Yulia Musayelyan Tango Project - Oblivion

Yulia Musayelyan Tango Project - Oblivion - Zoho Music

Born in Moscow, Russia, flautist-composer Yulia Musayelyan leads an ensemble on this auspicious exploration of tango music. An award-winning artist in her native Russia before she moved to the United States. Currently, she is on the faculty at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. The quartet's other members also are on the Berklee faculty: pianist Maxim Lubarsky, bassist Fernando Huergo, and drummer Mark Walker. 

The musicians are a stellar group, with Musayelyan playing with fluidity and a gorgeous tone throughout. Pianist Lubarsky adds a definite romanticism with his outstanding accompaniment and inspired solos, while Huergo and Walker provide the dynamic underlining pulse. Musayelyan's performances reflect her cross-genre background. While she was classically trained, as exhibited by her flawless intonation, she is quite an inspired improviser as well. The opening rendition of Astor Piazzolla's "Fuga Y Misterio" illustrates this with the quartet freely negotiating shifts in tempo and musical temperature. Then there is the waltz-like "Flor de Lino," with her lush melodic playing at the fore.

Piazzolla also composed the title track, with a deep, sober melody that provides a backdrop for strongly evocative flute and piano solos. Taken at a breathtaking tempo, "Milonga De Mis Amores," a listener can imagine stylish tango dancers on a performance that displays the clean precision that Musayelyan and the band play. "Como Dos Extraños" is a masterful flute-bass duet along with Musayelyan delivering a charming vocal along with a splendid solo. It is followed by the exhilarating "La Muerte Del Angel." On "Nada," a tango canción written by composer José Dames in 1944, Musayelyan plays the melody on bass flute, while bassist Huergo and pianist Lubarsky both take lyrical solos. Other performances include the beautiful "Nostalgias" with inspired, elegant solos and a vibrant interpretation of Piazzolla's "Libertango." 

The Yulia Musayelyan Tango Project has provided a unique, memorable jazz-tango fusion on "Oblivion."

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a performance by Yulia Musayelyan of  "Milonga De Mis Amores."

Chris Cain - Raisin' Cain - Alligator Records

It has been a little over a decade since I reviewed Chris Cain's album "So Many Miles ( Blue Rock'It)." As I wrote then, Chris Cain has been playing his blues with a jazzy twist on the West Coast for quite some time. He recorded for the Ford Brothers' Blue Rock'It label and Blind Pig Records and built up quite a body of excellent recordings matched in quality by his live performances. A reference point for Cain's sound might be B.B. King (who his dad first took him to see with he was three), notably the King when he collaborated with the soulful, jazzy grooves provided by the Crusaders (think of King's rendition of "Never Make a Move Too Soon"). Add a dose of Albert King's guitar sound, and one has an imposing performer.

He recently was signed to Alligator Records, and this is his initial release for the label. It was recorded at Greaseland Studios and produced by Kid Andersen. In addition to his guitar, vocals, and keyboards, Chris Cain is backed by Greg Rahn on keyboards, Steve Evans on bass, and either Derrick "D'mar" Martin or Sky Garcia on drums and percussion. Kid Andersen adds rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, or melodica to several tracks. Michael Peloquin adds saxophone, Mike Rinta plays trumpet, Jeff Lewis is heard on trombone, and Doug Rowan is on baritone sax on various selections. 

Cain wrote all twelve songs, ranging from funky uptown blues, scorching shuffles, and down-home southern soul-blues. Cain's robust, passionate singing and his striking note-bending and inventive solos capture one's attention throughout with excellent backing. The songs themselves offer fresh takes on familiar blues themes. The opening "Hush Money" has Cain singing about keeping his high finance lady happy, as she helps herself to anything he makes. Against punchy horns, Cain shouts about paying her hush money to keep her quiet with a tight guitar break. Then there is an energetic shuffle, "You Won't Have A Problem When I'm Gone," with a lyric reminiscent of Percy Mayfield. Cain sings about her mistreating him, and if she thinks Cain is the problem, she won't have a problem when he is gone with a heated guitar solo set against riffing horns. 

Other songs include the Memphis soul-flavored topical blues "Down on the Ground" about people trying to survive. When one is down on one's luck, no friend is around, and so many people want to kick someone when one is down. Albert King's influence is perhaps most evident during "I Believe I Got Off Cheap," with a solo that channels King's distinctive sound against the riffing horns. It is a gem on an album of stellar performances. Then there is the stunning, autobiographical, "Born To Play," as he recalls his parents and growing up in a house full of music, seeing Ray Charles and B.B. King when they came to town and learning to play his father's guitar. 

With excellent original material, outstanding vocals and guitar, and first-rate backing, Chris Cain's "Raisin' Cain" latest may be the finest album of Chris Cain's very distinguished career.

I received a download to review from Alligator Records. Here is a video of Chris Cain along with Kirk Fletcher.

Skylar Rogers - Firebreather

Skylar Rogers - Firebreather -Self-produced

Chicago-born singer and songwriter Skylar Rogers certainly lives up to her album's title, "Firebreather." Backed by her band, The Blue Diamonds, she self-describes her sound as “Soul Rockin’ Blues.“ Her band is comprised of guitarists, Stephen J Hill and Marty Gibson, keyboardist Pete Zimmer, bassist Jerry Ewing, and drummer “Disco Fuzz” Bradley Arl. 

Musically, this is more in the vein of stomping, funky blues-rock than traditional blues, but there is no denying Rogers is a singer who grabs the listener's attention with her vocal dynamics and phrasing. Furthermore, the Blue Diamonds provide hard-hitting backing such as the hard-driving "Back to Memphis." She can shout yet never get shrill, yet sing a soulful ballad with nuance The ballad "Failure" is one of this reviewer's favorite tracks with the Blue Diamonds displaying restraint in their backing. 

The title track is a funky rocker with a lyric of a cheating woman who will burn one's world to the ground. Twin guitars set the groove with an attention-grabbing riff for "Work," as she forcefully sings how she will work for love. Zimmer's soul-drenched organ is spotlighted here. There is a bit of country-soul flavor for "Movin' On," with a gospel-inspired backing vocal chorus on a lyric of hope and mercy. Then there is terrific blues performance, "Drowning" built upon Zimmer's piano motif. The accompaniment builds with intensity with some striking guitar along with a compelling vocal.

The varied material and a top-flight band impressively showcase Skylar Rogers commanding vocals on an outstanding album.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a video of "Firebreather."

Griffith Hiltz Trio - Arcade

Griffith Hiltz Trio - Arcade - GBRecords

Comprised of Nathan Hiltz on Guitar and Bass Pedals, Johnny Griffith on Alto and Tenor Saxophones, and Synthesizers, and Neil MacIntosh on Drums, the Griffith Hiltz Trio presents us with this new recording that sounds like arcade games music crossed with movie themes by a psychedelic funk band.

Griffith is the only member of the trio I am familiar with. The trio is a close-knit one that builds melodies on the arcade game sounds the synthesizer generates with Hiltz's simple pedal bass lines and MacIntosh's drums laying down the grooves over which Griffith and Hiltz both lay down their solos. There is an appealing mix of grooves, and melodic improvising heard on "Do Not Engage." A propulsive riff sets out the energetic "WCW," where Hiltz takes a particularly heated solo, followed by "Roberta's Quest," a synthesized interlude with intriguing colors. 

The rest of "Arcade" equally engages listeners with its mix of playfulness, strong playing and solidly crafted solos, and superior ensemble playing. The result is a most engrossing listening experience.

I received a download to review from a publicist. Here is a video of the Griffith Hiltz Trio.

Melbreeze I Love Paris

Melbreeze - "I Love Paris" -  Blue Canoe Records

Born in Turkey but now residing in Los Angeles, vocalist Melbreeze has collaborated with Bill Cunliffe Big Band, Jimmy Haslip, and Alan Pasqua. She has also collaborated with Scott Kinsey for several years, including two recent albums. "I Love Paris" is the first co-produced album between the two, with Kinsey handling the keyboards and Trilian bass. Other notable persons playing on this set included Tim Hagans on trumpet, guitarists Yotam Silverstein, Josh Smith and Pedro Martins, Doug Webb on tenor sax, and Gary Novak on drums.

Melbreeze sings in a sultry, evocative manner, half-spoken at times and at other times sung with a soft purr, like a cottony Eartha Kitt. Kinsey has surrounded her usually with atmospheric settings that suggest some of these performances would fit in on a film noir. An unusual halting rhythm and Hagans' haunting trumpet provide the ambiance for "Autumn Leaves." It is an introduction to an unusual repertoire of mostly standards. Brad Dutz's marimba and percussion, along with Hagans' electrified muted trumpet, lend a distinctive tone to her sorrowful singing on "I Fall in Love Too Easily." There is a unique arrangement to her elucidation of Oscar Brown's lyrics to Bobby Timmons' "Dat Dere." 

With train sounds in the opening, there is a touch of nostalgia in her rendition of "Sentimental Journey" with Webb's tenor sax solo. Her vocal includes a mash-up with a Turkish children's game song. On "Don't Explain," her restrained speak-song vocal is framed by Dutz's percussion with Silverstein's nuanced guitar solo. She engages in some storytelling on the title track, which is followed by a smokey rendition of "My Funny Valentine" with Josh Smith's blues-inflected guitar solo. Then there is the Joey Heatherton-like flirty sexiness of the performance of "What Lola Wants," with Hagans' trumpet adding musical color.

Melbreeze has produced an entertaining and intriguing recording with considerable charm.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Melbreeze singing "What Lola Wants."