Planet D Nonet Rays Of The Sun

The Planet D Nonet is a Detroit based big little band that plays a range of music form jump blues to repertoire jazz performances. The music of Sun Ra has been one of the sources that they mined in the past, and they were joined at the end of the last year by trumpeter Michael Ray, an alumni of Sun Ra's Arkestra, who has continued to play Sun Ra's music in his own groups. The result is a new album Rays of the Sun on Eastlawn Records that provides new interpretations of Sun Ra's repertoire.

The origin of this recording happened when drummer RJ Spangler, one of the leaders of Planet D heard from Michael that he would be in Detroit. It was recorded at bassist Joel Peterson’s place, Trinosophies, and recorded (in Spangler’s words) “in the style of a Grateful Dead taper,” given a small budget. Co-leader trumpeter James O’Donnell and trombonist John Paxton have also known Ray for a number of years. Ray apparently fit in well with the Nonet and the band either played Joshua James arrangements or Rob E. Cohen’s transcriptions. 

Joshua James is one of the stand-out players here on baritone and soprano saxophonists as well as clarinet and bass clarinet. Mention also must be made of the keyboards of Mike Malis and Daniel Bennett’s clarinet. Ray is of course playing familiar music (some of which he also plays in his own Kosmic Krewe) and contributes some lead vocals as the rhythm section percolates in support of the marvelous interplay amongst the horns and some nice soloing. While there are some chanting, it is briefer than one might experience during Sun Ra’s live performances which were very theatrical in addition to musical.

The music here is more of Sun Ra’s cosmic 1960s and 1970s mode with a bit less focus on some of the more Tadd Dameron-ish bop stylings of Sun Ra’s fifties band or Sun Ra’s revisiting of classic Fletcher Henderson arrangements that the prior East Lawn recording of Sun Ra’s music We Travel The Spaceways. The band sounds pretty solid and plays they interstellar numbers with a real feel for Sun Ra’s own performances (that have been well documented) although the sound lacks some bite (likely a result of how it was recorded) which is the only quibble with this production. It should be noted that poet John Sinclair recites one of Sun Ra’s poems for a bonus performance of There is Change in the Air. This can be obtained from http://cdbaby.com and more information can be found on http://www.eastlawnrecords.com.

I received my review copy from Eastlawn Records. Here is the Planet D Nonet playing some Sun Ra.

Notable recordings of 2012 - Part 1

The first of several days recapping some of the finer jazz and blues releases that came out recently. Today I focus on recordings I reviewed in the first half of 2012.

New Jazz Recordings

Bass clarinet specialist Jacob Stein had a marvelous Delmark release, The Story This Time. "Stein has put together a fine band for the musical explorations heard on this very absorbing recording." 

Catherine Russell had another album of musical treats with her latest album, Strictly Romancin’ (World Village). It is the vein of her well received Sentimental Streak and Inside This Heart Of Mine, with a similar program of mostly long forgotten blues, ballads, love songs and swing from the twenties to today.

The Planet D Nonet, a group of musicians from the Motor City who perform a range of music issued a terrific double CD, We Travel The Spaceways: The Music Of Sun Ra (East Lawn Records).

The Rick Germanson Quartet had one of several excellent Live at Smalls recordings on the clubs Smalls Live label. Pianist Germanson was joined that night by the trumpet of Dr. Eddie Henderson, the bass of Paul Gill and the drums of Lewis Nash for some sterling hard bop. 

Saxophonist Paul Carr, who produces the annual Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival in Maryland each February, had a terrific recording, Standard Definition (PCJ Music), on which he was joined by  Terell Stafford (trumpet), Joey Calderazzo (piano), Mike Bowie (bass) and Lewis Nash (drums). It was selected by Capital Bop as among the best 2012 jazz recordings by DC area artists.

Saxophonist and composer Dan Blake has a new release on BJU (Brooklyn Jazz Underground) Records, The Aquarian Suite, where he leads a piano-less quartet with Jason Palmer on trumpet, Jorge Roeder on bass and Richie Barshay on drums. "The mix of Blake’s stimulating writing with the high level of the performances, both in terms of the intelligent and spirited solos, and high level of the ensemble playing result in this excellent release."

Evan Christopher had a new release in his Clarinet’s Road series, In Sidney’s Footsteps(STR Digital Records). As indicated by the title, the music of Sidney Bechet is inspiration for the music here, although not all the performances are of songs recorded by Bechet. "There is a presence to his clarinet and the performances on this wonderfully recorded album that continues to delight after repeated listening. In Sidney’s Footsteps may be Evan Christopher’s most exceptional recording yet. Given the high level of his prior albums, that is saying something."

Harmonica wizard Gregoire Maret had an eponymously titled debut recording for Entertainment One. 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.

Another release by the SmallsLive label in its Live at Smalls series of recordings was by the trio of tenor saxophonist Ralph Lalama, Bopjuice. This excellent location recording evoked the classic Sonny Rollins Live at the Village Vanguard.

New Blues

About Heritage Blues Orchestra, And Still I Rise (Raisin’ Music) I wrote "The foundation of the Heritage Blues Orchestra are the voices of Junior Mack, Bill Sims, Jr., and Chaney Sims who bring such a range of moods and emotions in the marvelous vocals here. This trio could do a recording without instrumental accompaniment and be as compelling as they are here. And I Shall Rise is an compelling, contemporary exploration of African-American musical roots.

Mark Hummel’s Blues and Lonesome: Tribute to Little Walter (Rockinitus Records) is an excellent compilation from recordings he has made over the years in homage to Little Walter.

Michael Roach and I had an association with the DC Blues Society two decades ago, and I had been following his maturation as a performer over the years after he left his native Washington and moved to England. He has also become important as a blues educator and historian. Innocent Child is his most recording on his Stella Records label. The varied repertoire here is matched by Michael’s natural, heartfelt vocals and adroit and thoughtful guitar. The result is the marvelous music on Innocent Child. 

Fifty years after Big Bill Broonzy’s passing, Billy Boy Arnold recorded a tribute album, Sings Big Bill Broonzy on Electro-Fi.  "This recording was heralded in Bob Riesman’s Broonzy biography, and its release has met the expectations for it. Today, one might find it hard to appreciate how significant Big Bill was in the history of the blues. Along with Riesman’s book, this tribute recording addresses that in a fine and spirited manner."

Guy Davis issued a memorialization of his one-man show, The Adventures of Fishy Waters: In Bed With the Blues, on his Smokeydoke Records with assistance from Bob Porter which enables those who haven’t had the pleasure of seeing Davis perform this show to enjoy it. The music and stories are about 91 minutes and therefore spread over two CDs.

Quintus McCormick, Delmark release Still Called The Blues. Delmark's Steve Wagner recalled his reaction when he first heard Quintus McCormick when recording his 1st Delmark album, Hey Jodie. “Wow this cat could be the next Johnnie Taylor!” I might suggest a bit of Tyrone Davis and Artie ‘Blues Boy’ White as well after hearing McCormick’s new Delmark release Still Called The Blues. This will appeal to a very wide grouping of blues lovers and is proof that Quintus McCormick is among today’s finest blues and soul performers.

Nathan James had an excellent Delta Groove CD, What You Make Of It, with his touring band, The Rhythm Scratchers. " I was not familiar with Nathan James’ music prior toWhat You Make Of It, but I was impressed to already acquire one of his prior recordings. There is some seriously good, original blues by Nathan James and The Rhythm Scratchers here."

Reissues or Newly issued Vintage Jazz and Blues Recordings

Dr. Robert E. Sunnenblick produced for his Uptown label a Dexter Gordon live album, Night Ballads Montreal 1977. Gordon was with his band of Eddie Gladden on drums, Rufus Reid on bass and George Cables on piano. This CD has over 70 minutes of ballads which might  be a bit much for some in one sitting. Still the terrific music makes this a highly recommended addition to the body of Long Tall Dexter's recordings. 

Reissue Universal released on its Hip-O-Select label, the four-CD Heart & Soul: A Retrospective, that in its four CDs surveys Etta James recordings from her debut as The Wallflower doingRoll With Me Henry, for Modern Records to the previously unissued 2007 recording of Rodney Crowell’s Ashes By Now. This was issued prior to her passing.

Tom Hoskins recorded and interviewed Hurt at the time of his location of Mississippi John Hurt on March 3, 1963. These recordings, the first since Hurt recorded in the 1920s, were issued on a fascinating new release on Spring Fed Records, Discovery: The Rebirth of Mississippi John Hurt. Wonderfully remastered, the CD has 19 tracks including a previously unissued and lengthy interview where Hurt and his wife talks about his early life and recordings, and life after those recordings.

Barbecue Any Old Time: Blues From The Pit 1927-1942 (Old Hat Records) is a relatively recent compilation of vintage jazz and blues recordings that celebrate barbecue, the distinctly southern American form of cuisine, usually slow--cooked over a pit. "This mix of lively downhome blues and rollicking early jazz and vocal harmony recordings is a definite musical feast well digesting like the delicious culinary tradition the songs salute. WIth the excellent annotation and engineering of the source material, this is an excellent collection."

Ruf Records issued a double CD set by Omar and the Howlers, Essential Collection. This is a career and label spanning compilation that covers the two or so decades of the recording career of Omar Dykes. I noted that nothing on this was less than first-rate.

Among the better reissues celebrating 40 years of CTI was the CTI Masterworks release of Stanley Turrentine’s Don’t Mess With Mister T. The addition of bonus tracks make this even stronger a reissue than a simple reissue of the original album would have been.

An excellent compilation of modern West Coast Uptown Blues is the English Ace collection of Al King and Arthur K Adams, Together: The Complete Kent and Modern Recordings. I wrote that this "is an important reissue of two powerful, if neglected blues artists (although thankfully Adams is still with us and continuing to make strong, original music)."

It is odd to hear Herman ‘Little Junior’ Parker referred to as a fairly obscure figure in the history of African-American music as Dave Penny does in the liner notes of the excellent two-disc, Fantastic Voyage public-domain reissue, Ride With Me, Baby: The Singles 1952-1961.  This is a very welcome, overdue, and highly recommended, reissue of Parker’s singles from the first decade of his recording career. 

The Planet D Nonet Travels The Spaceways

The musical legacy of Sun Ra continues to inspire many years after he made the transition from this planet. His pioneering blend of music, poetry, dance and theatre as well as the science fiction trappings of the performances may have led many to miss just how inspired a composer and arranger he was. Sun Ra visited Detroit in the mid-1970s and thereafter, and developed a substantial following there, like elsewhere. Included were musicians who have been and are performing Sun Ra’s music. The Planet D Nonet is a group of musicians from the Motor City who perform a range of music and have issued a double CD, We Travel The Spaceways: The Music Of Sun Ra (East Lawn Records).

For those familiar with Sun Ra’s recordings from the 1950’s such as has been reissued on Delmark or Evidence, the tenor of many of these performances (mostly recorded live) will not be surprising in the least. For those who attended performances by Sun Ra and His Arkestra, then one may be surprised by the performances absent the chants, heavy percussion and sun Ra’s electronic keyboards. Folks unfamiliar with Sun Ra from performance or recording might be unable to recognize the music here as coming from Sun Ra. This is music that has a touch of Tadd Dameron, intriguing harmonies, adroit tempo shifts and still sounds fresh.

The Planet D Nonet does a marvelous job in bring these compositions to life. While the personnel may shift, these are strong musicians anchored by R.J. Spangler on drums, pianist David Gadd and bassist Noah Jackson. Joshua James on baritone sax provides a presence while guest Salim Washington provides oboe and some holy ghost tenor sax on a few tracks, Jim Holder on tenor sax, James O’Donnell and Ken Ferry on trumpet to spotlight a few of the many folk who contribute in one way or another.

The notes from drummer Spangler and Rick Steiger provide a good overview of the compositions and the performances. The opening Velvet, described as a “‘Tadd Dameronesque’ swinger” opens with some robust baritone from Joshua James followed by Ken Ferry’s solid bop-laced trumpet. Trumpeter Herbert Dotson was an important member of Sun Ra’s groups in the 1950s and composed one of the leader’s signature numbers, Enlightenment, which in James’ transcription and arrangement, leads to some memorable ensemble playing with a short piano solo. Interstellar Low Ways is a moody-blues-tinged number a bit of exotic flavor captured in James’ arrangement with James Holden’s tenor sax featured followed by Salim Washington’s strong contribution on oboe. A studio performance has effective use of muted brass and different soloists including trombonist Tony Buccilli. The Kingdom Of Not, is a 1956 Sun Ra minor key blues with an outstanding solo from Justin Jozwiak on tenor (with some accenting by nice brass riffs) followed gutbucket some baritone sax from James that focused on the instruments lower range on the first of two performances of this.

Others tunes are heard in two or more renditions, including Ancient Aethopia. The first of the performances opens with a brief free ensemble chorus before Noah Jackson’s bass leads the statement of the main theme. Salim Washington takes the first of the featured solos, employing the tenor saxophone’s entire range, with honks, squeals and holy roller cries. After Joshua James explores the higher reaches of the baritone and its deep bottom, James O’Donnell takes off with a ’space trumpet’ solo. A second version of the tunes has guest saxophonist Kenny Millions conjuring up spirits with some fiery tenor sax with the rest of the band engaging in wild collective space-improvisation. The`final rendition is perhaps the most stately one although it has some fiery jazz tenor from James.

In addition to the fascinating explorations of Sun Ra’s book, there is a medley of the big band staples, King Porter Stomp and Big John Special, which were songs associated with Fletcher Henderson. The performances here evoke the charged, if slightly ragged, performances of the Arkestra this writer remembers watching 30 years ago. There is terrific high note trumpet from Patrick Hessian and stunning, spontaneous clarinet by Kenny Millions that connects the two numbers. It displays the same spirited ensemble playing and solos that characterize this salute to Sun Ra and his legacy. For more information on this, contact East Lawn Records at www.eastlawnrecords.com and they are on myspace at www.myspace.com/planetdnonet,  Its available on CD and download from cdbaby.com and as a download from itunes.

I received a review copy from East Lawn Records. Here they are playing King Porter Stomp.