I receive a truck-full of albums each month. They come by snail-mail and email, and most are forgettable. They just don’t move me. This month, nine that stood out and are worth your undivided attention:
Lisa Rich—I Still Rise (Tritone). Jazz vocalist Lisa Rich released three excellent albums starting in 1983 before health issues brought her singing career to an abrupt halt in 1991. Then something amazing happened. She overcame her challenges and released Long As I Live in 2022. Now she’s out with a superb new recording, I Still Rise, backed by Marc Copland (p), Drew Gress (b) and Dave Ballou (tp). Her phrasing is gorgeous and her depth and sensitivity touch hearts. You can’t do much better than this trio. Marc is exceptional. To listen and buy, go here.
Here’s Two Lonely People…
Lolivone de la Rosa—Jewels (Music for Roses). Lolivone is one swinging guitarist. Whether she takes on jazz or Latin tunes, she brings exceptional taste to each and every track on her new album. She’s joined by Ned Goold (ts), Luis Perdomo (p), John Benitez (b) and Jeff “Tain” Watts (d). Special guests include David Suleiman (ts), Rogerio Boccato (perc) and Joel E. Mateo (perc). To listen and buy go here.
Here’s Beautiful Friendship…
Charles Chen—The Long Way Home (Cellar Music). Pianist Charles Chen has a superb touch. For his new album, he brought together Felix Lemerle (g), Bill Crowe (b) and Steve Little (d). It’s a joy to hear Bill up close and personal on the bass, and Charles’s piano is tasteful and impressive. In addition to the 10 tracks of music on the album, there are 26 tracks devoted to audio interviews with Steve and Bill covering lots of jazz ground. The album is joyous to hear and educational. To listen and buy, go here.
Here’s You Turned the Tables on Me…
Gafieira Rio Miami—Beleza Pura (Brazilionaire). If you can’t get down to Miami, this album will provide you with all its explosive excitement. This popular south Florida 11-piece group brings the brass and revamps the samba and hard bossa with sparkling excitement and virtuosity. To listen and buy, go here.
Here’s Só Danço Samba…
Hannah Gill—I Like the Sunrise (Turtle Bay). Hannah’s voice is perfectly suited to the Ellington songbook. It’s strong, in control and includes a dash of sass. Best of all, Hannah and the musicians swing on the up-tempo choices and dig in deep on the ballads. She’s backed by Luis Salcedo (g), Phil Ambuel (b), Adam Ray (d) and Ricky Alexander (ts). To listen and buy, go here.
Here’s So Far, So Good…
Carlos Henriquez—Monk Con Clave. Thelonious Monk tribute albums are a dime a dozen. The Carlos Henriquez big band takes on the composer-pianist with gusto and imagination. On paper, this album shouldn’t work. On your sound system, you’ll be blown away. It’s enormously inventive and injects fresh Latin excitement into Monk’s standards—further proof that great art lasts forever, provided that tributes find a new way to honor the man and his music. To listen, go to YouTube here. To buy, go here.
Here’s ‘Round Midnight…
Tyler Sabbag—Novella. On this one, Emmy-winner Tyler Sabbag created music for an imaginary film or series of films. Here’s how he puts it: “Six pieces and sixteen minutes in length, Novella plays like a half-remembered summer set against the Mediterranean coast, an enchanting dreamscape shaped more by longing than historical fact.” I guess the best way to describe the music is lounge meets general cinema. At once James Bond-y and 1960s love theme, it’s hypnotic and imaginative. For more on Tyler, go here. To listen, go here. To buy, go here.
New York Voices—Sonho Meu, Live in Irvine (Resonance). Recorded in California in 2022, the New York Voices still deliver great harmony. Here, they take on bossa nova standards with aplomb and finesse. Produced by George Klabin, the Voices add a jazzy veneer to music born in Rio de Janeiro. To listen and buy, go here.
Here’s Desafinado…
Terry Waldo—Treasury Vol. 3 (Turtle Bay). No one does early jazz better than pianist Terry Waldo. On his new album, he’s joined by the Gotham City Band. I’m astonished that musicians can play so well in this style, given its speed, complex syncopation and rigorous demands on solos and ensemble interactions. Terry is a master. To listen, go to YouTube. To buy, go here.
Here’s Canal Street Blues…