We recommend five jazz albums that were released over the past week and here ere are five more recent (or soon to be) jazz releases worth giving a listen to:
1. Tribal by Dr. John (429 Records, August 3, 2010)
Iconic American musician Dr. John goes TRIBAL with the follow-up to his 2008 Grammy Award Winning release 'The City That Care Forgot' for 'Best Contemporary Blues Album.' TRIBAL, featuring a track with Grammy winner Derek Trucks, is a unique spicy mix of New Orleans funk and blues with a spiritual and Native flavor with songs written by Dr John and a few of his friends—Allen Toussaint and the late Bobby Charles and joined by his ultra funky Lower 911 band of musicians.
2. 6 String Theory by Lee Ritenour (Concord Records, June 29, 2010)
6 String Theory is a special project put together by legendary guitarist Lee Ritenour in celebration of the world's most popular instrument— the guitar! Joining him in this tribute to the guitar, the all-star line-up includes George Benson, BB King, Slash, Steve Lukather, John Scofield, Joe Bonamassa, Robert Cray and Vince Gill among many other superstars. Blending rock, blues, jazz, acoustic, country and classical, they come together for a seamless project that promises to take the listener on a musical journey and exploration of the guitar. Also featured on vocals are BB King, Robert Cray, Vince Gill, Keb' Mo,' Taj Majal, Joe Bonamassa and Jonny Lang. Debuting on this release is sixteen-year-old guitarist Shon Boublil who was the grand prize winner of Lee Ritenour's Yamaha Six String Theory Guitar Competition.
3. Raconte-Moi by Stacey Kent (EMI France, June 8, 2010)
2010 release, an all-French album from the American Jazz vocalist. Raconte-Moi..(Tell Me) revisits great classics of the French musical heritage with songs by Barbara, Paul Misraki, Georges Moustaki, Henri Salvador, Michel Jonasz, Keren Ann and Benjamin Biolay, and also showcases original work by talented young songwriters like Claire Denamur, Camille D'avril and Emilie Satt. Stacey Kent bridges the divide between genres, elegantly and daintily stamping her own personal hallmark on this shining album. EMI.
4. Whirl by The Fred Hersch Trio (Palmetto Records, June 21, 2010)
'Hersch's music luxurious, free-flowing, unashamedly gorgeous jazz is idiosyncratically, unmistakably a creation of his own,' David Hajdu wrote in a recent, riveting New York Times Magazine profile on Hersch's music and life. The piece detailed Hersch's recovery from a harrowing, near-death health battle and placed him in the forefront of contemporary, innovative jazz artists and chronicles his influence on many of today's brightest young musicians. Whirl is Hersch's first recording since undergoing intense physical therapy and achieving full recuperation. Hersch is widely considered a genius on the piano. He moved to New York from Cincinnati in the 1970s, earning his credibility as a piano prodigy at Bradley's. His list of credits as a band leader, co-leader, sideman and soloist are astounding. He has worked extensively with jazz masters Stan Getz, Joe Henderson, and Jane Ira Bloom, Art Farmer, Toots Thielemans, Gary Burton, Bill Frisell, Sam Jones and Charlie Haden and has appeared on over 100 recordings. He is also a three-time GRAMMY nominee.
5. Home by Jane Monheit (Emarcy, September 21, 2010)
Los Angeles, California. “Home," Jane Monheit's eagerly anticipated new CD, is set for release by Emarcy/Universal Records on September 21st, 2010. An ode to the golden age of the jazz standard—the genre which Jane identifies with most—"Home" celebrates the treasured tracks of songwriters and lyricists past and present whom Monheit greatly admires including Rodgers and Hart and Schwartz & Dietz. A sumptuously sung passionate song cycle of 12 tunes self-produced by the modern-day jazz diva, “Home" is Monheit's tenth CD and will be accompanied by a world tour beginning in the Fall. Accompanying Monheit on “Home" are long-time Monheit band-members Michael Kanan (piano), Neal Miner on bass and Rick Montalbano on drums, who were joined on the CD by guest artists John Pizzarelli (vocals and guitar), Peter Eldridge (vocals), Frank Vignola (guitar), Joe Magnarelli (trumpet and flugelhorn), Mark O'Connor (violin) and Larry Goldings (piano).
1. Tribal by Dr. John (429 Records, August 3, 2010)
Iconic American musician Dr. John goes TRIBAL with the follow-up to his 2008 Grammy Award Winning release 'The City That Care Forgot' for 'Best Contemporary Blues Album.' TRIBAL, featuring a track with Grammy winner Derek Trucks, is a unique spicy mix of New Orleans funk and blues with a spiritual and Native flavor with songs written by Dr John and a few of his friends—Allen Toussaint and the late Bobby Charles and joined by his ultra funky Lower 911 band of musicians.
2. 6 String Theory by Lee Ritenour (Concord Records, June 29, 2010)
6 String Theory is a special project put together by legendary guitarist Lee Ritenour in celebration of the world's most popular instrument— the guitar! Joining him in this tribute to the guitar, the all-star line-up includes George Benson, BB King, Slash, Steve Lukather, John Scofield, Joe Bonamassa, Robert Cray and Vince Gill among many other superstars. Blending rock, blues, jazz, acoustic, country and classical, they come together for a seamless project that promises to take the listener on a musical journey and exploration of the guitar. Also featured on vocals are BB King, Robert Cray, Vince Gill, Keb' Mo,' Taj Majal, Joe Bonamassa and Jonny Lang. Debuting on this release is sixteen-year-old guitarist Shon Boublil who was the grand prize winner of Lee Ritenour's Yamaha Six String Theory Guitar Competition.
3. Raconte-Moi by Stacey Kent (EMI France, June 8, 2010)
2010 release, an all-French album from the American Jazz vocalist. Raconte-Moi..(Tell Me) revisits great classics of the French musical heritage with songs by Barbara, Paul Misraki, Georges Moustaki, Henri Salvador, Michel Jonasz, Keren Ann and Benjamin Biolay, and also showcases original work by talented young songwriters like Claire Denamur, Camille D'avril and Emilie Satt. Stacey Kent bridges the divide between genres, elegantly and daintily stamping her own personal hallmark on this shining album. EMI.
4. Whirl by The Fred Hersch Trio (Palmetto Records, June 21, 2010)
'Hersch's music luxurious, free-flowing, unashamedly gorgeous jazz is idiosyncratically, unmistakably a creation of his own,' David Hajdu wrote in a recent, riveting New York Times Magazine profile on Hersch's music and life. The piece detailed Hersch's recovery from a harrowing, near-death health battle and placed him in the forefront of contemporary, innovative jazz artists and chronicles his influence on many of today's brightest young musicians. Whirl is Hersch's first recording since undergoing intense physical therapy and achieving full recuperation. Hersch is widely considered a genius on the piano. He moved to New York from Cincinnati in the 1970s, earning his credibility as a piano prodigy at Bradley's. His list of credits as a band leader, co-leader, sideman and soloist are astounding. He has worked extensively with jazz masters Stan Getz, Joe Henderson, and Jane Ira Bloom, Art Farmer, Toots Thielemans, Gary Burton, Bill Frisell, Sam Jones and Charlie Haden and has appeared on over 100 recordings. He is also a three-time GRAMMY nominee.
5. Home by Jane Monheit (Emarcy, September 21, 2010)
Los Angeles, California. “Home," Jane Monheit's eagerly anticipated new CD, is set for release by Emarcy/Universal Records on September 21st, 2010. An ode to the golden age of the jazz standard—the genre which Jane identifies with most—"Home" celebrates the treasured tracks of songwriters and lyricists past and present whom Monheit greatly admires including Rodgers and Hart and Schwartz & Dietz. A sumptuously sung passionate song cycle of 12 tunes self-produced by the modern-day jazz diva, “Home" is Monheit's tenth CD and will be accompanied by a world tour beginning in the Fall. Accompanying Monheit on “Home" are long-time Monheit band-members Michael Kanan (piano), Neal Miner on bass and Rick Montalbano on drums, who were joined on the CD by guest artists John Pizzarelli (vocals and guitar), Peter Eldridge (vocals), Frank Vignola (guitar), Joe Magnarelli (trumpet and flugelhorn), Mark O'Connor (violin) and Larry Goldings (piano).
