Brief Notes On New Jazz Releases

Things are getting weirder out there all the time, and more and more we are stuck inside our homes and our own heads. Fortunately, there is a lot of excellent music to help us through these difficult and strange times. Here are some brief notes on a few new (and two older) jazz releases you might want to check out.

Enrique Haneine: “Unlayered” – The new album from drummer and composer Enrique Haneine contains eleven original compositions, featuring a good range of styles and moods, with a common theme of deconstruction. It may seem harsh at moments, as it tears at the corners, reaching down and demanding some truth at its core. Among my favorites are “Luculent Jiggle” (which features a very cool bass part) and “Dance Of Endless Encounter” (mostly because of that great work from the horns). Joining Enrique Haneine on this release are Thomas Heberer on trumpet, Catherine Sikora on saxophone, Christof Knoche on bass clarinet, and Jay Anderson on acoustic bass. This album was released on April 3, 2020.

Dave Stryker With Bob Mintzer And The WDR Big Band: “Blue Soul” – On Dave Stryker’s new release, he joins forces with conductor and arranger and saxophone player Bob Mintzer and the WDR Big Band to deliver some original numbers as well as cover some well-known songs in the pop and rock realm. Two of the first three tracks are Marvin Gaye tunes – “Trouble Man” and “What’s Going On,” featuring some nice work by Billy Test on organ. There is also an interesting and lively take on Prince’s “When Doves Cry,” with a wonderful section where Dave Stryker and John Goldsby are racing along together on guitar and bass respectively. That track also features some great stuff by Hans Dekker on drums. One of the coolest and most exciting tracks is “Aha,” composed by Bob Mintzer, who also plays tenor saxophone on it. That tracks features some fantastic work on both saxophone and guitar. Of the Dave Stryker compositions, two of them – “Came To Believe” and “Shadowboxing” – appeared on Steve Johns’ 2015 release Family, an album that Dave Stryker produced. “Shadowboxing” includes a good drum solo. The third is “Blues Strut,” which is a fun and bright tune. I love the way Dave’s bluesy guitar works in the big band setting. This is another of my favorite tracks. This album is scheduled to be released on June 5, 2020.

The Tnek Jazz Quintet: “Plays The Music Of Sam Jones” – Sam Jones was an incredible bass player who might be best known for his work with other artists, particularly Cannonball Adderley. But he also was a composer and band leader, and released several records in the 1960s and 1970s. The Tnek Jazz Quintet pays tribute to this musician on the new release, Plays The Music Of Sam Jones, covering seven of his compositions. This music on this disc is bursting with life, the rhythms exciting, as you’d probably expect. What might surprise you is just how great the horn parts are. Listen to their work on “Bittersuite,” for example. I love the groove of “Some More Of Dat,” which is just a ridiculously cool track, featuring some delicious work on piano and a wonderful bass solo. “Del Sasser” has such a fun, bright vibe. There is also a mellower, gorgeous tune, “Lillie.” The Tnek Jazz Quintet is made up of Kent Miller on bass, Darius Scott on piano, Greg Holloway on drums, Benny Russell on tenor saxophone and soprano saxophone, and Antonio Parker on alto saxophone. This album was released on March 1, 2020.

Eyal Vilner Big Band: “Swing Out!” – If you need some delicious big band tunes to lift you up in these dark days, Eyal Vilner Big Band is here to help. Eyal Vilner plays alto saxophone, clarinet and flute, and did the arrangements. He also composed a couple of the tracks, including the opening number, “Downhill,” which moves and swings and features some wonderful stuff from Vilner, as well as Brandon Lee on trumpet and Robert Edwards on trombone. The entire album is fantastic, but highlights include a wonderful rendition of “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans” (here shortened to “Do You Know What It Means”) and fun versions of “Saint Louis Blues” and “5-10-15 Hours.” Brianna Thomas provides excellent vocal work on this album. Whether she is belting out a lyric or delivering a line more intimately, she is a delight to listen to. And Brandon Bain joins the band on vocals for a sweet rendition of “That’s All.” This album was released on July 12, 2019.

Rich Willey’s Boptism Big Band: “Down & Dirty” – This album features almost all original material, written by Rich Willey (the only exception being a moving rendition of “Old Folks”). If you love hearing new big band music like I do, you are going to dig this disc. This group takes big band music to some interesting places, using elements of funk at times. Highlights for me include “Dancing Hippo” and “Not So Fast!” (the latter of which implements a reggae beat). Rich Willey plays trumpet and flugelhorn, and the whole band has plenty of talent. Thomas Hooten joins them on piccolo trumpet for the album’s title track. This album was released on June 28, 2019.