My top pick for New In Music This Week: January 19th is:
JAZZ: A NEW BEAT – Ulysses Owens Jr. and Generation Y – Cellar Music Group
There’s very little that inspires me as much as music and the performing arts. But when someone can combine those and be a teacher, that’s truly inspiring. Such is the story of drummer and bandleader Owens.
A New Beat finds Owens performing with the young musicians he’s taught and discovered over the past four years. They include pianist Luther Allison; composer/trumpeter Benny Benack III; pianist Tyler Bullock; saxophonist Sarah Hanahan; trumpeter Anthony Hervey; bassist Philip Norris; singer/arranger Milton Suggs; bassist Ryoma Takanaga and saxophonist Erena Terakubo.
Hervey is the only I knew prior to this recording. His album, Words From My Horn from last year was terrific and was produced by Owens.
This album will give you renewed faith in the future of jazz. It also happens to be a damn good album.
Here are my other favorite recordings that are New In Music This Week: January 19th:
CLASSICAL MUSIC: SONGS OF FATE – Gidon Kremer – ECM Records
What a treat this album is to explore Baltic composers who don’t often find their works recorded. In fact, many of these compositions are having their first-ever recording.
This is also a timely release as violinist Kremer explores his Jewish roots with the pieces selected for Songs of Fate.
The composers whose music is performed here are Jēkabs Jančevskis, Giedrius Kuprevičius, Raminta Šerkšnytė and the Polish composer Mieczysław Weinberg.
Joining Kremer on this beautiful and haunting album are violoncellist Magdalena Ceple, soprano Vida Miknevičiūtė, vibraphonist Andrei Pushkarev and Kremerata Baltica (a chamber orchestra founded by Gidon Kremere in 1997).
CLASSICAL MUSIC: KODÁLY – Miriam K. Smith – Azica Records
Perhaps my favorite string instrument to hear solo is the cello. 17-year-old Smith has chosen Zoltán Kodály’s challenging Sonata for Solo Cello in B minor, Op. 8 as her latest release. It’s a 33-minute sonata that was composed in 1915.
This is an impressive recording for so young a musician. It’s also an incredible composition that, should you not be familiar with it, you should do yourself a favor and listen to this recording.
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL: PARANORMAL MUSICALITY – JB Dunckel – Warner Classics
If JB Dunckel’s name sounds familiar, then perhaps you are a fan of the French duo Air. Here Dunckel is on his own with just his piano. His 18 original compositions offer nearly an hour of music.
Press materials indicate that Dunckel essentially improvised these pieces between 2019 and 2022, but they have been a part of him going back before Air’s success.
If you’re looking for a contemporary album of easy-going solo piano music, this album is for you. For fans of Air this will be, for you, at least a curiosity.
JAZZ: LIVE AT DIZZY’S CLUB: THE MUSIC OF ELVIN & McCOY – Gerald Cannon – Woodneck Records
Certainly you know that Elvin is Jones and McCoy is Tyner. Jones was a jazz drummer who is best known for being a member of John Coltrane’s early 1960s quartet. Tyner was a jazz pianist and composer who also performed as part of the same quartet with Coltrane.
What binds these gentlemen on this recording is bassist Cannon who worked with Tyner for 14 years and Jones for nine years.
This terrific live recording took place in June of 2022 and features Eddie Henderson on trumpet; alto saxophonist Sherman Irby; pianist Dave Kikosi, tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano; trombonist Steve Turre and drummer Lenny White.
The high point for me on the album is Cannon’s composition Three Elders which is dedicated to Jones, Tyner and pianist Larry Willis who was a member of Roy Hargrove’s band in which Cannon was also a member. It’s a beautiful work.
The rest of the compositions are either by Jones or Tyner.
JAZZ: TECHNICALLY ACCEPTABLE – Ethan Iverson – Blue Note Records
I’ve long been a fan of composer and pianist Ethan Iverson. He’s clearly an amazing talent and also one of the smartest people working in jazz. This diverse album features a mix of Iverson originals and two stunning covers: Killing Me Softly With His Song and ‘Round Midnight. The latter piece is performed with just piano and theremin (Rob Schwimmer).
What stood out to me was the first ever recording of Iverson’s Piano Sonata – a traditional 3-movement work that defies easy categorization, but is an utterly compelling composition.
For those of you in or going to New York, he’ll be at the Village Vanguard next week from January 23rd – January 28th.
JAZZ: THE HIDDEN WORLD OF PILOO – Ada Rovatti – Piloo Records
I wasn’t familiar with saxophonist/composer Rovatti before listening to her new album which features 10 original tracks. Just when you think you have a beat on her style, a track comes along to upend your expectations. That is what makes this album compelling.
There are songs that deal with social justice issues, one that refers to a former president running again for office (an aptly-named The Naked King) and a song inspired by her teenager daughter’s first forays into make-up. See what I mean about upending expectations?
Rovatti is joined on this album by Randy Brecker (her husband) on trumpet and flugelhorn; Café Da Silva on percussion; Tim Dudek on drums; Claus Fischer on bass and Simon Oslender on organ.
Rovatti also has four vocalists on the album: Fay Classen, Kurt Elling, Niki Haris and Alma Naidu.
JAZZ: CT! – Adam Schroeder & Mark Masters – Capri Records
If you’re going to pay tribute to Clark Terry, you have to go big or go home. That’s exactly what baritone saxophone player Adam Schroeder and arranger/composer/trumpeter Mark Masters have done with this 13-track album of Clark Terry’s compositions.
Joining them on this recording are Kirsten Edkins on tenor saxophone; Peter Erskine on drums; James Ford on trumpet; Dan Fornero on lead trumpet; Lemar Guillary on trombone; Aaron Janik on trumpet; Edwin Livingston on bass; Sal Lorenzo on alto saxophone; Ido Meshulan on trombone; Bob Sheppard on tenor and soprano saxophones and Francisco Torres on lead trombone.
These musicians sound like they are having a great time. I’ll be you will, too.
That’s my complete list of New In Music This Week: January 19th.
Enjoy the music!
Enjoy your weekend!
