The Manuel Valera Trio Live at Diese Onze

The Manuel Valera Trio
Live at Diese Onze
AZis Recordings

"Live at Diese Onze" is the first recording made available on AZis Recordings. Publicist Chris DiGirolamo established AZis as a label/facilitator/marketer for live material. Artists provide AZis with a live recording of a past performance for which AZis provides all artwork, marketing, PR, and facilitates digital distribution. The initial relation features the trio of Cuban-born pianist Manuel Valera from April 6, 2019, at Montreal's Diese Onze Jazz Club. Besides Valera, the trio consists of bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Clarence Penn.

While born in Cuba, Valera grew up in South Florida and attended the New School in New York City. Manuel Valera has a prodigious technique, acute rhythmic feel, who can startle listeners with his attack and move them with a more restrained approach as appropriate. Things kick off with his breakneck approach to Monk's "Rhythm-a-ning," which is a virtuoso, stunning performance. However, the performance lacks the angularity and space of Monk's approach to his composition. Much the same can also be said about his mesmerizing take on "Evidence." Penn solos explosively on this selection. In contrast, his approach begins lighter, almost delicate at times, on Benny Golson's "Whisper Not." His solo here is a master class in thematic improvisation as well as the use of dynamics in building up the intensity.

Also of note is the lyricism and romanticism of the performances of Luis Miguel's "Tres Palabras," with Glawischnig and Penn providing impeccable backing. "But Not For Me" begins melodically before transitioning into a whirlwind display of Valera's touch, technique, and ability to craft his improvisation at warp speed. Penn empathically responds to changes of tempo and intensity. The beginning of "Searching" puts the spotlight on bassist Glawischnig before Valera starts with his magic. As Glawischnig anchoring the trio, Penn adds fiery percussion backing of the leader's dynamic piano.

Give the excellence of the Miguel Valera Trio, and one should not be surprised how outstanding "Hans Glawischnig" is. If future AZis releases are half-as-good, listeners have much to look forward to.

I received a download to review from a publicist. Here The Manuel Valera Trio performing "All of Me," with Mark Whitfield Jr. on drums in place of Clarence Penn.

Jacám Manricks Samadhi

Jacám Manricks
 Samadhi
 Manricks Music Records
 
Jacám Manricks was born in 1976 in Brisbane, Australia, the child of two classical musicians in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra—and the grandson of a celebrated Portuguese jazz saxophonist and clarinetist, and a Sri Lankan concert pianist. He received a degree in music performance (classical and jazz saxophone) from the Queensland Conservatorium. In 2001 he moved to New York and continued a performing career as well as further education. He relocated to Sacramento, California, in 2014, teaching and performing in a super sax style combo as well as his own big band. He also built a home studio where the present album was recorded and mixed.

"Samadhi," the title of Manricks' new album, is a Sanskrit term that refers to a state of heightened, holistic focus that allows for communion with the divine. Manricks uses that title in the sense of "Getting to that state of intense concentration where everything else disappears around you, and only the music exists." Manricks plays Manricks plays alto, tenor, and soprano saxophones. He also plays and clarinet and bass clarinet, flute and alto flute, and MIDI strings (for which he wrote the orchestrations). This release showcases not only his improvisatory abilities but his compositions. He authored all eight selections, although one is a collaboration with pianist Joe Gilman. The other members of the quartet are bassist Matt Penman and drummer Clarence Penn.
 
 The compositions and the musicians make for marvelous listening . Manricks has written  memorable musical themes with shifting tempos and colors. It starts with the opening, dramatic "Formula One" and the playful "Common Tone" with an insistent groove that Penn drives along as well as provides counter-rhythms. Pianist Gilman shines on this selection, whether his mesmerizing riff or solo, while Manricks shows here, and throughout, complete technical command and authority in his improvisations. Manricks can play with utter abandon or with contemplative restraint as he displays with his soprano sax on "New Years Day." This selection also has a terrific bass solo by Penman. The title track is a striking composition and an outstanding performance with a spiritual mood with his sax soaring over the rhythm section.
 
Other performances are equally fascinating such as Manricks' use of a bass clarinet to double up the bass line on "Schmaltz" in addition to his robust tenor sax. "Samadhi" closes with "Ethereal," a spellbinding, free-flowing collaboration by Manricks on soprano sax and Gilman. It caps this consistently outstanding recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the January-February 2021 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 394). I have made a couple minor edits and corrections. Here is the title track.

Marshall Gilkes Waiting To Continue

Marshall Gilkes
Waiting To Continue
Alternate Side Records

Trombonist, composer, and bandleader Marshall Gilkes is back with a trio recording. He has an impressive resume, including being a member of Maria Schneider's Orchestra, being part of Colombian harpist Edmar Castañeda's trio, and working in New York's thriving Latin music scene. Originally this album was to be titled "Play Date," but because of the pandemic and "after several months at home, living in limbo, "Waiting to Continue" proved to be a more suitable title."

This album was initially supposed to be recorded in April 2020. With the cancellation of tours for what was supposed to be a busy first half of 2020, the pandemic led him to be home with his family. Gilkes was able to finally able to get into a recording studio in early July. They recorded this album under social distancing guidelines with Clarence Penn on drums and Yasushi Nakamura on bass. Most of the music was written before the pandemic, with two of the 11 compositions penned during the quarantine.

The title track was written during the quarantine, and Gilkes states, "That piece is about the situation that 2020 brought upon us. I think all people, especially musicians, are wondering when we'll be able to move forward and are feeling unsure about what's on the other side of this." He brought trombone chorales he recorded at home to begin and conclude this track in a sober mood and state the melody leading to his marvelous improvisation with Nakamura and Penn providing a floating backing. Gilkes displays his considerable technique and a strong lyrical sense with his brushed tone and fluid playing. Penn dazzles with a deft touch and his soft rhythmic accents.

Another tune, "Archie Theme," was hatched during his wife's pregnancy and is built over a spirited motif with Penn crafting a Latin-tinged rhythm for Gilke's buoyant solo. "Longing For Home" has another lovely melody written before the pandemic. It reflects the prospect of being apart from the family for a lengthy time. Nakamura displays his touch and his improvisatory approach. The following composition, "Taconic Turns," has his twisting solo and the step forward, step backward, groove echoing driving on the Taconic Parkway,  

One remains impressed by the music Gilkes and his trio plays throughout this album. Whether a straight-ahead groove for "The Nod" or the gorgeous ballad "Anya's Tune" (another number with the prerecorded trombone chorale)," Gilkes displays plenty of imagination and nuance with Nakamura and Penn complementing and adding to the performance. "Play Date," a contrafact of "Cherokee," played at a leisurely pace with Gilkes' solo building the performance's intensity. The rhythm duo really hit the groove on a bouncy blues, "The Usual."

As sterling as Gilkes, Nakamura, and Penn play here, a trombone trio has a somewhat limited tonal palette. The tracks' programming provides a variety of grooves and song types. This helps maintain a listener's attention for the hour or so of music here if they wish to listen to this in one sitting. It contributes to the listener's enjoyment of this first-rate recording. It is available at bandcamp, https://marshallgilkes.bandcamp.com/track/waiting-to-continue.

I received a download from a publicist. Here is a selection from "Waiting to Continue."

Michael Blanco Spirit Forward

Michael Blanco
Spirit Forward
Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records

"Spirit Forward" the title of bassist-composer Michael Blanco's new album, is a bartending term for a type of cocktail made with strong spirits (like the Manhattan or Martini) that seeks to highlight and enhance the flavor of the base spirit, not to mask its flavor. Blanco states, "When choosing Spirit Forward for the album title, I had this definition in mind and how it relates to my music. It's a good metaphor for how strong musical personalities can come together and create a dynamic unit, while still maintaining their individuality." This refers to the Michael Blanco Quartet featuring John Ellis (tenor saxophone), Kevin Hays (piano) and Clarence Penn (drums). He also observed "I like the idea that the act of releasing an album of original music is akin to putting your 'spirit forward' out into the world, as well as the way the word spirit can be used to mean motion (like 'spirit away'), so Spirit Forward also means forward motion and continuing progress."

Saxophonist Ellis has been a long-time friend and musical collaborator with Blanco, whereas the pianist Hays and drummer Penn (who I am most familiar with) are more recent additions to his group. And the band did a number of dates in 2015 working out on these compositions before actually going into the stdio resulting in this imaginative and intriguing recording. This is suggested by the first composition, "The Mystic Chord" which Blanco observes "The Mystic Chord is a six-note chord used by Russian composer Alexander Scriabin, and believed by Scriabin to have mystical properties. While practicing at home one day, I discovered that I could create a bass line with an interesting 6/4 groove by spelling out this chord one note at a time." The resulting melody has a "funky, lopsided quality," and the quartet explores the possibilities of this chord with Ellis' tenor providing a fluid, light sound.

"Notes From the Underground" was inspired by the Cornelia Street Cafe, and employs a low-register piano/bass counter-melody hat offsets Ellis' tenor at several points as well as impresses with his own solo. Blanco notes that so many of his favorite jazz clubs are basement rooms, hence the double entendre of the title. "Song Without Words" is a pretty number where the quartet displays its lyricism with Hays displaying his nice touch here, while the swinging title track evokes some classic 70s hard bop compositions with Hayes, Ellis and the leader stretching out. Then there is a quirky blues "Last Stable Orbit," (title is astronomical term that denotes" last orbit possible before an object (planet, spaceship, etc) gets sucked into a black hole.") with Ellis on soprano sax with a bit of squeal in his tone. A Neal LaBute play is the source of the tile for "Reasons To Be Pretty," a slow number opening with Ellis, again on soprano sax setting the mood before Hays takes a beautiful solo. Penn's cymbals play, whether with brushes or sticks, merits mention here, but is expectedly superb throughout.


Blanco's prior two albums have both garnered considerable praise. Listening to "Spirit Forward," one can understand why. There is so much to enjoy on this sparkling recording. Here is Michael Blanco and John Ellis with a different rhythm section.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the November-December 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 369). 

On Eponymously Titled Debut, Grégoire Maret Spins Harmonica Lyricism

Grégoire Maret has emerged as new voice in modern jazz world specializing in the harmonica. He has developed an approach that has him enlisted by the likes of Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Cassandra Wilson, and Marcus Miller for their projects. He has also guested with the likes of George Benson, Jimmy Scott, John Ellis, Jacky Terrasson, Richard Bona, Sean Jones, Terri Lyne Carrington, Johnathan Blake, Kurt Elling, Robert Glasper, Lionel Loueke, and Jeff "Tain" Watts, Mike Stern along with some of pop music’s biggest names including Sting and Prince.

Raised in Switzerland, he went to the Conservatory in Geneva and then to pursue jazz studies, went to New York City’s New School. While After years as one of the most in-demand sidemen and guests in jazz (and beyond), Maret finally has made an eponymously titled debut recording for Entertainment One. On most of this he is backed by pianist Federico Gonzalez Peña (a longtime collaborator with Maret), along with bassist James Genus and drummer Clarence Penn. Cassandra Wilson and Marcus Miller both make guest appearances and the final track is a duet with jazz harmonica legend Toots Thielemans. Included are originals by Maret along with compositions by Pat Metheny, Stevie Wonder and Brazilian composers Ivan Lins and Milton Nascimento. There are also two suites that he and Peña collaborated on.

Maret brings a dreamy, lyrical and melodic approach to the harmonica displaying his obvious technical command but more importantly his ability to develop intriguing and captivating musical statements starting with his Lucilla’s Dream, that opens this followed by his lovely interpretation of Stevie Wonder’s The Secret Life of Plants, on which the acoustic guitars of Brandon Ross and Jean-Christophe Maillard are prominent in the accompaniment. Cassandra Wilson and Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts guest on the rendition of The Man I Love with a haunting vocal by Wilson and on which strings (arranged by Maret) are added.

Pat Metheny’s Travels displays how able Maret is able to develop a mood with his precise playing and his tones and Brandon Ross’ guitar serves as a counterpoint. One of the two suites here, Crepuscule Suite opens with Brazilian flavor and vocals before the second movement with Marcus Miller on fretless bass in a conversation with Maret and with Peña on piano with Watts on drums adding to the heat of Maret’s playing on the middle section.

Wordless vocals by members of Take 6 are heard on the ruminative Prayer with Peña adding some percussive accents in addition to his piano. Ivan Lin’s Lembra De Mim also again brings a Brazilian flavor to this charming interpretation. Children’s Suite is the other extended original contributed by Maret and Peña that is centered on Children’s Song, the middle section of the suite. Also delightful is the duet with Thielemans, O Amor E O Meu Pais which is also from the repertoire of the great Ivan Lins.

Maret’s playing is delightful and captivating. This is music that should have a wide appeal given the wonderful playing as well as the lyricism evident throughout this. Wonderfully recorded, Grégoire Maret’s self-titled debut should bring him well-deserved recognition.

My review copy was provided by a publicist for this release. Here he performs "The Man I Love."