The dog days of summer are starting to make way for the inevitable onslaught of great releases between now and the end of the year. We’ve got some great choices for you, but our top pick of the best of what’s New In Music This Week: August 25th is:
JAZZ: FLY OR DIE FLY OR DIE FLY OR DIE ((world war)) – jaimie branch – International Anthem
Almost exactly one year ago trumpeter and composer Jaimi Branch passed away. She was a bold and challenging artist who blurred the lines of jazz, punk-rock and experimentation yielding absolutely fascinating results.
This is her third and final album (she was only 39 when she died. Branch is joined by her regular quartet members: Jason Ajemian on bass; multi-instrumentalist Lester St. Louis and Chad Taylor on drums.
She and her fellow musicians only played this work once. On October 2nd there will be a record release show that will also include footage from that concert. It’s being held at Roulette in Brooklyn.
This is the kind of work that will come into sharper focus as the years go by. What doesn’t need time or perspective is the realization that a major art was lost last August 22nd.
It’s a big week for fans of jazz, so here are our others choices of what’s New In Music This Week: August 25th:
JAZZ: OFF THE CHARTS – Richard Baratta – Savant Records
Drummer/bandleader, who has spent a lot of time covering film music in his last two records, opts to focus on music from the 1960s and 1970s that he loved.
If you’re expecting to hear music by The Doors, Elton John or Linda Ronstadt here, that isn’t the music he was listening to. Or if he was, it isn’t the music Baratta has chosen for this album.
Instead he’s selected music by Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Charles Lloyd, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner and more. The songs themselves would be considered deep cuts from these artists’ repertoire.
Baratta is joined by Jerry Bergonzi on saxophone; David Kikoski on piano; John Patitucci on bass and percussionist Paul Rossman.
JAZZ: ÉCLIPSE – Aline Homzy – Elastic Recordings
This isn’t strictly a jazz album and it isn’t not a jazz album. Violinist Homzy has created a fascinating record that has elements of folk music, international music and her own idiosyncratic musical stylings.
Homzy (who also plays synth, theremin and supplies vocals) is joined by Micahel Davidson on marimba, piano, synth, vibraphone and bowed vibes; Dan Fortin on bass; João Frade on accordion; Thom Gill on guitar and synth; Marito Marques on percussion and drums; David Travers-Smith on synth and Felicity Williams on vocals.
I was hooked from the opening track Caraway. Give it a try and let us know what you think.
JAZZ: TIMBA A LA AMERICANA – Harold López-Nussa – Blue Note Records
If you like your jazz centered around the piano and with a Cuban sensibility, you’re going to love this album by pianist/composer López-Nussa. The album opens with the appropriately titled and energetic Funky and closes with Hope (something we could all use right now.)
He is joined by Grégoire Maret on harmonica; Luques Curtis on bass; Bárbara “Machito” Crespo on congas and his brother Ruy Adrián López-Nussa on drums.
The third track, Mal Du Pays, is a perfectly melancholy composition that makes incredible use of harmonica. The title translates to homesick. Since López-Nussa relocated from Cuba to France, perhaps this is a reflection of how he’s felt since that relocation.
This is a fun album filled with great music.
JAZZ: STRACCI – Michael Ragonese
It’s not surprise that pianist/composer Ragonese has released an album with an Italian name. Stracci means rags, but he doesn’t perform ragtime on this album. This is a proprer trio album with Luca Alemanno on bass and Mark Ferber on drums.
This is a quick album (slightly over 37 minutes) with six original compositions and two covers including Sammy Fain’s I’ll Be Seeing You.
There’s a lot of adventurous new jazz on this week’s list. For those who like their jazz more traditional, you’ll enjoy Ragonese’s Stracci.
JAZZ: säje – säje
The Manhattan Transfer is on their farewell tour and it’s quite possible this quartet of women will pick up when they leave the stage.
Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick and Amanda Taylor make up this impressive group. Worth noting that Taylor has created arrangements for The Manhattan Transfer.
Joining säje on this album are Ambrose Akinmusire, Terri Lyne Carrington, Dawn Clement, Jacob Collier, Christian Euman, Michael Mayo, Daniel Rotem and Ben Williams.
Keep your eyes on säje. We’ll, hopefully, be hearing a lot more from them.
MUSICALS: THE NEW PEGGY – Studio Cast Recording
Librettist/lyricist Drew Larimore and composer/lyricist J. Oconer Navarro have created the perfect vehicle for the incredible talents of Ann Harada (Avenue Q, Pacific Overtures).
In this musical she plays the title character who has been trapped in her secretarial position for a quarter of a century. She is infatuated with her boss, but nothing ever comes of that. Earlier in the music she receives some shattering news that frees her of the ties that bind in ways that are both overwhelmingly positive and stunningly negative.
Harada handles all the material here exactly as one would expect…perfectly. The recording makes you want to see her play this part on stage.
It couldn’t be all jazz. That’s our list of the best of what’s New In Music: August 25th.
Enjoy the music and enjoy your weekend.
