[JPL] bopndicks 10 picks July 2007

[Dick Crockett]

BOPNDICKS 10 PICKS  JULY 2007

JOE LOVANO & HANK JONES  KIDS - LIVE AT DIZZY'S CLUB
COCA COLA   Blue Note
The Kids are playing, as they always do... Could be a
clatter, or could be Beckett's “Sandbox,” or Albee's
,”Krapp's Last Tape,” Ionesco's “Rhinoceros,”maybe. 
Absurd you say!  These are inalienable, our rights to
experience this free music for the interpretations are
Hank Jones who played jazz piano in 1938, when swing
went from blues to stride, right before bebop, and
when Jelly Roll Morton was recording his memoirs at
Library Of Congress.  Hell this could be an anthem!
Saxophonist Joe Lovano from Cleveland  offers a bright
effusive counter point with memories of jazz great
saxophonists.  Some of the great solo movements are
Hank strutting“Oh What A Beautiful Morning,” “Oh, Look
At Me Now!” rapacious in it's interlude. The 'a' Monk
reflective with Joe Lovano leading with “Four In One”
and Jones doing chords first than other solo bits
later in the tune. Steady as you go friends, this is a
classic recording. Could blow you away with it's- so
much energy and archival history going on here  and
it's iconoclast expansive message.
“Lady Luck” is a Hank Jones original, and along with 
Lovano's “Charley Chan,” reflections of Charlie Parker
as these two stand on their own.
This Hank Jones/Joe Lovano duo will be very prominent
in your vinyl record/ cd collection. A water color
shimmery look to the cd  permeates the illusive,
almost transitory athleticism of bright youth. This is
just KIDS,  admirably so. 
JOEY CALDERAZZO        AMANECER     Rounder Records
Joey Calderazzo has the fiery soul as a soloist, an
important ingredient as an jazz artist. And finally we
get a chance to hear it, in it's unvarnished close-
to- the- wood form.  
All you need is to spend time with his new cd. And
right from the start with “Midnight Voyage,”you
discover a Calderazzo solo is a very personal
reflection. This is the kind of performance where you
feel you're the only one in the room. It's nothing
personal, really. It's not like the guy is trying to
impress you. He's just doing his thing and you so
happen to be there in the moment and Joey searches
around with impressive stride and strut and you're
ready to stand and shout! Then Michael Brecker's “Sea
Glass” takes a different, more intimate turn. It 's
still solo and Calderazzo wants to let you in on his
thinking...No jive, pure emotion. Could bring you to
tears with it's delicacy as if Chopin turned into an
intimate ballet. Then the pace picks up slightly with
“Toonay,” a structural genius at work.  So far we have
three different approaches. “Strut, Stride and
Neo-Classicism as Calderazzo explores the outer
reaches with destiny and command. 
He has taken us on a remarkable journey. This may not
be the Calderazzo you know. This is a remarkable
Calderazzo that you meet on this cd.  “Amanecer” with
the  lovely Chilean  Claudia Acuna and  Brazilian
guitarist Romero Lubambo. The work with Lubambo and
Calderazzo on “The Lonely Swan” is very romantic and
genuine to reach a level of popularity.  “I've Never
Been In Love Before” is the kind of solo excursion
most ambidextrous piano players have fun with...and
like Calderazzo with a strong left and right hand, you
can afford to be adventurous. “So Many Moons” is a
romantic Acuna/Calderazzo collaboration. Apparently, a
few years ago they were performing a few of these
originals as a duet in the small room at Monterey. 
Now it's here on this CD.
“So Many Moons,  I Want To Share With You” is an
apropos theme for this charming CD.
BENNIE WALLACE   DISORDER AT THE BORDER   THE MUSIC OF
COLEMAN HAWKINS   Enja/Justin Time Records
Benny Wallace brings back a vibrant swinging era in
jazz, where opposing forces would square off against
one another in a tag team survival of the fittest,
whether it was Chick, the Duke, Count Basie and
Fletcher Henderson, who had the greatest tenor,
Coleman Hawkins, as far back as 1924, pre  Depression,
WWII, Korea, Major Bowes, The Amateur Hour and
Vietnam. Hawkins tenor saxophone ruled swing and jazz
right to be- bop and after,  even as the music became
more cool and introspective. Wallace brings back that
whole era on this live recording at the 2004 Berlin
Jazzfest. The band is a ten piece, small, yet
flexible, like elastic shorts, designed to move to
your whimsical rhythmic gyrations. In fact, this will
bring jitterbug back to big city blues, right from
Count Basis and his Kansas City Seven. That's the way
the jam bands were organized, All for one to explore
with proclivity.  Many of today's best appeared in
this performance, Terell Stafford, Ray
Anderson,trombone, Jesse Davis and Brad Leali, alto,
Adam Schroeder, baritone and Donald Vega, Danton
Boller and Alvin Queen, rhythm section. This has some
great swing tunes, “Disorder At the Border,””Bean And
The Boys,” “Honeysuckle Rose.”
The Wallace band doing the Bean's signature tune,
“Body And Soul,” his reflections are the embodiment of
the soul of Coleman Hawkins, deep, throaty and so damn
good.
TERELL STAFFORD  QUINTET  TAKING CHANCES - LIVE AT THE
DAKOTA     MAXJAZZ
Terell Stafford's live performance as leader of his
band is really a hard bop destiny to the post modern.
Stafford is as strong hard player especially on “Blues
For J.T. And with complimentary forces of reedist Tim
Warfield, pianist, Bruce Barth, Derrick Hodge, bass
and Dana Hall on drums this synergy, warmth and
respect among these gentlemen is especially felt by
the audience at this gathering at the Dakota in
Minneapolis  and the listener to this cd. Stafford's
muted trumpet on “Old Folks” will take you back to
those vintage recordings of the fifties by
'you-know-who' and the quintet and visions of Art
Blakey as in “Jesus Loves Me,” Freddie Hubbard
visualizations on Bruce Barth's  stony-assed
“Pegasus,” Horace Silver's gospel aspirations in Tim
Warfield's “Shake It For Me.”   This quintet of
remarkable gentlemen is not just copping to the status
quo, but furthering the evolution of the post modern,
for like the blues, hard bop has this enthusiastic
devoted audience, and most hard core listeners will
nod affirmatively. So don't think your in for an blasé
evening, cause this band will knock your socks off!
DEVIN PHILLIPS     WADE IN THE WATER        Devin
Phillips Music
Devin Phillips demonstrates the rare earthiness that
Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane showed early in their
respective careers. He has a strong blues presence
inherent in his   soulful tone with this exuberance
for experimentation. For now it may be determined,
straight ahead, no nonsense! This is Phillips first cd
as a leader and the raw truth of it has to impress the
most hard core bop fan; those who wear fedoras and nod
affirmatively, remember early Coltranes, Mobleys  and
drink Merlot with other mild  hallucinogens, the
coffee-tea of nostalgia.   Devin Phillips has
definable New Orleans roots and transplanted or
transported to Portland, Oregon because of Katrina. 
And many astute young hip friends may interject, it
could be just the karma of 'Dorothy of Oz' alighting
down to this time zone. 
The first thing that hits you between your eyes, or
Coltrane's third eye is Phillips strength as a tenor
saxophonist on his version of “Cape Verde,” passion
intermingled with compassion. Ain't that what the
blues is all about? 
“Steepe's Mode” has another strong entente from Devin
Phillips, for his attack throws caution to the wind.  
This is an example of a player who has demonstrated
the abandon, the willing to take the chances necessary
to develop his style and like a Davide Murray, we're
not sure where it's gonna go, but sure is fun to
listen to, especially on Sidney Bechet's “My Woman's
Blues” in the process. “Destine's Dream” is more
mainstream with young Andrew Oliver's wicked
glistening Rhodes.  
This is a up-front band of young prominent musicians
with Mark Diflorio on drums and Eric Gruber, bass. “To
Alpha With Love”is an extraordinary blues piece with
Phillips showing the kind of maturity to this ballad
that's reserved for the most mature storied musicians.
  “The Great M.T.” shows Phillip's prowess on soprano
saxophone with this original. The whole band will
knock your lights out with this version. Then this
version of “Just One Of Those Things” with trumpet
player, Maurice Brown. 
Remember “Cherokee” and Clifford Brown,  the counter
point with Harold Land? You could probably this as the
reversal role of tenor and trumpet player. Then
“Frenchmen's Street Strut”  will bring back those
Horace Silver nutmegs. This is the kinda of first cd,
you can't pass on, especially when he becomes the next
best thing. Just spend some time with the “Slow Blues”
and know what this music is all about. 
INGRID  JENSEN       AT SEA      Artist Share Records
Ingrid Jensen shows 'Nordic' depth with masterful post
bop technique, versatile both with trumpet and
flugelhorn  on this new cd, an insight into her
profound musical karmic sense. If you believe to, 'let
it be free,' then  At Sea” will remind you of Miles
and Gil  Evans, morphed into a post modern ethereal.
Ingrid Jensen is her own 'person,' pejorative for
crafting her own style.  Jensen has worked with Marie
Schneider and that along with that may have had
profound effect on her compositional skills. It's one
thing to be a greatr trumpet player. It's another to
write and play jazz.
 This is all original material, so let's  forget song
structure, as all seems to blend to another, except
for Cole Porter's “Every thing I Love” and the classic
jazzy “There Is No Greater Love.” 
And there you are,  after the first two songs,
witnessing “Captain Jon,” a hard swinging note to  the
drummer with Ingrid Jensen soaring on ionospheric horn
and drummer Jon Wikan with superlative pianist
Geoffrey Keezer adding a treat full of Latin figures
in his solo on “Jon.” The whole first three songs are 
breathtaking...  
So far we've been told how remarkable this  Jensen new
cd is... full of treasures.  At her side, the rhythm
section is so connected to the virtuoso, as a young
cumulative progressive band with Matt Clohey on bass,
Lage Lund, excellent guitarist on various tracks. When
it comes to improvisation, she  has a profound sense
of perspective to the jazz trumpet/flugelhorn and
appreciation for those who preceded her. Seemless. 
“At Sea” is just the very beginning for Ingrid Jensen
as a solo artist. In fact' “There Is No Greater Love”
may remind you of those Miles Davis connections and
with Geoffrey Keezer's Rhodes and  Ingrid Jensen's
furtive imagination will take your breath away.
Remember the days of Victor Feldman Rhodes and Miles
muted trumpet!?
THE BILL CHARLAP TRIO      LIVE AT THE VILLAGE
VANGUARD  Blue Note
Bill Charlap is the picture of elegance, a piano
player that brings class aboard with his tight
command-the cosmopolitan of post modern. This is what
Bill Charlap is... an iconoclast of those halcyon days
of the jazz trio on Park and Madison avenue places in
the  Manhattan mid fifties.  This is what was so
striking and true. You walk into any saloon  and this
is what spewed from those nostalgic smoke filled rooms
where Gleason and Kovacs knocked back a few.  Bill
Charlap takes it back to those Bobby Short ripened
days at the the “Cafe Carlyle” and Bill Evans at “The
Plaza,” the elegance and repertory, so pervasive on
jazz radio in the late fifties and early sixties.
This Bill Charlap is all about atmosphere. A “Live At
The Village Vanguard' is more than just a late night
request. This cd is the anchor of mid fifties hard bop
in a post modern fantasy.
“Autumn In New York” is pure early Hank Jones, Tommy
Flanigan with the stylings of a George Shearing.
In those days you'd wander in for a night cap, whether
it was business or pleasure, alone in your quest, or
just being social in the big apple, as though it was
every day, for this was the way of 52nd Street night
life. “The Lady Is A Tramp” is classic romp at
Jilly's, or Jimmy Weston's.  “Hey there's DiMaggio!?” 

For this is a Bill Charlap that's fast, slick and very
cool, and  he's Mr Softee on “It's Only A Paper Moon.”
“My Shining Hour” is a tour d' force of fast boats,
with lots of power, making a run for the big money,
social graces and divine decadence,  the kind of
confidence and spirit, this group portrays throughout
this live performance at the Village Vanguard.. Bill
Charlap Trio is shoulders above those who handle it
best.
MARK MURPHY    LOVE IS WHAT STAYS      Verve Records
For those of us, Mark Murphy is what the post bebop
phase of the ongoing modern jazz existence is... This
is a Verve experience for Mark and all us Murphy fans.
Exploratory,misty, funky and romantic for you
borderline who may not know him. This Murphy's law is
love, poetry and extemporaneous  groove.  He's an
incurable bop romantic, a 'Karoac ian'  blues man,
who's true to his roots. Remember the Sinatra Capital
records phase with Nelson Riddle and how we all sat
romanced and embraced on the experience. Of course you
know, always some time ago, vivid memories remain. Til
Bronner's minimalist remains...  And this is the
moment written by Mark Murphy and Til Bronner, “Love
Is What Stays.” This is what Catullus reminded us of
'those dank dark weeds' was about... vivid
remembrance. A poet searching fond memories of his
past. Olive Nelson's “Stolen Moments” with lyrics by
Mark Murphy in '61' and featured on the favorite RAH
album on Riverside Records. 
This was the COOL of short hair, Playboy hip and three
button Brooks Brothers of those days. 
Since we demand a re visitation of those days in our
music, that's why this cd is so COOL.
The “Angel Eyes” version is right and good with it's
hip funky kind a nice  slow moves.  A three quarter
'John Cassavetes' snap on the snare of this tune with
Sabastian Mark and moten Frank Chastenier on piano,
Til Bronner's minimal trumpet tapestry. These are the
priamry force of this cd with  The Deutsches Symphony
Orchestra in Berlin. The “Interview” reveals what Mark
Murphy is about in the valley of the Cool, imploring
the 'Tao' of it all. 
It could be that we've become so un-hip, that our very
progressive artists have decided to go elsewhere to
get their groove?
Whatever. Hate to make this a cultural case, but as
the Japanese who are about to make a better car have
established their case, we have our Jazz heritage to
cherish.
It's up to you to state your case.
This new Mark Murphy is a fine example of the pure
artistry of post bop modern jazz 
He has never shucked and jived to what's pop. Never!
Mark Murphy has become a national archive and as Sammy
Davis Jr. would attest!
He knew it then and you will now.
“Love Is What Stays.”
e.s.t.  TUESDAY WONDERLAND     Decca Music Group
 You first hear this band, although they've recorded
numerous before, as this is you're first of this
contemporary original jazz machine. Yes, for this is
the reincarnation of the Soft Machine with various 
exciting rock/jazz/electro-acoustic elements.
This is not your diabolical mind or semi-conscious
reality as one flows into another from “tuesday
wonderland”  pop catchy -ness, a blending of acoustic
romance/synthesizer to a more seminal mood of acoustic
bliss with swirling brushes as Esbjorn Svenson humms
along deep in his melodic piano verse in “the gold
hearted miner,” which arouses our Northern California
roots.  And then dynamically explosiveness of “
brewery of beggars.” The song titles and time
signatures add variety and are fascinating as a Van
Goth painting. Then a slow foxtrot, almost child-like,
with a tinge of Chopin romance in “beggar's blanket.”
This is what e.s.t. does so well. Surprise your
chocolate brain thoughts with bright colors in a
concert way, for there's the better element of you
soul. 
Varying words cannot describe how profound this band
has become.  That it behooves anyone who listens to
hear “tuesday wonderland” all the way through.
This is what e.s.t. will do.  It's as though an
enticing absorbing novel will capture your interest,
from cover to cover, and “delores at the shoe stand”
will rock your socks off.
MARTIN BEJERANO        EVOLUTION/REVOLUTION    
Reservoir Records 
Pianist Martin Bejerano is another one of the young
inventive artists,  a member of the nu wave of  jazz
post modernists.  The kind that keeps your interest
from the very start. This young Cuban American from
Miami has played with Roy Haynes and Russell Malone
who can have a profound influence a young pianist.
This new cd is Bejerano's debut as a leader. It not
only demonstrates his command and technique with a
grasp of the musical sense, as in the standard, “You
Don't Know What Love Is.”  He possesses warp speed
with an innate dynamic sense of swing in an intimate
'up' version, “Bouncing With Bud,”  retaining that
bebop groove.  And the enthusiastic flare with which
Bejerano's solo piano version of “Monk's Dream,”
gliding up tempo through the changes with excellence
and ease. Then “Blues Revolution,” a wild exciting
blues with a rhythm section that kicks it with  Edward
Perez, bass and Ludwig Afonso on drums. You'll note
that this is a young exciting trio from beginning with
“Blues Evolution” with Martin Bejerano creating strong
infinite statements right off with Perez and Alfonso
exploding around him. If Charlie Chaplin could only 
'break dance.' This is the kind of trance-like
conception Bejerano brings to the keyboard. Then
“Lover Man” is another ballad that Bejerano plays
around on....His joyous message defies catagorical
comparison.   “Cubano Arrepentido” meaning
'not-Cuban-enough' another family thing from his
relatives on his father's side, who in good spirit,
would poke at his message on piano which is truly
original post modern.  
Martin Bejerano is another of the exciting new wave of
young modern jazz pianists. Welcome to the fold!
ONES TO WATCH:
KATE McGARRY      TARGET      Palmetto Records    
“We are witnessing the metamorphosis of Ms McGarry's
inventive, original style. She's  a jazz vocalist
achieving a higher plain every time on every
recording. It's her quest to be true to her art and
she's decided to take it on, 'body and soul.'
SUSAN PEREIRA AND SABOR BRASIL    TUDO AZUL     Riony
Records
“Susan Pereira continues the joyous tradition of the
bossa nova that's been a fabric of our pop jazz
culture from the sixties. Her singing, writing and
performing present a high level cultural sensitivity.”
DEBORAH COX         DESTINATION  MOON        Decca
Records
“Beautiful, charismatic, Deborah Cox, Toronto by
birth, and an extraordinary R&B talent with a recent
successful Broadway debut in Elton John's “Aida,” 
unfolds another chapter in her star bursting
stage/singing career with this tribute to the music of
Dinah Washington. Listen to “Misery” and believe this
lady can sing the blues with the best of them.”
WE ALL LOVE ELLA    CELEBRATING THE FIRST LADY OF SONG
  Verve Records
“A celebration of  Ella Fitzgerald as the ONE by
today's great contemporary, jazz, blues and R&B
artists, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, Queen Latifah, a
special duet with Hank Jones and Diana Krall, Lizz
Wright, Dianne Reeves, Etta James, Michael Bubble'
with a special highlight encore performance from New
Orleans in 1977 with Ella and Stevie Wonder. As Stevie
says: WE ALL LOVE ELLA! 
For another special treat, check out Nikki Yanofsky's
scat singing on “Airmail Special.”
JOHN PISANO'S GUITAR NIGHT        Mel Bay Records
“Guitar Night has been a feature for West Coast
guitarists since Donte's in North Hollywood in the
70's. John Pisano and Joe Pass began recording at the
club, along with other great guitarists who have
appeared there.  Since that time other L.A. area
venues have featured “Guitar Night,”most recently,
“Spazio's.” 
This is a compilation of those live performances
featuring legends of the jazz guitar, GeorgeVan Eps,
Herb Ellis, Joe Diorio, Chuck Berghofer, Barry Zweig,
Peter Bernstein, Larry Koonse and more.
Over the years, some of the best jazz guitarists have
been there, played there and are featured here in this
 special 'live' 2 cd. set, John Pisano's “Guitar
Night.”

Dick Crockett
“The Voice” 88.7fm
4623 T Street, Suite A
Sacramento, Ca. 95818-4743
audio streaming
Access Sacramento.org


       
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