Making Beautiful Music in a Converted Japanese Farm House :Vocalist Sinne Eeg and Pianist Jacob Christoffersen : SHIKIORI

Sinne Eeg And Jacob Christofferssen: SHIKIORI: Stunt Records

I have been a fan of the Danish vocalist Sinne Eeg since I came across her 2015 Stunt Records album Eeg-Fonnesbaek which was a spectacular duo with the bassist Thomas Fonnesbaek. I later reviewed her equally impressive album Dreams from 2017, which she recorded with Danish pianist Jacob Christoffersen and with an excellent American band consisting of guitarist Larry Koonze, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Joey Barron. You can find that review here. If you haven't yet gotten hip to the talent of this vocalist you need to take a listen to her new album.

Eeg's latest release is titled Shikiori, and is a collaboration with the pianist Jacob Christoffersen, who has worked together with Eeg for over twenty years.  After such a long time working together, it's a wonder that this album, Shikiori, a duo album and the first the two have released with both of their names as co-headliners, took this long to happen. 

The title Shikiori is a poetic Japanese word that loosely means  "weaving of the four seasons."  Eeg and Christoffersen's album seems to successfully weave a tapestry of sounds, styles and sentiments to great effect. Shikiori also happens to be the name of a 140 year Japanese farmhouse that bassist Seigo Matsunaga has restored and converted into a top-notch recording studio and intimate performance venue. It is reportedly a special place amidst rice fields and mountains that allows for peaceful reflection and creative inspiration. Matsunaga has said it was his intention to "...create a place where the heart returns." Apparently, the bassist has been successful in his quest, as other important artists, like the talented Tigran Hamaysan, the amazing Armenian jazz pianist, has used the venue as a tranquil stop on his Japanese tour in 2023.

If it is true that artistic creation does not confine itself to artificially created  boundaries, than Eeg and Christoffersen have done their part to create an album that follows its own muse. They have chosen twelve songs, mostly from diverse sources, upon which to place their own imprimatur, creating their own impressive aural tapestry.

The opener "Losing You," is a composition penned by Eeg with Danish pop star Søren Sko. It is a beautiful bittersweet song of lost love that features Eeg's dynamic and heartfelt vocals accompanied by Christoffersen's sumptuous piano. Critic Dan Bilawsky of AAJ   wrote  the duo presents "...their own brand of quiet-storm soul" on this one and I have to agree.

The album features three compositions by Eeg and Christoffersen that seem to be inspired by the setting of the recording and Japanese folk-song tradition. The first is titled "Hebi," a word that means snake in Japanese. The snake can symbolize growth of wisdom or personal transformation. Christoffersen opens the song with a beautifully subdued piano entrée that creates an ethereal background upon which Eeg can provide her gorgeous wordless vocalizing. The pianist's touch is quite elegant. Sinne's voice is exquisitely pliable and resonant, and she creates a vapor-like essence. You are floating in the cosmos of your mind here.

The Soba flower is the white blossoms of the buckwheat plant. The buckwheat grain is used to make Soba noodles, a traditional Japanese dish, and fittingly "Soba Flower" is another Christoffersen creation for this recording. The composition has a cycling, vamp-like, folk-inspired pianistic theme upon which Eeg sings in Japanese. Quite fetching.

"Soba" is a reprise of the previous "Soba Flower," this time with Eeg wordlessly vocalizing in-synch with Christoffersen's repeating piano lines. The two have a telepathic connection that allows the improvised element of this music to enfold organically. Just beautiful.

The remainder of the album features a commanding performance of the  challenging, but rewarding, Billy Strayhorn's  composition "Lush Life." The song is harmonically challenging and has often stymied singers, most notably Frank Sinatra. Sinatra, who while once attempting to record it, stopped midway through the session, unhappy with his read of the complex arrangement. He would put it off, never revisiting the chance to record the song. Eeg has no such problem. Having a palpable rapport with her pianist, Eeg becomes the consummate storyteller. Her command of the song's pathos is superb. Her voice captures the loneliness and disillusionment that the music evokes. It's hard to believe a then sixteen year old Strayhorn penned this mature beauty.  Sinne's delivery is so matter of fact convincing that it's like she has the listener in the palm of her hand. Worth the price of admission.

The duo does a jaunty take on David Wheat/Bill Loughborough's "Better Than Anything." The album continues with Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim's heartfelt love song "Maria" from the Broadway hit West Side Story. Eeg and Christofferson give this beautiful ballad their own interpretation with warmth, sensitivity and heart. There is no doubt this woman can sing, capturing the emotional soul that the music deserves. Just listen to her as she brilliantly executes the gorgeously inspired coda. 

Other songs on the album include a showtime-like delivery of Gershwin's "But Not For Me." A delightful take on Christoffersen and Hansen' "Seems Like Yesterday" where Eegs' fluid wordless vocalese is on display, and soulful take on  Christoffersen and Freeman's " A Second Chance." 

Two other favorites are Sinne's take on Annie Lennox's "Cold," originally heard on Lennox's Diva from 1992. Eeg's proves that despite her jazz proclivities, she proves that popular music in the hands of a vocalist with talent and creativity can always find inspiration in good material. 

The gorgeous Eeg composition "Don't Be So Blue," was originally recorded on her album of the same name from Red Dot Records released in 2010. It just kills at how much emotion this woman can project. The band on that album included Christoffersen on piano, the talented bassist Morten Ramsbøl, and the drummer Morten Lund. This new album's version maybe missing some of the trio's beautifully textured accompaniment from the 2010 recording, but her voice is just as powerfully evocative and emotive. Christoffersen's piano work is lush and moving and his accompaniment with Eeg is superb. These two make beautiful music. Need I say more, what on earth are you waiting for?

Béla Fleck and the Flecktones Live at Portland's Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Aug 29, 2025

 

Anytime the master banjoist and eclectic composer Béla Fleck comes to town it is a special occasion. His constant quest to expand his instrument's possibilities has led this musician to collaborate with some of the most diverse of  fellow musicians  that come from the diverse genres including bluegrass, Americana, jazz, fusion, rock, classical and world music. He is truly a man who doesn't see boundaries. It was an especially rewarding happening when Fleck and his fantastic Flecktones graced Portland's elegant Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall this past Friday and wowed the full house with a variety of his genre-bending music. 

This was my first visit to the Schnitzer, a beautiful venue that seats 2776  and that was originally named the Portland Publix Theater when it opened in 1928. It later became the Paramount Theater in 1930. 

It is the last theater that has survived along Broadway, once the home of many more theaters over the years. Over its life, the theater went through years of disrepair and sustained some earthquake damage. In the early 1970s the theater was leased for an extended term to use the venue as a music concert venue. Eventually the exterior of the building received a Landmark status in 1972 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The Paramount was purchased by the City of Portland in 1980 in a condemnation proceeding. Arlene Schnitzer and her husband Harold were generous contributors to the subsequent restoration project and in 1984, when it was re-opened, it was named for Arlene. With all this history, the theatre, sometimes fondly known as the "Schnitz",  has been a vital part of Portland's vibrant arts community for nearly one-hundred years!

Howard Levy, Victor Wooten, Béla Fleck and Roy "Future Man" Wooten on stage at the Snitzer on Aug 29, 2025

In keeping with its illustrious history, it was just another jewel in the theater's tiara to have landed Béla, and his virtuosic bandmates, for this performance in Portland. Fleck is the principal leader/composer of the Flecktones. The group was assembled for their first performance on PBS-TV's  The Lonesome Pine Specials in 1988. The original members of Flecktones -Fleck on banjos/composition , Howard Levy on piano and harmonica, Victor Wooten on electric bass and brother Roy "Future Man" Wooten on his electric Synthaxe Drumitar and percussion,-recently reunited for this year's North American tour, which runs through December of this year.

The group opened up with "Frontiers," a rousing Fleck composition from the 1990 album Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. The music featured a twangy opening with Howard Levy on a Jew's harp, creating a drone-like background before his bandmates pick up this lively music. Béla deftly banjo picks his way into a  hoedown-like theme. The quartet add funky breaks and fabulous, albeit brief, solo features. Victor and Roy anchor the throbbing theme like a mind-melded duo, and Howard changes over to his emotive harp that soars in the air like a clarion. The audience respond enthusiastically.

This group were in their element with this Portland audience and it showed in the verve with which they all played. There is palpable interconnectivity amongst these musicians and in turn with the audience and the band, and it makes the experience uplifting and joyful. As Howard Levy said to the audience, "It was good to be back to Portlandia."

The set had a thirty-minute intermission and included eighteen songs that covered such favorites as the afore-mentioned "Frontiers" "Flying Saucer Dudes" and        "Turtle Rock" from Flight of the Cosmic Hippo from 1991, and Fleck's "Juno" a single from his three movement concerto that he collaborated with Chick Corea and which commemorates the birth of his son. He wrote it while stuck on the road when his son was born.

The music, at times, felt like you were hearing a hybrid hoedown that had the injection of pure virtuosic improvisation including elements of jazz, rock, bluegrass. world music and pure exploration.

After the intermission, the band continued with "Big Country" from the Left of Cool album from 1998. This was originally played with Jeff Coffin on soprano saxophone, in a reconfigured band that happened when Levy left for a period. On this version, Levy skillfully takes over what was Coffin's part on the record, this time using his amazing diatonic harmonica skills that defies normal limitations. Just a smashing rendition that lacked for nothing.

Levy opened "True North," from the UFO TOFU album from 1992, with either a fife or penny whistle. This Fleck composition borrows its folk feel from Irish folk music. Its a 3/4 waltz that has a whimsical sense of searching for direction while maintaining awareness of your true north, presumably home. The song uses a  reflective bass solo by Wooten to bring the coda to a resolution of the wandering implied.

Individually, each of the musicians were given a chance to be highlighted at certain features in the concert. There is no lack of virtuosity in each of these talents.

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (photo credit unknown)

Béla was largely supportive, building themes with flawless execution and seamless

rhythmic alterations. His facility is clean and quick and his creativity is almost limitless. His banjo was featured on his version of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" which was simply exquisite.

Victor Wooten wowed the audience with a feature where he used a "looper" pedal that allowed him to build repeating lines on his electric bass. He played against them, layering one level after another.

Howard Levy is famous for being able to play a single key diatonic harmonica and bend his notes in such a way that it is almost like a chromatic harmonica. He was shown being able to rhythmically accompany himself as he maintained fluid improvisation on the melody while playing both simultaneously. Besides his peerless harmonica playing, Howard is a talented pianist who accompanies brilliantly.

Roy "Future Man" Wooten, had a featuring his SythAxe Drumitar, an instrument he has created and pioneered.  It allows him to be portable, wearing the instrument and using his hands on pads that create drum sounds electronically. He also won over the audience with his melodic voice on Fleck's "Sunset Road" which was originally played without lyrics on the album Bela Fleck and the Flecktones from 1990.

The group played a World Music inspired piece that may have once been derived from an  improvisation on his "Middle Eastern Medley" which Fleck released on a solo album from 1992. It also had elements of Greek Bouzaki music. Fleck's is so deft on his electric banjo that he can sound almost like he is playing an Indian sitar.

The group finished the set with the crowd pleasing "Sinister Minister" also from the 1990 album that featured some creative work by Victor and his fleet fingered bass.

With the audience wanting more, the band returned for an encore playing the signature title piece from Flight of the Cosmic Hippo with Victor's famous lopping bass line. What more could you ask for? Great band, great show! If you have a chance to catch Béla and his group on this tour, which you can check out the details here, don't hesitate to go, you won't be disappointed. If you haven't checked Béla's other group still also on tour BEATrio which I reviewed here, then do not hesitate people. Talent like this is too good to miss.

Ben Wolfe, George Colligan and Aaron Kimmel Bring Swing, Melodicism and Edge to Portland's 1905 Jazz Club

George Colligan, Ben Wolfe and Aaron Kimmel at 1905 Jazz Club 

The musician/educator Ben Wolfe had a two night stand at Portland's 1905 Jazz Club this past weekend. Wolfe is a New York-based bassist and is on the faculty at the prestigious Julliard School of Music. He has been a prolific composer and band leader for several years, and its a real pleasure to see this swinging and exuberant bassist perform in person out here in the Pacific Northwest. 

Wolfe brought along his regular drummer, the talented Aaron Kimmel, and enlisted one of Portland's best, the progressive pianist George Colligan, to round out his trio. Wolfe's last two Resident Artists releases, Unjust from 2023 and The Understated, which was named part of Notes On Jazz Best of List for 2024, were both well received by the public and the critics. 

Wolfe's musical and recording history, has found him in productive associations with the crooner Harry Connick Jr., the pianist/vocalist Diana Krall and with leader/trumpeter Wynton Marsalis as a member of the Jazz at Lincoln Centers Band, to name just a few. His albums are almost exclusively comprised of self-composed material. 

Wolfe's playing has been once compared to “Mingus and Miles Davis meet Bartok and Bernard Herrmann” by NY Times Ben Ratliff. There is a certain sense that Wolfe deftly brings together some of the elements of swing with a lush melodicism in his music that retains its modernity and edge. To some degree, he accomplished this delicate balancing act by compositional acumen and by his astute choice of forward thinking musicians to present his music.  Albums like Unjust ,The Understated  and his PosiTone record The Whisperer from 2015, found Wolfe aligned with such progressive band mates as Nicholas Payton and Josh Evans on trumpet, Immanuel Wilkins, Stacy Dillard, and Nicole Glover on saxophones, Joel Ross on Vibes, and Orrin Evans and Sullivan Fortner on piano. Wolfe knows how to mine talent and uses their strengths to make his music more vibrant and accessible.

On this night, Wolfe, Colligan and Kimmel went through nine of the bassist's compositions, many currently untitled. The opener was unannounced, but was opened by a swinging bass line by Wolfe. This man can swing. Colligan keyed in on Wolfe's facially  animated bass lines and Kimmel's savvy percussive pulse, before breaking out with some exquisite pianistic lines that just gracefully dance across the keyboard. Always fluid, Colligan offered some chunky, block-chording, ala Red Garland, for emphasis. Kimmel was given a drum feature that demonstrated just how expressive a simple snare, a crash cymbal and a kick bass could provide in the right hands.

The second song was a 3/4 ballad that might have been Wolfe's "Love Is Near" and featured Ben's buoyant 3/4 bass and Colligan's gorgeous piano work.

Wolfe announced the next "Always Four," apparently a new song soon to be included on an upcoming album as yet to be named. This 4/4 burner featured a quick staccato pace that included quick-stops, accentuated by the trio in concurrent synchronicity. Colligan matched his fellow bandmates moves seamlessly and the trio managed to make it all seem telepathic.

The music continued with Wolfe labeling one piece as a "Waltz #2 for a nonet", a graceful waltz with Ben maintaining the flow and Colligan embellishing the music with surprising lines and gorgeous chords. Another loosely titled composition by Wolfe he jokingly titled  "Fast Quintet,'' again from his upcoming album, was a 8/8 paced cooker that had the bassist at his most facile.

"If Only" is a moving ballad originally released on Wolfe's The Whisperer from 2015.  Originally it featured the expressive Stacy Dillard on soprano saxophone. This time, Wolfe took the lead as the solo instrumentalist, beautifully rendering the ballad with only Kimmel's brush work accompanying. 

"Blue or Blueish," as Wolfe jokingly called the next number, was a Monk-like piece that featured Colligan at his most expressive.

"Masked Man," supposedly a song inspired by the sardonic, late comic Lenny Bruce, was originally released on the album Unjust, and had featured a quick pace. A horn section of Payton on trumpet and Glover on tenor made the piece crack. On this take at the 1905 stage, Wolfe set the punctuated bass line driving the pulse as Kimmel stabbed and jabbed at his kit. Colligan was the feature here. He added another Monk-like attack at times that had an inventive angularity to it. Lenny Tristano was another influence that came to my mind as Colligan seemed to be tapping the ether on this one. Wolfe had one of his own more substantial bass solo features of the evening. As a player Wolfe isn't flashy, but his countenance has a joyous patina when he plays, and the music resonates and absorbs that vibe he emanates. 

The set ended with a pleasant, softly played Bossa and a more aggressive piece, as yet unnamed, that continued to demonstrate the virtuosity of these fine musicians. The set ended with the audience applauding for the band, appreciating the opportunity to get a chance to experiencing such an excellent set of music. It is often believed that top talent jazz can only be truly experienced in musical meccas like NYC, LA, Boston and Nashville, but as this set of music proved, there is nothing stopping us from having top notch music right here in Portland. Thank you 1905 Jazz Club. Come out and support local jazz.

Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda and Antonio Sanchez Defy Genres on "BEATrio"

 

BEATrio-Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda and Antonio Sanchez- Fleck Productions

The American Banjo master Béla Fleck was born in New York City in 1958. His full name, Béla Anton Leoš Fleck, is a combination of three of his father’s favorite classical composers, the Hungarian Béla Bartok, the Austrian Anton Webern, and the Czech Leoš Janacek. With such a namesake imposed on the young Fleck, there is no wonder why he has found his path creating a new level of respectability for his unlikely instrument through his inventiveness, imagination and virtuosity.

Fleck didn’t take up the banjo until he was fifteen, after a failed run at mastering the French horn. He was initially inspired by the bluegrass sounds of Earl Scruggs that he heard on the theme of the show The Beverly Hillbillies which ran on national television from 1962 through 1971. The song “Dueling Banjos” which was played for the 1972 film Deliverance by Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell also made its impression.

Never satisfied with just brilliant mastery of his six-string acoustic/electric banjo, or with the artificially created boundaries that limit the banjo to its bluegrass roots, the genre-bending Fleck has envisioned expanding the possibilities where his instrument could be creatively used and succeeded.

Over the years, Fleck went beyond his bluegrass projects that included his groups like Tasty Licks, Spectrum and New Grass Revival, and his duet project with mandolinist Chris Thile. In 1988 he formed his jazz/fusion/Americana inspired group Béla Fleck and the Flecktones with Howard Levy, Victor Wooten and Roy Wooten. Despite many sojourns along the way, the group is reuniting this season, now celebrating close to forty years of collaboration. Fleck would create classical projects, like his double concerto for banjo and bass with bassist Edgar Meyer, where the two played their debut with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. Béla also created a trio concerto for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, this time with bassist Meyer and the late table master Zakir Hussain. Insatiably driven to create for his instrument and to obliterate boundaries, Fleck collaborated and toured with the late piano master Chick Corea on three duet albums, "The Enchantment", the live recording "Two" and "Remembrance" between 2015 and 2024. With all this on his plate and an astounding nineteen Grammy awards under his belt, Fleck has time to have a continuing banjo duet collaboration with his wife and fellow banjo player/singer-songwriter Abagail Washburn. These two artists are also parents and are raising two sons in the Nashville area.

Antonio Sanchez, Edmar Castañeda, Béla Fleck 

Fleck’s newest group collaboration BEATrio is an acronym for the members first names, Béla, Edgar, and Antonio. Edgar is the Colombian harpist Edgar Castañeda whose has leant his brilliant virtuosity on this instrument to jazz and pop projects that featured Wynton Marsalis, Paquito D’Rivera, John Scofield and Sting. His heavenly harp work can also be heard on the Disney animated film Encanto from 2023.

Antonio Sanchez is a fluid drummer/percussionist, originally from Mexico City, whose work has previously been seen as a member of guitarist Pat Metheny’s Trio with bassist Christian McBride between 2005 through 2008. He has also worked with the late pianist Chick Corea, with rockers Trent Reznor and Dave Mathews, and has composed and played the drum-based musical score for Alejandro Iñárritu’s 2014 film Birdman.

This latest project, BEATrio, is just one more piece in the genre-defying puzzle that seems to drive Fleck’s musical aspirations. He has said that it is often rhythm that drives his playing, and he is often aware of how an orchestral scope to his work makes it more expansive. These elements are clearly on display on this collaborative album.

There is a global feel to this album. The three instruments seem to melt together in a symbiotic, organic way. There are elements of bluegrass, jazz, fusion and world music on display on this album. It’s a cultural feast of styles, sounds and colors that can’t be ignored.

The opener “Archipelago” sways with a Latin inspired feel. The rhythmic drive comes from a bass line that is maintained by Castañeda’s facile left hand and Sanchez’s deft percussive accompaniment. Fleck’s melodic banjo weaves in and out like a hummingbird quickly hovering over the nectar flower of the enticing melody. Just beautiful.

The group got a chance to work out some of the kinks on this mostly collaborated music when they performed at NYC’s Blue Note Jazz Club in 2024. “Each night felt like an adventure,” says Castañeda, “and it was special to see the audience experience the music’s evolution.”

“Pellucidar” is a stop/ start piece that seems to have the feel of theme to a detective mystery. Sanchez’s cadenced drum work and Castañeda’s harp create the stepped rhythm as Fleck’s banjo dances across the floor. Castañeda’s harp has a weightless feel as he explores the tonal possibilities of his instrument. Sanchez is particularly creative in his rhythmic magic that he skillfully manipulates seamlessly.

“Kaleidoscopes” is exactly that, a rhythmic and tonal Kaleidoscope that has an Afro-Caribbean dance feel. The trio move in synch with virtuosic sections that show joyous and impossibly fleet lines from three artists at the top of their game. Fleck’s Banjo lines are clean, precise and Castañeda’s harp hums with celestial buzz. Sanchez’s trap work is perfectly timed and explosively expressive. If this doesn’t raise your pulse, then see a doctor.

“Countryside” perhaps comes the closest to Fleck’s bluegrass roots, but even with a name like Countryside, Castañeda’s harp, Sanchez’s drum work and Fleck’s otherworldly banjo makes you believe this music is at home at a location that could be anywhere in the world. A feast of music cultures, colors and ideas combined so skillfully that it is a class by itself.

“Cloak and Dagger” is the most cinematic of the compositions. The music walks you through a scene of suspense and mystery. You feel you are sneaking around trying your best not to being discovered by the evil forces. Fleck spells out the theme and Castañeda has the dual role of bass lines from his left hand and harmony with his right hand. Castañeda eventually gets a chance to show his own expressiveness when he trades ideas in a give and take with Fleck. Sanchez takes his turn to make his own percussive statement close to the coda. This one is fun!

“Whispers of Resilience” opens with some slow, softly played string sounds from Castañeda before being matched by Fleck’s banjo strings. The trio create a wispy, hushed approach to creating the almost whispered, repeating melody. The three slightly intensify their playing in a sustained tonal approach to a simple melody. The cut seems to strangely end abruptly on my copy.

The album continues with “Coda” and its repeated, descending Banjo lines that send us to a peaceful place with sensitive playing by Fleck and some shimmering cymbal work by Sanchez. Castañeda maintains a steady bass line that anchors the piece.

“Walnut and Western” could easily be a theme song to a whimsical spaghetti western. Castañeda’s harp projects with sounds that seem to be from a fairy tale and Sanchez’s adds propulsion and fire. Fleck’s banjo creates a sustained whirl of sound, the armature of this song’s structure.

As the title implies, “Three Is Not a Crowd” is almost like a proclamation about how these guys feel playing together. The three work in synch, repeating each other’s line like musical Swiss movements. They change up the rhythmic time effectively always keeping the listener on their toes. Fleck and Castañeda exchange improvisational ideas like they share the same mind and Sanchez maintains a rhythm that just ebbs and flows as the music requires.

The album ends with “Hooligan Harbor” a stirring collaboration that has a driving beat that has some of the audaciousness of Irish folk music. You feel yourself getting up and doing a jig. Castañeda’s harp almost does a bass solo before allowing the higher register of his instrument to cover you with a blanket of joyous plucked notes. Fleck, always at his best when in his element, plays with vigor and panache that often accompanies Irish folk or dancelike bluegrass style music. Sanchez offers a powerful solo with rolling tom-tom and splashing cymbal work that just kills it.

“Touch and Go” is a bluegrass inspired hootenanny. Castañeda creates waves of flourishing notes against Fleck’s bubbling banjo and Sanchez creates the percussive counterpoint. Get ready to kick up your heels.

The Elegant Piano of a Storyteller. Ted Rosenthal Trio- "High Standards"

 

Ted Rosenthal Trio: High Standards-TMR Music

New York based Ted Rosenthal is a lyrical pianist whose work is often admired for his facile skill, invention, and conversationalist qualities. The man has the rare  ability to elegantly transform the jazz canon into a storytelling experience, and I compare his style to the great Tommy Flanagan, whose playing comes to mind as an influence. 

Rosenthal studied classical piano and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Manhattan School of Music in performance. Rosenthal’s love of jazz never left his soul. He studied with pianists Jaki Byard and Lennie Tristano, besides playing with such luminaries as Gerry Mulligan, Phil Woods and Bill Brookmeyer amongst others.

I first got to hear Rosenthal with his working trio of Noriko Ueda on bass and Tim Horner on drums, in a small, unmemorable hideaway in Mamaroneck, NY sometime back in the nineteen-nineties. Or was it the early two-thousands? No matter, at the time I was impressed by just how effervescent, joyful and elegant this pianist's performance was. Time together had honed the trio to develop an uncanny sixth sense for where Rosenthal’s fertile mind might lead and the results were top notch.

Besides his trio, solo and session work, Rosenthal has spent many of his subsequent years educating the next pianistic generation as a faculty member at his alma mater, The Manhattan School of Music, at Julliard, and at The New School jazz programs.

His latest album, High Standards, released in March of this year, is a thoroughly enjoyable, just under sixty-five-minute, nine-selection recording of some memorable standards by such composers as Bernstein/Sondheim, Carmichael/Mercer, and Van Heusen/Burke to name a few.

Rosenthal opens with Leonard Bernstein's “Jet Song,” from the show West Side Story. Rosenthal is joined by the bassist Martin Wind and his long-time drummer Tim Horner. The trio offers a playful jaunt through this energized music that was linked to a splendid dance number in the musical. Rosenthal dances on his keyboard, Wind punctuates the bravado sentiment and provides some arco poignancy, and Horner cadences the steps on his trap set to the point that you can see the gang members dance in your mind's eye.

Carmichael’s “Skylark” has been a favorite of improvisers for over eighty years. Rosenthal’s piano intro is a miniature masterful melodic statement that radiates with splendor before the trio joins with an expansive, soft swing. Wind offers a plucky bass solo as Horner deftly adds complimentary brush work. Rosenthal’s piano, never predictable, finds multiple ways to explore the melody by using dynamics and rhythmic changes.

“Old Devil Moon” is a Burton Lane composition that finds Rosenthal with his long-time bassist Noriko Ueda and drummer Quincy Davis. The three use a staccato rhythmic approach here that features some impressive bass pizzicato work in synch with some syncopated trap work, along with piano accents. Rosenthal can swing with the best of them, or he can provide stunning ascending and descending lines that flow from his keyboard like warm butter on hot pancakes. The music is energized and joyful. There are some creative exchanges between Ueda’s bass and Rosenthal’s piano, a treat that reveals just how well these two bandmates know each other.

The music continues with “Everything That Happens to Me,” originally played by Tommy Dorsey’s Orchestra and sung by Frank Sinatra. The song also found versions popularized by voices like Billie Holiday and Chet Baker. Rosenthal expresses the thematic emotions of despair, loneliness, and the resolve of being on the wrong side of fate, with his own sensitive pianistic interpretation of this Matt Dennis composition.  A warm pizzicato solo by Wind is another feature.

Johnny Van Heusen’s “It Could Happen to You” offers hope, surprise, and romantic optimism in contrast to the previous composition.  Rosenthal cleverly changes the mood and treats this one with a more upbeat swing. Whatever the mood of the composition evokes, Rosenthal has the tools to explore these emotions. If the pianist feels joy in the music, he transmits that joy through to the listener using embellishment, tone and rhythmic variation. As a listener, the essence of the music is told to you aurally, but it is almost like the story is being conveyed visually. Erroll Garner was a master at this and so is Rosenthal.

The remainder of the album includes “To Life.” Marvin Hamlisch’s “One,” “Lover Man” made famous by Billie Holiday and Tom McIntosh’s “The Cup Bearer.”

The two trios were recorded on separate dates in July and August of 2024 and each offer their own special moments as they interact with the pianist. Ted Rosenthal’s playing has gotten even better over the years. His splendid command of the material and the bottomless depth of the man’s creative well from which he draws makes High Standards a delightful album that offers the listener hours of enjoyment.

Tessa Souter Offers Some Enchanting Music from French Composer Erik Satie and More on "Shadows and Silence"

 

Tessa Souter-Shadows and Silence- The Erik Satie Project-NOANARA

The chanteuse Tessa Souter released her latest album Shadows and Silence- The Erik Satie Project on the NOANARA label on July 1, 2025. Having been a follower and fan of this stylistic vocalist, this may be the best of her releases to date.

Souter’s theme is the artistry of the classical composer/pianist Erik Satie, whose eccentric and minimalist approach to western music may have been an inspiration to the subsequent modal jazz and ambient music trends. Despite the influence to jazz and ambient genres, there is a great deal of classical, albeit modern, influence on this record.

Souter has the soul of a lyricist, and it is on display in spades on this album. She takes several songs from Satie-Gymnopedic No 1, No 2, Vexations, and No 3, Gnossienne No 1, No 2, and No 3- and retitles them with lyrics. She pens lyrics about love, loss, transience, fluidity, beauty and the futility of thinking you can capture the ever-changing present, and peace. This thoughtful compilation shows respect for the music of an artist whose work was so influential. My first exposure was back in the early seventies, when I fell in love with the Blood, Sweat, & Tears version of their Variations on Theme 1^st and 2^nd movements from Gymnopedic No 1, as arranged by multi-instrumentalist Dick Halligan and recorded by the jazz/rock band back in 1968.

On Souter’s version of this composition, she renames this lyric version “Rayga’s Song,” in dedication to the birth of bassist Yasushi Nakamura’s son, which happened during a snowfall. She is accompanied by Luis Perdomo’s delicate piano work and Steve Wilson’s soaring soprano saxophone. Bassist Nakamura’s plucky bass solo offers his own poignant comment. Souter’s lyrics and her sincere voice bring the element of hopeful love, to this piece that revels in the promise of a new life into this otherwise haunting piece.

Satie’s Gnossienne No1 was retitled with lyrics as Souter’s “A Song for You” (not to be confused by the Leon Russell song by the same name). On this one Souter tells the story of a disguised lover who hides his true intention and the effects it had on his befallen lover. Drummer Billy Drummond’s beat is hypnotic, Perdomo’s piano is splendid and Nakamura’s bass throbs like a beating heart.

Souter even knits in a song that recalls a Paul Gaugin painting of the same name “Du’O Venons-Nous” based on Satie’s Gymnopedic No3, which has some nice arco work by Nakamura and some airy soprano work by Wilson.

Clearly Souter’s exposure to Satie has been more studious and rigorous then mine. But this is not exclusively a Satie album. Souter finds other excellent pieces that seem to thematically weave into the fabric of this project seamlessly.  The Edith Piaf-inspired “Avec le Temps,” a Leo Ferre composition that Souter sings in French, with both emotion and verve, accompanied by Nakamura’s excellent bow and Perdomo’s crystalline piano.

Souter includes a Rod McKuen song, inspired by Jacques Brel titled “If You Go Away.” She does as an intimate duo with Perdomo in the intro, before she kicks it up a notch for a moment with her vocal energy, as she injects a cabaret feel. She follows with singing in French for a section before the trio takes the music to another level, eventually Souter returns to that intimate duo at the coda.

Jazzers should appreciate the song “Never Broken (ESP)” a collaboration written by vocalist Cassandra Wilson and saxophone/composer, legend Wayne Shorter. Souter is at her most fluid here. The trio percolates with Perdomo getting off on the zigzagging lines he introduces, as Nakamura and Drummond lock in like a fine-tuned timepiece, with Drummond getting a little freedom to offer some nice drum centric features on this one.

Perhaps one of my favorites is bassist Ron Carter’s “Mood,” which Souter’s worded version is called “Musica Universalis.” Instrumentally, this one includes a mesmeric metronomic beat that is laid down by Nakamura and Drummond, before Perdomo adds his own leading piano lines. The real tonal treat comes from Australian born New York-based Nadje Noordhuis’s moody muted trumpet lines as they interweave with Wilson’s sinewy soprano work, that at times almost sounds like a flute. The two show a great deal of magic and symbiosis when playing together. Souter’s vocal spells out the enchanting lyrics “Mood is a feather, just floating wherever, like change in the weather, all clouds in the sky’… “Now waits for no man, it’s gone in a moment, Belonging to no one.”  The lyrics nailing the transience, the fluidity, the beauty and the futility of never being able to keep things more than in the moment. 

Tessa Souter's Shadows and Silence- The Erik Satie Project is a splendid album that you will find yourself revisiting many times. 

The Magic of Richard Rodgers in the Hands of Denny Zeitlin on "With A Song in My Heart"

Denny Zeitlin- Exploring the Music of Richard Rodgers- With a Song in My Heart- Sunnyside

It's hard for me to get my head around how long it has been since I first heard  pianist Denny Zeitlin play live. It was November of 2001 when I had the privilege of catching him and his trio at the wonderful, but sadly now defunct, Kitano jazz club in the Kitano hotel off of Park Avenue in NYC. His playing was simply sublime, and his bandmates - the stalwart bassist Buster Williams and the effervescent drummer Matt Wilson- rose to the occasion with empathetic energy and joy.  Zeitlin's sensitivity and inventiveness made a lasting impression on me, and I continued to follow, look forward, and at times write about his subsequent releases.

Denny Zeitlin, Buster Williams and Matt Wilson at The Kitano November  2001

Earlier in the year of this performance, Zeitlin had released his spectacular solo album Labyrinth on Sunnyside Records, in the month of June. Solo piano albums have a special meaning to Zeitlin. He once said “Solo piano performance takes me back to my earliest roots, and allows for perhaps the most intensely personal musical statement.” While this was certainly his sentiment then, these days, at the age of eighty-seven, it is probably even more intensely true  today. His playing and creativity has certainly continued to wow, inspire and entertain over the passing years. This musical artist has always maintained a dual vocation as both a musician and as a clinical professor of psychiatry at University of California at San Francisco and in his private practice. This never kept him from still performing and recording. It started with his first release Cathexis, when he was first signed to Columbia Records by producing legend John Hammond in 1963. 

Zeitlin was born in Chicago, Illinois and relocated to the west coast in 1964 where he has resided in the San Francisco and the Marin county area ever since. Maintaining these two successful professions concurrently for close to sixty years reveal an enormous amount of the vitality, creativity and dedication that this man has maintained throughout his life. Some might call him a Renaissance Man of sorts, and just looking at his prolific recording history that might not be far from the truth.

Zeitlin's latest solo album Exploring The Music of Richard Rodgers-With a Song In My Heart , was released on June 6th of this year. It is his thirty-eighth recording and his sixteenth with Sunnyside Records. 

Listening to a Zeitlin album, especially his solo offerings, is always a challenge to write about. Words alone do not do  justice to the experience of being submerged while listening to the musical cornucopia that comes out of this artist's fertile mind. Perhaps the closest  metaphor I can come up with is to compare Zeitlin to a gourmet chef. He prepares each performance like a feast. He sets the table of the listener carefully, exploring musical themes-in this case the music of Richard Rodgers-one of the most important and successful composers of the twentieth century. He deconstructs familiar or sometimes not so familiar compositions. He extracts the essence and finds meaningful motifs that he can emphasis and embellish. He layers ideas, modulates the tonal possibilities, and exploits rhythmic changes to great effect. Like a skilled chef with his battery of seasonings, Zeitlin reinvents the mundane, magically reharmonizing the familiar into something that emerges as new and fresh.

Denny Zeitlin (photo credit unknown)

Zeitlin has travelled this path many times before. Previously he has done deep dives into the music of Wayne Shorter on his Early Wayne from 2014. In 2015, Zeitlin did a video of his Piedmont Piano concert Exploring Thelonious Monk. He followed that with his exploration of the music of Miles Davis on his Remembering Miles from 2016, not to mention his studies of the music of Gershwin and Strayhorn.

In each case, Zeitlin explore the composer's canon of music and rethinks it in his own mystical way. His artistry comes from his thorough familiarity with the material he presents and finding ways to see them and preform them in his own unique way. Zeitlin, was first exposed as a youth to Richard Rodgers music from hearing the music from the 1943 Broadway show Oklahoma!  

On The Music of Richard Rodgers-With a Song In My Heart, Zeitlin has mined twelve compositions from the Rodgers treasure chest, many unfamiliar. Half of this music was recorded in front an audience at the Piedmont Piano concert on December 13, 2019, with the remainder of the selections being recorded in a studio in November and December of the same year. 

The earliest composition on this album is the title track "With a Song in My Heart" that was first heard in the musical Spring Is Here 1929. Zeitlin takes this song, with it's noted feel of a love at first sight romance, and once delivered by Ella Fitzgerald in 1956, and plays it with conviction and sensitivity. 

The opener, "Falling in Love With You," another show song from The Boys from Syracuse from 1938, has been covered by artists as disparate as Frank Sinatra, Julie Andrews and The Supremes! Zeitlin explores the lost love theme by opening the music with his own exploratory intro. His touch can be light or majestic and his subtle change of tone and attack explores all the emotions from chagrin to soaring hope. He explores multiple rhythmic changes that raise the temperature and accelerate the heart beat. Just a wonderful capture of this man in the "flow" and the audience responds accordingly.

"I Don't Know What Time It Was"  from the musical Too Many Girls of 1938 vintage has been covered by Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Betty Carter and Cassandra Wilson, not to mention instrumentally by Charlie Parker and Brad Mehldau. Because the composition doesn't have a tonal center, but modulates between keys, it makes the song feel more mysterious. Zeitlin raises the bar by playing in a 7/4 time signature that adds yet another element to his interpretation of this classic. He alternates the pace and adds interest in his interesting harmonizing with his left hand. You can't help but marvel at the man's unpredictable ideas that he often comes up with on he fly. If you thought you knew this song, then you will find yourself surprised at how far out he can expand the paths that can be traveled within a composition.

"He Was Too Good To Me" is a Rodgers composition that was written  for a Broadway show in 1930, Simple Simon, and was somehow never used in the show. No worries, the moving ballad attracted it's own astute followers that took it as their own. Vocalists Natalie Cole and Chris Connor, as well as jazz artists from Chet Baker, Thad Jones and Shirley Horn all found this composition fertile ground. Zeitlin gets his turn exploring the themes of loss, grief and sorrow in his own inimitable way. His notes sometimes feel like they suspend themselves in the air on command. His tender touch is moving and draws you into the pathos of a lover's loss with empathy and warmth.

The album continues with the obscure "Johnny One Note"  from Babes in Arms, a 1937 show that depicts tale of an opera singer who could only sing one note. Despite his limitation, he would sing with such overpowering fervor that he was always upstaging his fellow cast members. Zeitlin plays a somewhat boisterous samba here. He simulates the opera singers audacious gusto. His left hand maintains the frantic buzz as his right hand explores the keyboard to its limits.

Zeitlin includes two compositions "Wait Till You See Her" and "Ev' rything I've Got" from the 1942 show By Jupiter, that featured Ray Bolger, who later became famous as the Scarecrow in movie The Wizard of Oz. 

"Wait Till You See Her" finds Zeitlin in his delicate ballad mode and in "Ev'rything I've Got," Zeitlin's rhythmic acuity and creativity is on display. He lights up the room with ascending and descending flights that pulls all the possibilities out of this song. He also delves into the piano body including string plucking and manipulating that adds a whole new dimension. 

In the studio portion of the album, Zeitlin draws on two compositions from South Pacific, the famous Rodgers and Hammerstein 1949 Broadway show and later the equally famous 1958 film that brought this music to another generation. The musical was based on the Tales of the South Pacific, a Pulitzer Prize winning novel by James Michener. The emotionally filled ballad "This Nearly Was Mine" was once made famous by Frank Sinatra. Zeitlin choses to use a 5/4 time signature on this version and his deft touch and gorgeous harmonic choices make this lament of love and loss pure magic. 

The comedy show I'd Rather Be Right from 1937 gave us the jazz standard "Have You Met Miss Jones." This gem has been a vehicle of expression since it's origin and been interpreted by such impressive artists as Art Tatum, Stan Getz, and Ahmad Jamal, as well as vocalists Anita O' Day, Tony Bennett and Mel Tormé. The chord modulations are said to have been precursors to what is known as Coltrane changes as used in his Giant Steps. With this imprimatur from a legion of jazz greats, its is no wonder why Zeitlin has chosen to take his turn at reimagining this classic. He doesn't disappoint. The pianist uses motifs that he expands upon and his facility across the keyboard continues to demonstrate a command that is only limited by his seemingly bottomless well of imagination.

Exploring the Music of Richard Rodgers- With a Song in My Heart- is a pure delight. Zeitlin continues to prove that the American songbook can still be a plentiful treasure trove of beauty and inspiration, and he defies the claim that it has become a worn out resource. When the canon is examined and played by a true piano master like Zeitlin, one who has never shied away from challenge, the sky can be the limit.

A Significant Guitarist of Our Era, Pasquale Grasso Offers "Fervency"

Pasquale Grasso: Fervency- Sony Masterworks

Guitar master Pasquale Grasso released his new trio album Fervency February 7, 2025 on Sony Masterworks. It is no wonder how this man is continuing to excite and wow an increasingly larger band of followers for the depth and artistry of this important musician. 

Grasso is an Italian born in Ariano Irpino, a hillside town in the Campania region of Italy. This area of southern Italy is about 132 miles northwest of where my mother and her family once immigrated. With this common regional heritage in my blood, there is no doubt I have a sense of personal pride in discovering such a talented artist that comes from this area. 

Grasso has been honing his skills since the age of five. He has tremendous facility and control over his instrument, but he also carries within him a deep respect for the tradition. He sites pianists like Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk and Elmo Hope among his influences and was mentored by Barry Harris since the pianist caught him playing in Italy in 1998 and took him under his wing. Be Bop is in his man's veins. Early in his career, Grasso was a student of guitarist Agostino Di Giorgio, an American expat who taught him methods of guitar great Chuck Wayne, who was Di Giorgio's one time teacher.

Looking to expand his technique, Grasso also took classical guitar lessons at the Conservatory of Bologna, under the tutelage of guitarist Walter Zanetti. It is no wonder that  when Grasso moved to New York, the guitar ace Pat Metheny invited the fellow guitarist to jam with him at his own NY apartment, and has become both a mentor and fan. In a 2016 interview published in Vintage Guitar, Metheny recognized Grasso for the talent that he was. "He (Grasso) has somehow captured the essence of that language from piano onto guitar in a way that almost nobody has ever addressed. He’s the most significant new guy I’ve heard in many, many years.” 

Grasso's influences, life connections, along with his inherent abilities, have all been part of the impressive maturation of this young man's playing and style. Based in New York City since 2012, Grasso used his frequent appearances at Greenwich Village haunt Mezzrow to experiment with his approaches to some of the canon's less-well-known classics and develop his own set materials. He has released well-received albums that covered the music of Bud Powell (Solo Bud Powell-2020), Duke Ellington (Pasquale Plays Duke 2021- with young chanteuse Samara Joy and veteran be-bop storyteller Sheila Jordan contributing), Charlie Parker (Be Bop 2022), Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk.

On Fervency, now thirty-six year old Grasso, is joined by two very accomplished colleagues whom he has worked with for fifteen years, the bassist Ari Roland and the drummer Keith Balla. These guys navigate some obscure and some better known compositions on the album with finesse and skill. Grasso has shown his preference for mining the canon of be-bop music more deeply. He reimagines compositions that others may have left unexplored and he thinks like a pianist. On this album, Grasso has widened the spread of his casting net and brought in some real interesting, often less treaded jewels that are sure to please.

Grasso leads off with one of his idols, pianist Bud Powell, and his blazing "Sub City."  This one features some tight, quick-paced and swinging guitar work by Grasso, a rousing arc bass solo by the impressive Ari Roland, and some Keith Balla brushwork that recalls the exquisite brush mastery of Jeff Hamilton. These guys know how to cook.  

  

Pasquale Grasso, Ari Roland, Keith Balla (photo credit unknown)

The trio can set speed records for flawless execution at mind blowing velocity if so inclined, but Grasso is always inventing on the fly. You can hear different gems of harmonic inventiveness on his "A Trip to C.C.," a song dedicated to his girlfriend, Miles Davis "Milestones" ,and Ray Noble's always challenging, off to the races "Cherokee."  His lines are swift, never predictable, and he seems umbilically connected to the bebop tradition while bringing it into a new era of modernization. 

Composer/arranger/pianist Tadd Dameron is a favorite of Grasso, and he chooses three of this master's compositions- "If You Could See Me Now," "Lady Bird" and Jahbero." 

Dameron played the sultry "If You Could See Me Now" with an orchestra and the fabulous vocalist Sarah Vaughan on her  Musiccraft record of 1946. Dameron's "Lady Bird" and "Jahbero" were on the 1957 Blue Note release with the pianist's  Septet. It included the brilliant Fats Navarro on trumpet, the thoughtful tenor of Wardell Gary and Allen Eager, Curley Russell's anchoring bass, Chino Ponzo infectious bongos and Kenny Clarke inimitable trap work. It is interesting to juxtapose these recordings from the composer and see how Grasso reinvents them for his guitar.

If you appreciate a good ballad like Dameron's "If You Could See Me Now," it's Grasso's sumptuous guitar that cascades his lines, spelling out the wordless melody with sublime sensitivity, as Roland's bass adds another resonating arco solo to the mix. There is no orchestra to rely on here as Dameron had at his disposal, but these two don't seem to need one. They find enough tonal color between themselves to make this one sing, even without Sassy Sarah's wonderful voice.

"Lady Bird" is just a swinging joy. Roland walks with authority as Balla pops and snaps on his snare. Grasso's sound on his custom French made Trenier guitar, just hums like a idling Ferrari. His fluid single notes, often complimented by his unerring chordal accompaniment and chronometric timing, is just superb. There is no warm Gray tenor here, or Navarro's bright trumpet adding different colors, as in the Dameron original, but Grasso and company never seem wanting for being under-armed. They bring energy and excitement to this modern classic and you can't help but tap your feet. Grasso always finds new ways to harmonize on the melody with invention and promise. Balla is given a short feature on his traps and Roland offers another of his signature arco solos. Well done guys!

"Jahbero" had the Latinizing rhythmic punch of Ponzo's bongos in the original Dameron release, so I was looking forward to seeing how Grasso would address this. To my surprise, Ballo's inventive trap work fit the bill beautifully. Grasso's imagination found a fountainhead of ideas on which to portray this wonderfully vibrant, still modern feeling composition on his guitar. 

The remainder of the album continues to unearth some surprises, like  mentor Barry Harris's "Focus" and "And So I Love You." Another Miles Davis; composition "Little Willie Leaps," which once featured a historic tenor solo by Charlie Parker, a rare Coleman Hawkins treasure "Bean and the Boys" and a Milt Jackson favorite "Bags Groove." 

Grasso's title cut "Fervency" has a unique genesis. Grasso was traveling home from a gig in NY riding a subway car in the wee hours of the morning when he glanced over to see an open dictionary and was inexplicably drawn to the word he was unfamiliar with, "fervency." The meaning turns out to be "a warmth of feeling or devotion." It seemed to strike Grasso as the perfect word that describes his own feelings toward his love of this music that he has made his life's work. The music opens with another delicious arco treat from Roland's and his  1930's vintage Jurek upright bass. The Julliard trained bassist is certainly a bit of a throwback and he likes the warmth of gut strings to produce his resonant arco sound. Some have likened his arco work to that of the great bassist Paul Chambers. Needless to say, Grasso follows this splendid intro with one of his most emotive performances, as his guitar creates a liquid flow that seems to have no limit to its harmonic variations. Besides being a brilliant single note player, the guitarist adds excellent chordal work that creates another dimension to his playing and it is just pure magic. 

If you have never had an opportunity to listen to Pasquale Grasso, you owe yourself to get Fervency and just revel in this man and his bandmate's beautiful artistry. If you can catch him live at one of his upcoming performances all the better. It's not often we get a chance to see such talent in his prime and in person so  don't hesitate, you won't be disappointed.

A Promising Debut for the Impressive Tyreek McDole "Open Up Your Sense"

Tyreek McDole-Open Up Your Senses Artwork Records

There is a new kid on the block! This twenty-five year old gentleman is certainly not an overnight wonder, as his talent has been validated by his recent success. He was first honored in 2018 at the Jazz at Lincoln Center's Essentially Ellington Competition winning "Outstanding Vocalist." More recently, he captured the admiration of the judges at the 2023 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition, where he became only the second male vocalist to win this prestigious award. The Haitian-American previously from St. Cloud, Florida, now resides in New York. He has earned his degree in jazz performance from The Oberlin Conservatory of Music,  studying with such luminaries as Gary Bartz, Gerald Cannon, Eddie Henderson and Billy Hart.

His debut album Open Up Your Senses was released on June 6, 2025 on the Artwork label. It is perhaps the most promising vocal release I've heard this year.

McDole's band on this album includes contemporaries Caelan Cardello on piano, Dylan Band on saxophone, trumpeter Michael Cruse, guitarists Emmanuel Michael and Logan Butler and Jerome Gillespie II on drums. But McDole is also surrounded by some heavy hitter guests like Kenny Barron and Sullivan Fortner on piano, Rodney Whitaker on bass, and Justin Faulkner on drums. McDole fortuitously manages a cameo appearance by saxophonist Tomoki Sanders, Pharoah's son, who delivers a haunting resurrection of his father's passionate, spiritually inspired saxophone on McDole's reimagination of the Leon Thomas/Pharoah Sanders spiritually inspired  "The Creator Has A Plan."

McDole has a beautiful warm, burnished baritone that some say possess the richness of Johnny Hartman or Nat Cole. But I can also hear the soulfulness of Jon Lucien, the swing of Joe Williams and some of the vibrato touches of a Andy Bey. No matter how you compare this man's approach to the music, you can't deny he has a lot of inherent gifts. 

To continue on the path of becoming a truly successful jazz vocalist, McDole has to absorb the jazz language. He is getting there. That requires listening and studying those masters who have come before him. He has to absorb the art of phrasing, not only of vocalists, but of horn players like Stitt, Getz, Gordon, and Webster, who navigate the music with both depth, freedom, and facility. He doesn't have to mimic them, but he does have to recognize the nuances. Telling a compelling story requires delivering a song with pace, proper breath placement, and space that allows the lyrics to be delivered complimentary to the message being portrayed and with feelings and authenticity. This debut album is a very good start, and if he is dedicated, McDole will likely continue to develop and add more of the language to his repertoire.

McDole's choice of music for this album shows his willingness to think outside the box. He includes Nicholas Payton's mediative "The Backward Step" originally from his 2023 album Drip. McDole's chant-like vocals work beautifully in tandem with the band. Guitarist Butler adds some stylish solo work, and Band's soprano sax floats higher like a falcon in the thermals. Throughout, McDole's voice beautifully resonates over Faulkner's explosive drum work at the coda.

"The Umbrella Man" is an odd choice that beckons back to a swinging show tune from the late twenties. It  features McDole's facile skat work and some blazing trumpet work by Cruse, a nice tenor solo by Band, and an arousing piano solo by Cardello.

"The Creator Has A Master Plan" was originally released by Pharoah Sanders on his album Karma from 1969. Originally recorded in two sections, the prelude and the main song, the combined run-time was almost thirty-three minutes. This is a challenging song to be tackled by McDole, and he wisely enlists the Tomoki Sanders, the late master's son, to play tenor on this one. Sanders, tenor is a resurrection of sorts. Hearing his plaintive cries and over blows are so evocative of his father's power and spiritual connection in this prelude. Whitaker's ostinato bass lines opens the second section as McDole's rich and flexible voice sings the spiritual and philosophical lyrics with his own gentler approach than one remembers from Thomas' original. Brand's soprano, Butler's guitar, Cardello's piano, and the astute rhythm section of Whitaker and Faulkner create this  hallowed offering. I for one can never recall a better time when the world needs to resurrect the kindness and hopefulness that this song inspires. 

Singing on a ballad like Thelonious Monk's lovely "Ugly Beauty" with lyrics by Mike Ferro, and recording it as a duo with a master like Kenny Barron, is like the ultimate test of transparency. While his phrasing seems slightly affected, Monk often took circuitous paths in his songs. These two provide a glimpse into what McDole could be capable of with a fine ballad while accompanied by a master like Barron who can inspire him to surprising heights.

"Precious Energy (Sun Song)" is another spiritually inspired composition from Leon Thomas that was originally released on Gary Bartz's Quintet's album of the same name from a 1987 live recording. McDole wisely doesn't try Thomas' facile yodeling here, but he does deliver a lithe version that features some fluid, inventive guitar lines from Logan Butler. McDole's vocal is light and soulful. The music is driven by some nice B3 organ by Sullivan Fortner.

Never one who seems to avoid at a challenge, McDole tackles the transcendent "Somalia Rose," a composition by Allyn Johnson, Director of the University of District of Columbia Jazz Ensemble. The music is a powerful piece and  features some modulated guitar work by Michael and some kinetic drum work by Faulkner. McDole vocalizes the soaring parts with ease and aplomb.

Never losing his Haitian folk-music heritage, McDole duos with percussion master Weedie Braimah, and succinctly vocalizes the island fable "Wongolo Wale."

The album continues with the title cut "Won't You Open Your Senses" a swinging, bluesy Horace Silver composition that features some smokin' horn section work by Cruse and Adam, and the sizzling Fender Rhodes piano work by Sullivan Fortner. McDole seems to be  channeling his Joe Williams on this one and it cooks.

The balance of the album includes "Under A Blanket of Blue" a slow paced swinger that features a throaty solo by Adam on tenor and some splendid, stride-like  piano by Cardello. McDole's voice has a silky Nat Cole feel to this one. 

Nicholas Payton's  jaunty rap "Love Is A Four Letter Word"  finds McDole speaking his lines with a Barry White-like lament.

Another tip of the hat to Joe Williams is heard on the classic "Everyday I Have the Blues" with McDole vocalizing it out with gusto as Adam's tenor blares and Whitaker, Cardello and Faulkner lay down the driving beat.

The album ends with an instrumental reprise of Thomas' "The Sun Song." 

 

Posi-Tone's Swingtet Celebrates the Label's Thirtieth Year with Style on "In Jazz We Trust"

Posi-Tone Swingtet In Jazz We Trust: Posi-Tone Records

For those who enjoy straight ahead jazz with no excuses, Posi Tone Records has always delivered in an uncompromising fashion since the inception of the label in 1995. On February 28, 2025, co-owners Producer Marc Free and Engineer Nick O'Toole, released their celebration of the label's thirty-year milestone with a fantastic album, Posi-Tone Swingtet's In God Jazz We that highlights their mission and celebrates the music with a star studded ten man band. The album  features many of the label's stalwart musicians including pianist Art Hirahara, trumpet/flugelhorn master Alex Sipiagin, trombonist/educator Michael Dease, tenor saxophonist Diego Rivera, alto saxophonist/flutist Patrick Cornelius, bass ace Boris Kozlov and the powerful drummer Rudy Royston.

The music, all but one of the selections composed by the musicians themselves, is a testament to just how symbiotic these musicians have developed as a group. It  reinforces just how in-tune Free and O'Toole are when they assemble and record a group like this, usually providing the right environment and encouragement to create and capture on tape a magical musical experience. 

In Jazz We Trust is no different. Few albums come out of the box with such unified, in synch excitement, proficiency and enthusiasm. The opener is titled "Invocation" and is composed by drummer Rudy Royston. Royston, one of the eras most sought after drummers, can often be seen on Pos-Tone projects. He also can be seen collaborating frequently with guitar ace Bill Frisell, saxophonist JD Allen and trumpeter Dave Douglas to name just a few. On we are treated to the brilliant rhythm section of Royston and bassist extraordinaire Boris Kozlov, who also anchors the Charles Mingus Big Band. Trumpet phenom Alex Sipiagin produces a soaring trumpet solo that shows grace and fluidity, and we hear pianist Art Hirahara adding inventive accompaniment.

The trombonist Steve Davis, a one time Posi-Tone artist, is the composer of "Free Time" and is provides some nice space for tenorist Diego Rivera to shine. Michael Dease's trombone work here is a joy- facile, fluid and creative- and we hear some beautiful interaction between Dease and Kozlov that is telepathic. 

One of my favorites is the quick paced swinger "Mal's Totem" written by Rivera. Kozlov and Royston push the rhythm beautifully, as Rivera's tenor is at his most creative here.

Kozlov's "Below the Line" finds the versatile Hirahara on Fender Rhodes lending an airy feel to this one.  The music has a moody feel to it and Dease navigates the terrain with measured style. Royston opens it up with some increased pace and syncopation and Kozlov's probing bass also adds to the mix before the tune returns to opening refrain.

Sipiagin's "Mirror" is a gorgeous ballad that features some killing trumpet work by Alex bringing new heights to the tune's pathos. Patrick Cornelius' alto cascades his lines with sensitivity to the theme.

Dease's  "Simmer," a tune that builds tension with Kozlov's repeating bass lines as it unfolds. Sipiagin's warm flugelhorn is another delight, as Kozlov's bass probes, percolates, and he raises the temperature to the higher ground. Dease's trombone work is just so bubbly, joyous, and inventive. Rivera and Cornelius trade lines in a smoking exchange of ideas. What really stands out is the horn sections and how tight and unified they sound. Bravo, just is pure beauty and Royston's drums just boil like a roiling cauldron. It doesn't get much better than this.

Art Hirahara's "Stepped Out" has a cosmopolitan feel. Cornelius offers a swinging alto solo as Kozlov and Royston carry the beat like a fine time piece. Hirahara plays some of his most uplifting piano here and Kozlov has plucky bass solo before the horns return to the opening lines.

The album continues with the staccato opening of Dease's "Don't Look Back Behind You" with Royston, Kozlov and Hirahara playing the lines in synch. The horn section repeats the liens in unison before Hirahira and the rhythm section take it off to the races. Dease adds a smoking trombone solo to this swinger, man can this guy play! You can't help but tap your feet and Royston's explosive drum work and solo here is incendiary as the horn section brings it to a definitive exclamation point.

Cornelius brings his tango-like "Le Rendez-vous Final" where he plays flute. The group create the dance-like feel with Kozlov's bass setting the pace with Royston's astute trap work. Hirahara's piano work is quite expressive with a European feel to it. 

The album closes with the swinger Misha Tsiganov's "Changing Times."  Its a treat to hear this section make such great music and you can feel the way each soloist adds his own touches to this romp. Rivera, Dease, Cornelius, Sipagin and Hirahara  all take their turns in succession and you can feel these guys are having fun. The set ends with some explosive drum work at the coda from Royston as the section adds there own exclamations. 

In Jazz We Trust is just pure delight, a true tribute to the label's thirtieth anniversary. I have not heard many release this year that swing as hard or deliver with such imbedded joy then this one. One can only hope Free and O'Toole can somehow manage to corral these guys once more time to create some more of this magic.