New Release Round-up,
Jazz New Release Round-Up - 17th June 2021
This week’s pick of new releases includes Bob Mintzer with the WDR Big Band, funky smooth jazz from saxophonist Steve Cole, and a deluxe reissue of Charles Mingus’s Live at Carnegie Hall.
Saxophonist Bob Mintzer brings ten of his own pieces to the WDR Big Band, playing both tenor sax and EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument) on the recording; having worked with many big bands in the past, Mintzer is well-versed in large ensemble arrangements, and he makes ample use of both his own skills and those of his soloists.
Available Format: CD
Saxophonist Steve Cole’s latest recording, Smoke and Mirrors, is about as smooth as it gets; full of funky, melodic numbers that the saxophonist himself describes as a reflection of his authentic self. Cole makes use of the lack of live shows to call on some of his favourite musicians for the record, many of whom would be busy touring under normal circumstances; including folks like flugelhornist Trevor Neumann (The Eagles, Jeff Lorber), Stevie Wonder bassist Mel Brown, and Hall & Oates drummer Brian Dunne just to name a few.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Folk, country and old-time music artist Rhiannon Giddens spent her lockdown in Ireland with her frequent collaborator Francesco Turrisi, and although the pair have both adopted Ireland as their new home, They’re Calling Me Home sees them both exploring their respective home countries. For Giddens, it’s with some of the first songs she ever learned like ‘I Shall Not Be Moved’ or ‘Black as Crow (Dearest Dear)’; also included is ‘Nenna Nenna’, an Italian lullaby that Turrisi would sing to his daughter.
Available Format: CD
Available Format: Vinyl Record
Roy Mor went through many walks of life before landing into his role as a jazz pianist, including stints in acting, the army and even software engineering, with the title of his studio debut alluding to him leaving his safe, stable job at Microsoft to pursue his dream of becoming a full-time jazz musician. Having moved to New York, Mor has since plunged head-first into the city’s jazz scene, and After the Real Thing includes many of the pianist’s own compositions, his time spent in Israel influencing the record with the inclusion of oud and guitar, resulting in a somewhat traditional jazz swing with a Middle-Eastern flavour.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
This reissue of the 1974 live album not only includes a set of photographs and liner notes for the concert, but also includes the 72-minute Jazz Workshop preceding the original tracks on the album, turning what was originally a rather good Mingus live record into a highly desirable release for fans of the idiosyncratic bassist.
Available Format: 2 CDs
Joshua Lee - Jazz Content
