Tribute Albums From Bobby Broom, Richard Baratta, & Gregory Hutchinson

     The tribute album is a format that’s likely to never go out of style, especially since there are so many major figures to pay homage to. 

     Guitarist Bobby Broom had two five-year stints in the Sonny Rollins band (from 1982 to 1987, and again in 2005-2010), and is clearly attuned to the breadth of Rollins’ compositions over the decades. With Dennis Carroll on bass and another Rollins alumnus Kobie Watkins on drums, Notes Of Thanks offers potent renditions of nine Rollins originals, plus Carroll’s gently swinging Me Time. Broom, Carroll, and Watkins have been recording as a trio on and off since 2005. They’ve achieved the state of instant communication that locks the musicians into one another’s sounds. Especially worthy of note are The Freedom Suite (part 1) from 1958, Allison from 1987, and, all from 1956, an elegant version of Paul’s Pal, a thoughtful look at Strode Rode, and the upbeat Pent Up House. In one sense, the whole album is a highlight by spotlighting Sonny Rollins’ enduring compositions; in a more important way, Notes Of Thanks offers nearly an hour of unfailingly lively group interplay. Warmly recommended. 

Steele SR 008/Clean Sweep Music CSM 122; Bobby Broom (g) Dennis Carroll (b) Kobie Watkins (d); Chicago, IL, September 30 & October 1, 2025; Alfie’s Theme/ The Freedom Suite (part 1)/ Doxy/ Allison/ Kim/ Me Time/ Paul’s Pal/ Strode Road [sic]/ Pent Up House/ Valse Hot; 53:54. www.bobbybroom.com

    Another Kind Of Bird (Reimagining Charlie Parker) is an pleasing collection of tunes that most jazz fans will know. Drummer and bandleader Richard Baratta has gathered a crew of four respected saxophonists, placed them in various combinations with a versatile five-piece rhythm section, and set the ensemble loose on fresh arrangements of Parker compositions (plus one standard). The charts are by pianist Bill O’Connell, known for frequently working in a Latin jazz context. There have been countless tributes to Parker since he passed away in 1955, an acknowledgment of his vast influence. But there’s always room for another thought-provoking tribute to this seminal figure. The presence of altoist Vincent Herring is the one constant of this session. When he’s joined by Eric Alexander, Craig Handy, and Abraham Burton on the first four tracks, there’s a hint of the 70's era Supersax, though O’Connell’s arrangements largely eschew their harmonized sound in favor of a jam session feel. Highpoints include Herring’s tender balladry on Gershwin’s Embraceable You, a Parker favorite, a Latin styled version of Little Suede Shoes with Handy on flute, a funkified Ah-Leu-Cha complete with a hot guitar solo by Paul Bollenback, and the hard-driving version of Yardbird Suite with some forceful drumming from Baratta. While I prefer the second half of the disc, with Herring as the sole horn, there’s something here for everyone, since everybody is a Bird fan right? As with all successful tribute albums, this one made me want to listen to some Charlie Parker music. Recommended. 

Savant SCD 2229; Vincent Herring (as) Craig Handy (ts on 1,2; fl on 3; ss on 4) Abraham Burton (ts on 1,4) Eric Alexander (ts on 1,4) Bill O’Connell (p, el p) Paul Bollenback (g) Michael Goetz (b) Richard Baratta (d, perc) Paul Rossman (cga, perc); Paramus, NJ, October 10-11, 2025; 1.Donna Lee/ 2.Ornithology/ 3.Little Suede Shoes/ 4.Ah-Leu-Cha/ 5.Embraceable You/ 6.Now’s the Time/ 7.Moose the Mooche/ 8.Yardbird Suite/ 9.Segment/ 10.Au Privave; 56:51. www.jazzdepot.com

     Miles Davis was at the forefront of the latest developments in jazz for many decades, from bop to fusion and beyond, which makes him a tricky subject for a tribute album. The choices of material and instrumentation are nearly endless. In his forward-looking stance towards compositions that in some cases are decades old, drummer Gregory Hutchinson takes a particularly Milesian path on Kind Of Now : The Pulse of Miles Davis. He's put his extraordinary septet to work on a choice selection of tunes associated with Miles in various phases of his discography. Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and saxophonist Ron Blake share the front line of this multi-generational lineup, with guitarists Jakob Bro and Emmanuel Michael, pianist Gerald Clayton, and bassist Joe Martin joining Hutchinson in the rhythm section. Among the numerous highpoints are the spunky treatment of Charlie Parker’s Ah-Lu-Cha, first recorded by Miles with Bird in 1948, a mellow version of Fran-Dance that’s largely a feature for pianist Clayton, Akinmusire’s a cappella opening and brief but potent solo on Wayne Shorter’s Orbits, the irresistible blend of Akinmusire and Blake on Water Babies, another Shorter composition, Blake’s smoking solo on a romping version of Victor Feldman’s Seven Steps to Heaven, and the dub-flavored reconstruction of Bitches Brew with more incisive trumpet from Akinmusire. Hutchinson contributes a few of his own pieces to the program. He name-checks influential drummers of the past and present over a web of drums and electronics on The Masters, takes over the spotlight for a drum solo on Ellehcem’s Time, and whips up a backwards tape loop for the brief I’m Done. Akinmusire’s brilliant playing and Blake’s powerhouse tenor saxophone might be the main reasons to grab this one, but the well-curated selection of tunes and the potent ensemble work make Kind Of Now a exemplary tribute to the great Miles Davis in his centenary year. Recommended. 

Warner Music (LP & CD): Ambrose Akinmusire (tpt) Ron Blake (ts, bcl) Jakob Bro, Emmanuel Michael (g) Gerald Clayton (p) Joe Sanders (b) Gregory Hutchinson (d); NYC, July 1-2, 2025; Ah-Leu-Cha/ Fran-Dance/ Fall/ Orbits/ The Masters/ Feio/ Water Babies/ Seven Steps to Heaven/ Bitches Brew/ Black Comedy/ Ellehcem’s Time/ Circle in the Round/ I’m Done; 57:19. 

Jim Snidero: Bird Feathers

    With his latest project, Bird Feathers, alto saxophonist Jim Snidero delivers a delightful session of songs written or played by Charlie Parker, with the aid of bassist Peter Washington and drummer Joe Farnsworth. It’s a bit unusual to tear into tunes like Ornithology or Confirmation in this trio format without a chording instrument, but this unit succeeds admirably. Bird Feathers, the album, kicks off with the title track, a reworking of a Parker original from a 1947 Dial session, and a hint of what’s in store for the remainder of the 46 minutes. Snidero’s bright tone and the fluidity of his ideas are always a treat, especially when he’s invigorated by a thematic approach. For this Bird tribute, he smartly sequences Parker’s tunes and standards that he loved to play. By the time I got to Snidero’s exquisite version of These Foolish Things, I was more than ready to endorse this release wholeheartedly, and that was only the third track! Other highlights include a brisk look at Ornithology, complete with effective solos by Washington and Farnsworth, a loving version of Hoagy Carmichael’s The Nearness of You, the gently swinging version of the infrequently played Charlie’s Wig from the same 1947 session that produced Bird Feathers, and the finale, a solo saxophone rendition of the well-known Ram Ramirez tune Lover Man. The accomplished Washington shows with every note why he is one of the most recorded bassists of the modern era, with 514 (!) sessions listed in Tom Lord’s online Jazz Discography since his debut in 1986. Drummer Farnsworth, a sensitive and responsive musician, has amassed over 200 sessions in the same database since 1991. They are both clearly suited to Snidero’s stripped-down approach to this material, and together they help make this disc a success. If you love the music of Charlie Parker half as much as Jim Snidero clearly does, you will absolutely enjoy every minute of Bird Feathers. Joyously recommended. 

Savant SCD 2224; Jim Snidero (as) Peter Washington (b) Joe Farnsworth (d); Saylorsburg, PA, October 4, 2024; Bird Feathers/ Scrapple From the Apple/ These Foolish Things/ Ornithology/ Embraceable You/ The Nearness of You/ Charlie’s Wig/ Confirmation/ Lover Man; 46:58. www.jazzdepot.com

Louis Hayes: Artform Revisited

  I started my day listening to Lee Morgan’s 1962 Riverside album Take Twelve, with Louis Hayes on drums. When I checked my mail in the afternoon, there was a promotional copy of Hayes’ fresh new release, Artform Revisited. Sixty plus years seemed to vanish in a flash as I listened to Hayes and his devoted quintet of Abraham Burton on tenor sax, Steve Nelson on vibes, David Hazeltine at the piano, and bassist Dezron Douglas, who also acted as co-producer with Hayes. This unit was first heard on 2021's Crisis, followed by 2023's Exactly Right!, both on Savant. For his third release for the label, Hayes had it in mind to revisit, in Maxine Gordon’s words, “the music that had influenced him and the musicians who were so important to his life.” That translated to the band tackling compositions from Dizzy Gillespie (with a jumping Tour de Force to start things out), John Lewis (Milestones), Ray Brown (the classic Ray’s Idea), Billy Strayhorn (the timeless A Flower is a Lovesome Thing, here spotlighting Nelson’s flowing vibes), and no fewer than three Charlie Parker gems in My Little Suede Shoes, Cheryl, and Dewey Square. There’s also the lesser-known Bobby Troup composition You’re Looking At Me, featuring Burton at his balladic best, and a pair of original compositions to round out the program. Hayes’ Ruby, dedicated to his mother, is a bouncy tune that came into his mind all at once, sympathetically arranged by Hazeltine. Closing the session is G, a straight-forward piece that Douglas describes as a “Kansas City barbecue style blues.” The tune rolls right along, a fitting capstone for the date. Hayes was quite happy with the sound that engineer Chris Sulit got for his drums on his last session, so they want back to Paramus, NJ, to make this one. It helps immensely that the drummer was working with a group where, he writes, the individuals “enjoy each other’s company and ... communicate as friends.” Good tunes, a convivial band, and the best working conditions all contribute to the goal to “play the music on the highest level possible and always respect the past.” Mission accomplished. It’s another winning outing for NEA Jazz Master and national treasure Louis Hayes. 

Savant SCD 2218; Abraham Burton (ts) Steve Nelson (vib) David Hazeltine (p) Dezron Douglas (b) Louis Hayes (d); Paramus, NJ, January 25, 2024; Tour de Force/ Milestones/ My Little Suede Shoes/ You’re Looking at Me/ Ruby/ Cheryl/ Ray’s Idea/ A Flower is a Lovesome Thing/ Dewey Square/ G; 50:32. www.jazzdepot.com

Jim Snidero: For All We Know

  Alto saxophonist Jim Snidero has always had a beautiful tone and a bountiful musical imagination. With For All We Know, his latest offering for Savant Records, he has recorded in a trio format with just bass and drums for the first time. Bassist Peter Washington initially worked with the saxophonist in 1987 for a Snidero album on Criss Cross. Snidero must have really liked what he heard on that occasion, since Washington has played on a lot of his recording sessions since that first encounter. Drummer Joe Farnsworth was on Snidero’s last two outings alongside Washington. The two have established a intuitive link that gives Snidero a firm but flexible foundation for his improvisations. I was pretty much hooked by the time Naima came around. That’s the second track in a well-selected range of standards and jazz compositions. He mostly just caresses the exquisite melody of Coltrane’s famous ballad, and that’s enough for me. Other high points include a slowly drifting excursion through Alec Wilder’s Blackberry Winter, featuring a warm-hearted bass solo and lovely brushwork by Farnsworth, the deep blues of Parker’s Mood and the playful exuberance of Willow Weep For Me. For All We Know is a thoroughly bewitching session, and I’m looking forward to Snidero’s further explorations of the trio setting. Definitely recommended. 

Savant SCD 2215; Jim Snidero (as) Peter Washington (b) Joe Farnsworth (d); Saylorsburg, PA, October 24, 2023; For All We Know/ Naima/ Love For Sale/ Blackberry Winter/ Parker’s Mood/ Willow Weep For Me/ My Funny Valentine/ You Go to My Head; 53:27. www.jazzdepot.com

Louis Hayes: Exactly Right!

  When NEA Jazz Master drummer Louis Hayes counts off the tempo to start a tune, you can be sure that it will be Exactly Right!, which happens to be the apt title of his latest Savant release. Accompanied by his frequent associates tenor saxophonist Abraham Burton, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, pianist David Hazeltine, and bassist Dezron Douglas, Hayes swings hard through an hour of inspired small combo jazz. The music is basically in the hard bop style that was prevalent when Hayes made his recording debut back in 1956 as a member of the Horace Silver quintet. To honor his early days, Hayes and company perform Silver’s Mellow D, originally heard on 1959's Finger Poppin’ With The Horace Silver Quintet with Hayes as the drummer. There’s also a homage to fellow percussionist Art Blakey with the closing tune, Cedar Walton’s Ugetsu, the title track of a 1963 Blakey album on Riverside. Tenorman Burton’s burly tone serves him well on upbeat numbers like Duke Pearson’s Is That So, and he also has a beautiful way with a ballad, as he demonstrates on Sergio Mendes’ So Many Stars and Fred Lacey’s Theme For Ernie with exquisite support from vibist Nelson and the sensitive Hazeltine. By now, you might have noticed that Hayes, as bandleader and co-producer with bassist Douglas, has a well-honed talent for picking interesting tunes to play, and ones that are not heard too often. In the Sixties, Hayes briefly co-led a quintet with Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson called the Jazz Communicators. It’s a name that the drummer revived around 2010, with many of the same musicians as Exactly Right! , but even if he’s not using the moniker now, the essence is the same: music that’s honest, unpretentious, and deeply satisfying. Recommended. 

Savant SCD 2206; Abraham Burton (ts) Steve Nelson (vib) David Hazeltine (p) Dezron Douglas (b) Louis Hayes (d); Paramus, NJ, December 16-17, 2022; Exactly Right!/ Is That So?/ Hand in Glove/ So Many Stars/ Carmine’s Bridge/ Nefertiti/ Mellow D/ Theme For Ernie/ Scarborough Fair/ Ugetsu; 54:54. www.jazzdepot.com

Harvie S Trio: Going For It

  Here’s a thrilling surprise: a 1985 nightclub appearance by the ad hoc Harvie S Trio with guitarist Mike Stern and master drummer Alan Dawson. The story behind Going For It is that about 35 years after these recordings were made, bassist Harvie S learned during a casual conversation about the good old days that superfan David Lee had cassettes of all three fabled nights. Stern and Harvie went back to the Seventies, and when a short run opened up at Cambridge’s 1369 Jazz Club, the two talked and then enlisted Dawson for the gig. As Harvie’s liner notes tell us, there “was no rehearsal, no set list, no discussion ...” They just set up, called a tune, and they were off. Stern is brilliant, brimming with ideas and the chops to execute whatever he hears. Harvie S, who recorded with Steve Kuhn, Sheila Jordan, and Jim Hall in the mid-Eighties, is his usual dependably swinging self. And what can I say about Alan Dawson? Because he stayed in Boston, he never really got the recognition he deserved. I first heard his work on a glorious series of Booker Ervin albums on Prestige, and that was enough to get me hooked on his playing. Harvie S calls him “without a doubt one of the greatest drummers and educators of all time ...” and notes that the music on this disc “shows a side of him rarely heard on his other recordings.” Dawson’s playing is impeccable throughout the hour, and his dynamic solo on John Coltrane’s Moment’s Notice is reason enough to grab this CD. With two microphones feeding a cassette player in the middle of the room, Lee managed to capture the music surprisingly well. Don’t miss this one. 

Savant SCD 2195; Mike Stern (g) Harvie S (b) Alan Dawson (d); Cambridge, MA, 1985; On Green Dolphin Street/ Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise/ Peace/ Like Someone in Love/ Moment’s Notice/ Windows/ Bruze; 62:24. www.jazzdepot.com

JD Allen: Toys/Die Dreaming

  Bassist Ian Kenselaar and drummer Nic Cacioppo draw you in immediately on You’re My Thrill, the opener on the latest album from tenor saxophonist JD Allen, the immensely satisfying Toys/Die Dreaming. When Allen enters the fray, with his powerful sound and boundless energy, the effect is riveting. Sax, bass, and drums is a challenging format, but Allen and his latest trio more than rise to the occasion on their second outing, after 2019's Barracoon. I’ve been listening to a lot of late-Fifties Coltrane recently, and I hear echoes of Trane both in Allen’s soulful sound and in the way he constructs his solo statements. The team of Jay Gorney (music) and Sidney Clare (lyrics) wrote You’re My Thrill in 1933, and over the decades, it’s been a favorite blowing vehicle for plenty of saxophonists, including Ben Webster, Zoot Sims, Archie Shepp, Benny Golson, and Charles McPherson. Allen and his trio take a fresh attitude towards this standard, and somehow make it sound like it was composed just last week. There’s one more standard in the set, a rapturous crawl through I Should Care, an extraordinarily popular tune from 1944 with music by Paul Weston and Axel Stordahl, and lyrics by Sammy Cahn. The balance of the disc is given over to Allen’s robust, blues-oriented originals, plus Red Label, a composition by trombonist Peter Lin. Allen first recorded this song on Lin’s New Age Old Ways, in a late 2018 session self-produced by Lin that included Kenselaar and Cacioppo as the rhythm section. It’s a straight-forward swinger with a late-night bluesy feel, played here with the kind of down-home groove that sounds like they could play until dawn without losing the intensity. Kenselaar and Cacioppo are beautifully matched, with an uncanny relationship that has them utterly in sync with one another and with Allen at the same time. On an Allen original like Die Dreaming, they shift instinctively from a stop-time feel to open swinging and back again, provoking rich declamatory playing from Allen. Toys, a slowly paced and bittersweet ballad, is just one of the standout tracks, with a wistful Allen supported by Cacioppo’s vaguely martial drumming and Kenselaar’s tender bass parts. Another highlight is the closing Elegua (The Trickster). The track opens with a forceful drum solo by Cacioppo, then Allen states the melody with his signature broad tone before Kenselaar joins in to give the piece a firm foundation. Toys/Die Dreaming, a genuine highlight of a horribly dismal year, is heartily recommended. 

Savant SCD 2184; JD Allen (ts) Ian Kenselaar (b) Nic Cacioppo (d); Astoria, NY, January 2, 2020; You’re My Thrill/ The G Thing/ Die Dreaming/ Red Label/ Toys/ I Should Care/ Elegua (The Trickster); 45:05. www.jazzdepot.com

Alan Broadbent Trio: Trio In Motion

  The Alan Broadbent Trio proudly swings into Wonder Why as Trio In Motion begins. Pianist Broadbent, widely experienced as an arranger and composer who has worked with an array of artists from Charlie Haden to Natalie Cole, is joined by a pair of veteran improvisers in Harvie S on bass and Billy Mintz on drums. The program is a well-chosen set of ten relatively uncommon songs, one Broadbent original, and Moonstones, a group improvisation which ends the set. Fittingly, in Charlie Parker’s centennial year, the CD includes two of his classics, Relaxin’ at Camarillo and The Hymn. Part of the success of this outing is the juxtaposition of songs from different eras of jazz and the way the disc has been so expertly sequenced. It’s a distinct pleasure to hear, in succession, Lennie Tristano’s Lennie’s Pennies, Lil Hardin Armstrong’s Struttin’ With Some Barbecue (to a samba beat!), and Paul Desmond’s Late Lament. Another highlight is the trio’s rapturous version of John Coltrane’s Like Sonny. This listener’s delight in the trio’s instrumental interplay and their lively musical conversation within each song is enriched by the flow of the disc as a whole. Trio In Motion is happily recommended. 

Savant SCD 2188; Alan Broadbent (p) Harvie S (b) Billy Mintz (d); NYC, no dates specified; Wonder Why/ I Hear You/ Lennie’s Pennies/ Struttin’ With Some Barbecue/ Late Lament/ Relaxin’ at Camarillo/ One Morning in May/ I Love You/ Lady Bird/ Like Sonny/ The Hymn/ Moonstones; 56:01. www.jazzdepot.com

Ray Mantilla: Rebirth

  The late percussionist Ray Mantilla’s final effort as bandleader includes a Latin dance version of Ray Charles’ 1962 hit record Hit the Road, Jack, written by Percy Mayfield. Mike Freeman carries the melody on vibes, and the band blazes along. That track alone is reason to make some time for Rebirth. A note from the label explains the title. The music was recorded in early December, 2019, when Mantilla’s cancer was in remission. But Mantilla, as it turned out, only had a short time left. Before his death on March 21, 2020, he was able to approve all of the mixes and final masters. But here’s the great thing: with the sympathetic assistance of a crack ensemble with many of his favorite musicians and sturdy arrangements by keyboardist Edy Martinez, Rebirth is a gas, without a hint of anything limiting the performances. A choice range of tunes and variations in instrumentation from track to track make this CD a pleasure to listen to from start to finish, nearly an hour later. Highlights include Martinez’s Cumbia Jazz Fusion Experimental, which sets to explore the twin forces that meet as equals in Mantilla’s conception of Latin-flavored jazz. The piece moves from a sort of suspended cumbia beat into straight-ahead jazz time and then back again, with Martinez’s electric piano guiding the way. The jazz section features a gritty tenor solo by Ivan Renta. Trumpeter Guido Gonzalez shines on a version of Yuyo, an obscure Bobby Hutcherson tune from his 1975 Montara album, invigorated here in pure salsa style. Another standout is the finale, the percussion-driven Rebirth Bata Rumba Experimental, with Mantilla’s congas supplemented by three bata drummers. The versatile Diego Lopez, who plays a trap set on most of the disc, switches to bata and is joined by Ogudaro Diaz and Rafael Monteagudo for this Mantilla composition. Pianist Martinez plays a fascinating solo weaving in and out of the drummers until the fade-out. Rebirth is a fitting capstome to a genuinely illustrious career. 

Savant SCD 2181; Guido Gonzalez (tpt; flgh on 4) Ivan Renta (ss, ts) Jorge Castro (bari s on 1-3; fl on 1,3,4,6,7) Mike Freeman (vib on 3-5,7) Edy Martinez (p; Rhodes el p on 5-7,9) Reuben Rodriguez (b) Diego Lopez (d; bata on 10) Ray Mantilla (perc) Ogudaro Diaz, Rafael Monteagudo (bata on 10); Astoria, NY, December 2, 2019; 1.Moondance/ 2.Dat Dere/ 3.Hit the Road Jack/ 4.Mia/ 5.Philly Mambo/ 6.Cumbia Jazz Fusion Experimental/ 7.Yuyo/ 8.Preciosa/ 9.Martinez/10.Rebirth Bata Rumba Experimental; 56:51. www.jazzdepot.com

Jim Snidero: Project-K

  Alto saxophonist Jim Snidero’s latest release is Project-K, recorded with a sextet incorporating the gayageum, a Korean zither-like instrument played here by Do Yeon Kim. Jazz has a long history of adapting fresh instruments and rhythms, constantly expanding the field of musical possibilities. Snidero, whose has been married to a Korean woman for more than two decades, writes that his intention with this disc “was to blend traditional Korean texture with my music.” He’s assembled a genuine all-star band to help, with trumpeter Dave Douglas, pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Linda May Han Oh, and drummer Rudy Royston. The veteran Snidero sounds great, with his powerful sound and inventive spirit. He composed most of the tunes for the date. The nicely varied program also includes versions of Jenga, a K-Pop song from 2018 that showcases a sturdy and rhythmically astute solo by pianist Evans, and the Korean folk song Han O Bak Nyun. Snidero can’t resist the pun of Seoulful, but his tune fits the bill, as the rolling rhythms of Royston propel solos by the horns. Mother, with its sinuous melody, features a lively duet for trumpet and gayageum and an alto solo that finds Snidero plumbing the lower registers of his alto. The gayageum, boldly played by Do Yeon Kim, fits in perfectly everywhere. Sometimes it sounds like a guitar, sometimes it shadows the bass parts, and at still other times, Kim emphasizes the percussive possibilities of the instrument. Snidero’s arrangements here typically begin with gayageum, which sets the tone for the rest of the band. Kim proceeds to weave in and out of the ensemble. More often than not over the course of a full disc, one particular musician will stand out from the rest. Not here though. Project-K is of those relatively rare releases where that doesn’t happen. Everyone gets a chance to stand out, and on a piece like the hard-charging DMZ, with the whole band wailing, it’s impossible (and pointless) to single anyone out. The impeccable and ultra-dynamic rhythm team of Evans, Oh, and Royston is a joy throughout, and let’s not forget the incisive trumpet work of Dave Douglas. Snidero was pretty happy with the results, telling Ted Panken that he hopes “to do another record with this configuration.” I’ll be looking forward to that one, but for now, there’s Project-K to enjoy, again and again. 

Savant SCD 2185; Dave Douglas (tpt) Jim Snidero (as) Orrin Evans (p) Linda May Han Oh (b) Rudy Royston (d) Do Yeon Kim (gayageum; exc. on *); Astoria, NY, August 11, 2019; Han/ DMZ/ Jeju/ Mother/ Jenga*/ Seoulful/ Goofy/ Han O Bak Nyun; 53:26. www.jazzdepot.com

Jerry Bergonzi: Nearly Blue

Tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi has been playing with organist Renato Chicco for decades, and with drummer Andrea Michelutti nearly as long. The three first appeared as a unit on 2016's Spotlight On Standards. They’re back with Nearly Blue, a collection of mostly standards with a few Bergonzi originals in the mix. Ask a horn player about the perfect rhythm section, and you’ll likely get a variant of Bergonzi’s answer: “I look for a rhythm section that makes me sound good.” Chicco and Michelutti are just right for Bergonzi’s gruff lyricism, and over time the three have developed a deep rapport. The saxophonist picked some excellent tunes for this session, kicking the proceedings off with a spirited rendition of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s It Might As Well Be Spring, a favorite of improvisers since its debut in the 1945 film State Fair. John Coltrane’s Countdown is up next, a bit surprising in this context, particularly when it’s performed as slowly as it is here. Taking the tune at this medium pace allows Bergonzi to, in his words, “avoid playing vertically and focus on the horizontal.” With their ability to swing hard at any tempo, standards like On Green Dolphin Street and Nice Work If You Can Get It are artfully reconfigured and adapted to play to the trio’s strengths. I don’t want to neglect Bergonzi’s attractive originals. He offers the seductive Tectonic Plates with its uncommon harmonies, Nearly Blue, an extended blues that gives the CD its title, and the light bossa feel of While You Were Out, written when a music student failed to appear for a lesson. If I was forced to single out one track, it would be the trio’s sensuous exploration of the Fischer-Laine vehicle We’ll Be Together Again. But this is 65 minutes of jazz with abiding appeal. Definitely recommended.
Savant SCD 2180; Jerry Bergonzi (ts) Renato Chicco (B-3 org) Andrea Michelutti (d); Udine, Italy, March 22, 2019; It Might as Well Be Spring/ Countdown/ How About You?/ Tectonic Plates/ Nearly Blue/ On Green Dolphin Street/ We’ll Be Together Again/ While You Were Out/ Nice Work If You Can Get It/ Laura; 64:50. www.jazzdepot.com

Jim Snidero & Jeremy Pelt: Jubilation!: Celebrating Cannonball Adderley

      Because there is so much music out there, even serious jazz fans need to be reminded from time to time of important music from the past. One of the best ways is to settle down with a tribute record featuring songs played or written by a significant figure in the music. That’s precisely the intent of Jubilation!: Celebrating Cannonball Adderley, new from Jim Snidero & Jeremy Pelt, cooperating at the helm of a dynamite quintet, with David Hazeltine at the piano, Nat Reeves on bass, and Billy Drummond in the drum chair. Now there’s barely a way for this new disc to make anything close to the impact that Cannonball had when he first appeared in New York in 1955, sitting in with the Oscar Pettiford group at the Café Bohemia. Too much in jazz and in the world has changed in the 63 years since that debut, and Snidero and Pelt surely know that all too well. Still, they bring a heap of soulful energy to the enterprise, playing tunes performed by various Adderley groups as well as two new songs that demonstrate Cannonball’s continuing influence. Pelt’s Party Time leads off with a bang, tapping right into the gritty dance feeling that permeates Adderley’s many recordings. Near the end of the set, Snidero’s Ball’s 90th is a bluesy celebration of Cannonballs’ life and legacy. The rest of the program is a well-chosen selection of songs associated with Cannonball and his brother, cornetist Nat Adderley. Cannonball’s signature tune, Stars Fell on Alabama, makes an appearance featuring a fiery Snidero, as does Nat’s famous composition Work Song, which closes the disc with a good-natured romp, complete with a drum solo introduction by Drummond and a sparkling piano solo by Hazeltine. Each of the principals comes by their love for this music naturally. Snidero studied with another alto master, Phil Woods, who he says “lit the fire,” noting that “Cannonball, along with Bird and Sonny Stitt, showed me the way on the horn within straight-ahead jazz.” For his part, Pelt, who started listening to Cannonball as a teenager, got a first-hand education in the Adderley sound when he played for nearly two decades with Louis Hayes, drummer in the Adderley band from 1959 to 1965. The best homages send you back to the original versions for comparison purposes, and that’s what Jubilation! accomplishes with its modern renditions of time-honored work. Warmly recommended.
Savant SCD 2167; Jeremy Pelt (tp) Jim Snidero (as) David Hazeltine (p) Nat Reeves (b) Billy Drummond (d); Saylorsburg, PA, December 12, 2017; Party Time/ Del Sasser/ Wabash/ Saudade/ Stars Fell on Alabama/ Sack o’ Woe/ Ball’s 90th/ Work Song; 53:21. www.jazzdepot.com

JD Allen: Love Stone

Dexter Gordon, one of the giants of the tenor saxophone, had a habit of reciting lyrics before he’d play a standard. It was his way of telling the audience that the words mattered, and that the story he was about to tell you with his horn was more than just a reaction to the melody and chord changes. Love Stone, the delicious new CD from tenorman JD Allen, operates on the same principle. As Allen informs us in a revealing liner note, he “was kind of mad at [himself] for wanting to do an all-ballad album, “but soon realized that a ballad represents in every human story.” With seriously subdued accompaniment from bassist Gregg August and drummer Rudy Royston, plus the crisply understated harmonic support of guitarist Liberty Ellman, this is pretty much Allen’s show all the way. The song selection is carefully considered and sequenced, with such classics as Until the Real Thing Comes Along and Put on a Happy Face. Allen has thoughtfully included selected lyrics in the printed booklet, and he implores us to “[t]hink of it as a dog star to what I was trying to hold on to in each song.” From the sumptuous opening exploration of Stranger in Paradise right through to the smooth swing of Gone With the Wind, Allen’s warmth and compassion are evident in every note. An absolute winner, highly recommended.
Savant SCD 2169; JD Allen (ts) Liberty Ellman (g) Gregg August (b) Rudy Royston (d); Brooklyn, NY, January 9, 2018; Stranger in Paradise/ Until the Real Thing Comes Along/ Why Was I Born/ You’re My Thrill/ Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies/ Put on a Happy Face/ Prisoner of Love/ Someday (You’ll Want Me to Want You/ Gone With the Wind; 44:51. www.jazzdepot.com