Ken Fowser / Behn Gillece - Full View

album review

Posi-tone

Release date: April 21st 2009

Availability: CD, MP3 Download, iTunes



Posi-tone, the small independent jazz label from Venice Beach, California, is releasing cutting edge straight ahead jazz and making quite a name for itself.

Ken Fowser / Behn Gillece's 'Full View' is a great example that kicks off with a blistering take on Sam Jones' "Bittersweet", moves neatly through a reflective version of Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes" - without having to make reference to John Coltrane - and includes an inventive version of the Styne/Green/Comden standard "Just In Time". On the way there is a wealth of strong self-composed material in what is a fine album of high achievement.

The band - Ken Fowser (tenor sax), Behn Gillece (vibes), David Hazeltine (piano), Adam Cote (bass), Paul Francis (drums) – is blessed with fine understanding, particularly with the inspiring contribution of David Hazeltine.

Ken Fowser, from Philadelphia, studied music at University of the Arts, jamming at Chris' Jazz Café and Ortlieb's Jazzhaus before moving to New York, for a Masters at William Paterson University and private lessons with Eric Alexander and Ralph Lalama.

Behn Gillece, also from Philadelphia, who claims Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson as influences, completed his Masters at SUNY Purchase College in 2008 and is author of a number of the self compositions.

You can hear good quality extracts from a number of the tracks on the Ken Fowser and Behn Gillece websites.

Great stuff!







To preview and purchase "Full View" on CD at amazon:

amazon CD


To preview and purchase "Full View" on MP3 at amazon:

amazon MP3


To preview and purchase "Full View" at iTunes:







Enjoy vibes based jazz? Then try this:

Milt Jackson & Wes Montgomery - Bags Meets Wes

Focus on Bobby Hutcherson

Ken Fowser / Behn Gillece - Full View

Joe Locke - Force Of Four

Joe Locke Quartet - Sticks and Strings

Joe Locke Geoffrey Keezer Group - Live In Seattle

Mike DeRubbo - Repercussion

Gary Burton / Pat Metheny - Quartet Live

Joe Locke & David Hazeltine - Mutual Admiration Society 2

Christian McBride - Kind Of Brown



RETURN TO: Jazz New Releases

RETURN TO: Main Page




Jazz at amazon.com

Branford Marsalis Quartet - Metamorphosen

album review

Marsalis Music

Release date: March 17th 2009

Availability: CD, MP3 Download



With the Quartet of Branford Marsalis (tenor, alto and soprano sax) Joey Calderazzo (piano) Eric Revis (bass) and Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums) celebrating its tenth year, "Metamorphosen" returns to the inventive straight ahead post bop that is the best of their music.

There are original compositions from each member of the band.

Jeff Tain Watts contributes the opening and closing tracks, "Return Of the Jitney Man" – upfront, upbeat, complex - and "Samo" – contemplative, immersive.

The two Joey Calderazzo compositions aim at unalloyed beauty and are good vehicles for Branford Marsalis' soparano sax.

Meanwhile, the three offerings from bassist Eric Revis have a decidedly Monk-ish quality. "Abe Vigoda", "Sphere" (Thelonious Monk's middle name) and the bass solo "And Then, He Was Gone" all carry the mark of the master.

In recognition of his enduring influence, there is an innovative version of Monk's "Rhythm-A-Ning", the only non original track on the album.

Branford Marsalis authors only one track, "Jabberwocky", his first recorded outing on alto sax for twenty years. He says that when he wrote it , " All I had with me was an alto saxophone, and I thought that I'd transcribe it for soprano or tenor when I got home. But it didn't sound as good on either of those horns, so for that track I'm back on alto." It is undoubtedly the stand out track on a very fine album.

Overall, a highly recommended album from one of the best working bands in jazz today.







To preview and purchase "Metamorphosen" on CD at amazon:

amazon CD


To preview and purchase "Metamorphosen" on MP3 at amazon:

amazon MP3




RETURN TO: Jazz New Releases

RETURN TO: Main Page




Jazz at amazon.com

Cassandra Wilson - Closer to You: The Pop Side

album review

Blue Note

Release date: April 7th 2009

Availability: CD, MP3 Download



A feature of Cassandra Wilson's jazz albums has been the ability to surprise by taking a sometimes well-worn pop tune (The Monkees' "Last Train To Clarksville" being a notable example) and showing its unexpected, jazzier, side.

So the idea of bringing all these tracks together in a new compilation was always going to be attractive. The result is a highly enjoyable album that could introduce a new audience to Cassandra Wilson's distinctive singing.

The track listing is:

1. Love Is Blindness (U2), 2. Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper), 3. Fragile (Sting), 4. Closer To You (The Wallflowers), 5. Last Train To Clarksville (The Monkees), 6. The Weight (The Band) 7. Tupelo Honey (Van Morrison), 8. Harvest Moon (Neil Young), 9. I Can’t Stand The Rain (Ann Peebles), 10. Lay Lady Lay (Bob Dylan), 11. Wichita Lineman (Glen Campbell).

A welcome introduction for newcomers to the pop side of this great singer's music.







To preview and purchase "Closer to You: The Pop Side" on CD at amazon:

amazon CD


To preview and purchase "Closer to You: The Pop Side" on MP3 at amazon:

amazon MP3




RETURN TO: Vocal Jazz

RETURN TO: Main Page




Jazz at amazon.com

April 2009 - Focus on Tom Harrell

Inspirational on trumpet and flugelhorn, Tom Harrell continues to play some of the best jazz emerging today.

Here is a summary of where his work appears in our reviews:

"Light On"


"Prana Dance"


"Form"


Art Farmer and Tom Harrell "The Company I Keep"


Charles McPherson "First Flight Out"




Earlier:

September 2008: Focus on Hank Mobley

October 2008: Focus on Miles Davis

November 2008: Focus on John Coltrane

December 2008: Focus on Lee Morgan

January 2009: Tribute to Freddie Hubbard

February 2009: Focus on Joe Henderson

March 2009: Focus on Pat Metheny









RETURN TO: Main Page




The Best Jazz at amazon.com

Jazz New Releases - April 2009 - Recently released and recommended jazz albums

New releases and re-releases for April and a look ahead to May and June



Tuesday April 7th

Cassandra Wilson "Closer To You: The Pop Side" (Blue Note)
Kenny Burrell "Live At The Downtown Room" (HighNote)

Tuesday April 14th

Martin, Medeski & Wood "Radiolarians II" (Indirecto)
Stan Getz "At The Shrine" (Verve)
Keith Jarrett "Treasure Island" (GRP)
Freddie Hubbard "The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard" (Impulse!)
Art Blakey "Soul Finger" (Verve)
McCoy Tyner "Blue Bossa" (LRC)
Lucky Thompson "Home Comin'" (LRC)
Benny Golson "Up Jumped Spring" (LRC)
Phil Woods and Tom Harrell "The Jazz Masters" (LRC)
Dizzy Gillespie "Dizzy On The French Riviera" (Verve)

Tuesday April 21st

Brian Blade "Mama Rosa" (Verve Forecast)
One For All "Return of The Lineup" (Sharp Nine)
Lonnie Smith and George Benson "Afrodesia" (LRC)

Tuesday April 28th

Chick Corea & John McLaughlin "Five Peace Band" (Concord)

Tuesday May 5th

Joe Lovano "Folk Art" (Blue Note)

Tuesday May 12th

Eastern Rebellion "Mosaic" (Nimbus)
Stanley Clarke Trio with Hiromi & Lenny White "Jazz In The Garden" (Heads Up)
Bill Evans "Turn Out The Stars: Final Village Vanguard Recordings" (6 CD Box Set ) (Nonesuch)

Tuesday May 24th

Pat Metheny/Gary Burton "Quartet Live!" (Concord)

Tuesday June 2nd

Dave Holland "The Monterey Quartet" (Concord)

Tuesday June 9th

Max Roach "As Quiet As It's Kept" (Concord)



More details here








Add a link to this site

RETURN TO: Main Page




The Best Jazz at amazon.com