New Release Round-up,
Jazz New Release Round-Up - 21st June 2019
When sifting through the new releases each week it's helpful to be able to remember what the cover looks like, as a visual trigger to remind me about the sounds. Obviously one shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but let's face it, big exciting covers were once part of the thrill of getting into record buying, and old expectations die hard. Now, I'm not saying there's necessarily anything wrong with grey and arty, coffee-table covers for contemporary jazz releases per se, and I'm not expecting a Unit Structures or even a Number of the Beast classic each and every time, but there's so many of these politely abstract, arctic fox in a snowstorm type covers that I'm actually starting to appreciate the clunkier, old-fashioned cottage-industry jazz covers that somehow still scrape through quality control, like the 'does exactly what it says on the tin' sleeve for Kjell Ohman's The Hammond B-3 Connection.
Anyway, just mentioned that in passing - now to the new releases, once more dear jazz friends...
Looking forward to hearing the full album of this as the taster tracks have sounded great. Also The Schmoozenbergs copy is true, and the 'uplifting music' will indeed 'put a smile on your face and a bounce in your step.' And who doesn't need a dose of that, in this foul year of our lord, 2019?
Available Format: CD
One of Joe Henderson’s favourite pianists, this is a likeable old-school bop session from George Cables trio, with Essiet Essiet (bass) and Victor Lewis (drums). Cables and Essiet’s joined-at-the-hip piano and bass unison passages alone make this worth checking out. These fellas have been buffing their collective thing up for decades.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
I was underwhelmed when I first heard this, but it has improved on second listen. Most likely my not being in the right headspace first time. Paul Tynan certainly has an impressive technique, and I really enjoyed the up-tempo tracks, like More than a Single Road and Low Brow. Just occasionally on the more impressionistic moments does it feel a bit rudderless, but these are the exception.
Available Format: CD
Pat Metheny fans will find much to enjoy in Stuart McCallum's guitar playing, and the rapport between him and pianist Sean Foran is something special. When they cook up a head of steam, as on Skydancer, the results are pretty great.
Available Format: CD
Epoch
Dan McCarthy (vibraphone), Ben Monder (guitar), Mark Feldman (violin), Steve Swallow (double bass)
Veteran New York vibraphonist Dan McCarthy gathers with some of the most creative and interesting improvisers in jazz - violinist Mark Feldman, bassist Steve Swallow and guitarist Ben Monder.
"An extraordinary musical ability and a boundless imagination" said Gary Burton.
Available Format: CD
Continuing this week’s Hammond theme comes this vinyl issue of a Kjell Öhman session, one of the world's best Hammond B3 Organ players who sadly passed away some years ago.
Love this quote from whoever wrote the sales blurb…
‘This LP is really a Re-Mastered version of this recording in the best sense of this "expression"!! I write this, while it is not always Re-Mastered albums sound better....but that is another story!’
True dat.
Available Format: Vinyl Record
Check out some hot Kjell Öhman action here:
Matt Groom - Head of Jazz
