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(Lesser-Known) Tenors Of Our Time
Think of contemporary tenor players and the names of Shorter, Rollins and Lovato come to mind. While these men are true giants, there are many fine tenor saxophonists worthy of greater recognition. Thomas Cunniffe reviews recent releases by three of these lesser-known talents.
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Charlie Haden/Liberation Music Orchestra: “Time/Life” (Impulse 479 878)
The Liberation Music Orchestra has now outlived its founder, Charlie Haden. Under the leadership of its longtime pianist/arranger Carla Bley, they have recorded a new CD, Time/Life, as a tribute to Haden (who appears on two tracks) and a statement about the world’s environmental crisis. Released too late to be included in last month’s review…
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Politics and the American Jazz Orchestra
With a historically divisive presidential campaign now in its final weeks, politics seeps into everything, even big band jazz. Thomas Cunniffe discusses three new recordings with roots in politics and world events (and not necessarily Trump vs. Clinton). In his review, Cunniffe predicts that the musical qualities present in these recordings by Delfeayo Marsalis, Ted…
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The Quiet Revolution
There’s a lot of screaming happening in our world right now, but sometimes, a whisper can be as effective as a scream. The two albums of protest jazz reviewed here generally make their points without raising dynamics. Thomas Cunniffe examines new recordings by Dominque Eade/Ran Blake and Ryan Keberle’s Catharsis.
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The Unpredictable Ran Blake
For progressive jazz singers, performing duets with Ran Blake is both challenging and rewarding. Blake expects a lot from vocalists, including the ability to find their own way through the music without help from the keyboard. However, this method makes the vocal/piano duet a truly equal partnership. Thomas Cunniffe reviews two new duet albums featuring…
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Redefinitions
Two of the jazz world’s best-known vocal groups returned to the recording studio after prolonged absences. Manhattan Transfer’s The Junction, produced by Mervyn Warren, offers the first recordings of Trist Curless as official replacement for the late Tim Hauser, while New York Voices collaborate with the Bob Mintzer on Meeting of Minds, presenting the vocalists…
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Return Engagements
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.
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Returning Champions
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…
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Revisited and Renewed
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.
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Roseanna Vitro: “The Music of Randy Newman” (Motéma 63)
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.