J. J. Johnson - The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol 1 Year: 1953
Style or Subgenre: Bop
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J. J. Johnson - The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol 2 Year: 1954
Style or Subgenre: Bop
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Anyone who like trombone and who likes bop will be right at home in these excellent releases. Even if you're not big on trombone, there's plenty to love here with some excellent playing by Jimmy Heath on sax, Wynton Kelly on piano, Kenny Clarke on drums and Mingus himself on bass. Oh, and if that's not enough, Clifford Brown totally elevates the whole thing with his magnificent trumpet. J.J. Johnson may be eminent, but the whole ensemble is most distinguished!
Arnie Somogyi - Accident and Insurgency Year: 1953
Style or Subgenre: Post Bop
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This was a joyous discovery. The opening "Walking Wounded" is a varied, multiple movement feeling seven moment that takes the listener through a satisfying series of moods in both composed and improvised material. Eddie Henderson, an elder statesman by the time of this 2007 session, bring all the wisdom and expression of his many years into his compact, expressive solo. The rest of the ensemble, comprised of bassist Somogyi's regular quintet aside from Henderson, are also in excellent form bringing together this unique if not highly exploratory post bop session to fruition. Somogyi himself plays a wonderful bass across a nice variety of moods and styles throughout the album. Excellent songs delivered with conviction by sympathetic musicians. This disc is a winner.
Junko Onishi - Cruisin' Year: 1993
Style or Subgenre: Piano Jazz
A second most joyous discovery today! Even more so actually. Not only is the opening cut, Eulogia, another killer way to kick off an album, the rest of the album keeps up the almost impossible pace set by the opener. But That opener! Holy canoli, what a great piece of piano trio jazz! Now full disclosure, I hear some quality McCoy Tyner influence here in Onishi's playing and Tyner is my absolutely number #1 jazz pianist and I'm favorably predisposed to begin with anytime I hear something from his school, at least so long as it is well presented. Well, this is indeed exceptionally well presented, and not in the sense of copying or even homage; Onishi is definitely her own artist through and through, so the Tynerisms I hear are still fresh and quite singular in Onishi's personal style. Oh, and nothing but goodness comes from her having the great Billy Higgins at her side on the kit.
Definitely give this a go if you like piano trio jazz, piano jazz of any makeup, Tyner in any phase or composition, or heck, just if you like music, period! No reason I wouldn't recommend this fantastic album to just about anyone. Yes, I'm smitten.
Hugh Ragin - Feel the Sunshine Recording Date: 2001
Release Date: 2002
Style or Subgenre: Post Bop, Contemporary Jazz
This one came by way of suggestion, and I'm glad it did. There's some truly sublime music on this album. Imagine the serenity that the most ardent new age albums attempt to achieve arriving through a jazz lens cut by some of the world's finest musicians. Hugh Ragin's trumpet is sweet and the input of saxophonist Assif Tsahar is marvelous, but never more so than when he plays bass clarinet! His tone and phrasing on the latter instrument is totally in the moment with Tabin's compositions (as well as his arrangements of covers). Craig Taborn's contributions here also can not be overstated; he's just perfect in every way. The 13 minute title cut is a gentle, buoyant wave that gives me a feeling of weightlessness and connectedness. That marvelous song follows the the opening cut, a most mellifluous take on the standard Caravan. It's always a joy when someone really brings new life to an old war horse like that one. The ensemble can drop a nice blues into the mix as with "Hugh's Blues" or go moderately to seriously funky as with "Gulf Coast Groove" and Freedom Jazz Dance." The variety of styles, tones, and moods on this album is well mixed and sequenced.
The Shaolin Afronauts - Flight of the Ancients
Year: 2011
Style or Subgenre: Afrobeat
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I'm no expert on Afrobeat which is how The Shaolin Afronauts are generally categorized (although they aren't afraid to include myriad other influences including avant garde jazz), but this here is hot stuff, no matter how you label it. I can hear the best of the '70s in there and in this case, that's a huge positive. Monster groove, heavy funk, massive rhythm, solid musicianship, and plenty of soul. The grooves are so relentless that it can be tiring to listen to the whole thing nonstop. There is a ballad, but it's sequenced last and would have made a nice palette cleanser midway. That said, I would love to see these guys live!
Hal Schaefer - Brilliant! Year: 2011
Style or Subgenre: Piano Jazz
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I approached this album rather dubiously largely due to the three rather questionable bits of hype in big letters on the cover: "World Class Pianist," "This is Duke Ellington's Protege Today" and of course the album title itself, exclamation point and all.
Blatant, seemingly desperate attempts at marketing aside, it turns out this actually is an excellent piano jazz album. Most of the titles are familiar standards, but Scheafer's approach is fresh and vital. I hear more creativity each time I listen to it. If one can set aside the superficial new age style photo and the hyperbole of the album cover and just focus on the music itself independent of other imagery, this is an excellent listen.
Bill Frisell - Unspeakable Year: 2004
Style or Subgenre: Fusion, Avant Garde, Soul Jazz
Bill Frisell - History Mystery Year: 2008
Style or Subgenre: Chamber Jazz, Folk Jazz, Post Bop
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This afternoon just felt like a mandatory Bill Frisell kind of afternoon and these three discs (History Mystery is a double) really hit the spot. Unspeakable starts of as if it's going to be overly reliant on heavy handed beats, but Frisell uses the groove so effectively as a foundation for melodic exploration and modulation that the album retains a soulful groove without ever become repetitious or cliché in any way. He also tosses some avant gardisms on top of it all, creating a truly unique and compelling listen. It seems as if all Frisell's creativity is on full display here, making this one of my more favored albums.
For History Mystery, Frisell largely eschews the groove in favor of a more earthy, organic approach, but with a touch of eerie edginess on many of the cuts that make up the sprawling 90 minute, 30 part suite. Much of the mood comes from the ample use of fiddle, giving the album a distinctly country flavor, but again never in a standard or chichéd way. For me, country is usually an automatic disqualifier, but Frisell's use of the idiom here is nothing short of brilliant. You can hear the masterful integration of his myriad influences and means of expression and once again, it seems he's putting all his creativity on display, this time in an even more compelling way, if that's even possible. Over 90 magnificent minutes, with not a second wasted or second-guessed.
Joe Albany - All The Things You Are Year: 1973
Style or Subgenre: Bop, Piano Jazz
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Joe Albany - Portrait of an Artist Year: 1973
Style or Subgenre: Bop, Piano Jazz
Birdtown Birds is not generally considered a strong outing from Pianist Joe Albany and his trio. He does come across rather ham fisted at times, but his trio is exuberant and I still enjoyed it, rough edges and all. Portrait of an Artist from almost a decade later reintroduces some of the finesse Albany was capable of and makes for a better album as a result.
Blue Mitchell - Big 6 Year: 1958
Style or Subgenre: Hard Bop
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Blue Mitchell has a marvelous ability to fuse a sharp attack on the trumpet with a sort of flowing lyricism. That talent is on full display here on Big 6, his first album as leader. Aside from Mitchell, this is an excellent lineup with solid contributions all around with special note to Wynton Kelly on Piano and Philly Joe Jones on drums keeping the rhythm section swinging. I love having the 'bone in the front line and while this may not be Curtis Fuller's most inspired date, he's still super solid and most welcome. Also keeping the front line on fire, some of Johnny Griffin's solos are utterly magnificent.
Thad Jones - Motor City Scene Year: 1959
Style or Subgenre: Hard Bop
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A nice if less than amazing hard bop outing here. There's just four songs, three in the 9-minute range, so it's not a long album, but not the shortest either. The swinging team of Tommy Flanagan (piano), Paul Chamber (bass), and Elvin Jones (drums) makes for a killer rhythm section. The front line isn't always as inspired, but still worth a listen. In a reversal of usual trends, my favorite cut was the closing "No Refill," which is both the shortest song and the only ballad.
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