Chris Byars - saxophone/composer/arranger in continuing his pursuit of tapping into the rich musical legacy of unsung heroes of jazz pays tribute this time to Lucky Thompson. “Chris Byars, who leads an octet through the enclosed tribute to the compositional achievements of Thompson, studied Lucky's canon with the same love and understanding that he has brought to the music of Gigi Gryce, Teddy Charles and Jimmy Cleveland…… I hoped that Lucky's spirit was hearing it too, for he had good reason to feel pride in this creative music.” (Mark Gardner – from the liner notes)

Korean-born New York-based pianist/composer Eugenia Choe received quite a few superlative reviews for her 2016 debut album “Magic Light” (SCCD 33127) from international press. Eugenia’s second album here is an impressive display of her original and intriguing compositions presented superbly by her working trio. “Eugenia Choe rode her personally distinctive currents into this amalgamated music and made a magnificent record.” (James Nadal – AAJ on SCCD 33127 Magic Light) “Everything's here: the pianist's exquisite touch, her compositional acumen infused with an alluring and idiosyncratic intelligence, her soul, sympatico trio mates, adept sequencing, and a cool cover photo and design. This could be the debut of the year.” (Dan McClenaghan – All About Jazz)

The Maestro

Canadian saxophonist Andrew Rathbun makes a powerful statement on this new album as predicted by all-about-jazz’ Budd Kopman: “Rathbun's next album will most likely not sound anything like Shadow Forms, (SCCD 31598) which makes his journey all the more interesting to follow."

Chris Byars’s ongoing endeavour to re-discover and celebrate works by outstanding jazz composers of the past generations produced here another collection of gems by alto saxophonist Frank Strozier superbly arranged by Byars. Born in Memphis, TN in 1937 Frank Strozier grew up playing piano in the nourishing Memphis blues/jazz environment. Strozier established himself in New York as highly acclaimed alto sax player and composer in the 1960s, performing a. o. as a member of The Miles Davis Sextet. “The music of Duke Jordan is surely worthy of re-appraisal and when it is refurbished and re-interpreted as creatively as it is here it emerges as much more than a trip down memory lane but serves as inspirational source material upon which to build a new music.” (Evan Dixon - Jazz Views on SCCD 31787 The Music of Duke Jordan)

Richard Doron Johnson, making his jazz debut album here, is an accomplished artist with degrees from Berklee School of Music, Boston Conservatory and Thelonious Monk Institute. Johnson has appeared on several of Christian Winther's CDs for SteepleChase. On this trio set he showcases his great talent both as performer and composer.

Johnny Lives

Dave Stryker, who is ever striving to meet a new challenge, re-examines here on his 12th album on the label, the impact of Miles Davis’ music from the late 60s. Based on the sound and format of Miles’ “Bitches Brew” period, Stryker creates intriguing music of his own. In the linernotes, renowned tenorman David Liebman comments,”…Dave Stryker and his band have created a wonderful and joyous palette of sound for you to enjoy with the ghost of the Prince of Darkness looming in the shadows. I could imagine Miles listening and voicing his approval of this recording. Enjoy!!” Dave Stryker, who is ever striving to meet a new challenge, re-examines here on his 12th album on the label, the impact of Miles Davis’ music from the late 60s. Based on the sound and format of Miles’ “Bitches Brew” period, Stryker creates intriguing music of his own. In the linernotes, renowned tenorman David Liebman comments,”…Dave Stryker and his band have created a wonderful and joyous palette of sound for you to enjoy with the ghost of the Prince of Darkness looming in the shadows. I could imagine Miles listening and voicing his approval of this recording. Enjoy!!” Dave Stryker, who is ever striving to meet a new challenge, re-examines here on his 12th album on the label, the impact of Miles Davis’ music from the late 60s. Based on the sound and format of Miles’ “Bitches Brew” period, Stryker creates intriguing music of his own. In the linernotes, renowned tenorman David Liebman comments,”…Dave Stryker and his band have created a wonderful and joyous palette of sound for you to enjoy with the ghost of the Prince of Darkness looming in the shadows. I could imagine Miles listening and voicing his approval of this recording. Enjoy!!” Dave Stryker, who is ever striving to meet a new challenge, re-examines here on his 12th album on the label, the impact of Miles Davis’ music from the late 60s. Based on the sound and format of Miles’ “Bitches Brew” period, Stryker creates intriguing music of his own. In the linernotes, renowned tenorman David Liebman comments,”…Dave Stryker and his band have created a wonderful and joyous palette of sound for you to enjoy with the ghost of the Prince of Darkness looming in the shadows. I could imagine Miles listening and voicing his approval of this recording. Enjoy!!”

The latest outing by one of today’s foremost jazz guitarists features 10 carefully chosen compositions written by 10 outstanding guitarists. Duck Baker of JazzTimes wrote, “Vic Juris is a versatile and impressively accomplished guitarist. His playing exudes warmth, intelligence and respect for the tradition (on Remembering Eric Dolphy SCCD 31453)… Juris reveals both sensitivity and serious chops... Guitar-watchers should take note of this impressive and adventurous player (on Songbook SCCD 31483).”

Cornettist Kirk Knuffke whose previous release “Like A Tree” (SCCD 31739) with his duo collaborator Jesse Stachen prompted Peter Margasak of DownBeat to write, “… Its performances are pitch-perfect, displaying an intuitive understanding that rings something deeply personal to the project.” For his SteepleChase recording #4 project Kirk had a very special partner in mind: veteran tenorman Ted Brown who is out of the Tristano school and at the age of 84 still active and creative on the world stage. “Pound Cake” is “of great subtlety, quality and beauty …” (Mark Gardner – from the linernotes) “…Sitting comfortably at the controls, (Ted Brown) demonstrates from the start that his chops haven’t eroded a bit….. Brown is still at the top of his game.” (Derek Taylor, AAJ– on “Preservation” SCCD 31537)

Piano - bass duo format has been a significant part of the SteepleChase label since its inception in the early 70s. Many of the “duo” albums have become the flagship of the label and this latest version with Harold Danko and Ron McClure will certainly be one of them. “… stimulating meeting of two razor-sharp musical minds.”(Mark Gardner).

Tenor saxophonist Rich Perry began his recording career for this label in 1998 with “To Start Again” (SCCD 31331). Since then his prolific outputs through the years have captured attention of critics and public alike. “ …... With his full but soft-edged tone, subtle articulation and impeccable use of dynamics, Perry imbues each of the nine standards in the program with intense feeling…” (David Franklin of JazzTimes on “East Of The Sun … “… Perry's most recent recording as a leader is e*motion and features a quartet – pianist Danko, bassist Anderson and drummer Jeff Hirshfield—that has played together for almost 15 years! The openness and shared mission to make great music ensures that the nine tracks are all first-rate performances…” (Francis Lo Kee, AAJ on “Emotion”)

Saxophonist Stephen Riley and drummer Billy Hart who have shared mutual admiration of each other’s work collaborated for the first time to present this compelling trio album. “….(Riley’s) lushly-conceived tone and phrasing are instantly recognizable, a post-millennial alloy of Lester Young disciples running from Don Byas through Teo Macero to Warne Marsh an on to Wayne Shorter and beyond .…” (Derek Taylor - Master of a Small House)

Singer Karen Francis’ first appearance on CD was a Stanley Cowell recording “Mandara Blossoms” (SCCD 31386). Critic Brian Davis proclaimed in Jazz Journal (April 1997), “…this lady is a name to watch.” And Karen lived up to the prediction in her debut album “Where Is Love” (SCCD 31393), about which Jazz Journal wrote, “An excellent debut album by a young American singer with enormous charm and potential….” On this second CD under her leadership, Karen once again dazzles us with her immense talent.

The Very Thought Of You

Words Of Love

Shades Of Love

This is a sequel to Stryker’s highly successful nine-piece band Miles tribute “Shades of Miles” (SCCD 31480). With a smaller ensemble (quintet) this time the music originally inspired by Miles Davis took on a life of its own. About “Shades of Miles” (SCCD 31480), Bob Protzman of St Paul Pioneer Press wrote: “Even with the recent massive reissuing of Miles’ recordings form the late 1960s and early 70s, this is an album very much worth hearing.” And Derek Day of JazzReview, “A convincing record, one that breathes new life into a tried and tested formula… ”

Harold Danko’s trio is in fact Harold Danko Quartet without Rich Perry – thus the album title “Unriched”. This latest Harold Danko Trio was cut right after the Quartet session fully warmed up and is rich with intense creativity and sophistication. Harold Danko has been a mainstay of SteepleChase label since the early 80s producing a number recordings in various settings with highest quality.

Dick Oatts, as shown in his “Standard Issue” (SCCD 31439) and its squeal “Standard Issue volume 2 (SCCD 31482), cherishes tunes from the great American songwriters of the 20th century. For this new album Dick Oatts compiles a collection of evergreen “love songs” mostly written in the 40s. “….Longtime lead alto man with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Oatts comes from the Paul Desmond-Lee Konitz school of saxophone playing. But a sweet sound and a cerebral approach to improvising comprise only part of his style. There's also a trim muscularity in his tone and lines. And the lines can be quite angular and oblique at times. I don't hear any other alto man playing with all these qualities these days.” (On SCCD 31511 “South Paw” / Owen Cordle – JazzTimes)

“Frozen Music” was recorded in New York City 32 years ago and like most of Andy LaVerne’s releases this album has not lost its original energy and charm. Tenor and soprano saxophonist Rick Margitza was then a young rising star under contract with Blue Note. Andy was already a prolific composer who penned all the tunes of this album. Bassist Marc Johnson who was a member of Bill Evans’s last trio gave graceful and subtle coloring to LaVerne’s compositions. “Frozen Music, Andy LaVerne’s third album for SteepleChase, is a solid, modern blowing session...he makes skilful use of suspensions, pedal points, and ostinatos, which along with the music’s floating harmonies, give the soloists a wealth of elbow room...” (Mark Stryker, Cadence) “un disque du plus haut niveau musical.” (Henri Marchal – Spectacles)

One of New York’s (or rather World’s) top Hammond Organ players Brian Charette has kept us in anticipation of something new every time he goes into recording studios. His unique approach has deepened and expanded the boundaries of music that B-3 organ can create. Here again for his sixth release on SteepleChase Brian opted for a somewhat unusual Organ-Piano trio format with repertoire of traditional materials dotted with experimental treatments conjuring up a compelling middle ground between past and future. “Brian Charette has emerged as one of the top organists of his generation because of a fresh approach to his instrument, drawing from musical influences around the world with often surprising results.” (Ken Dryden – New York City Jazz Records on “The Questions That Drives Us” SCCD 31784)

Harold Danko renders his most personal pianistic insight into the music of Earl Hines precisely 100 years after the great piano man’s birth. “… The CD should make everyone dig out their Hines sides and listen again to the pieces and personality that made such an indelible imprint on the jazz muse.” (Mark Gardner) Of the Harold Danko Trio’s 2004 release Trilix (SteepleChase SCCD 31551), Steve Futterman of JazzTimes wrote, “… Danko’s a mature player who knows the power of economy, melodic sense and a refined touch; wasting not a note, his improvisations always tell a compelling story.”

At this stage of his development, with more than 30 years' playing under his belt, Gerhardt is definitely his own man, compositionally and instrumentally. That is as it should be. First and foremost he considers himself a composer; Cotangent is an outlet for his creations to be heard. At the same time he has evolved his own playing to achieve a personal sound at the keyboard. (Mark Gardner from the liner notes)

On this his 8th release Ballou states, “Of the sessions I have made this one is particularly significant. It represents a direction I have been headed in for years: informing one’s self with knowledge and experience, in both art and life, therefore increasing the potential to create a vast experience for the audience. The collaborative creations you hear on this recording are the collective conversations of three people sincerely striving to connect with you, the listener”