Can you believe next week is Memorial Day weekend already? I’m going to mitigate my disbelief of how quickly time is passing by listening to some great recordings. Many of those can be found on New In Music This Week: May 9th.
My top choice this week is:
JAZZ: LUCÍA – Lucía – La Reserve Records
Two-and-a-half years ago Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso was named the winner of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. She is the first vocalist from Mexico to win.
With her stunning debut album, Lucía, it is very clear why she was victorious. Her vocals, the songs she chooses and the arrangements are outstanding. She sings in both English and Spanish (sometimes within the same song.)
The album opens impressively with What a Difference a Day Makes (Cuando vuelva a tu lado). She takes the very well-known La Llorona and makes it new again. Frankly, she makes each song her own.
Joining her on this recording are percussionist Felipe Fournier; double-bassist Larry Grenadier; guitarist Juancho Herrera; drummer Antonio Sánchez; saxophonist David Sánchez and pianist Edward Simon. Matt Pierson produced Lucía.
The 60 minutes of this album have been amongst the most satisfying vocals I’ve heard all year. Or perhaps I should have said heard five times so far this year.
Do yourself a favor and listen to Lucía now!
Here are the other fine recordings that make up New In Music This Week: May 16th:
CLASSSICAL: RACHMANINOFF: CONCERTO NO. 3 – Yunchan Lim/Fort Worth Symphony/Marin Alsop– Decca Records
Since becoming the youngest pianist to win the Van Cliburn Competition, Yunchan Lim has been rapidly ascending the ranks of classical musicians. To hear where it all started you should listen to this live recording of his performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 from the finals.
The ovation at the end of the performance, which goes on for 48 seconds on this excellent recording, probably does not reflect the absolute enthusiasm for his outstanding performance.
Marin Alsop, amongst the top conductors in the world today, led the Fort Worth Symphony in this performance.
GENRE-DEFYING: DELICIOUS – Alex Paxton – New Amsterdam Records
It would be foolish of me to try to limit this joyfully whimsical album to any one genre. It has jazz elements (Paxton is a trombonist in addition to being a composer); there are elements of electronic music; hints of contemporary classical music and moments that sound like a film score.
All of these disparate components are filtered through Paxton’s inventive mind to create an album unlike anything I’ve heard before.
The titles give you a sense that you aren’t in for a traditional album: Touching Sweetly (from Scrunchy Touch Sweetly to Fall (kite and finger run)), Shrimp BIT Baby Face and Mouldy Moany Snog Drip (from Spit Crystal yeast-racking dipping (a lorange)) are just a few examples.
These 76 minutes of music are like being in a musical amusement park with thrills, twists and turns that are guaranteed to delight adventurous listeners.
JAZZ: CHET BAKER RE:IMAGINED – Miscellaneous Artists – Blue Note Records
I’m usually skeptical about anything labeled re-imagined. What Chet Baker Re:imagined accomplishes is twofold: it proves that these songs will forever stand the test of time regardless of who sings them.
Secondly it introduced me to new artists with whom I wasn’t familiar.
Amongst the 15 songs on this album are That Old Feeling, I Get Along Without You Very Well, Old Devil Moon and, of course, My Funny Valentine.
What’s interesting is in hearing who chooses to be more faithful to Baker’s original recordings and who veers furthest away. With any collection like this, some of them are more interesting/adventrous than others.
I enjoyed the nearly 52-minute journey this album offered. It felt like I was listening to KCRW radio out of Los Angeles. I mean that as a compliment.
JAZZ: THE JEWEL IN THE LOTUS – Bennie Maupin – ECM Luminessence Series – Vinyl Reissue
By the time he recorded this debut album, reeds musician Maupin had already recorded with Chick Corea, Miles Davis (Bitches Brew), Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan and more.
The Jewel In The Lotus was released in 1974 and is considered a classic album from the time. Joining Maupin on this recording were Billy Hart on drums; Herbie Hancock on piano and electric piano; Bill Summers on percussion; Charles Sullivan on trumpet; Frederick Waits on drums and marimba and Buster Williams on Bass.
Stuart Nicholson, writing for Jazzwise, said it best when he wrote, “The Jewel In The Lotus was ahead of its time and sounds just as exciting and exploratory today.”
On a separate note: Maupin and his family lost everything in the Eaton Canyon Fire earlier this year in Southern California. In case you hadn’t heard.
JAZZ: OUT LATE – Eric Scott Reed – Smoke Sessions Records
The line-up alone makes this album worth listening to. Joining pianist composer Reed are tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander; drummer Joe Farnsworth; trumpeter Nicholas Payton and bassist Peter Washington.
Reed composed all seven tracks on Out Late. He says in press notes that each track was recorded after a few minutes of rehearsal and all in one take. That approach works well as it gives each song a sense of urgency and newness that is completely palpable. It also feels like we’ve been admitted into a secret room where some of our great contemporary jazz musicians are in the process of creating something special.
Out Late is quite special.
JAZZ: PLURAL – Gabriel Grossi – Whirldwind Recordings
I didn’t know harmonicist Grossi before listening to this intriguing album. It isn’t often I listen to an album where the harmonica is front and center. But this one captured my imagination.
Grossi collaborated with a variety of artists for this album that feels like a wonderful trip to Brazil. Amongst those artists are Seamus Blake, Jacob Collier, Anat Cohen, Lenine, Ed Motta, Hermeto Pascoal and Leila Pinheiro. All ten songs were composed by Grossi.
It seems facile to say how engrossed I was by Grossi. But since I’ve said it, I’ll stand by it.
JAZZ: POETRY LEGROOM – Zoo Too Trio – Shifting Paradigm Records
Drummer Pheeroan akLaff, pianist Michael Cain and guitarist Keith Price make up this new ensemble. Cain also serves as producer and mixer for this terrific new recording.
Of the nine compositions, all but one were composed by one or more of the Zoo Too trio members. The lone cover is Waltz For Gwen by Ron Blake.
What I love most about this recording is the absence of a bass to anchor the trio as is commonly done. There’s more freedom to this and some unexpected and satisfying dynamics.
My favorite tracks are Poetry Legroom Okinawa Children, Song 1 Day 1 and Solodos.
Poetry Legroom is not an album to blow you away with how showy it is. It is mostly a quieter album that leads the musicianship and the conversation amongst its three members shine.
JAZZ: SWING SET (DELUXE EDITION) – Jim Caruso – Club 44 Records
Swing Set was released in 2011. A fun album that has been re-issued with two new tracks: Avalon where Caruso is joined by Jane Monheit and Billy Strich and One More Minute written by Weird Al Yankovic. If you think that’s an odd choice, you don’t know Caruso!
Other guests on the original release include Stephanie J. Block, Michael Feinstein and Billy Stritch.
Caruso is an ardent fan of the Great American Songbook. Having seen him many times at his Cast Party at Birdland in New York, the joy he has in performing is infectious. This album, which swings in unexpected ways, marks a welcome return to my ears. It made me smile. I bet it will make you smile, too.
That’s all for New In Music This Week: May 16th.
Enjoy some new music! Enjoy your weekend!
Main Photo: Part of the album cover of Lucía (Courtesy LA Reserve Records)