Brief Notes On New Jazz Releases

Things continue to be strange out there. I know we were all expecting, and needing, a lot from this administration, after the last administration left the country in a dark, terrible place. And, well, everything is falling short of our hopes and needs. Fortunately, artists continue to release music to remind of us of the better parts of humanity, music to help us cope with a reality that isn’t what anyone wanted. Here are some brief notes on a few new jazz releases you might be interested in checking out.

CeCe Gable: “Next Year’s Song” – Vocalist CeCe Gable delivers excellent renditions of standards on her new album, Next Year’s Song, with arrangements by Harvie S, who also plays bass on these tracks. Also joining Gable on this release are Alan Broadbent on piano, Roni Ben-Hur on guitar, and Matt Wilson on drums. Though the album contains mostly covers, it opens with an original composition by CeCe Gable and Harvie S, “Next Year’s Song,” which has a warm, optimistic tone. “Next year’s song brings us peace and harmony/Lighting up the days ahead/When we see where we’ve been/And how to begin to live like we know the score.” It feels like we’ve been looking forward to a brighter future for at least six years now, and yet we continue to feel that it is right around the corner. Let’s hope it is. “Let’s be free from the pain and misery/Start all over again.” Yes, it seems that is what it will take. This song features some beautiful work on piano. That’s followed by “No Moon At All,” written by Redd Evans and David Mann. This version has a cool swing to it, and features some delicious work on drums and guitar. There is a good jam in the middle, led by piano. And CeCe Gable is clearly having a good time, cutting loose vocally, particularly toward the end. Then “Two For The Road” features a mellow, but cool lead on bass. Things really start to move with “Just One Of Those Things,” that great rhythm established in its opening moments. Then, halfway through, we are treated to a drum solo, which helps to make this one of my personal favorite tracks. “I’m Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life” is another of this album’s delights, in large part because of CeCe Gable’s vocal performance, which is both adorable and moving, but also because of that drum work. And check out the drums at the beginning of “My Romance.” I also love the way the bass supports CeCe Gable’s voice on her rendition of “Come Rain Or Come Shine.” In addition to the standards, this album also includes two compositions by Alan Broadbent and lyricist Georgia Mancio, “The Last Goodbye” and “From Me To You,” the latter of which contains a wonderful lead on guitar. “And though there’s an empty chair where you should be/I still can see/The bluest skies/Life keeps moving on.” This album is scheduled to be released on April 22, 2022.

Sean Nelson’s New London Big Band: “Social Hour!” – In the summer of 2016, The Social Bar & Kitchen opened in New London, Connecticut. Trombonist and composer Sean Nelson approached the new club’s owner about having big band music there, and soon this seventeen-piece band was formed. The venue became their base, and they still play there once a month. The title of the band’s new album, Social Hour, comes directly from that, the title track being the group’s theme song. That is the track that opens the album, and it is a delightful, swinging number with bright bursts from the brass section, a good rhythm, and some wonderful work on piano. It also has a great deal of energy. Like many of the tracks on this album, it is an original composition by Sean Nelson. Several other band members also contribute material to this release. It’s followed by a delicious bluesy number titled “Brisket And Beans,” which was also written by Sean Nelson and features some seriously cool work on guitar, as well as a whole lot of great stuff from the brass section, particularly toward the end of the track. This is one of my personal favorites. “El Chupacabra” has a Latin rhythm and a dramatic sense about it. “Countin’ Freckles” was composed by trumpet player Bryce Call, and has a light, playful vibe that is instantly enjoyable. Then pianist Jen Allen gives us “The Clearing,” which has its own dramatic arc, and feels like a character-driven piece. From trumpet player Haneef Nelson we get “Blues From The News,” something I am certain we can all relate to. Who hasn’t been depressed, infuriated and utterly exhausted by the news the last several years? Well, the horns are here to help. I especially love that section in the middle where they so deftly express what we are all feeling. Soon after that, there is a nice lead on bass. This is another of my favorites. Then “Freaks In Mayberry” comes as a surprise, having more of a progressive rock feel. “Devil’s Punchbowl” has mellower, introspective vibe at the start. Earl MacDonald’s “Small Town, Big Band” has some fantastically cool moments that remind me a bit of The Pink Panther music, and I like that work on drums. Then Cedric Mayfield contributes “Let There Be Light,” which features Rob McEwan joining on tabla, as well as beautiful vocal work by Megan Weikleenget. While this album focuses on original material, the band does present its own arrangement of “When You Wish Upon A Star,” a rendition that swings and is quite fun. The album concludes with another Sean Nelson composition, “Every Possible History Of The Universe.” This album was released on March 25, 2022.

Marco Pignataro’s Dream Alliance: “Awakening” – On this album’s first track, a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Send One Your Love,” Nadia Washington sings, “I know that people say that the days of romance are no more.” Well, listening to this album gives us the sense that romance and love are everywhere, in the very air we breathe. The album documents a performance from the summer of 2021 at Boston’s GBH Fraser Studio (though it seems the tracks are in a somewhat different order), and features Marco Pignataro on saxophone, Kenny Werner on piano and backing vocals, Nadia Washington on guitar and vocals, and Devon Gates on bass and vocals. That first track features some wonderful, bright work by Marco Pignataro on saxophone. In addition to the Stevie Wonder song, this group covers material from Ben E. King, Gilbert O’Sullivan and The Beatles. But most of the tracks are original compositions, the majority of which were written by Marco Pignataro. The first of the original pieces is “Resilience Of Light,” a cool tune which begins with bass and finger snaps. The lyrics come at us like poetry. That leads naturally to their rendition of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” which feels like it begins exactly where “Resilience Of Light” left us. This is a gorgeous, hopeful, soulful rendition, precisely what we need in these strange days of division and isolation. That’s followed by a moving original piece titled “Naked Absence,” which begins as a saxophone solo, the vocals not coming in until near the end. Here again the lyrics are delivered as poetry. This track leads straight into “Farfallina,” a pretty and uplifting piece that features a wonderful lead on piano. One of this album’s most beautiful tracks is “I Caught A Reflection Of Me,” mostly because of Marco Pignataro’s work on saxophone. Halfway through the track, the vocals come in, again delivered as spoken word. “Love so overwhelming/My heart could stop breathing.” That is followed by a gorgeous rendition of The Beatles’ “Because,” which includes some really nice work on piano. And speaking of piano, this group delivers an excellent rendition of Kenny Werner’s “Inspiration.” The album concludes with another beautiful piece, “Moon Threads Prologue: At Night.” This album was released on April 1, 2022.

Chris Standring: “Simple Things” – There is a sense of joy to the material on the new album from guitarist Chris Standring, and that comes, at least in part, from a reevaluation of priorities following a heart attack in March 2021. The pandemic has caused a lot of us to take another look at what’s important to us, but of course a heart attack immediately puts one’s choices into perspective. And so a lot of the music on this album is about seizing the moment, embracing life and enjoying the brief time we have. The opening track, “Shadow Of Doubt,” is a funky number with some heavy 1980s influences, heard particularly in the work on keys. In addition to guitar, Chris Standring plays keyboards on most of these tracks. He is joined by Andre Berry on bass and Chris Coleman on drums. There are a few special guests on certain tracks. “Thank You Bootsy” likewise has a funky element, especially in that cool bass line. What an enjoyable groove. The Bootsy he is thanking is Bootsy Collins, of course. Then on “Change The World,” he takes us back to the 1970s with that disco beat. “A Thousand Words” is a prettier number, featuring some really good work on guitar, though as always I could do without the rain sound effect at the beginning and end of this track. Kevin Axt plays upright bass on this one. “Ain’t Nothin’ But A Thing” is another fun tune, with a groove that should get you smiling before too long. Rodney Lee plays keys on this track, delivering some delightful work. “Too Close For Comfort” addresses the heart attack, and has a hopeful sense about it. That’s followed by another fun and funky number, “Don’t Get Me Started.” Gary Meek joins him on tenor saxophone on this track, helping to make this track one of the album’s best. The album concludes with a mellower number, “And The Show Goes On.” And I suppose that’s a good reminder at times, that despite all the craziness of the last several years, life does continue. This album is scheduled to be released on May 20, 2022.

Chris Torkewitz: “NY Ensembles” – Chris Torkewitz is a pianist, saxophonist and composer. His new release, NY Ensembles, is an interesting album. It captures a concert from 2013, when Chris Torkewitz had formed two different ensembles specifically to perform the original material contained on these tracks. It was the only public performance by these ensembles. The first ensemble, Jazz Chamber Orchestra, includes a string quartet, clarinets, flute, harp, piano and bass. The first track of this section is titled “Vista,” a piece with a certain amount of tension, at moments feeling like something that might play during an Alfred Hitchcock film. While “Farbtoene” might be softer in most moments, there is an intensity to this part too, which draws the listener in. Then “Noticias” features some strong work from the string section, and gets pretty wild toward the end. This section concludes with a very short piece titled “Epilogo.” The other ensemble, Jazz Orchestra, is a big band with seventeen musicians. The pieces of this section are quite a bit longer, the first, “Filou,” being nearly fourteen minutes. As it begins, there is a sense of curiosity. Before you know it, the music starts to build, and at moments even swings. I love Dave Smith’s lead on trumpet, which comes across as a singular voice, a quirky character, while Austin Walker keeps things moving on drums. That’s followed by “Steingarden,” which creates a mysterious tone at the beginning. There are moments when the cymbals are left on their own, and our imagination begins to fill the space with questions as we wonder where this will lead. And things just get more interesting from there. I especially love that lead on saxophone. The group changes direction with “T.S.,” which has a light, fun vibe, and immediately features some excellent work on piano. There is also some exciting work by Chris Torkewitz on tenor saxophone, and in the liner notes he teases us that the T.S. of the tune’s title might refer to that instrument. Then I love that lead on bass in “One For You,” the last track of that section. The Chamber Orchestra returns for “Seiltanz,” which develops its own interesting beauty. The disc concludes with “Ausblick,” a more solemn piece featuring the string quartet. This album is scheduled to be released on May 1, 2022.