Melissa Aldana
Visions: For Frida Kahlo
Motéma Music

Melissa Aldana's new album, "Visions: For Frida Kahlo," is inspired and Influenced by the life and works of the great artist Frida Kahlo. “Frida to me is an artist that embraces who she is through her art. She talks about ugliness, beauty, being a female, religion, politics, love affairs, sexuality, but mostly, accepting herself as an individual. This is a big part of how she engendered me to write this music." Kahlo began to emerge as a pivotal figure in Aldana’s work and quest for an honest representation of self. Aldana elaborates that like Kahlo's works, "this album became a path for my own identity and expression. My hope is that this contribution is my first of many that will continue advancing my concepts and convictions.” The inspiration led to this suite that was commissioned by The Jazz Gallery in New York and premiered there in June 2018. She composed all but two of the selections and two of them: "Visions" and "La Madrina" were composed for the Jazz Gallery Residency.

Aldana has been playing saxophone since a child, originally alto and then tenor after listening to Sonny Rollins. She won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition in 21 at the age of 24, the first woman and South American to win this competition. Aldana had already been attracting notice with her Crash trio, and since the Competition, her reputation has continued to grow. Her present quintet includes her on tenor saxophone, Sam Harris on piano, Pablo Menares on bass, Tommy Crane on drums, and Joel Ross on vibraphone.

The title track, with moments of "frantic movement interspersed with order and structure frantic," is a remarkable band performance. Her dynamic, probing tenor sax employs the full range of the saxophone and complimented by her exceptional band. This selection sets the tone for an outstanding recording. Ross, one of the most acclaimed young vibraphonists, helps set the tone on the second selection "Acceptance." On this track, Harris shows that he is a pianist with a sure touch. Harris' solo here displays his fecund improvising mind while the rhythm duo maintains a swirling pulse. "La Madrina," inspired by Kahlo's concept of 'Godmother,' has a more reflective quality with segments of improvisation mixed with tightly arranged sections.

Other strong selections include a wonderful rendition of the standard "Never Let Me Go" that opens with a couple of choruses of solo saxophone before the band joins in. Harris takes an understated solo with a hint of stride. Ross, along with Aldana, is brilliant on "El Castillo de Velenje," with its pensive mood. It is a closing track by Melissa Aldana who on this enthralling album establishes herself as one of the significant tenor saxophonists, a notable composer, and leader of a terrific band.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the September-October 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 386). Here is a video of Melissa Aldana Quartet with Joel Ross at the 2019 Winter NYC Jazz Festival.

Perry Smith Quartet Live in Brooklyn

Perry Smith Quartet
Live in Brooklyn
Smith Tone Records

For 4 years, guitarist and composer Perry Smith, with bassist Matt Aronoff, has been organizing, cultivating and growing this jam session an all-inclusive, everyone-is-welcome "hang." It is now called "The Nest Session," because it is situated currently at The Nest in Brooklyn's Leffert's Gardens. This present recording was recorded at The Nest and has Smith and Aronoff joined by saxophonist Melissa Aldana and drummer Jay Sawyer.

Born in the San Francisco Bay area, Smith has degrees from the University of Southern California (where he studied with Joe Diorio) and New York University (where's he studied with John Scofield). As a guitarist, he generally blends the traditions of jazz with contemporary sounds. About this recording, he states that Wes Montgomery's "Full House" was a significant inspiration. Over the years I've always come back to it because the energy of the band is so joyful. The interactive playing is incredible and the scope of repertoire includes swinging tracks, straight grooves and beautiful ballads . . . a lifetime of inspiration," He notes that this recording is "more straight-ahead than my previous recordings."

A superficial comparison can be made of the performances here to the Sonny Rollins Quartet with Jim Hall. This is only a reference point as Smith and Aldana bring their own vibrant musical voices here. The opening "Starlit Skies" (one of 3 Smith originals) opens with Smith lyrical horn-like lines followed by Aldana's full-throated thematic soloing. Note should be made of the swinging accompaniment throughout by Aronoff and Sawyer. Sawyer kicks off the heated "Premonition" (another original with Smith and Aldana again both in full flight. Smith opens the standard "Don't Worry 'Bout Me" with some honeyed playing followed by Aldana's exquisite solo. The rendition of "All The Things You Are" is equally sublime. Another original, "Golden Days," an appealing contrafact of "Yesterdays," opens as a duet with bassist Aronoff with another engrossing solo from Aldana. Perhaps the highpoint of this CD is a fabulous interpretation of Sonny Stitt's "Eternal Triangle," taken at a blazing tempo with Aldana and Smith both at the top of their game. Sawyer takes a high energy drum solo here.

Listening to this recording makes me want to check out Perry Smith's earlier albums. He is excellent in the straight-ahead vein of this recording. Melissa Aldana astonishes and indeed has established herself as one of today's foremost jazz tenor saxophonists (not to mention a composer as she displays on her own recordings). With a tight band and their superb playing, "Live in Brooklyn" is simply outstanding.

I received from a review copy from a publicist. Here is a slightly different version of the Perry Smith Quartet performing Charlie Haden's "Waltz For Ruth."

 

Carlos Henriquez Dizzy Con Clave: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola

Carlos Henriquez
Dizzy Con Clave: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola
RodBros Music

Henriquez, the bassist with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra for the past twenty years, leads an octet on an exciting Afro-Cuban tribute to Dizzy Gillespie that was recorded live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center in late 2017. His band consisted of trumpeters Michael Rodriguez and Terrell Stafford, trombonist Marshall Gilkes, tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana, pianist Manuel Valera, drummer Obed Calvaire, and congas/vocalist Anthony Almonte.

It goes without saying that Dizzy Gillespie helped create the 'Cubop' era inspired by trumpeter Mario Bauza and percussionist Chano Pozo. Henriquez devised the superb arrangements of Gillespie's compositions, whether bebop classics like "A Night in Tunisia" or "Groovin' High," or the Afro-Cuban classics such as "Manteca" and "Con Alma" that are performed so powerfully here.

"A Night in Tunisia" certainly gets this recording off to a hot start with Melissa Aldana and Michael Rodriguez both soloing hot against the volcanic rhythm section with a thunderous percussion segment. Muted trumpets open "Groovin' High," before Rodriguez takes off with a blistering Afro-Cuban accented solo before Henriguez displays his facility and imagination before the performance transitions into a hot mambo band romp as Almonte taking the lead vocal with the horns blasting. Like the entire recording, it is an exhilarating contemporary synthesis of modern jazz and the traditional Cuban rhythms.

Then there is the exciting performance of "Bebop," that showcases Stafford's explosive trumpet followed by Aldana's sizzling tenor sax. "Manteca" is taken perhaps at a slightly less blistering pace, but the horn ensemble explodes, and the rhythm percolates like a Yellowstone geyser with Rodriguez brilliant on trumpet here. "Con Alma" is given a lush arrangement and taken at a comfortable pace with all four horns soloing along with pianist Valera. Valera and trombonist Gilkes stand out with their romantic, lyrical playing.

"Dizzy Con Clave" is a wonderful recording by a superb band with compelling performances of the terrific inspired arrangements by the Henriquez that greatly honors the memory and legacy of Dizzy Gillespie.

I received from a review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 383).  Here is a video of Carlos Henriguez playing "Bebop" Live From Dizzy's Club Coca Cola.