For those who like to jazz we salute you
We got the jazz: Anna Butterss, Nala Sinephro, McCoy Tyner & Joe Henderson, & more
I like jazz.
I’m not an aficionado like this guy, this guy, or this guy.
But I like it.
The doorway into my earliest appreciation of jazz opened towards fusion. The holy triumvirate for me were Weather Report, Return To Forever, and Mahavishnu Orchesta. Still are. From those I went back in history to discover the players, the albums.
While I don’t keep up on as many new releases as I’d like (only so much time in a day, ya know?), I try to keep my eyes on the handful of pals who always point me in the right direction for jazz excellence. Here’s a handful of releases that are, as it’s said, getting some rotation on the personal stereo.
Danish guitarist Jakob Bro’s “new” recently released album, Taking Turns, was recorded in 2014. It’s a star studded affair featuring Bill Frisell on guitar, a spectacular rhythm section including Thomas Morgan on bass and Andrew Cyrille on drums, pianist Jason Moran, and the late great alto saxophonist Lee Konitz. Improvisation, melody, and magical collective performance leads to transcendence.
I stumbled onto the new album by bassist Anna Butterss, Mighty Vertebrate, on this list of best albums of 2024 from New Commute (I comb over their lists every year). From Australia, Butterss has performed and recorded with Jeff Parker, Makaya McCraven, Andrew Bird, Phoebe Bridgers, Madison Cunningham, Aimee Mann and Jason Isbell. Parker makes a guest appearance on this album, but the core band is Butterss on bass, synths, flutes and drum machine), alto saxophonist Josh Johnson, guitarist Gregory Uhlmann and Ben Lumsdaine on drums, percussion, guitar, lap steel, drum programming. From the opener “Bishop,” an Afrobeat influenced composition dotted by bursting swatches of colorful synths, to the driving rock of “Breadrich,” and the gentle beauty of “Ella,” this record hits the fusion sweet spot.
The previously unreleased Forces of Nature: Live at Slugs’ is a live recording of jazz legends McCoy Tyner (piano) and Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone) leading a quartet with bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Jack DeJohnette at Slugs' Saloon, in 1966. This is every bit as great as some of the reviews will have you believe, the centerpiece being the 28 minute “Taking Off.”
New to me: In March 1973, Herbie Hancock (keys), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax), Eric Gale (guitar), Ron Carter (bass) and drummer Jack DeJohnette played two shows; one in Chicago and one in Detroit. They were released as two seperate live albums: Freddie Hubbard/Stanley Turrentine In Concert Volume One and In Concert Volume Two - Live, and were repackaged together. This collection is about as jazz fusiony as fusion could get in 73/74.
Lastly, Nala Sinephro is best known for her ambient jazz music. Her new album, Endlessness, was rightfully gushed over by the P4K. Playing synths and harp, with a support cast of the future is now players including Ezra Collective’s James Mollison (sax), Nubya Garcia (sax), pianist Lyle Barton, and drummer Natcyet Wakili (Sons of Kemet, etc.), the compositions on Endlessness radiate a sort of "in a silent way” delicate beauty. The songs wander with purpose in a hypnotic, waving motion, intentionally capturing enchantment in what I’d always imagine a magic carpet ride through fluffy pillows would be like.
Good recommendations, Bruce. Thanks. I like pianist Emmet Cohen and his combo.
love seeing you writing about Jazz. enjoying the Jakob Bro and 'new' Tyner and Hubbard. will seek out the others. maybe someday you'll be a late-night Jazz DJ. ;-)