Jim Dupuis, host of Jazz Notes. This show is in its 16th year at CFBX-FM in Kamloops, BC. Jazz Notes presents a high percentage of new jazz-like music and classic tracks which complement it. The Big Easy Gumbo segment provides a stage for traditional jazz and stories. Jim interviews people in the music industry that usually have a connection to jazz. The interviews are aired on Jazz Notes and some are transcribed and packaged as features for publications, primarily earshot-online.com.
Sax player Lovano recorded this performance in 2005 at the Newport Jazz Festival and finally put it out this year. It includes the late Hank Jones, then in his eighties, who still had his chops. Veteran bassist George Mraz and Lewish Nash on drums round out a superb quartet. Every track is a gem and Lovano and Jones make magic together on Oliver Nelson's"Six and Four." Mraz struts his stuff on the Parkerish "Bird's Eye View" and Nash keeps a steady beat throughout. Maybe you aren't supposed to anoint your own album 'classic" but when it's the truth, that's okay by me.
Stowell and Zilber play together fairly often and it shows. Here they combine to give us a dreamy, bluesy collarboration of mostly original tunes. The bluesist tracks are Basement blues and Violin Memory. Their covers of Jerome Kern's "Nobody Else But Me" and Bill Evans' "Very Early" are exquisite. The rhythm section of John Shifflett on bass and Jason Lewis on drums are tasked with keeping up with these two and succeed admirably.
Cuban born Toronto based Baro has the Afro-Cuban jazz fusion down to a science. He shows his versatility with the trumpet and flugelhorn by playing a variety of tempos on the title track and in a few others. He shows off his ballad work with the flugelhorn on "Please Believe Me." Great percussions, great horn section and an inspired leader make this the best Latin CD I heard this year.
Rosnes combines her interest in earth sciences with her musical passions. The interplay between her piano, Steve Nelson's vibes and Steve Wilson's reeds makes for a delightful geology lesson and the rhythm section of Peter Washington on bass and Bill Stewart on drums goes beyond backing and provides some volcanic eruptions to set it all off.
The great bassist Ron Carter teams ups with veteran sax player Javon Jackson and drummer Billy Drummond on this outing. Lots of classic bop here as in "My Man Hubbard" and a Monk cover, but their version of the Jimmy Van Heusen ballad "But Beautiful" steals the show.
Lots of good guitar albums this year, but I keep coming back to Brown. The Chicago area guitarist gives us fast swing, covers of Joe Pass, Jobim and the title track, a cover from Grappelli and Reinhardt. Throw in some Ellington and Hank Mobley and you have a fine display of guitar work.
They only do a CD once every 20 years, so it has to be good—and it is. This fusion packed delight gives equal prominence to all the talented band members. Some standouts are Brad Turner's Milesy trumpet on "Gargentua" and Chris Tarry's bass in many places including "Extra Salty." Mike Murley on reeds and Ian Froman on drums round out this stellar group. Let's have the third CD a little sooner, please.
Band leader, composer, arranger, and drummer Tim Davies from Australia, has 4 tracks from his Australian band and 4 tracks from his L.A. band. He has them together on one track. This contemporary big band CD has lots of fireworks. "Minor Incidents" could fit into a movie or television sound track and most of the rest showcases the ample talents of the band members. Yes, the big band is alive and well!
The much-travelled multi-instrumentalist Loewenson adds the sax of Mark Turner to his trio. While bop is the main course ("Parkeritis" and "Davka") with Turner leading other tracks such as "Four on Six" and "Strings" show off Loewenson's talents. A nice surprise from an independent production.
Jones has explored a variety of genres since her breakthrough CD Come Away With Me. She has returned to this formula and recruits heavyweights such as Wayne Shorter, Brian Blade, John Patitucci and Dr. Lonnie Smith. Highlights include a cover of Horace Silver's "Peace" and her smoky voice prevails on the opening track "Burn." Day Breaks also includes covers from Ellington, and Neil Young.
Arioli is consistently good and this CD is no exception. This time she teams up with some of Canada's elite musicians including Don Thompson, vibes and piano and trumpeter Kevin Turcotte. While jazz classics such as "Loverboy" and "Travelin' Light" shine through, she summons her inner Patsy Cline for "Can't Say No" to great effect. This is a very enjoyable CD.
Formerly, one of Bill King's "Divas," Kinga has assembled a program of jazz classics and R&Bish songs that show off her wonderful voice. Highlights include the title track, "What a Difference a Day Made and the Bill Withers classic "Ain't No Sunshine." Some of Toronto's best appear and Bill King's piano and gorgeous arrangements are as always, superb.
Joe Lovano Classic Quartet at the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver. There were less jazz big names at the Jazz Festival this year, presumably due to the low Canadian dollar. Thankfully 63 year old Lovano was one that appeared. The tenor sax player hopped and bopped the night away to my delight. As promised it was a night of classic jazz—mainly originals. His younger band kept up to Lovano and it made for a very enjoyable evening.
Bassist/educator Gobel has assembled a hot band. He includes dirges, Gospel and smoky, late night slow, sax blues numbers on this fine release.
I understand that celebrity deaths are a drop in the bucket compared to overall deaths worldwide. Still, I am saddened, by the many losses the jazz world has experienced this year (too many to mention) and I'm hoping for a better 2017. Invariably our aging stars will lose their battles with mortality, but it just didn't seem to end. I hope we all have a better year in 2017.