SARABANDE

2017 release from the jazz musician. The romantic dream of many aspiring jazz musicians is to sail into New York City, drawn by the magnetism of the metropolis, and to seek an apprenticeship amongst the heroes and legends of the music. It isn't often that these dreams come true, but for saxophonist/clarinetist/composer Mike McGinnis they did in his friendship and collaboration, with jazz legends Art Lande and Steve Swallow, showcased on the trio's Recurring Dream.

PERFECTEST HERALD

PROXIMITY

The music of Brazil has left a treasure trove of unparalleled compositional gems, none as beloved as the catalog of Antonio Carlos Jobim. A genius in utilizing the cool of jazz, the seductiveness of Brazil and the lyricism of a poet, Jobim has left a wake that has rocked the musical world with the spawning of the bossa nova movement. It takes a true master to approach a catalog so well known and beloved and to transform it with his own touch. Vinicius Cantuaria has taken care with the work of Jobim and reimagined it with his own voice. Vinicius canta Antonio Carlos Jobim is a tribute to the bard's tremendous legacy and to the generation that followed in humbleness.

SETEMBRO

TIME RIVER

New Day (Sunnyside - 2015). Coming in early 2015, Kevin's latest is an eclectic and mainly electric blast with the New Day Trio (featuring Rob Jost and Greg Joseph) and special guests Gregoire Maret and Tony Scherr. There is an interesting paradox on Kevin Hays's New Day, namely Hays applies lyrics to music to express content that the music alone cannot but, further, allows the music to stand on it's own if it feels right. Mixing material with vocals and without shows a maturation of this brilliant artist, allowing more facets of his musical identity to shine through.

LATIN AMERICAN SONGBOOK

WANTED

2017 release. Sometimes it is just a matter of timing and proximity that makes attractive collaborations possible. For years, singer/songwriter Rebecca Martin knew that she wanted to work with pianist/vocalist/composer Guillermo Klein. Klein's recent relocation to upstate New York, where Martin had made her home, made the opportunity of making music together possible. The beautiful results of their work can be heard on The Upstate Project. Martin is well known for her elegant songwriting and performance, commingling jazz and folk music. Aside from her solo work, she has regularly collaborated with a coterie of celebrated musicians, including Kurt Rosenwinkel, Paul Motian and Tillery, the celebrated vocal trio featuring Becca Stevens and Gretchen Parlato. Always community minded, Martin has become an advocate of sorts for collaboration in her musical and social endeavors, most notably in her adopted home of Kingston, New York. For his part, Klein has become a celebrated songwriter and composer, utilizing elements of jazz, modern classical, rock and Argentinean folkloric music. He had spent more than a decade living outside of the United States, both in Spain and Argentina, before returning and settling in Beacon, New York, a short distance from Martin.

LOS GUACHOS V

LATINA

The work of vocalist Carmen McRae was the original inspiration behind John Hebert's most recent quartet. The Bassist and composer has long appreciated McRae's unique voice and style. But as with so many things, as time passed, the project evolved, from a simple repertory ensemble into a showcase for Hebert's compositions and the creative interplay among four outstanding musicians. The results of the ensemble's work can be heard on this new recording.

UP GO WE