Brief Notes On New Jazz Releases

It feels like reality has still not gotten back to normal, whatever that might mean at this point. I am just happy that there are talented musicians on the ride with us, offering reactions and encouragement. Here are notes on a few new jazz releases you might want to check out.

Esthesis Quartet: “Time Zones” – A lot of good albums have come about because of the pandemic, but in this case the actual band itself is a result of the pandemic, forming in that time when everything was shut down. These four accomplished musicians met online to share their compositions, and soon began recording remotely. Their second album’s title, Time Zones, comes from the fact that the musicians live in different time zones. The quartet is made up of Elsa Nilsson on flute, Dawn Clement on piano and vocals, Emma Dayhuff on bass, and Tina Raymond on drums. This album features all original material, with three of the four musicians contributing compositions. The first track, “Blue Light,” was written by Dawn Clement, and it opens with bass, the playing having a late-night vibe. The others soon come in, and that late-night feeling continues, but with a lighter, more cheerful tone. And then it suddenly opens into another world, one that is exciting, like the imagination has taken over and even assumed some physical form, splashing brilliant colors on the walls and ceiling, running wild. In the second half there is an interesting section of just flute and drums. That is followed by “Brush Fire,” which was written by Tina Raymond. This one eases in, like a gentle, warm spark, and features some pretty work on flute and piano. And from there it begins to grow, spreading and becoming a force, felt especially in the work on drums and flute. There are moments when it begins to relax, only to grow again. “The New Yorker” features Dawn Clement on vocals as well as piano, and the lyrics provide the album’s title: “Soon you and I will exist/In different time zones.” It is interesting that there is a significant pause after the word “exist,” as if the thought were completed. This song was written by Dawn Clement, as was the next track, “Hollywood,” which is a cool, lively number that features a wonderful bass line and some impressive work on flute, in addition to an excellent lead on piano. And if that isn’t enough to make you love this track, there is a really good drum solo in the second half. That is followed by “Serial,” which was composed by Tina Raymond, and has the feel of being a detective on an intriguing case. The excitement, the danger, the twists, and the chase are all here. Things get pretty wild before the end. The quartet then changes gears with “First Light,” which is beautiful from the start. There is warmth and joy here, and optimism, for the day is full of promise. You know those moments in the morning before you read the news, before your responsibilities announce themselves, before anything goes wrong. Wouldn’t you love to live within the feeling of those moments? This one was written by Elsa Nilsson, as was the album’s final number, “Getting Through.” This one cooks right from the start, with that delicious bass line. Getting through is what we’ve all been doing for the last six or seven years, when it has seemed like reality has been coughing on our breakfast each morning. This track features some fantastic work on piano and drums. This album is scheduled to be released on March 10, 2023.

Doug MacDonald: “Big Band Extravaganza” – The latest release from guitarist and composer Doug MacDonald is his first with his new big band, which was formed in early 2020. The material here was, with one exception, written by Doug MacDonald. The album opens with “Toluca Lake Jazz,” which was the title track of a 2021 release. This new rendition features some excellent work on guitar, as you’d expect. The vibe is cheerful and somewhat relaxed, which is exactly the feeling I got whenever I visited jazz clubs in Toluca Lake. In addition to that wonderful lead on guitar, this track features a delightful lead by Kim Richmond on alto saxophone, some really nice work by Ivan Malespin on trombone, and a swinging rhythm by Chuck Berghofer on bass and Paul Kreibich on drums. That’s followed by “Rashomon,” which establishes a cool bass line immediately, and has a kind of easygoing feel. Kim Richmond again delivers some magnificent work on alto saxophone, with Doug MacDonald’s guitar lead this time following Richmond’s lead. Then “Luces Azules” is a more spirited blues number, featuring some delicious work by Bill Cunliffe on piano, and a lot of glorious work from the brass section. This is one of my personal favorites. The band turns to somewhat mellower territory with “Aventura En Triadas,” a track that is at its most interesting when the guitar is the focus, which fortunately is the case a good deal of the time. Then there is a good amount of joy on “Desert Jazz.” I particularly like Rickey Woodard’s work on tenor saxophone. There is a lot to enjoy about the memorable “Luz De Amour,” the ensemble working as a unit, though still with some standout moments on guitar. Then “De Ha” is great fun, with a rhythm that will have you at least smiling, if not dancing. This is another highlight for me, with that wonderful work on sax and delicious lead on guitar. Andy Langham is on piano here, and his work is also outstanding. And again, this is all with working with that marvelous rhythm. That’s followed by the album’s only cover, “But Not For Me.” Hey, you can never go wrong with Gershwin, and this rendition contains some strong work by Rickey Woodard on tenor saxophone. Then “Minor Mess” gets going with another cool rhythm, and features more good stuff from Andy Langham on piano. Of course, my favorite section is the drum solo toward the end. The disc wraps up with “Ya Know Bill,” a lively piece featuring Carl Saunders on trumpet. This album was released on January 31, 2023.

Mark Ortwein: “It Was Time” – On his debut album, Mark Ortwein plays a variety of instruments, including alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, electrified bassoon and flute. And the tracks, most of them original compositions, take us to many different places, showing a wide range of styles and interests. The album opens with its title track, which eases in, and creates a contemplative atmosphere that is one of both melancholy and hope. It seems to reflect on the past while simultaneously aiming to move forward. On this track, Mark Ortwein plays both bass clarinet and tenor saxophone. It is his work on saxophone that I find most moving and exciting. There is a beautiful solo toward the end of the track. Olas Ortwein (Mark Ortwein’s son) plays bass, Frank Glover is on piano, and Frances Wyatt is on drums. That is followed by “Pepperoni Grande Con Queso Mas,” which, as you might expect from the title, has a more fun vibe and rhythm. On this one, Mark Ortwein plays electrified bassoon and baritone saxophone. Here it is that electrified bassoon that drives the piece into delicious and unexpected territory. Matt McGraw is on drums, and Pavel Polanco-Safadit is on congas and piano, and their work is also fantastic. The album goes in a different direction with a passionate rendition of “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” featuring Josh Kaufman on vocals. There are some other good covers, but for me, the original material is the most interesting. “No More Butterflies,” for example, creates an intriguing atmosphere at the start. It is a darker piece, yet possesses a certain beauty, heard in the flute. And it surprises us when it suddenly kicks in, starting to move, and featuring some excellent work by John Fell on guitar and by Olas Ortwein on bass. There is even a cool drum solo by Carrington Clinton. And “Lunar Love” is an interesting, seductive dance featuring some delicious work on alto saxophone. I also love Gary Walters’ work on piano. Then “I Might Be Happy,” written by John Fell, finds Mark Ortwein engaged in both sides of a conversation on tenor saxophone and bassoon. There is a playful sense to this piece. And John Fell delivers a really good lead on guitar. “Schizoid” also has a good sense of play, particularly in that first section, before moving into more serious and wild territory. It features some wonderful work by Peter Hansen on bass. Before the end, Craig Hetrick delivers an excellent drum solo. The album concludes with “Bigfoot,” a funky, heavy, progressive number composed by Olas Ortwein and featuring more exciting work on electrified bassoon and a great lead on trumpet by Kenny Rampton. This album is scheduled to be released on February 24, 2023.

Planet D Nonet: “Blues To Be There” – The new album from Planet D Nonet is a tribute to Duke Ellington, featuring compositions by Ellington, as well as some by Billy Strayhorn that Duke Ellington recorded. The disc opens with “Spacemen,” which was a fairly short track when it appeared on Ellington’s The Cosmic Scene in 1958, and here is expanded, and includes some delightful leads and a great sense of fun. I especially like the work on saxophone and that lead by Michael Zaporski on piano. That’s followed by “Pie Eye’s Blues,” which comes from Duke Ellington’s Blues In Orbit album, and keeps spirits high, particularly James O’Donnell’s fantastic work on trumpet. I love the vibrant playing on this track. The album’s title track is another of the disc’s highlights. It begins with some good work on piano, then settles into a seriously cool blues rhythm, featuring more delicious work on keys. Then check out Christopher Tabacynski’s work on clarinet, which becomes the heart of the piece. That great rhythm resumes, and soon James O’Donnell is delivering some exciting work on trumpet. That’s followed by “Moon Maiden,” one of two tracks on this release to feature vocals. Here it is Tbone Paxton on vocals, and he does a really good job. I also like the percussion on this track. Tbone Paxton then shines on trumpet on Planet D Nonet’s rendition of “The Swingers Get The Blues Too,” another track from Ellington’s Blues In Orbit. And speaking of swingers, things are swinging and cooking on this band’s version of “Blow By Blow,” a track with great energy. Then “Tigress,” one of the pieces composed by Billy Strayhorn, opens with some excellent percussion. This band also delivers a fun rendition of Strayhorn’s “Take The A Train,” this track featuring James O’Donnell on vocals, as well as some wonderful work by Michael Zaporski on piano. “Bonga” is another highlight, in large part because of the percussion. Sean Perlmutter plays drums, and RJ Spangler plays congas. RJ Spangler is also the bandleader. That’s followed by “Moonbow,” which features Kasan Belgrave joining the band on clarinet, and Ryan Bills joining on tenor saxophone. And Alex Colista delivers some wonderful work on soprano saxophone. This one too has a great rhythm. The album concludes with a lively medley of “VIP’s Boogie” and “Jam With Sam,” two pieces that Ellington also paired. This album is scheduled to be released on February 10, 2023.

Tarmu Jazz Quartet: “Tarmu Jazz Quartet” – Eldad Tarmu is vibraphone player and composer, and this new album features all original compositions. The quartet is made up of Eldad Tarmu on vibraphone, Adam Hutcheson on alto saxophone, Sam Bevan on electric bass and double bass, and Cengiz Baysal on drums. The opening track, “Cafe Sole,” eases in, but very soon takes on a livelier feel, with that excellent work on sax, and that funky bass line, and those wonderful brief drum solos. The vibraphone ends up being the most fun element here, and interestingly it isn’t until fairly deep in the track that Eldad Tarmu takes a lead. This track is an excellent start to the album. Then “Self-Inflicted Wounds” has a strong opening, the instruments all combining to deliver the same thoughts. This time we don’t have to wait nearly as long for an excellent lead by Eldad Tarmu on vibraphone. There is also some exciting work on drums on this track, and then it is all suddenly over. The quartet then slows things down a bit with “El Hipnotizador,” which has a thoughtful tone, and is strangely captivating. I love how the saxophone slowly but surely gets its hooks into us, and after a time we realize we’ve been under this track’s spell for a while. Then Eldad Tarmu begins “Beneath The Gloss And Shine” on vibraphone, and this track is all about its incredibly catchy rhythm, one we want to just give ourselves to. It is a different sort of spell, but this track just as surely gets its hold on us. “Kinda Elegant” features a really good lead on vibraphone that has a kind of magical feel to it, which comes as something of a surprise. That is followed by “No Makeup,” which has a really good groove. If you’re looking for an album of strong grooves, you’re going to love this disc. And there is an undeniable power to this track. The quartet changes gears for “A Take Of Dirt And Flowers,” which has more contemplative feel as it begins, and conveys a sense of longing. It builds from there, particularly during the lead on saxophone. Then “Mating Calls” has a strong opening, and carries a sense of being sure of itself. “Tall Grass Prairie,” the closing track, begins rather gently, then takes us in some interesting directions. This track includes a good lead on bass. This album is scheduled to be released on March 1, 2023.