Brief Notes On New Jazz Releases

As we approach the midterm elections with some trepidation, the polls giving us hope and then just as quickly removing it, leaving us with the feeling that things are just going to get worse, that this country will never emerge from the ugliness and stupidity represented by creatures like Marjorie Peach Tree Dish Greene and Ted Cruz, musicians pull us in the other direction, giving us signs that humanity’s better qualities are still shining, can still determine the course of things. Ah, if only musicians would run for office. I voted for Bill Clinton mainly because I got to see him play saxophone. Here are brief notes on a few new jazz releases you might be interested in checking out.

Nica Carrington: “Times Like These” – The debut full-length release from vocalist Nica Carrington contains some excellent standards that she learned from listening to her father’s record collection while growing up. Recorded during the pandemic, these songs speak to the brevity and beauty of life, with all its longing and loss and joy. Joining her on this release are John Proulx on piano, Chuck Berghofer on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums. The album opens with a warm, soulful rendition of “Skylark,” with some gentle work from the musicians, and a vulnerable quality to her voice. “But my heart is riding on your wings/So if you see them anywhere/Won’t you lead me there.” She follows that with “Left Alone,” asking, “Where’s the love that’s made to fill my heart?/Where’s the one from whom I’ll never part?” There is strength in her voice, and a hint of attitude, so even though she may be alone, we get the sense she’s going to be all right. Then Nica Carrington delivers a beautiful performance of “When Sunny Gets Blue,” keeping to a similar theme. “Love is gone, so what can matter?” she asks here. That’s followed by a soulful and beautiful rendering of Cole Porter’s “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye.” The opening lines of “We’ll Be Together Again” are striking in these strange times: “Here in a moment of darkness/Remember the sun has shone/Laugh and the world will laugh with you/Cry and you cry alone.” It does sometimes feel like we are stuck in a dark moment that has no end, and though there is a sadness to this song, it is ultimately hopeful, and that is exactly the feeling of this moment. Nica Carrington does a wonderful job with this song, and I love that light piano work. That’s followed by a gorgeous version of “The Summer Knows.” One of the album’s best vocal performances is that on “Angel Eyes.” There is something sexy about this rendition, and in addition to a great vocal performance, this track features some wonderful work on piano. And she leaves us with “Here’s To Life,” another perfect choice for these difficult times. “No complaints and no regrets/I still believe in chasing dreams and placing bets/For I have learned that all you give is all you get/So you give it all you got.” She gives us an earnest, passionate and warm rendition, just what we need. This album was released on September 23, 2022.

Leticia Walker: “Lit From Within” – Vocalist Leticia Walker’s new album is gospel jazz, featuring mostly covers. But it opens with a couple of original compositions. The first is the title track, which is a positive and bright burst of funky gospel designed to raise your spirits and keep you going. “Let your light shine/Forget where you’ve been/Lord knows we’re lit from within.” Some elements, like those great backing vocals, have a 1970s disco vibe. There is some wonderful stuff from the horn section, and an exciting, though short, lead on electric guitar in the second half. The band on this track is somewhat different from the rest of the album, and is made up of Steve Jankowski on trumpet and trombone, Marc Ribler on guitar, Demetrios Pappas on keys, Anthony Senatore on bass, Tom Cottone on drums, and Doug DeHays on tenor and baritone saxophone. The backing vocalists are Kimberly Davis, Audrey Martells and Deb Lyons. That track is followed by “This I Know For Sure,” written by Leticia Walker and Jayson Simpson. This one has a mellower, smoother vibe. Its opening lines are certainly relevant to most of us: “Waiting for the sun to peek/Through the clouds/Waiting for this hectic life/To calm down/Sorting out the pieces/Of my past/The world is spinning crazy/Way too fast.” That describes basically where most of us are in our lives today. This song too has a positive bent, expressed in lines like “And this I know for sure/Love will save the day” and “Every day is a gift.” It’s often difficult to keep that in mind, but songs like this do help. The band on this track and the rest of the album is made up of Aaron Graves on piano and organ; Steve Beskrone on bass; Leon Jordan on drums; Richard Tucker on guitar; Doug DeHays on alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone and flute; and Steve Jankowski on trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone and percussion. The backing vocalists are the same as on the opening track. Leticia Walker then delivers a beautiful rendition of “Speak To Me,” a song in which she asks for guidance, and expresses a need for truth and comfort. I like how her vocals grow in power and confidence as the track progresses. That’s followed by “Better Than Anything,” which is fun and features some good work on drums. “Prayer Of St. Frances” includes some fantastic backing vocal work. Another of the disc’s highlights is her cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “My City Of Ruins,” which features some really nice work on keys, and more excellent backing vocal work. Then Deb Lyons, one of the talented backing vocalists, joins Leticia Walker on lead vocals for a duet of “Happy Days/Get Happy,” another of the disc’s best tracks. The album concludes with a rousing rendition of “Jesus Is Mine.” This album was released on August 1, 2022.

The Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestra West: “Postcards From Hollywood” – Trombonist and band leader Scott Whitfield explores his interest in film music on this new album, his jazz orchestra covering the music of such composers as Elmer Bernstein, Henry Mancini, John Williams and Bernard Herrmann. The album opens with the theme from The Magnificent Seven, which features some good work by Kendall Kay on drums right away. That initial section builds in intensity, until it suddenly gives way to a cool, kind of swinging part, with strange little touches from the horn section. This is a spirited and exciting track. Scott Whitfield then takes the group in a different direction with “Sally’s Tomato,” music written by Henry Mancini for Breakfast At Tiffany’s. This track features guest percussionist Brad Dutz, plus some cool work by Jennifer Leitham on bass. And while this piece largely has a mellower vibe, there are still hints of intrigue and excitement. Then guest Pete Christlieb joins the band on tenor saxophone on “Entre’Act/First Love Theme” from Cleopatra, delivering some fantastic work. It is so easy to get caught up in this music, swept up by the grandness of certain sections, and then drawn in by its more intimate moments. Somehow I’ve gotten this far in life without seeing Gone With The Wind, but if the film is as good as the music on this disc, then I really should make a point of watching it. From that movie, Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestra West performs “Tara’s Theme,” and as it progresses, there is a great joy to the playing. But the track that is the most fun and liveliest is the theme to The Pawnbroker, composed by Quincy Jones. It is a treat, and features guest Rickey Woodard on tenor saxophone. The first soundtrack I ever got was that to Star Wars (I was five years old), and The Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestra takes me back to my childhood by delivering some of Star Wars music here, presenting it in a way I hadn’t heard before, and including a drum solo to make me even happier. If you’re a film fan, then you are an Alfred Hitchcock fan, and The Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestra West performs music from two of his films. The first is the theme from Spellbound, with the vocals, which are performed by Scott Whitfield. This track also features a cool lead on bass. The second is the theme from North By Northwest, composed by Bernard Herrmann, and this piece takes off immediately, the drums propelling it. And then it just grows from there, becoming delightfully intense. A great piece to close the disc. This album was released on August 19, 2022.

Judy Whitmore: “Isn’t It Romantic” – Vocalist Judy Whitmore tackles some of the great standards on her new album, Isn’t It Romantic. Joining her on this release are Tamir Hendelman on piano, Alex Frank on bass, Dean Koba on drums, Brian Kilgore on percussion, Rickey Woodard on saxophone, Mitchell Long on acoustic guitar, Lori Bell on flute, Larry Koonse on electric guitar, and Mike Rocha on trumpet. The album opens with “It Could Happen To You,” Judy Whitmore’s vocal performance bright and cheerful. This track also features some excellent and lively work on piano. She follows that with “I Remember You,” featuring pretty work by Lori Bell on flute, and a warm lead on piano. One of my personal favorites is “You Go To My Head,” from that initial saxophone part to Judy Whitmore’s gorgeous vocal delivery. Ah, romance is still alive, and when she sings “You intoxicate my soul with your eyes,” we can hear the truth of it in the breathiness of the word “intoxicate.” It is like she loses a bit of control in that moment, for that person has truly gone to her head. Plus, this track features an excellent sax lead in the second half. Another of the disc’s highlights is “The Birth Of The Blues,” on which Peisha McPhee joins Judy Whitmore on vocals, the two delivering some wonderful work. Mike Rocha’s work on trumpet is another element that helps make this track stand out. I particularly love that moment when it bursts up to another level, completely unbridled and excited. This is a fantastic track from beginning to end. Then “Speak Low” features some really nice work on both flute and piano. There is something dramatic about her vocal approach to the album’s title track, and I love the way the saxophone supports her, engages in the dance with her. And that bass line is delicious. Then in the middle, the piano and saxophone have their own delightful moment. “Just A Little Lovin’” is yet another highlight, in part because of the song’s message. “This old world/Wouldn’t be half as bad/It wouldn’t be half as sad/If each and everybody in it had/Just a little lovin’/Early in the morning.” Absolutely. Imagine if everyone started the day with a little loving. Well, if you can’t manage that, at least try listening to some good music before facing the world. This track features some nice work on electric guitar, and Stephan Oberhoff on backing vocals. The album wraps up with a totally enjoyable rendition of “Hallelujah I Love Her So,” here “Hallelujah I Love Him So.” Judy Whitmore is clearly having a good time with this one. This album was released on September 14, 2022.

Jim Witzel: “Feelin’ It” – Jazz guitarist and composer Jim Witzel delivers a combination of covers and original material on this album. Most tracks feature the trio of Witzel, Brian Ho on organ, and Jason Lewis on drums. A few tracks also include Dann Zinn on tenor saxophone. The album opens with its title track, one of the three tracks to feature Zinn on saxophone. And immediately I’m feeling it, because of that delicious groove. There is some swing here, and a good deal of joy, as the musicians move things forward. Jim Witzel gives us an excellent lead on guitar, and that rhythm beneath his playing might have you snapping your fingers. Dann Zinn’s sax lead then swirls and spirals upward, and things remain in motion as Brian Ho takes over on organ, delivering some wonderful stuff. This is a strong opening track, with a good vibe about it. Then Jason Lewis gets the trio’s rendition of “Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise” moving, this version swinging and pulsing at a good rate, the organ leading the charge. This track also features some lively guitar work, and some brief, but exciting drum solos. This one too feels like it is about movement, and it comes as some surprise when the track begins to fade out. The trio changes gears with a rendition of The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood” that has a rather dreamy quality at first, then grows in power, particularly during that organ lead. It is interesting then when the organ and guitar come together toward the end to deliver what would be the vocal line. Dann Zinn returns on saxophone for the original composition, “Beyond Beijing,” which expresses a light joy. I particularly like the rhythm of this piece. Jim Witzel follows that with an unusual rendition of “I Loves Your, Porgy” where he plays two guitar parts, and is unaccompanied. I’ve said it many times, but you can never go wrong with Gershwin. The final of the album’s original compositions is “Ms. Information,” a title similar to Sugaray Rayford’s “Miss Information” and Jim Infantino’s “Little Miss Communication.” This is also the third track to feature Dann Zinn on saxophone, so Zinn plays on all the original compositions. It is one of the album’s most interesting tracks, and features some excellent work on drums. This album was released on September 30, 2022.