3D Jazz Trio I Love To See You Smile

3D Jazz Trio
I Love To See You Smile
DIVA Jazz

The 3D Jazz Trio is an offshoot of the Diva Jazz Orchestra, which is led by drummer Sherrie Maricle. Also, it includes Orchestra members, Jackie Warren on piano, and Amy Shook on bass. Back in late 2017, I reviewed an album by the three as by 3 Divas. All three have impressive resumes as players, composers, and educators, and I found this earlier recording to be "a marvelous recording by a superb trio.'

The same strengths they exhibited on the prior recording are here. The three are marvelous instrumentalists who have developed telepathic chemistry. They have selected some excellent songs to interpret, starting with the title track (from the film "Parenthood"), with its easy groove. Shook's bass is an anchor on this while Maricle swings, and Warren's displays her adept fluid, lyrical piano. Warren's playing on the oft-recorded "Besame Mucho" displays her sense of dynamics and ability to caress a melody as she does in her solo intro. After the intro, the trio's performance segues into a tropical groove. The trio's affinity for Latin Jazz is also showcased on a buoyant "Recado Bossa Nova."

Evoking Junior Mance, the three play a rollicking rendition of Jimmy Smith's "Back to the Chicken Shack," with Maricle adding some rhythmic explosions. "Angel Eyes" places the spotlight on Shook with her bass intro and also her Arco playing over Warren's softly played riff and Maricle's brushes. They close with "L.O.V.E," which is a tribute to Maurice Hines, Jr., who brought the trio together. It was featured in Hines' musical "Tappin' Through Life," and the trio's rendition ends another superlative album on an exhilarating note.

I received a download to review from a publicist. Here is a video of the 3D Jazz Trio performing "Back at the Chicken Shack."

Our Thing Manhattan Style

Our Thing
Manhattan Style
Jazzheads

The group, Our Thing, is a collaboration between guitarist Roni Ben-Hur whose roots are in Tunisia and Israel, bassist Santi Debriano who was born in Panama and grew up in Brooklyn, and percussionist Duduka Da Fonseca whose roots are in Brazil and their latest effort is "Manhattan Style (Jazzheads). In the publicity materials for this release, mention is made of 'home' as a theme underlying the album whether in the originals from the trio or the covers of compositions from Ellington, Coleman and Jobim.

The music here is breezy, uplifting, reflective and exuberant. Ben-Hur's "Home" opens on an exhilarating fashion as he exhibits marvelous technique and tone displayed before solos from Debriano and then Da Fonseca on an scintillating opening track. Ornette Coleman's mid-tempo blues, "The Blessing," is another vehicle for Ben-Hur to showcase his touch, tone and musical sense that evokes Wes Montgomery and Grant Green to these ears before another taut Debriano solo while the trio's rendition of Jobim's "Polo Pony," further evidences their sophisticated interplay, with the deft support of Ben-Hur's wonderful playing. Ellington's "African Flower" just may be the diamond of this recording of many musical jewels, as Da Fonseca uses mallets and percussion to accent Ben-Hur as he states the theme with a marvelous Arco solo from Debriano the centerpiece. The sober, melancholic tone of Debriano's "Imaginary Guinea" reflects it being composed during the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. Its title is a reference to Vodun, whose followers in Haiti believe that Guinea is where their ancestors reside and that they will be reunited with them there in death. Guinea also represents Africa.

This superb recording closes with the lively title track that Da Fonseca composed after seeing Freddie Hubbard at the Blue Note in the 1980s where Hubbard was was “playing his butt off.” This selection opens with Ben-Hur's vibrant lead before Da Fonseca takes an explosive solo. "Manhattan Style" is simply terrific.

I received a download of this from the record company.This review appeared in the November-December 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 369). Here is a video clip of the three.