificent milestone on Makaya’s lifetime journey through rhythm.” (Mark Gardner – from the liner notes)

LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL CLEO LA

BAROQUE AND ON THE STREET FRE

When he set foot on the stage of Club Doelen on Oct. 28, 1967 in Rotterdam, Thelonious Monk had just turned 50. 15 years later, he disappeared from the music scene and spent his 6 final years in New York, at Pannonica de Koenigswater's, and never touched a piano again. This concert is a testament to his genius. Opening and ending with two “classic pieces”, “Ruby, My Dear” and “Blue Monk”, he led for over 80 minutes the quartet and his accomplices, Charlie Rouse, Larry Gales, Ben Riley, and guests. Larry Gales's bass seems to pop out like a jack-in-the-box at the end of “Hackensack”, the brass instruments get carried away towards the middle of “We see”, and billow out and away in the breathtaking “Oska”. And it all leads to a solo time on “Don't Blame Me”: his fingers must be widely spread apart as he hits the keys the way you'd hit and shuffle cards. And then it's time to conclude with one of his classic tunes “Blue Monk”. The architect can set down his tools, what remains is pure art.

Track Listing
1. Moonlight Serenade
2. King Porter Stomp
3. Little Brown Jug
4. In the Mood
5. Tuxedo Junction
6. Pennsylvania 6-5000
7. String of Pearls, A
8. Elmer's Tune
9. Chattanooga Choo-Choo
10. Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me)
11. American Patrol

Personnel includes: Glenn Miller (leader); Ray Eberle, Marion Hutton, Tex Beneke, The Modernaires (vocals).

Recorded in New York and Hollywood, California between September 27, 1938 and April 2, 1942. Includes liner notes by Ira Gitler.

Selections Include:
1. Baby Driver
2. Cecilia
3. One Man's Ceiling Is Another man's Floor
4. so Long, Frank Lloyd Wright
5. Loves Me Like A Rock
6. Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard
7. St. Judy's Comet
8. Punky's Dilemma
9. Overs
10. Mother And Child Reunion
11. Do It For Your Love
12. Still Crazy After All These Years
13. Why Don't You Write Me?
14. Old Friends/Bookends

Additional personnel includes: Gil Goldstein (keyboards); Russell Malone (guitar); Christian McBride (bass).

All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology.

As Paul Simon was perparing his first Broadway musical, The Capeman, the New York Voices assembled New York Voices Sing the Songs of Paul Simon, a song-and-dance production of Simon's biggest hits. As a musical experience, the New York Voices turned out a better, richer album than Simon, whose Songs from the Capeman was curiously stillborn. The Songs of Paul Simon, however, is full of life, teeming with energy and bursting with melody. Produced by Joel Moss and featuring cameos by Christian McBride, Gil Goldstein and Russell Malone, the project features familiar numbers like "Cecilia," "Loves Me Like a Rock," "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard" and "Still Crazy After All These Years," but it also showcases wonderful album tracks like "One Man's Ceiling (Is Another Man's Floor)" and "Baby Driver." The arrangements are brighter and brassier than Simon's originals, but there's a real charm to the performances that makes it a thoroughly entertaining experience, one that's much more fun and engaging than The Capeman. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH ROY HARG

This double-CD from French RCA in their Jazz Tribune series (a reissue of an earlier double-LP) gives one a good overview of cornetist Bix Beiderbecke's Victor recordings. More serious collectors will want to acquire this music as part of a more complete series (since all of his solos are significant), while beginning collectors are advised to pick up his Columbia reissue CDs (which feature Beiderbecke in smaller groups) first. The 36 performances on this two-fer mostly focus on his sideman's appearances with the large dance orchestras of Jean Goldkette and Paul Whiteman during 1926-28, although there is one 1924 track ("I Didn't Know") with Goldkette, and a few later sessions from 1930. Highlights include "Clementine," "San," "There Ain't No Sweet Man," "From Monday On," and "You Took Advantage of Me."

-- Scott Yanow, AllMusic.com

This long-awaited solo album from Bill Frisell, who has spent a considerable portion of his career collaborating with others, reflects just how far the guitarist has come since making his first recordings for ECM in the early 1980s. As a leader and sideman on more than 250 albums, Frisell has proven himself time and again to be an expert at engaging his fellow musicians in meaningful musical conversations and playful call-and-response. In short, he plays well, and often, with others—and that’s what makes his unaccompanied performances on Music IS so revealing. - DownBeat Editors' Pick

Click here to read the full review at DownBeat Magazine

REVIEW:

Since his debut recording 35 years ago, Bill Frisell has been remarkably prolific, resulting in 36 albums as a leader. On Music IS the guitarist re-examines some of his earlier works while showcasing five new compositions, all in an unaccompanied setting.

Frisell starts many tunes with an almost naive simplicity but gradually builds sonic cathedrals by using looped layers and gorgeously finessed chordal voicings; “Pretty Stars” and “Thankful” are examples of this approach. Another Frisell signature, the Monkian herky-jerky quirkiness in some of his rhythmic cadences, manifests on his sparse reworking of “Winslow Homer,” which he gradually builds up to a virtual guitar choir through overdubbing. “Change Is in the Air” is a fragile, chamber-like minor key lament that relies on multiple guitar tracks for lush effect. He makes judicious use of swirling loops and backwards effects on the somber “What Do You Want?” and the hypnotic “In Line” while the grunge element in Frisell’s playing rears its dissonant head on “Kentucky Derby.” Other intimate gems here include a haunting remake of the lonesome-sounding “Ron Carter,” an artful re-imagining of “Rambler,” and “Monica Jane,” a poignant ode to his daughter.

-- The Absolute Sound (Bill Milkowski, 8/2018)

Ellington, Duke: Jump For Joy (1941-1942)

This is the extraordinary recording debut of jazz phenomenon Anaïs Reno, who made it in 2020 at the age of 16. Reno has already won accolades for her dedication to the Great American Songbook. She recently received the Julie Wilson Award, and in 2019 won the Mabel Mercer Foundation competition for high school students. For this album she has chosen 12 tunes by two master writers: Duke Ellington (1899-1974) and Billy Strayhorn 1915-67), creators of some of the most challenging and sophisticated material in the Great American Songbook. Reno combines beloved hits such as "Mood Indigo," "Take the 'A' Train," "Lush Life" and "Caravan" with lesser-known but equally memorable tunes like "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing" and "It's Kind of Lonesome Out Tonight," all backed by a stellar group of jazz musicians led by pianist Emmet Cohen, who also did the arrangements with Reno. "I have a very personal relationship with these songs," says Reno. "Somehow I believe that the music of Ellington & Strayhorn understands me. This is why I want to honor it." Acclaimed jazz historian Will Friedwald, who has written the liner notes for the 12-page booklet, comments that "At 16, Anaïs achieved what precious few adults ever accomplish: namely, to actually enhance our appreciation and enjoyment of the Ellington-Strayhorn canon. Whether working together or separately, the two of them were always on the same page, both metaphorically and literally. And now, so is Anaïs Reno."

Track Listing
1. C Jam Blues
2. Solitude
3. Mood Indigo
4. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
5. Lush Life
6. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
7. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
8. Caravan
9. Take the "A" Train
10. Cotton Tail
11. Sophisticated Lady

Personnel: Harry Allen (tenor saxophone); Bill Charlap (piano); Peter Washington (bass); Kenny Washington (drums).
Recorded at Nola Recording Studios, New York, New York on July 28 & 29, 1999. Includes liner notes by Harry Allen.
Personnel: Harry Allen (tenor saxophone); Bill Charlap (piano); Kenny Washington (drums).
Liner Note Author: Harry Allen.
Recording information: Nola Recording Studios, New York, NY (07/28/1999/07/29/1999).
Photographer: Junichi Takahashi.
Allen's tenor sax sound is perfectly suited for the music of Duke Ellington. His literate, traditional approach and occasionally Stan Getz-ian breathy tones go to the heart of Duke's melodic and harmonic concepts. Pianist Bill Charlap is excellent through and through, while bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington are dutiful in attending to their swing. Several of these tracks are read pretty straight, as the ballad "Lush Life," the easy swinger "Just Squeeze Me," the Afro-Cuban to bop "Caravan," and the air-filled "Sophisticated Lady." But the band changes up the rest. At the least extreme, "Mood Indigo" is easy swing as opposed to balladic; "Take the A Train" is slowed way down with Allen and Charlap only, while the pianist plays the melody while Allen's tenor counter-swipes licks on "C Jam Blues." More adapted is the slow tick-tock to bossa of the usual wall-melting ballad "Solitude," and a low-down, lugubrious bluesy swing with Charlap loading up on the intro and melody of "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," with Allen's stacatto stopped accents. At their most energetic, the quartet charges hard and trade eights during the up-tempo workout "Cotton Tail," whereas Allen and bassist Washington in duet need no other instrumental accoutrements in order to rhythmically fire up "It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing." This is most likely Allen's best batch yet, for he is a great interpreter rather than innovator. Duke did all the inventing necessary here, and this true collective quartet is hard to top.

One Sunday in December 2018 bassist/composer/educator Ron McClure brought this - his relatively new group - to the studio (Chris Sulit’s Trading8 in NJ) to record his 17th leader album. McClure’s 30-year-old close collaboration with SteepleChase produced quite a few releases featuring new talents the bassist discovered. This is one of them, introducing Anthony Ferrara a new tenor star freshly out of NYU where McClure teaches. “…Under any circumstances this is quite thrilling and spell-binding music…” (Thorbjørn Sjøgren – JazzSpecial on “Ready Or Not” SCCD 31759)“All of (McClure’s) writing and playing comes from the heart – he is an instinctive player above all…” (The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD)

Russian-born American guitarist/composer Gene Segal has often been commented as unpredictable in his playing style and his composing. Ever evolving in search of new horizon Segal’s past 4 releases on SteepleChase have never failed to prove his boundless creativity. On this new album Segal teams up again with the #1 Hammond B3 organist Brian Charette, this time mostly on piano, to present a guitar/keyboard quartet where the guitar gets the role of lead voice. “Music that glows and grows.” (George W. Harris – Jazz Weekly on SCCD 33121 Matter)

Though guitarist John Hart has performed with quite a few organists, including the distinguished Jack McDuff with whom he played 16 years, this is his third album with organ in the group. With the award-winning, remarkable Gary Versace at the B-3, John Hart unfolds here a spellbinding Act Three of his guitar/organ trio performance. John Hart, while leading an active life as performer on the world jazz scene, has held a full-schedule lecturer/head post of the jazz guitar department at the FROST SCHOOL OF MUSIC of his alma mater, University of Miami for several years now. On Hart’s previous and the first release on SteepleChase SCCD 31865 “Crop Circles” last year Ken Dryden commented, “The strength of this session merits more frequent record dates for John Hart.”

“Fresh…exotic…and far beyond the ordinary” (The New York Times) is one of the numerous praises the world press bestowed upon Allegra since her debut album “Lonely City” (SCCD 33118) a few years ago. While Allegra Levy’s second album “Cities Between Us” (SCCD 31827) cemented her strong talent as a singer/songwriter, here on this her third album Allegra the singer steps up to the front interpreting time-tested as well as newer moon–themed songs. “Levy is a gifted lyricist and she writes often light thoughts and observations but from a personal point of view. Vocal fans should seek this out as Levy fills a spot that is fresh and rewarding in the pantheon of vocalists. A carefully produced CD full of rewards.” (Robert D. Rusch – Papatamas on SCCD 31827 Cities Between Us) “Levy is a fresh new voice, with songs steeped in the tradition and primed to join the canon.” (Jim Motavalli – New York City Jazz Record on SCCD 31827 Cities Between Us)

Though Gary Versace’s discography has so far been mostly occupied with his B-3 recordings, here his new album, the 5th on SteepleChase is the very first strictly piano trio which reveals Versace’s intuitively intelligent touch and inventiveness on piano. Fellow pianist Andy LaVerne who is the author of the liner notes sums up his commentary in saying, “It’s gratifying and inspiring to witness the ascension of Gary’s musical endeavors and creativity from his wide ranging exemplary sideman work (which includes my piano/ organ trio with five SteepleChase releases), to assuming the helm of his own forward leaning piano trio.”

Andy LaVerne, a veteran of over five decades in performing, composing and educating often teaches master classes at the famed Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop. At this workshop in 2019 Andy LaVerne met and performed with Zak Brock for the first time. The Grammy Award Winning violinist Zak Brock left huge impression on the pianist. Andy invited Zak to record together three months later. The collaboration between LaVerne the master of reharmonization and contrafacts and Zak the star member of the crossover group Snarky Puppy turned out to be a true Rhapsody with an intriguing program. “The album is filled with stimulating originals, most of which seem to be newly written for the session…. Shangri-La is another valuable addition to Andy LaVerne’s discography.” (Ken Dryden – NYCJR on Shangri-La SCCD 31872)

Pianist Greg Burk’s striking solo album “Clean Spring” (SCCD 33124) was recorded in Italy and released in March of 2016 to critical and public acclaim. “… Clean Spring will only further burnish his reputation as a deep player and thinker …. Burk’s musical mind is extremely rich and deep, with many crossing currents flowing through it …” (Budd Kopman - AAJ) “… the sustained complementary independence of Burk’s limbs borders on the preternatural. Piano recitals are a near quotidian exercise these days in the crowded jazz arena. Burk’s latest sortie in the idiom boldly stands out.” (Derek Taylor – Dusted Magazine) Here on this new trio album Michigan native Greg Burk pays musical homage to the city where he spent his formative years as a professional musician.

On his 25th release on SteepleChase saxophonist Rich Perry takes on the role of composer as well for all the titles presented here. Although Rich readily confides that composing is not one of his favorite activities, we all realize the music on this disc reveals Perry’s deep creative reservoir. “… Probably Perry’s most passionate fans are other tenor saxophone players. Those who have spent their lives studying the instrument understand that the purity of Perry’s minimalism is a rare quality to which they themselves aspire … Perry’s solo is a rapt, intimate flowing. He does not sound like he is inventing but like he is reliving deep private memories.” (Tom Conrad – NYC Jazz Records on SCCD 31176 “Nocturne”

Baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan brings here his trademark “contrafacts” (a music making method that shares the chord progressions with other compositions) approach to this first SteepleChase leader outing challenging us (maybe?) to guess the tunes he is employing. Smulyan whose professional career took shape by joining Woody Herman’s Young Thundering Herds at age 22 (1978) has won Critics’ and Readers’ Poll awards numerous times by Downbeat and JazzTimes, among others. England’s Penguin Guide to Jazz once described Smulyan as “the leading American exponent of post-bop baritone”.

Since its inception in 1972 one of SteepleChase’s enduring policies has been to discover new talents who deserve recognition. Michael Feinberg, bassist/composer originally from Atlanta, Georgia is one of them. Feinberg with seven leader albums up his sleeve may not be labelled as a new comer but this is his debut release on this label which prides itself with the rich tradition of great bass players such as Red Mitchell, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Sam Jones, Jay Anderson, Scott Lee, just mention a few. Feinberg leads here a formidable band with two horn-front by one of the most influential saxophonists Dave Liebman on soprano and young elite Noah Preminger on tenor whose SteepleChase debut album, by the way, is on its way. "Feinberg’s original material is fresh and refreshingly free of empty complexity, giving his group... material that they can stretch out on without getting lost in technique. " (Irish Times) “He’ll be attracting widespread attention before you know it." (Jazz Espress) “… he is showing signs of being a towering personality on his instrument." (Jazzdagama.com) "There are, quite simply, few players like him. A couple playing today that come to mind immediately are Dave Holland and Boris Kozlov” (Ilikejazz.com)

Among today’s modern jazz piano players Russ Lossing stands out as one of the unique breed of artists who travel intelligently and with clarity between jazz and new music. For this his first release on SteepleChase Lossing focuses on standards, of course, with his trademark, innovative improvisation. “Lossing is a thinking man’s pianist. He intelligently creates and refashions themes within a variety of frameworks.” (Glenn Astarita – Jazzreview.com) “Russ Lossing is a pianist of extreme depth and intensity whose music exists between jazz improvisation and modern classicism.“ (Budd Kopman – AAJ)

The third and the last of trumpeter Jason Palmer’s highly acclaimed mini-series of recordings of songs composed or made famous by his favorite lady singers pays homage to the contemporary soul, R & B singer/songwriter, eight-time Grammy winner Anita Baker. “Sweet Love”, the famous award-winning title from her second album “Rapture” (1987) turned Jason’s attention to Baker’s music. “ hardly just a straight or smooth jazz take on classics by Minnie – and instead an openly creative project that takes the core structure of the songs, then pulls them apart – especially when it comes to the rhythms – so that the players continually revisit the lovely melodies created by Riperton, yet also fly free in musical moments inspired by her energy.” (Jazz Chill of Dusty Groove on SCCD 31750 “Take A Little Trip”) “Palmer's intriguing new release is the second in his planned series of homages to singers who have produced powerful music … Wondaland is more contemporary, celebrating the artistry of Janelle Monáe via jazzed-up arrangements of her songs … overall seems more interested in building on the beauty of Monáe's music with his arrangements than in flashing his chops. Which keeps this charming album a bona fide homage.” (Bill Beuttler – Jazztimes on SCCD 31800 “Wondaland”)

The title “Introducing” is somewhat misleading as Steven Herring has already made a splashing debut as a recording artist last year in Kirk Knuffke’s “Witness” album (SCCD 31859) that received numerous raving reviews for Steven’s commanding performance in a wide-ranging program of opera/gospel/jazz. The Julliard graduate operatic baritone singer Herring here on his leader debut shows off his dazzling talent as a jazz crooner exploring the Great American Songbook tradition. “Herring's commanding, resonant voice is a focal point of this music. He can perform as a romantic crooner, gospel shouter or opera singer as well as integrate himself into the fabric of the instrumental byplay.” (Jerome Wilson – AAJ on “Witness”)