All four of the singers reviewed in this month’s vocal CD reviews have been covered in these pages before. Cyrille Aimée, Claire Martin, Tierney Sutton and Roseanna Vitro always bring intriguing and fresh ideas to their recordings, and the present CDs are no exception. Thomas Cunniffe offers details on this fine recordings.
Return Engagements Read More »
While the term returning champion comes from old TV game shows, it also applies to the women featured in this month’s vocal CD reviews. All have been featured here before, and all belong in the top echelon of the vocal jazz art. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the incredible new releases of Karrin Allyson, Rachel Caswell, Tessa Souter, Luciana Souza, and Roseanna Vitro.
Returning Champions Read More »
For this month’s Instrumental CD reviews, Thomas Cunniffe explores the debut and follow-up releases of two remarkable groups: John Beasley’s Monk’estra. and Dave Douglas’ Riverside. Beasley’s group offers stunning big band versions of classic Thelonious Monk compositions, while the quartet Riverside explores music stemming from the Jimmy Giuffre 3 and Ornette Coleman Quartet.
Revisited and Renewed Read More »
Roseanna Vitro, one of the most versatile jazz vocalists working today, explores the music of Randy Newman. A CD and concert review by Thomas Cunniffe.
Roseanna Vitro: “The Music of Randy Newman” (Motéma 63) Read More »
Like John McNeil’s acclaimed quartet Hush Point, Ryan Keberle’s quintet Catharsis combines the aesthetics of cool jazz with the energy of contemporary music. With the intriguing front line of Keberle (trombone), Michael Rodriguez (trumpet) and Camila Meza (vocal and guitar), the group embraces the concepts of improvised counterpoint and simultaneous improvisation. Thomas Cunniffe reports on a live performance by this group at Denver’s Syntax Physic Opera, and offers a brief history of the ensemble.
Ryan Keberle and Catharsis (Syntax Physic Opera; February 3, 2017) Read More »
Musicians easily recognize the term saxophones of the E-flat variety as a hip way to refer to the alto and baritone saxes (the term refers to the key in which both instruments are pitched). This month, Thomas Cunniffe reviews five new albums which feature alto or baritone saxophonists. Included are CDs led by Steve Slagle, Miguel Zenón and Gary Smulyan, along with co-operatively led dates by Ingrid and Christine Jensen and Hush Point (with Jeremy Udden).
Saxophones (of the E-flat variety) Read More »
The three saxophonists featured in this month’s instrumental CD reviews have all found unique ways to explore their heritage. Caroline Davis weaves interviews with original music to trace the history of Chicago jazz from 1980-2000, Matt Parker creates his unique style from a wide range of influences, and Ken Peplowski expands his repertoire with music by Bernard Herrmann, Barry Manilow, Herbie Nichols and Peter Erskine. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the new discs.
Saxophone Heritage Read More »
When Shuffle Along premiered on Broadway in May 1921, it ended a 12-year drought of black shows on the so-called Great White Way. With a new version of the show about to premiere on Broadway, Thomas Cunniffe examines a 1976 LP and a new CD which reconstruct the show’s proto-jazz score, written by Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake. Cunniffe also examines a new solo piano recording by Ehud Asherie of songs from the score.
Revisiting “Shuffle Along” Read More »
The promotional material for the latest albums by John Hébert and Mike Holober state that, despite the presence of vocalists on all of the CD’s tracks, the disc are not actually vocal albums. In his reviews of the discs, Thomas Cunniffe wonders which categories that these albums fall, especially since vocalists Jen Shyu and Kate McGarry have primary roles in these recordings.
The Singer Within the Band Read More »
The Great American Songbook has been—and will likely remain—a prime source of material for jazz singers. Yet many vocalists strive to find fresh repertoire that works within a jazz context. In this month’s vocal CD reviews, Thomas Cunniffe introduces us to Hilary Gardner, Julie Kelly and Júlia Karosi, whose new discs all feature a wide range of songs.
Singing a New Song Read More »
Bulee Slim Gaillard was a man of many gifts–songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist–but his greatest gift may have been as a linguist of both real and invented languages. Gaillard’s recordings for JATP, MGM, Mercury, Clef and Norgran have been collected in a new Verve collection, Groove Juice and Thomas Cunniffe provides his input on how Gaillard’s music and humor have traveled through the years.
Slim Gaillard: “Groove Juice:The Norman Granz Recordings & More” (Verve 27591) Read More »
Over the years, there have been plenty of albums featuring Brazilian music and the music of Duke Ellington, but few have transformed the material as well as Catina DeLuna and Nancy Harms. In this CD review, Thomas Cunniffe discusses how each vocalist has developed this well-worn repertoire through fresh approaches and brilliant arrangements.
All of the singers featured in this month’s vocal CD reviews have been spotlighted in these pages before. The newest releases from Theo Bleckmann, and the groups Double Bass Double Voice (with Emily Braden and Nancy Harms) and Duchess (with Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner and Melissa Stylianou) offer a wide variety of songs and styles. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the discs.
Songs for Any Taste Read More »