Dave Rudolf: “Traditional” (2022) CD Review

Dave Rudolf has written a lot of original material over the years, but on his new album, Traditional, he explores traditional songs in the folk and gospel realms. You likely are familiar with most, if not all, of the songs he’s chosen for this album, but his approach will give you a renewed appreciation of these compositions. There is more than an hour of music on this disc. He even presents two distinct versions of “I’ll Fly Away,” highlighting the different approaches to that song artists have traditionally taken. Joining him on this release are Dan Peters on guitar, Jim Widlowski on drums and percussion, Thomas Linsk on keyboards and organ, John Chorney on keyboards and organ, Keith Baumann on mandolin, Greg Cahill on banjo, Lauren Nugent on penny whistle, Rich Prezioso on dobro, Wally Hustin on bass, Al Joseph on violin, Gary Victorine on pedal steel, Harry Garner on harmonica, and Marsha Lynn Smith on backing vocals, along with some guests on certain tracks.

Dave Rudolf opens the album with “Mary Don’t You Weep No More.” This is a lively, energetic rendition, featuring some great stuff on violin and a raw, passionate lead vocal performance, sort of in the same vein as Tom Waits. There is also some excellent backing vocal work. This is a strong opening for the album, with an energy that would have also made it a great choice of closer. It is followed by “Swanee River” (which is also known as “Old Folks At Home”), a song written by Stephen Foster in 1851. The version that always plays in my mind when I think of this song is the brief rendition by Davy Jones in an episode of The Monkees. That was a light, fun take on it. Here Dave Rudolf puts his own spin on it, giving the song a gentle and pretty folk sound, his vocals reminding me of some 1960s folks recordings. The music then takes a more serious turn with his version of “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” which is combined with “Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye,” a song that was written to be sung to the tune of “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.” I think I’ve often confused the two songs, and it turns out that it’s “Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye” that I am thinking of when I think of the songs. It is that song that has the better set of lyrics, no question about it. And this recording will give you a chance to compare them yourself.

“I’ll Fly Away” is a song that always cheers me up. Fur Dixon & Steve Werner used to do this one fairly regularly, including at their wonderful back yard parties. It’s one that tends to get folks singing along, one that brings everyone together. On this release, as I mentioned, Dave Rudolf delivers two versions. The first is a bluegrass rendition, in line with most of the versions I’ve seen performed at various concerts, and featuring some nice work on banjo, mandolin and violin. This track has such an optimistic sound that I can’t help but think things are going to be all right. There is a sweet instrumental section toward the end. The second version follows it, and has a very different approach. This is a delicious, passionate gospel rendition that kind of rocks on keys. Marsha Lynn Smith sings lead on parts of this one, and delivers some fantastic work. This version seems ready to grab us by the arm and lead us directly to the heavens, bypassing the ordinarily necessary preliminaries, you understand. This song works equally well in both realms.

Dave Rudolf delivers a moving rendition of “Bedlam Boys,” featuring some beautiful work on violin. This song contains some interesting lyrics. If you are not familiar with the song, check out these lines: “My staff has murdered giants/My bag a long knife carries/For to cut mince pies from children’s thighs/With which to feed the fairies.” Delicious! And of course, I can’t help but think of King Lear when I hear lines about Tom O’Bedlam. Rick Ariail plays keys, and Diane Laffey provides some backing vocal work on this track. That’s followed by “Waltzing Matilda,” an Australian folk song that tells a great story, containing those perennial folk elements, such as wandering the countryside, run-ins with the authorities, death, and ghosts. This version features some good work on electric guitar. Then we get a cool rendition of “Wade In The Water” that will likely get you snapping along. It’s like a church and roadside bar were somehow fused together and the resulting band chose this song to perform. I love that stuff on keys, and there is also some good backing vocal work on this track. It’s just a completely enjoyable rendition.

Perhaps the strangest choice on this disc is “Istanbul, Not Constantinople,” which is usually listed as “Istanbul (Not Constantinople).”  And yes, okay, the first version I ever heard was that by They Might Be Giants (didn’t everyone own Flood?). The song is quite a bit older than that. Well thirty-seven years older. Dave Rudolf does a good job with it, delivering a delightful version. I particularly like that guitar work. He then returns to folk music with “Red River Valley,” which has some country elements. I love that pedal steel work. Dave Rudolf’s vocal approach here is sweet and smooth, which is just exactly right for this song. This track also features some good work on mandolin and fiddle. It’s a really nice rendition. It’s followed by “Will The Circle Be Unbroken,” this version combining gospel and country tonk elements. Dianne Laffey joins Dave on lead vocals on this one, delivering some strong vocal work. Then Dave Rudolf gives us “Haul Away Joe,” a sea shanty. I’ve heard several versions of this one over the years, and it is sometimes done a cappella. The version here has a full band sound.

Like many folks, I first heard “House Of The Rising Sun” done by The Animals. And I loved it. But later when I understood the song from a female perspective, it made a whole lot more sense, and I loved it even more. But it can work for both genders, and here Dave Rudolf sings it from a male perspective, and delivers a good, bluesy rendition. Rick Ariail plays keyboards on this track, Scott Ashley is on guitar, and Jamie Wirt is on bass. That’s followed by “Star Of The County Down.” I grew up listening to a lot of Irish folk music, and have heard many renditions of this song over the years. It’s an excellent song, and Dave Rudolf does an admirable job with it. It might feel just a tad slow, but it works really well. I love the penny whistle. Dave Rudolf then delivers a beautiful version of “The Water Is Wide,” featuring some pretty work on violin and some warm work on piano. At the center is his excellent, moving vocal performance. “Build me a boat that can carry two/And both shall row, my love and I.” Then “Blood Red Roses” begins with a rhythm. The vocals soon come in over it, but the beat remains prominent through the track. The album concludes with the folk song “Wayfaring Stranger,” featuring another strong vocal performance. “I know dark clouds may gather ‘round me/I know my way is rough and steep/Yet golden fields lie just before me.”

CD Track List

1. Mary Don’t You Weep No More
2. Swanee River
3. When Johnny Comes Marching Home/Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye
4. I’ll Fly Away (bluegrass)
5. I’ll Fly Away (gospel)
6. Bedlam Boys
7. Waltzing Matilda
8. Wade In The Water
9. Istanbul, Not Constantinople
10. Red River Valley
11. Will The Circle Be Unbroken
12. Haul Away Joe
13. House Of The Rising Sun
14. The Star Of The County Down
15. The Water Is Wide
16. Blood Red Roses
17. Wayfaring Stranger

Traditional was released on November 15, 2022.

Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers: “Rock ‘N’ Roll With The Modern Lovers” (1977/2022) CD Review

I can always count on Jonathan Richman to raise my spirits, and it seems these days we could all use a bit of that. Well, this year saw the re-issues of several Jonathan Richman albums including the 1977 album Rock ‘N’ Roll With The Modern Lovers. This album features mostly original material, along with some interesting choices of covers. “The Wheels On The Bus”? Sure, why not? The Modern Lovers were fearless when it came to the musical directions they wished to take, and whatever they did seemed to work beautifully. If basically any other band had made some of the same choices these guys did, the results would have been a laughable disaster. But Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers somehow thrived in this strange little land they created, a land we can now revisit thanks to these re-issues.

This album opens with one of the covers, “The Sweeping Wind (Kwa Ti Feng).” This is an instrumental piece that is identified in the disc’s scant liner notes as a Chinese folk song. Like I said, these guys took chances. And of course they put their own spin on it. That’s followed by the beloved and notorious “Ice Cream Man,” one of those delightful original numbers that Jonathan Richman is so good at delivering. This studio version does have one false ending, with Jonathan than saying, “One more time.” A live recording of this song was included on Live, also released in 1977 (and also re-issued this year), and that version has several false endings.

0n the self-titled 1976 album from Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers, there are Martians and an abominable snowman. Well, on this one, there are leprechauns. So there. In “Rockin’ Rockin’ Leprechauns,” Jonathan tells us the leprechauns “have come back to rock and roll.” Wait, where had they gone? Well, no matter. What is important is that they are grooving and rocking and enjoying themselves in the park (“hark hark”). “They’re wobbling and wiggling/And they’re fumbling and giggling/Oh, they’re here to rock and roll.” This is a fun, goofy and endearing tune, one that only The Modern Lovers could deliver. I love that moment when Jonathan starts to shout out the lyrics with a great punk energy. That’s followed by “Summer Morning,” a song that Jonathan Richman co-wrote with Leroy Radcliffe. This song feels improvised, particularly its first half. It’s like he is riffing and somehow stumbles into a song. It feels like we’re in his house while Jonathan and his mates are rehearsing, and we happen to catch this magical moment. A song that ends up being rather beautiful. And what song should follow “Summer Morning”? Well, “Afternoon,” of course. This one eases in, then soon develops a catchy groove.

Jonathan introduces “Fly Into The Mystery” as a slow dance, adding that it’s “Ladies’ choice.” Like a lot of his material, this song takes place in Boston: “See now, it’s eight o’clock in Boston/And Filene’s has just locked up/It’s so good to see the sky clear up this way/There’s the stars, we haven’t lost ‘em/It’s time to fly into life’s mystery/It’s time to go somewhere we’ve never seen.” I think Filene’s is now gone. Same is true of Bradlees, The Fair, Caldor, Jordan Marsh, and Lechmere. Crazy, isn’t it? Anyway, this is a song that I love more each time I hear it. It’s followed by “South America Folk Song” one of the disc’s covers, and another that is an instrumental, and then “Roller Coaster By The Sea.” This playful number actually takes place in California rather than somewhere in New England. “Hey, roller coaster by the sea/Thank you for helping me/And roller coaster by the water/You made me feel more as I ought to.”

“Dodge Veg-O-Matic” is another playful song, this one about a car that might not get him anywhere, but which he enjoys nonetheless. “You know I like to watch it rot.” Yup, it’s a song to celebrate the lemon. I’ve always loved this song. It was included on that compilation of his work, The Beserkely Years: The Best Of Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers. That’s followed by “Egyptian Reggae,” an instrumental tune, but this one an original composition. That in turn is followed by “Coomyah,” which feels like a perfect choice, as it has a reggae vibe.

Then we get “The Wheels On The Bus.” Yes, the children’s song. My friend Ryan and I worked on a children’s video with this title, and so we heard this song a whole lot, more than anyone might wish to. As an interesting side note, Roger Daltrey provided the voice of the bus driver on that show, so there’s that. So why did Jonathan Richman decide to cover it?  I don’t know, but perhaps it was some kind of challenge, to see if he could take a song like this and make it cool. If so, he basically succeeded. The Modern Lovers seem to be having a good time with this song, opening it with some strange animal sounds, but then delivering it more or less earnestly, though adding a verse about a monster on the bus. And why not? “And the monster on the bus says I’m going to scare you/I’m going to scare you, I’m going to scare you/The monster on the bus says I’m going to scare you/All through the town.”  The track ends with a bit of joking about getting the monster off the bus. The album then concludes with another cover, “Angels Watching Over Me,” which is delivered a cappella, with just some finger snaps. Of course, Jonathan Richman makes the song his own, singing, “I can feel it, I can feel it, that there are angels watching over me/But how could that be so, I mean how could that be/That angels really watch over me/That all day and all night angels watch over me.”

CD Track List

1. The Sweeping Wind (Kwa Ti Feng)
2. Ice Cream Man
3. Rockin’ Rockin’ Leprechauns
4. Summer Morning
5. Afternoon
6. Fly Into The Mystery
7. South American Folk Song
8. Roller Coaster By The Sea
9. Dodge Veg-O-Matic
10. Egyptian Reggae
11. Coomyah
12. The Wheels On The Bus
13. Angels Watching Over Me

This re-issue of Rock ‘N’ Roll With The Modern Lovers was released on September 16, 2022 through Omnivore Recordings.

Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers: “Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers” (1976/2022) CD Review

As we get to the end of a tough year, it seems the right time for some good, fun music. And as luck would have it, several Jonathan Richman albums were re-issued this year, including the 1976 self-titled release from Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers. This is the album that gave us “Abominable Snowman In The Market” and “Here Come The Martian Martians.” This is just the sort of thing we need. The album contains mostly original material, along with just a couple of covers.

The album opens with “Rockin’ Shopping Center,” a ridiculously enjoyable song about finding oneself at an unfamiliar shopping center. “You see, you got the different labels and the different brands/Each little region across the land/Different colors in the different states.”  See, for those who are young, different regions used to have different stores, before everything became the same. This song features some delicious rock and roll guitar work and a beat to keep things hopping, plus some wonderfully goofy lines like “If I were a shopping center, I’d sure be embarrassed/I know I’d never get a date with some cute little building, like from Paris.” The Modern Lovers keep things in that classic rock and roll vein with a cover of “Back In The U.S.A.” Jonathan gives a brief introduction: “‘Back In The U.S.A.’ by Chuck Berry as done by The Modern Lovers.” Being from Boston, Jonathan changes the line “Let alone just to be at my home back in old St. Lou” to “Oh, not to mention being home in Boston, Massachusetts.” Oh yes, this song is almost enough to make us happy once again to be living in this country. Remember that feeling, that sort of innocence?

I love when Jonathan Richman turns to love songs, as he does on this album with “Important In Your Life.” His delivery is so sweet, so honest. “I know a girl, she’s important to me/When I feel separate from her, I am in misery/Dear, let me know that I’m important in your life.” I also love when we hear him give instructions to his bandmates, as he does here: “Guitar, ready, set, go.” He does that at the beginning of “New England” too: “Well now, give me an E, maestro.”  He also tells us, “You know I’ve been all around the world, but I love New England best.” This is one of my favorites, probably at least in part because I’m from Massachusetts. (Though at the moment I’m glad to be in California; who needs those New England winter temperatures?) This is a song I put on more than one mix tape back in the day, and its appeal has never lessened.

“Lonely Financial Zone” sounds so serious at it begins, even dark. Then Jonathan delivers the first lines, and we’re reminded not to take anything too seriously: “In the lonely financial zone by the sea/I have walked under moon and stars/Skyscrapers shone in their dark majesty/In this otherworldly land of ours.” By the way, the financial district in Boston is near the Government Center, another place that Jonathan Richman has sung about (though not on this album). “Lonely Financial Zone” is followed by “Hi Dear.” At the beginning he sings, “Hi, dear, I know you still care about me/Even when you don’t let it show/I have no fear because I know you still care about me/Even when you don’t let it show.” He then says, “You can’t fool me, you can’t fool me,” and the others gently respond, “No,” which is a wonderful moment. The song soon kicks in to become another fun rock and roll number, but then still finds these wonderful, soft moments.

Well, on this album he’s already taken us to a shopping center and the financial district, and now he takes us to the market with “Abominable Snowman In The Market.” And, yes, this is another song that I’ve put on a few mix tapes. It is a whole lot of fun. “Look, we have to talk to this abominable snowman man/And we have to say something that he can understand/That’s right, there’s an abominable snowman in the market/And he’s doing better every day.” The fun continues with “Hey There Little Insect.” I love Jonathan’s spoken word introductions, which sometimes are a song’s opening lines, as is the case here: “Hey there, little insect, don’t scare me so/Don’t land on me and bite me, no/Hey there little insect, please calm down/Then we’ll have fun and fool around.” This track is one of the album’s best. The Modern Lovers imitate the buzzing of insects. This song was also included on the 1977 live album, appropriately titled Live, which was also re-issued this year. On an album where the abominable snowman makes an appearance, it should come as no surprise that there are also Martians. And what is the most important question regarding first contact with an alien species? You got it: “What kind of ice cream do the Martians like?” Seriously, how can anyone not completely love this song, this album, this artist?

‘Springtime” has a sweeter vibe, and is delivered with just vocals and guitar, building in energy as it goes. “I feel so alive, so alive, so alive/I feel each bee coming out of their hive/I’m so alive, so alive, so lovin’/The world must feel my heart pounding because it’s throbbin’ and it’s throbbin’ and it’s throbbin’.” The album then concludes with its other cover, “Amazing Grace.” I’ve always loved this song, but it means even more to me now, after my niece and nephew performed it at my dad’s service earlier this month. Jonathan Richman offers a gentle, personal rendition. Here he sings, “Sometimes I’ve worried so much, felt so lost/But then I always feel found/And I should know by now/That grace is something that’s always within.” Like the previous track, this one is just vocals and guitar, and is beautiful. “And amazing grace, how sweet is thy sound/That brought my joy back home to me again.”

CD Track List

1. Rockin’ Shopping Center
2. Back In The U.S.A.
3. Important In Your Life
4. New England
5. Lonely Financial Zone
6. Hi Dear
7. Abominable Snowman In The Market
8. Hey There Little Insect
9. Here Come The Martian Martians
10. Springtime
11. Amazing Grace

This re-issue of Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers was released on August 19, 2022 through Omnivore Recordings.

Brief Notes On New Jazz Releases

We are approaching the end of another strange and trying year. If it weren’t for musicians, how would we deal with the rampant craziness and stupidity? I really don’t know. Here are notes on a few new jazz releases you might be interested in checking out.

Acute Inflections: “Let Go” – The new album from the duo of vocalist Elasea Douglas and bassist Sadiki Pierre features a good mix of pop songs, along with a couple of original compositions. They open the disc with a delicious rendition of Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies,” a song providing that needed dose of optimism. And there is joy in their performance, heard especially on lines like “Never saw the sun shining so bright/Never saw things going so right/Noticing the days hurrying by/When you’re in love, my how they fly.” And I like how the bass solo becomes playful, and how Elasea Douglas gives us a bit of vocal riffing toward the end of the track. They follow that with a cover of Queen’s “We Are The Champions,” a song not often covered by jazz artists. This is a rather thoughtful rendition, and I like this approach, which gives me a new appreciation for the song. The title track is one of the album’s two original compositions, a piece that eases in on bass before Elasea Douglas comes in to deliver an honest, intimate vocal performance. Check out these lines: “Seems like life will do what it will/Even though we dig our heels deeper in/Water falls passing day after day/Smoothing every stone that’s in its way.” As she repeats the song’s title line, the song becomes beautiful. There is a second version of “Let Go” at the end of the album, titled “Let Go Remix.” The other original song is “Only Together,” a song of hope and love and community. Here are the song’s opening lines: “In times like these, we need each other/Our love creates strength, but only together/Remember, we’re sisters and brothers/And we will rise, but only together.” Another line that stands out is “Desperate times show the best and the worst of us all.” Indeed. They also deliver a moving, powerful, soulful rendition of Sam Cooke’s “Change Is Gonna Come.” And their version of Andra Day’s “Rise Up” is both inspired and inspiring. We need music like this to help lift us up. Another of the disc’s highlight is the gorgeous and cheerful rendition of “What A Wonderful World,” which begins with some beautiful work on bass. This album was released on November 11, 2022.

Kirsten Lambert: “From A Window To A Screen” – The debut album from vocalist Kirsten Lambert caught my attention because of the involvement of Chris Stamey. Stamey produced the album, and wrote all of its material. Many of these songs were previously heard on his 2019 two-disc release New Songs For The 20th Century, including the first track, “What Is This Music That I Hear?” Kirsten Lambert’s vocals have a soothing quality. “Each time I find you standing there/What is this music that I hear?/I heard it whispered in a dream/Seductive, yet serene/But never have I heard it in daylight.” “Seductive, yet serene” is also a good way to describe her vocal performance on this track. There is also some good work on bass. On this album, John Brown is on acoustic bass, Jim Crew is on piano, Will Campbell is on saxophone, Dan Davis is on drums, Bill Frisell is on guitar, and Scott Sawyer is on guitar. There are also several guests on various tracks. Kirsten Lambert creates a wonderfully romantic atmosphere for “On An Evening Such As This,” with Julian Lambert joining her on piano. “On an evening such as this, there’s magic everywhere.” Oh yes, the music carries that sense of magic, and so we wish to immerse ourselves in it. Then “The Woman Who Walks The Sea” features a string section, which has its own type of magic. “Occasional Shivers” features a moving vocal performance. This song was included on New Songs For The 20th Century, where Nnenna Freelon provided the vocals, and also on Stamey’s 2013 album Lovesick Blues, with Stamey himself on vocals. “Song For Johnny Cash” is a song that was previously included on Here And Now, a 2009 album by Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey. Kirsten Lambert does a beautiful job with it, this track also featuring some memorable work on strings. “When the walls close in on me/You make me believe.” And then that saxophone is just perfect. “There’s Not A Cloud In The Sky” is a bright, cheerful, fun number, with Kirsten singing, “Let lightning come as it may/I’ll be safe in your arms.” That’s followed by “From A Window To A Screen,” which dates all the way back to the second album from The dB’s, Repercussion. For this new version, the pace is slowed somewhat, and the tone is a bit darker, which works really well. That’s followed by “There’s A Love,” a song Chris Stamey included on his 2004 album Travels In The South. This new rendition has a sweeter, more intimate sound, and features an excellent vocal performance. And this new version of “27 Years In A Single Day” has a more pleasant, relaxed vibe, and features some really nice work on piano. I’ve always loved the line, “Guess we ran out of things not to say.” This album was released on October 28, 2022.

John Paul McGee: “Gospejazzical Vol. 1” – We are getting into the holiday season (whether we are ready or not), and it seems the perfect time to dig into some warm jazz gospel music. Pianist John Paul McGee offers some beautiful, uplifting music on this album. It is a live album, and he is joined by Joel Powell on bass, and Tyson Jackson on drums. The album opens with “Wonderful Is Your Name,” this rendition having a joyous excitement in certain sections, particularly in his piano work. It then gets softer in moments, only to then be able to build again. That is followed by “I Am Amazed,” here delivered as a solo piano piece. That then leads to “Amazing Grace,” which contains an opening section before getting to that familiar main theme. On this track, Michael Walton joins the trio on saxophone, and it is that instrument that provides the main voice. And it is that instrument that first gets loose. But it is that lead on bass in the second half that I dig most. And then things get deliciously wild toward the end of this one, before then settling down for its gentle conclusion. Another highlight is “Here’s To Life,” which opens with a powerful burst of strings, the string arrangement by Roy Cotton. And on this one, the trio is also joined by vocalist Wendi Henderson-Wyatt. “I still believe in chasing dreams and placing bets/For I have learned that all you give is all you get/So give it all you’ve got.” In those early moments, her vocal performance is supported by piano. Then the strings, bass and drums return. This track features some beautiful work on piano. “The Manifest Overture” is a pretty piano solo, which leads into “Manifest,” an original composition by John Paul McGee and Jonathan Nelson, featuring more gorgeous and moving work on piano. There is a good deal of passion in the performance, and this track is one of my favorites. Then we get a chance to hear John Paul McGree’s voice on a really nice rendition of “Sometimes Today Seems Like Yesterday.” One of the most joyful tracks is “When We All Get To Heaven,” which is a delight and features some great stuff on bass, keeping the pace lively. And there is even a drum solo, which I love. Then Amber Bullock delivers a powerful vocal performance on “A City Called Heaven,” accompanied only by John Paul McGee on piano. She stays for “Heaven,” in which she sings, “Now that it’s over/There’s no more room for guns and war.” That song was written by Benjamin Winans and Brian Keith Thomas. Zebulan Ellis joins the trio on vocals for “Book Of Life,” delivering a joyful performance. And things get seriously good on the disc’s closing number, “The Lord Will Make A Way Somehow,” with Kenneth Lowe on vocals. What a delicious groove! And the sax returns. Everything is working here, the music seeming able to get all who hear it to dance their way straight into the heavens. This album was released on October 28, 2022.

Yola Nash: “Manhattan Whispers” – Yola Nash is a singer and composer from Poland, now based in New York. Her third album features excellent original material. It opens with its title track, “Manhattan Whispers,” which begins with some good work by Dave Baron on bass before Yola Nash’s seductive voice enters. The chorus is wonderfully catchy, with a certain pop appeal. “If you want to love me, if you want to love me/If you want to hold me again/If you want to love me, if you want to love me/Then, baby, just come home.” This track also features some good work by Edsel Gomez on piano, and by Alex Meixner on accordion. Then on “Lovers In Paris,” her vocal performance is sexy, and the rhythm is nearly as seductive as her voice. Who could deny her request when she sings “Come dance with me in Paris/All night long/Come dance with me in Paris/‘Til we see the break of dawn”? It feels like she and the group are engaged in a dance as they deliver this song. “Still Love You” has a familiar Latin vibe. And everyone has been able to relate to these lines: “And everything I do reminds me of you/And every song I hear somehow relates to you.” “World On Fire” begins with some somber, beautiful work on piano. It feels like she is opening herself up as she sings the song’s opening lines, “My world was on fire/No one could save me but you.” She sounds so vulnerable, so honest. The song soon kicks in, taking on a Latin rhythm, and there is a delightful joy to her performance then, which we can’t help but feel ourselves. “Pray For Love” is a fun, cheerful number that features some good work on drums. “Angel’s Tears” is a moving and effective piece, though Yola Nash’s voice gets a bit too breathy at certain moments near the beginning. “Angel’s tears will wash away/And I will love again/And I will love again.” What I love most about this track is Graham Keir’s guitar work, which creates an interesting and also soothing atmosphere. Yola Nash then gets a bit playful with her vocal work on “So In Love,” and the song is totally enjoyable as a result. “Truth Tango” is the only track on the album not co-written by Yola Nash. This one was composed by Fella Cederbaum. “No need to watch the news/Get out your dancing shoes.” Oh yes. This track is a delight. The album then concludes with “Wonderful Life,” leaving us with an optimistic and positive sense of the world. And what more could we ask for? “There is no need to lie/There is no need to hide/It’s such a wonderful, a wonderful life.” The ending couldn’t be sweeter or more adorable. This album was released on September 16, 2022.

Jim Self: “My America 2: Destinations” – In 2003, tuba player Jim Self released My America, and in January he’ll be putting out its sequel, My America 2: Destinations, featuring covers of songs about various places in this strange country of ours, along with one original composition. The disc gets off to an absolutely wonderful start with “Chicago,” which has a delightful Dixieland sound as it begins and soon starts swinging, as Jim Self takes the first lead of the piece. Seriously, it is a joy to listen to this. The music then takes a completely different turn with a cover of Jimmy Webb’s “By The Time I Get To Phoenix,” featuring some nice work by Ron Stout on flugelhorn. Then we get “Kansas City,” which is actually two songs with that title. I was only familiar with the Lieber/Stoller one, but apparently there is a song with that title in the musical Oklahoma! This track eases in, but then starts to rock once we get to the Lieber/Stoller “Kansas City,” featuring some good work by both John Chiodini and Steve Fister on guitar. There is also some lively work by Phil Feather on alto saxophone. And of course Jim Self delivers on the tuba. Then Bill Cunliffe is featured on both melodica and piano on Billy Joel’s “New York State Of Mind.” And on this track Jim Self plays Fluba. There is some passionate playing on this track, making it a highlight. “King Of Route 66” is a combination of two songs, “King Of The Road” and “Route 66.” It begins with a cool rendition of “King Of The Road” that includes finger snaps, then soon jumps into “Route 66,” and things just somehow get even cooler. This is a delicious track, one that should get you smiling and hopping around. And when a track is this cool, it absolutely must include a bass solo. Not only that, but there is a wonderful section where the bass and tuba dance together. This disc also includes a fun rendition of “I Love L.A.” It’s odd hearing an instrumental rendition (or nearly instrumental rendition) of this song, and I’m not sure the sense of humor comes through as clearly, but I dig it. Another delight is “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” which features some wonderful work from both Jim Self on tuba and Phil Feather on alto saxophone. I also really like Bill Cunliffe’s hopping work on piano. One of the most playful tracks on this release is “Washington Postmodern,” which begins with a bit of “Also Sprach Zarathustra” (it is still damn near impossible to not think of 2001: A Space Odyssey when hearing this).  Then it goes into a cool, slow, kind of pretty rendition of “Washington Post March” (which makes me think of a lot of different films, including Animals House). Soon the tune takes on a Latin beat, and just takes off from there. That’s followed by a beautiful rendition of “Georgia On My Mind.” The album wraps up with its original number, “S.L.O. Blues,” with Jim Self on Fluba. This is a funky tune celebrating San Luis Obispo, California, and featuring a good solo by Ken Wild on electric bass. This album is scheduled to be released on January 6, 2023.