Butch Warren & Freddie Redd Baltimore Jazz Loft

Butch Warren & Freddie Redd
Baltimore Jazz Loft
Brad Linde

"Baltimore Jazz Loft" captured an informal performance complementing a session organized to record unheard compositions from Freddie Redd. This album was the last album released during Freddie Redd's career. Redd was a part of the New York scene in the 50s and 60s. He is most famous for composing the music for the play and film "The Connection" and the Blue Note album of music from that play that included Jackie McLean. While not the most prolific recording artist, he had recorded a number of memorable recordings over the intervening decades. Joining him is bassist Butch Warren who played on many classic Blue Note albums by the likes of Sonny Clark, Herbie Hancock, and Dexter Gordon and was part of Thelonious Monk's Quartet for a couple of years.

On this album, Redd and Warren are joined by Washington DC area saxophonist, composer, and arranger Brad Linde. Linde was responsible for organizing these recordings. Matt Wilson, who had been looking forward to working with Warren, is on drums. This album was recorded in October 2013. Warren died not long after this date that is intended to capture the spirit of the jazz loft activities found in New York in the fifties and sixties, such as displayed in the documentary "The Jazz Loft." Recorded at Baltimore's An Die Musik, it has an appropriate ambiance.

After a short piano prelude, the rhythm section kicks off on Redd's "Nothing But the Blues," which provides an opportunity for Redd and Warren to shine. Redd has a piano style that these ears find reminiscent of Duke Ellington with a touch of Monk, while Warren's playing focuses on the walking quarter-note pulse he provides. Linde on tenor sax joins in for "I Can't Get Started" with a warm style in a Lester Young vein. Warren's "I Remember Monk" is a medium-tempo swinger that alludes to Monk more than is an imitation of Monk's music. Redd's spare playing, particularly in his accompaniment to Linde, evokes Monk. Like Monk, Redd makes use of silence as well as what he plays. His playing is not as angular in his lines as Monk. Linde is as impressive here as elsewhere. Warren's "A Little Chippie" opens with a choice bass solo before Linde melodic playing. Another highpoint is Warren's "Barack Obama," taken with a light Latin groove.

I am not sure if there was a live audience for most of this, but on the closing "There Will Never Be Another You," there is an appreciative one for the trio. This performance opens with Redd playing a chorus of "'Round Midnight" before the band launches into the standard. The sound is generally reasonably good, although Linde's sax sounds at times a bit muffled. The music is very, very good, and thanks to Brad Linde for having this recorded and making it available. It is available at Bandcamp as a digital download and a limited edition cd, https://bradlinde.bandcamp.com/album/baltimore-jazz-loft.

I purchased this as a download. Here is a 2011 performance by Butch Warren and Freddie Redd at Bohemian Caverns in Washington DC.

Jay Anderson Deepscape

Jay Anderson
Deepscape
Steeplechase

Bassist Anderson captivates listeners with a new recording that finds him in diverse musical settings that range from a bass solo to chord-less quartets and quintets to a bass-harmonium duet as he performs compositions by Keith Jarrett, Billy Joel, Gil Evans, and Morton Feldman. On this recording, he is joined by Billy Drewes, alto sax, soprano, and bass clarinet; Kirk Knuffke, cornet; Matt Wilson, drums; 
Frank Kimbrough, harmonium; and Rogério Boccato.

While I was not familiar with Anderson before this recording, he has performed with Maria Schneider, Michael Brecker, Frank Kimbrough, Ryan Truesdell, Bob Mintzer, Ira Sullivan, and Red Rodney. It was with the Red Rodney Quartet in 1988 that he participated in the first of over 100 recording sessions for Steeplechase. He has played on recordings by Vic Juris, Harold Danko, Dave Stryker, Paul Bley, Stanley Cowell, Freddie Redd, Louis Smith, and many others. Nils Winther of Steeplechase asked in early 2018 if he would be interested in his own project, and the result is this CD.

The title track opens this disc. Over a prerecorded drone, Anderson plays a melody and then recorded two additional layers of other bass sounds. The other bass solo is an extended examination of the melody of Billy Joel's "And So It Goes," where he displays the tone, articulation, and ability to improvise around the theme. There is an Ornette feel to the performances of two Keith Jarrett compositions, "Shades of Jazz," and "Southern Smiles." Knuffke establishes himself with a darting style while Drewes' alto playing has a bluesy spirit, and their interplay is outstanding. Anderson is rock solid while Matt Wilson is perhaps more Billy Higgins than Ed Blackwell, but helps drive and swing these performances.

There is a different feel to the interpretation of Gil Evans "Time of the Barracudas" with the horns riffing in support of Anderson's bass lead with Wilson providing adroit rhythmic accents before Drewes takes a soprano solo. The rendition of the standard "Sweet and Lovely" starts as a duet between Anderson and Wilson (the latter playing almost in a New Orleans groove. Knuffke enters midway, and his playful playing is reminiscent of the late Lester Bowie with a mix of slurs, short bursts, and extended notes. There is a lively, playful performance of "Bradford Marsalis' "The Mighty Sword."

On three selections, Anderson is joined by Kimbrough on the harmonium. The first of the three is the 5th Movement of Morton Feldman's "Rothko Chapel," where, in addition to bass Anderson also plays the Tibetan singing bowl. Drewes soprano sax floats over Kimbrough's harmonium along with Wilson's drums and Boccato's percussion for what is a haunting performance. The same musicians are heard on Jim Pepper's "Witchi-Tai-To." Anderson opens by stating the underlying chord sequence and the melodic phrase. Wilson's cymbal work leads to a transition into Drewes' soprano sax taking the lead over the accompaniment centered around the leader's bass. Kimbrough's harmonium lends a rendition of "Tennessee Waltz" a feel of an Irish folk song before turning into a captivating duet with Anderson's bass which 'sings' this classic country song.

"Deepscape" is a splendid recording with an intriguing mix of material and musical settings, as well as the superb performances by Anderson and his compatriots.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the September-October 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 386), although I made minor stylistic changes. Here is Jay Anderson performing in 2012.

Melissa Stylianou No Regrets

Melissa Stylianou
No Regrets
Anzic Records

Canadian born and New York based vocalist Melissa Stylianou has a new recording (her 5th album) on Anzic Records “No Regrets.” Produced by Oded Lev-Ari, Stylianou is backed by a trio of Bruce Barth on piano, Linda Oh on bass and Matt Wilson on drums with appearances by Billy Drewes on alto saxophone on two songs and Anat Cohen on clarinet on two songs. The album was recorded live to two-track on an album that mostly sticks to jazz standards.

There is plenty to delight in Melissa Stylianou’s singing and here she is backed by a superb trio augmented by sax or clarinet at times. Her rendition of the Gershwins’ “Nice Work If You Can Get It” features an introduction that this writer was not familiar with. After her delivery of the lyric, each member of the trio takes a brief break and there is a couple of brief exchanges between her and Wilson. Not all of theses selections are as well known such as “Remind Me” by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields with her perky delivery of the amusing word play here (“Remind me not to mention that I love you, Remind me I am sorry that we are met) with Barth supplying the arrangement.

Drewes’ alto opens a marvelous rendition of the Ellington-Webster lament “"I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)" ,” and Melissa is playful on “Humming to Myself.” Linda Oh’s bass opens “I Wish I Knew” and duets with Melissa until mid-way through the first verse. A Billie Holiday song, “Somebody’s On My Mind” is one of the selections with Cohen with just Oh’s bass providing apt support for Stylianou’s languid vocal. Known for her adaptations of songs by Bjork, Johnny Cash and Tom Waits among others, her one unusual selection is a folky adaptation of William Butler Yeats’ poem “Down by the Salley Gardens” accompanied just by Wilson.

Her lovely voice, phrasing and dynamics are factors that enchant the listener. Gutbucket alto sax against the firm backing of the rhythm section spices up "A Nightingale Can Sing the Blues.” Cohen returns with more lovely playing on “"I'll Never Be the Same.” There is a lilting quality to the rendition “Polka Dots And Moonbeams” (with a choice Barth solo), before the album concludes with a bright, delightful rendition, backed just by piano, of Jon Hendricks’ lyrics to Monk’s “I Mean You,” with her scatting and trading fours with Barth.

Melissa Stylianou touches the heart and brightens our spirits throughout “No Regrets.” It is a recording with plenty to charm listeners.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the May-June 2015  Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 360) although a few revisions and corrections have been made.Here she sings "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good."

 

Duchess's Jazz Harmonies Shine on Self-Titled Album

Duchess is a New York based, all-women jazz vocal group featuring Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner and Melissa Stylianou, singing in the "close harmony" style associated with groups such as the Boswell Sisters who have released an eponymously titled recording on Anzic Records. The recording was produced by by Oded Lev-Ari, who helmed previous Anzic releases by Cervini and Stylianou. The trio are supported by a band led by drummer Matt Wilson with pianist Michael Cabe, and bassist Paul Sikivie. Also making their presence felt are saxophonist Jeff Lederer and guitarist Jesse Lewis.

The songs included range from a Peggy Lee number "I Love Being Here With You", Johnny Mercer's "P.S. I Love You" a playful Gershwin rarity with "Blah, Blah, Blah" and a direct Boswell Sisters homage with their arrangement of "Heebie Jeebies." The trio provide new twists on "Que Sera, Sera" and the standard "I'll Be Seeing You." Each gets a solo spot with "My Brooklyn Love Song" (Hilary), "A Doodlin' Song" (Amy) and "Humming to Myself" (Melissa). While occasionally they focus on the ballad side of the material, often the performances are flirty and playful with the backing band providing solid swing and saxophonist Lederer and guitarist Lewis adding marvelous solos.

Peggy Lee's "Love Being Here With You" opens with its bouncy perkiness, marvelous harmonies as they personalize the lyrics as they promise to swing this joint tonight before Lederer rips off a solo. They trade lead vocals and mix harmonies of "There Ain't No Sweet Man That's Worth the Salt of My Tears," which sounds like an updating of a classic blues with sharp solos from Lewis and pianist Michael Cabe. Doris Day would approve the lovely rendition of "Que Sera, Sera," while Amy Cervini is perky with her colleagues adding to the perkiness of "A Doodlin' Song," with harmony backing and spoken asides with some tough tenor sax complimenting the light-hearted singing.

Wilson second line groove provides the primary backing for the lively reworking of the Chordettes hit "Lollipop," with a lively tenor sax-drum duo break in the middle. "It's a Man" with its lyrics warning women of a two-legged animal, sports some honking sax. The perky, lively harmonies of "Heebie Jeebies" closes a delightful and enchanting recording that may not be the deepest side of blues, but sure is full of serious fun.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in slightly different form in the November-December 2015 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 363). Here is Duchess performing "I Love Being Here With You."

Uccello's Intriguing Chamber Group's Jazz Interpretations.

A cello ensemble playing big band arrangements is an unusual concept, but cellist Matt Haimovitz and the ensemble Uccello are heard doing material from John McLaughlin and Ornette Coleman to Gershwin on “Meeting of the Spirits,” (Oxingale Productions). This very recent release is also a 2010 Grammy nominee as a Classical Crossover product. Haimovitz and fellow cellists handle a program of arrangements by David Sanford with guest appearances by guitarist John McLaughlin, drummer Matt Wilson and the keyboards of Jan Jarczyk.

it is a fascinating collection of performances as soling cellos play against others riffing a bass melody line. Arrangements are often taken from solos on the original performances and the unusual setting makes the familiar sound new. Guitarist McLaughlin adds some of his exhilarating playing to the opening rendition of his “ Open Country Joy,” with the cello solos of Leanna Rutt and Haimovitz adding a celebratory tone. In thee notes, arranger sanford observes he tried to capture the flavor of the Birth of the Cool recordings in the arrangement of Miles Davis’ “Half Nelson.” with a lovely solo from the leader and some nice pizzicato playing by Dominic Painchaud. Sanford credits John Zorn’s punk-thrash recording of Ornette Coleman’s “W.R.U.” as the inspiration for a performance that has spirited polyphonic solos as well as crisp drums from Matt Wilson. The rendition of John Lewis’ “Blues in A Minor,” is a duet between the pizzicato playing of Haimovitz and Dominic Painchaud, both plainly precisely and clear articulation of their ideas.

“ Meeting of the Spirits” is another John McLaughlin number with Haimovitz recreating McLaughlin’s original solo, while Amaryllis Jarczyk recreates Jan Hammer’s solo on the original recording. Their solos sandwich a Fender Rhodes solo by guest Jarczyk while Wilson ‘s drums propel the performance. It is followed by Billy Strayhorn’s “Blood Count,” written from his hospital bed with Haimovitz attempting to recreate the inflections of Johnny Hodges alto saxophone to honor him here on a lovely, sober performance. An original by Haimovitz and Uccello is “Triptych,” inspired by the works of an artist friend as well as jazz pianists Vijay Iyer and Nik Bartsch, which comes across as somewhat melodramatic. A lighter tone is heard on a rendition of the Gershwin standard “Liza,” inspired by the Quintette of the Hot Club of France with Haimovitz’s pizzicato work evoking Django Reinhardt. followed by the arco playing of Leanna Rutt whose enlivening playing is a homage to Stephane Grappelli followed by spirited ensemble playing.

The final performance is of Charles Mingus’ “ Haitian Fight Song,” which scores Booker Ervin’s tenor saxophone and Jaki Byard’s piano solo,” and is another fascinating performance as they capture much of the spirit of the original performance despite the very distinct instrumentation. The performances convey a range of musical flavors and emotions. This is a change of pace for listeners well worth exploring.


A publicist for this release sent me a review copy for this release.