Kenny Barron - Concentric Circles Year: 2018
Style or Subgenre: Mainstream Jazz, Jazz, Post Bop
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At first blush, if you're not really paying attention, this sounds like a straightforward contemporary mainstream jazz album. But there's a lot going on here, starting with some very creative chord progressions followed by highly sympathetic and superbly integrated ensemble playing and top notch soloing. After a half dozen listens now, it's just impossible to find fault with this album. I'm starting to think Kenny Barron belongs in that rare "can do no wrong" category.
Renee Rosnes - Renee Rosnes Year: 1989
Style or Subgenre: Hard Bop, Post Bop
Having so enjoyed Renee Rosnes's contributions to Kenny Greene's Beautiful Life, I resolved to check out some of her material as leader. Not knowing where to start, is simply started at the beginning with her self titled debut. Very nice. Very nice indeed. Rosnes often sounds like a more straight hard bop oriented follower of McCoy Tyner without the hard edges. It makes for a very nice listen. Generally a quartet, some tracks feature Ralph Bowen on tenor while others have Branford Marsalis on either tenor or soprano. Ron Carter tears it up on bass.
Carlos Franzetti - Galaxy Dust Year: 1981
Style or Subgenre: World Jazz, Symphonic Jazz, Fusion
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When this album kicked off with some exposed, crooning vocals, I thought I had picked the wrong item to listen to. But those vocals ended up drawing me in. Not straight crooning vocals, and not just jazz, the delivery reminded me of the occasional traditional type vocal that would show up on a fusion album such as Allan Holdsworth's Metal Fatigue. Yeah, this actually works.
The album then morphed into a proper instrumental album, but still defying easy categorization. It's jazz, but it's adult contemporary. It's loaded with strings, but straddling the line between pop string accompaniment and classical symphonic music. Franzetti's classical training was evident, especially as the various winds joined the party, but also evident was his love of jazz fusion, and the resulting blend was much to my liking. Most of all though, it was highly cinematic, like the soundtrack to an understated space rock opera.
The uniqueness of this album alone makes it worth a listen. That that uniqueness is so accessible yet intriguing makes it a very fine listen indeed.
Billie Holiday - The Ultimate Collection Recording Date: 1933 - 1958
Release Date: 2005
Style or Subgenre: Vocal Jazz
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I suspect this may be the most comprehensive retrospective of the career of the great Billie Holiday possible on a two-disc set. I'm not sure what happened though; Billie was my gateway to jazz vocal appreciation, but on this listen, I just wasn't getting it. Don't know if it was just my mood for the day or if my tastes have changed. I really can't imagine losing my love for her, so I'm going to assume the former.
Joshua Douglas Smith - Major Incident Year: 2003
Style or Subgenre: Contemporary Jazz, Post Bop
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Wow. I wasn't expecting this. Most songs start off like some very safe contemporary jazz, but they build not only in intensity, but also in complexity. Openings are straightforward tonic, but then some of Smith's sax solos take some unexpected melodic twists that keep my ear and mind engaged. The album is comfortable but without being boring. I think this is and artist worth learning more about as I get the impression he really has something to say.
Miles Davis - On the Corner Year: 1972
Style or Subgenre: Jazz-Funk, Fusion
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As interesting as the Joshua Douglas Smith album above was, I was hankering for something with a little more edge to it. At that point, it struck me that it had been quite a while since I spun On the Corner. And... viola... this hit the spot. Deliberately provocative music, but with a groove.
This was an album I went pretty much gaga over upon first hearing, but then subsequent listenings actually diminished my appreciation for a variety of reasons. But after a couple years absent from the turntable, it made a triumphant return today.
Obradovic Tixier Duo - The Boiling Stories of a Smoking Kettle Year: 2020
Style or Subgenre: Modern Creative
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The Obradovic Tixier duo is French pianist David Tixier and Croatian drummer Lada Obradovic.
A full album of piano and drums... and I loved the combo throughout. I'm not sure if I recall much such duo work in my past, but I definitely like it here. There are some spoken word and various gimmicks thrown in with mixed results, but when it's just the two instruments supporting each other in a weave that is both "loose" and "tight" at the same time, these two musicians really get it going, and get me going as well. Truly wonderful stuff.
Do u have any album reviews from 1956?! I'm hitting that year next and would love to include one of your reviews if that's cool.
Sure!
Not knowing what your preferences might be, I'll just share a combo of my faves and what appears to be some of the most acclaimed albums from that year (I've put the page number of this thread after each recommendation if you want to see my comments):
Duke Ellington - Ellington at Newport (7)
Horace Silver - Six Pieces of Silver (7)
Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners (7)
Charles Mingus - Pithicanthropus Erectus (45)
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers - The Jazz Messengers (56)
Kenny Burrell, et. al. - All Night Long (7)
Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus (7)
Kenny Dorham - Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia (78 )
Beverly Kenney - Come Swing With Me (41)
If you like Miles, check out any of the 5 albums I cover on page 7 (Round About Midnight, Relaxin', Steamin, Cookin', Relaxin', most recorded in '56 but released a year or two later)
There are more scattered about, but those are the biggies. Will point out more if you like.
Sure!
Not knowing what your preferences might be, I'll just share a combo of my faves and what appears to be some of the most acclaimed albums from that year (I've put the page number of this thread after each recommendation if you want to see my comments):
Duke Ellington - Ellington at Newport (7)
Horace Silver - Six Pieces of Silver (7)
Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners (7)
Charles Mingus - Pithicanthropus Erectus (45)
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers - The Jazz Messengers (56)
Kenny Burrell, et. al. - All Night Long (7)
Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus (7)
Kenny Dorham - Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia (78 )
Beverly Kenney - Come Swing With Me (41)
If you like Miles, check out any of the 5 albums I cover on page 7 (Round About Midnight, Relaxin', Steamin, Cookin', Relaxin', most recorded in '56 but released a year or two later)
There are more scattered about, but those are the biggies. Will point out more if you like.
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