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Francisco Mela & The Crash Trio: Fe
by James Nadal
Since departing Cuba to study at Berklee in 2000, drummer Francisco Mela has been on a meteoric trajectory throughout the jazz dominion. In 2005 he joined the Joe Lovano Quartet, and in 2009 the McCoy Tyner Trio, all the while releasing three critically acclaimed albums as leader. Fe is his first venture with The Crash Trio, ...
George DeLancey: George DeLancey
by James Nadal
During the golden age of the big bands, composers wrote with the entire ensemble as a singular voice, with the soloist (and solos) connected to the concept of the song as a whole. The leading exponent of this era was Duke Ellington, whose writing was built around that awareness; and his songs have withstood the test ...
Macy Gray: Stripped
by James Nadal
It should come as no surprise that vocalist Macy Gray would make a jazz record. Renowned for her platinum trajectory in popular music, Gray always exhibited inherent jazz and blues inclinations in her vocal style and personal demeanor. Stripped is her debut on Chesky Records, recorded in a live setting with their singular binaural microphone technique, ...
Kat Riggins: Blues Revival
by James Nadal
On occasion, a surprise artist stands out amongst the records which arrive for review consideration. Kat Riggins is a blues singer whose Blues Revival had a tendency to beckon for an encore after the first few tracks were played, to reaffirm what was being heard. As most recordings today employ an array of studio musicians, rare ...
Scott Tixier: Cosmic Adventure
by James Nadal
If there is a French connection in contemporary jazz, it might arguably be the violin. Though the instruments role was explored by American pioneering ensembles, the French players added an innovative approach to improvisation, incorporating more of the European influence. Heralded as a violin trendsetter for the current generation, French wunderkind Scott Tixier returns four years ...
Tasha Taylor: Honey For The Biscuit
by James Nadal
Born into music royalty, does not, in any manner, guarantee success. Quite the contrary, it makes one work harder, to not only maintain the legacy, but break out from the looming shadow. With Honey For The Biscuit, vocalist Tasha Taylor, the daughter of Stax soul legend Johnnie Taylor, passed the heirloom boundary and crossed over into ...
Changüí Majadero: El Changüí Majadero
by James Nadal
The traditional changüí musical style originated in the eastern side of Cuba, specifically the Baracoa section of Guantanamo Province. It was developed by the fusion of Spanish guitar melodies with African derived rhythms, and is the foundation for the Cuban son, which led directly to guaguanco, and salsa. Changüí Majadero is an adventurous ensemble which is ...
David Honeyboy Edwards: I'm Gonna Tell You Somethin' That I Know
by James Nadal
When David Honeyboy Edwards passed in 2011, with him went one of the last living links to the history of the blues. Born in Mississippi in 1915, he started out as a wandering guitarist, playing acoustic Delta Blues as passed down by the men who invented the genre. First recorded down south in 1942, he eventually ...
Mark Fox Quartet +: Three Octaves Above The Sun
by James Nadal
Making the decision to disconnect from music for over a decade has brought saxophonist Mark Fox an invigorating sense of motivation and inspiration, evident on Three Octaves Above The Sun. Committed to a personal spiritual quest, Fox's music is a hybrid of post-bop, progressive, African and transcendental, with intentional homage to those masters who determined the ...
Alfonso Calvo Septet: Sea Ahead
by James Nadal
From the burgeoning and prolific Spanish jazz scene comes another quality production on the progressive Free Code label, based out of Galicia. Continuing this musical momentum is local bassist Alfonso Calvo, who formed a septet to showcase his compositional and leadership skills on Sea Ahead. Calvo was motivated from his recent association with Marcos Pin's “Broken ...
