Pull Up a Seat, Give a Listen, a Good Listen

Since vocalist Camila Meza joined Ryan Keberle & Catharsis in 2014, the quintet has gone from strength to strength Though Ms. Meza was not a full member in that year, she did sing on five of the eight tracks of "Into The Zone" (Greenleaf Music) plus the bonus track, Sufjan Stevens' "Sister."  Two years later for "Azul Infinito", her voice had become an integral part of the quintet, an ensemble that features Keberle (trombone, keyboards), Michael Rodriguez (trumpet), Jorge Roeder (acoustic and electric basses), and Eric Doob (drums).  That group also recorded 2017's "Find the Common, Shine a Light", a recording made in the wake of the 2016 U.S. election with music that was a strong indictment of the election process and results yet without pointing fingers. That album also featured several short improvised pieces plus longer pieces that showed the versatility of its members.

"The Hope I Hold" is a step forward for the group. Rodriguez is gone, replaced by tenor saxophonist Scott Robinson (who actually has guested on a number of Keberle's earlier albums).  Also, the sound of the band has expanded with the addition of Ms. Meza's excellent guitar work plus vocal contributions from the leader and from Roeder.  The program is split in two fascinating halves. The first five tracks are Keberle compositions with lyrics adapted from the great American poet Langston Hughes (1902-1967), specifically from his 1935 poem "Let America Be America Again." Hughes's powerful words (read them here) are been lightly edited to fit the equally powerful music.  The four tracks that make up "The Hope I Hold Suite" are driven by the impressively forceful rhythm section, by the intelligent melodies the leader has created, by the mixture of reeds, brass, and guitar, plus the strong vocal work.  Ms. Meza, an immigrant from Chile, understand the history of this country, has seen the remnants of "Jim Crow" that exist throughout the U.S. – yet, there is neither vitriol in her voice (as there is none in Hughes's words: sorrow yes but not burning hatred) nor sorrow in her delivery.  One does hear hope, hope for a better country, a more compassionate leadership, and a better understanding of the myriad issues facing the world. Following the suite is another Keberle composition.  "Campinas" not only features his trombone and keyboards but also he sings lead.  The first part of the piece has a strong Brazilian feel, especially in the "floating" voices and the exciting drum patterns.  The second part starts with understated percussion, synthesizer sweeps, and a lyrical trombone solo before the drums kick back into the rhythms of the opening under the trombone solo and the guitar spotlight that follows.

Photo: Takahiko Tokusa

The next four tracks introduces The Catharsis Trio.  Composed of the leader, Ms. Meza, and bassist Roeder.  The trio first worked together on a tour of Japan when the promoter really wanted the music but could not afford to bring the entire band.  Needless to say, the participants viewed the tour as a both a challenge and an opportunity to see the material in a different light.  The guitarist contributes the lovely "Para Volar" – the blend of voice, guitar, bass, and trombone is alluring. Roeder's first recorded composition, "Peering", has quite a fine melody with the various voices playing off each other, providing fine harmonies as well as smart counterpoint.  The team of Manuel Jose Castillo (lyrics) and Gustavo "Cuchi" Leguizamon (music) composed "Zamba de Lozano", a song
made famous by Mercedes Sosa.  Ms. Meza caresses the lovely melody while Keberle offers handsome support and even shadows her on several lines. The Trio closes its set with a rearranged version of "Become the Water" of the previous Catharsis album that took its title from the chorus of this song.  Here, Keberle intertwines the sounds of his Korg Minilogue synthesizer into the mix but the words are loud and clear.

The album closes with with "Epilogue/Make America Again", a chorale for voices, trombones, and keyboard that ends with a long drawn-out chord (sounds like an organ).  The music has the feel of a prayer, a wordless plea for hope that seems to have eluded many of us in the past two+ years.  Bitterness and cruel satire is no help – it is imperative that we all talk to each other, at community meetings, in churches, mosques, and synagogues, in the classroom, in the halls of the government. Then, "The Hope I Hold" may become a reality.   Ryan Keberle & Catharsis continue to make relevant music, the writing continues to mature, and the musicianship is of the highest caliber. Now that Ms. Meza's immense talent is being put to its full use, next time around, perhaps Scott Robinson will get to employ his full array of instruments. Imagine that!!

For more information, go to ryankeberle.com.

Give a listen to "Campinas":

Photo: Ken Drew

Saxophonist, violinist, vocalist, and composer Tori Freestone has been busy making a name for herself in her native England and on the Continent.  As a leader or co-leader, she's issued four CDs and has appeared on recordings by Ivo Neame, Andre Canniere, and a group called Compassionate Cow.  Ms. Freestone has also worked in a number of British big bands and smaller ensembles plus is currently a tutor for the National Youth Jazz Collective and for Trinity College of Music in London.  Her main musical vehicle at the moment is the Tori Freestone Trio based on her saxophone playing and compositions with the delightful rhythm section of Dave Manington (bass) and Tim Giles (drums).

The Trio has just issued its third recording for Whirlwind Recordings.  Titled "El Mar de Nubes" ("the Sea of Clouds"), much of the program was inspired by the saxophonist's retreat to the Canard Islands at the close of 2017.  There she wandered the landscape catering her thoughts, inspired by the longs walks in the natural forests and mountains as well as viewing the Super Moon, a phenomenon that makes the night as bright as day when it rises.  The music she created from her sojourns is not radically different than her previous two Trio discs yet one feels that the three musicians are locked in more than ever before.  The title track opens the album with the leader's saxophone interacting and responding to the lyrical bass lines and dancing brushes work.  Dig the funky opening of "Hiding Jekyll", how the rhythm section locks into the groove even as the saxophonist plays a double-time on top of them. Pieces such as "Hasta La Vista" and "Los Indianos" have such a playful quality, the former (composed by the bassist) built off a speedy riff that has hints of Trio Air in how the sax and bass work together over the dancing drums while the latter rises out of Giles's drums interacting with the cowbell. The riffs Ms. Freestone play may remind some of Sonny Rollins's playful interactions with Ray Brown and Shelly Manne on "Way Out West."

The album also includes two versions of the traditional American song "Shenandoah."  Version 1 is all instrumental, replete with wonderful bass playing (note Manington's fine bow work  and his deep sonorous phrases in response to Ms. Freestone's wide-ranging solo (she rarely strays far from the original melody but does create an impressive solo).  In the middle section, Giles creates a hypnotic rhythm for the bass solo (note how the saxophonist plays long, breathy tones behind Manington)that leads into a more expansive tenor spotlight.  Version 2 is quite different – Ms. Freestone accompanies her vocal with keening fiddle tones.  The bassist creates a counter melody behind her, joined a verse later by Giles's skittish drums.  The violin solo brings to mind the raspy tones of Charles Burnham and, when Ms. Freestone moves away from the melody, the music moves into more playful territory. The trio does return to the melody; this time, the vocalist sings with just the drums as her accompanist before it fades out on Giles.

"El Mar de Nubes" is music well worth exploring. Over the course of seven years and (now) three albums, Tori Freestone, Dave Manington, and Tim Giles have become tighter and looser, the former through the many gigs they have played and the latter from the trust they have built by playing all those gigs. Sadly, I don't see any live dates on this side of the Atlantic Ocean listed for the album release tour but this is a Trio one needs to hear live.  That written, the new album is one for listening deeply and all the way through!

For more information, go to www.torifreestone.com.

This video should serve as a great introduction to the album:

New Standards for the 21st Century

Over the past five years, guitarist, vocalist, and composer Camila Meza has steadily worked her way into the consciousness of people who listen to contemporary music. The Chilean-born Meza first came to the United States in the early 2010s to study and soon found herself collaborating with numerous artists.  Her work with Ryan Keberle & Catharsis plus her brilliant 2016 album "Traces" (Sunnyside Records) as well as her work with pianist Fabian Almazan stands out in the plethora of recordings that have filled the market.  Even before her work with Keberle, she laid the seeds for her collaboration with bassist Noam Wiesenberg and the Yellow Nectar Orchestra, an ensemble that features a jazz quartet (guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums) with a string quartet (and arrangements by the bassist). On a 2013 video

The results of Ms. Meza's work with Wiesenberg can be heard on "Ámbar" (Sony Masterworks).  Recorded in June 2017 and funded by a Kickstarter campaign, the 12-song program covers a wide territory of the sonic landscape with original works blending with classic songs by Milton Nascimento, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Elliot Smith, Tomás Méndez, and the fascinating collaboration of David Bowie with Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays ("This Is Not America" from the 1985 movie "The Falcon and The Snowman"). That last song fits nicely with Ms. Meza's latest adventures with Keberle & Catharsis that have an emphasis on socially and politically conscious music.  One also notices on the track the influence of Metheny on her guitar playing. In fact, pay close to her guitar work and how it synchronizes with the vocals – it surely stands out on "Traces" and on her earlier albums but most writers seem to ignore that aspect of Ms. Meza's presentation.

The excellent string arrangements are an important aspect of this music.  They stand out on "Waltz #1" (the Smith piece) not just for the colors they provide but for how their sound blends percussive and melodic elements. The strings (played by violinists Tomoko Omura and Fung Chern Hwei, violist Benjamin von Gutzeit, and cellist Brian Sanders) caress the voice on the opening of "Atardecer".coming back time and again to create a sweet counterpoint.  The arrangements do not treat anyone as just an accompanist: every voice is important, from the rich sonorities of the cello to the flowing lines of the violins and viola.

Photo: WBGO/NPR

The entire ensemble dances with delight on "Awaken", thanks to the percussive magic of Keita Ogawa. It's important to note that, by the time of the recording sessions, the main ensemble of Meza, Ogawa, Wiesenberg plus Eden Ladin (piano, keyboards) has been working/rehearsing as a unit since 2013.  Listen to the understated power that the octet utilizes on Nascimento's "Milagro Dos Peixes", a tune from earlier in the Brazilian composer and performer's career.  It's easy to get lost in the voice, how the strings move in and out of the arrangement, and how the rhythm section move the piece forward.

The album closes with a solo performance of Méndez's "Cucurrucucú Paloma" (composed in 1954), just Camila Meza and nylon string guitar. The song tells of the story of the mourning dove (the title translate as the "Coo-coo dove") and the singer's loss of a loved one.  The piece seres as a lovely coda to a delightful recording. "Ámbar" may have taken two years to come to light (six, if you count how long Camila Meza & The Nectar Orchestra have worked on the material) but the wait has certainly been worth it.  A delight from start to finish!

For more information, go to www.camilameza.com.

Here's the NPR Jazz Night In America performance by the ensemble:

For her fifth album, vocalist Judy Wexler went to work with frequent collaborator Alan Pasqua (the pianist has been a major contributor to three of her previous albums). After she spoke with author and jazz historian Ted Gioia about what makes a 'jazz standard", Ms. Wexler and Ms. Pasqua spent the better part of a year sharing song ideas back and forth. Finally, the co-producers organized a group of musicians, many of whom have appeared on her other recordings, and put the process in motion. In addition, Ms. Wexler worked with PledgeMusic to fund the album.

"Crowded Heart" (named for the Sinne Eeg/Mads Mathias song that appears on the album) is a delightful blend of songs composed by current artists and composers.  Besides the title track, one hears pieces by Kurt Elling (one with Richard Galliano, the other with Mr. Pasqua), Gregory Porter, Luciana Souza, Fred Hersch & Norma Winstone, Alan Broadbent, Enrico Pieranunzi & Lorraine Feather, Larry Goldings, plus René Marie.  Highlights include is Ms. Eeg's tune, notable for the lovely blend of voice with acoustic guitar (played by Larry Koonse) and the piano. Also, there's sweet and funky reading of Porter's "Painted On Canvas" – the rhythm section of bassist Derek Oles and drummer Steve Hass lay down quite a beat and there's delightful alto saxophone playing from Josh Johnson.

Ms. Wexler transforms Ms. Feather's "I Took Your Hand" (a song that the lyricist added words to Enrico Pieranunzi's "Fellini's Waltz").  Here, the rhythm has opened up – note how the vocal lines dance above the rich piano accompaniment with the alto sax as partner.  Piano and voice open a lovely reading of Fred Hersch and Norma Winstone's "Stars", the melody suggesting the bossa nova feel of the rhythmic background.  The original version is just voice and piano but the addition of the drums and bass allows the music more breathing room.  Ms. Marie's "Take My Breath Away" is quite a love song (as only the composer can write – her best songs link love and lust, desire and joy and Ms. Wexler has such fun with it.  Yes, she understands what she is singing and takes great pleasure from it.

On an album whose focus is on the voice, one cannot diminish the role Alan Pasqua plays in its success. Both his piano solo and whistling are one of highlights of the opening track, Ms. Souza's "Circus Life."  He unpacks his melodica for a delightful, accordion-inspired, solo on Galliano/Elling's "Parisian Heartbreak."  Pasqua's collaboration with Kurt Elling and Philip Edward Galdston, "And We Will Fly" brings the program to a close. The Brazilian feel, heightened by the dancing rhythm section, also includes the fine acoustic guitar work of Koonse (shadowed by the deep cello tones played by Stefanie Fife).

"Crowded Heart" shows Judy Wexler at her finest.  Never one to overwhelm her songs with vocal trickery, Ms. Wexler caresses melodies, reaches for the emotional heart of each song, and, with the aid of Alan Pasqua,  gives listeners an experience that resonates beyond the recording, settling in one's own crowded heart.

For more information, go to judywexler.com.

Here's the title track:

The Bird and The Bee is a duo from Los Angeles, CA, consisting of Inara George (vocals, compositions) and Greg Kurstin (synths, compositions) that have been creating "indie pop" (really music that blend pop, jazz, folk, and electronics)since 2005.  The duo's recorded debut was a self-titled album on Blue Note Records in 2006. Ms. George, who is the daughter of the late Little Feat founder Lowell George, started out interested in theater but had formed several bands before the end of the 20th Century.  She has released four albums of her own including 2018's "Dearest Everybody" that deals with the loss of her father.  Mr. Kurstin, a producer who has won multiple GRAMMY awards, has worked with Paul McCartney, Beck, Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, and Adele.  He also founded the 2000s indie band Geggy Tah. Before that, he studied with pianist Jaki Byard, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, and saxophonist George Coleman.


Drummer Charles Ruggiero, who has worked with Chuck Mangione and Ozzy Ozbourne, first heard The Bird and The Bee on the radio in 2007.  The drummer had an epiphany that he could take these malleable songs and create jazz arrangements around them.  He called his friend Hilary Gardner (yes, she who is 1/3rd of Duchess) to help him record one of the band's tunes for his 2014 debut EP "Boom Band, Boom Bang" (well, he is a drummer) – Ruggiero was thrilled to discover that Ms. Gardner also loves the band's music.  Thus was born the seeds of their duo album "Charles Ruggiero and Hilary Gardner Play the Music of The Bird and The Bee".

Released on Spike Wilner's SmallsLive label, the album finds the duo, along with pianist Jeremy Manasia (who has worked with recorded with the drummer o several occasions) and bassist Neal Miner, playing eight songs from three of TB&TB's four albums (that duo also recorded a tribute to Hall & Oates in 2010). Manasia's flowing piano lines enliven many of the songs.  "Lovey Dovey" has sweeping phrases from the piano as Ms. Gardner explores the story of a woman who cannot wait for her partner to get home from work so they be together without the hustle-and-bustle of the world.  "Would You Ever Be My) F**king Boyfriend" opens with a bouncing bass line with the feel of Peggy Lee's classic "Fever".  Not being sure if the offensive word (to some) in the title is a verb or adjective and that's part of the fun of the piece.  So is the irressistible rhythm and the splendid piano solo. "4th of July" swings with such a spirit that one cannot help but snap his fingers.

Hilary Gardner is one of those vocalists who makes you believe everything she sings. Nothing is forced and the emotions are real.  Even pieces such as ".....Boyfriend" and Ms. George's paean to Van Halen vocalist Davie Lee Roth "Diamond Dave" ring true.  The original version of the latter tune is up-tempo and has an hilarious video to go with it. But here, Ms. Gardner and the band frame the song as a ballad, a mournful, bluesy, tale of a childhood idol.  If you do not know the original version, this is quite a tribute.

There are so many joys to behear on "Charles Ruggiero and Hilary Gardner Play the Music of There Bird And The Bee" from the splendid piano work of Jeremy Manasia to the understated yet intense work of Neal Miner and the drummer/co-leader as well as the sweet, sassy, and honest vocals of the other co-leader.  Those myriad joys are also the result of the excellent source material.  This album stands nicely on its own but you should also introduce yourself to Inara George and Greg Kurstin's witty duo.

To find out more, go to ruggierodrums.com.

Here's the opening tune:

2017 - What a Year, Especially for Music! (Part 1 - Voices)

Most years are a blend of happy and sad, chaos and peace, health and illness, loss and gain. 2017 certainly was that way for me. Reading the news from home, from Washington, throughout the country and the world, one is not surprised that our capability for shock is tested every minute our eyes and ears are open.  Music reflects all that and more; often music deflects all that and more.  We have as much a need to be entertained as we do to hear our favorite artists try to speak or sing "truth to power."  No surprise that Kendrick Lamar's recent CD is titled "DAMN" and in all caps.   The lists of favorite television show are peppered with programs ("Handmaid's Tale", "Dark", "Stranger Things") that warn us of dictatorships, of totalitarian governments of the near-future, of women continuing to struggle to be equal.  Are we surprised by the almost daily "sexual harassment" charges levied at movie and television personalities, at producers and directors, at trusted newsmen.  And at government officials.

Music reminds many of us of what can be good, that the creative process brings people and audiences together, if not to change the world than just a small part of it and, maybe, just for two to four hours.

Listed below, and in subsequent posts, are the albums that brought me joy and hope through this year,  created by artists who made me question my beliefs or soothe my spirits.  Step Tempest was quieter than normal this Fall, actually since the end of July.  Not that I wasn't listening to music but, perhaps, I needed it step back to see a bigger picture. True, I was committed to other projects that took more of my time that I expected but, in the past, I found the time to write because the artists who send me their music, the publicists who are kind to hang with me, the people I interact with when I are writing and doing radio interviews appreciate the work I do. No excuses, no apologies. Just thought you should know.

Part one is but 10 of the, possibly, 36 recordings I think deserve recognition.  This list contains albums with voices, many with poetry, some I never had the opportunity to write about.

If you held me down and ordered me to tell which album was my true #1 choice, I would admit to "Matt Wilson's Honey And Salt Music Inspired by the Poetry of Carl Sandburg" (Palmetto).  It's not just because I saw the band live at The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme, CT, and was invited on stage to read with the band ("We Must Be Polite" with the delightful Bo Diddley-beat and more)...well, that was great (I mean, Ron Miles, Jeff Lederer, Dawn Thomson, Martin Wind, and the irrepressible Mr. Wilson....did I mention Ron Miles?) but the album has so much going for it, so much diverse music, pithy poetry, and at the center of its big heart, the need to connect in dark times.  Might not be your cup of joe (or Matt for that fact) but every time I listen to the album or relive the live gig, it brings a smile to my face.

Been a good couple of years for poet Emily Dickinson what with, at least three CDs of her works set to music plus the brilliant 2016 movie "A Quiet Passion."  Jane Ira Bloom connected with Ms. Dickinson when she discovered that poet was a pianist and that her poetry has a sense of improvisation about it.  Ms. Bloom and her brilliant ensemble (bassist Mark Helias, drummer Bobby Previte, and pianist Dawn Clement) created the 2-CD "Wild Lines: Improvising Emily Dickinson" (OTL Records); CD One features 14 originals plus the Rodgers-Hart classic "It's Easy to Remember" while the second disk has the same songs plus the voice of actress Deborah Rush reading snippets of the poetry that inspired the songs (save for "It's Easy....")  Ms. Bloom takes a different approach than Matt Wilson, the music is not inspired by Americana but is certainly American music, with swing, with flowing melodic passages, splendid interplay, and soaring improvisations.  What a tribute, what a treat!

"Freedom Highway" is the latest album from Rhiannon Giddens and it posits the racial insecurities rife in the United States in the heart of the music.  For all those people who woke up the morning after the 2016 and saw that our country truly was not united (not that it wasn't obvious during the previous administration and the highly flammable voices raised during the endless election cycle), for those people whose voices were just beginning to be heard in this country, this music hears your concerns and gives you hope.  Perhaps the best way to move forward after being knocked to the ground is to keep telling your stories of hope, of reconciliation, of recognition, of dancing until your body expels the evil spirits, of remembering that battles are rarely won without sacrifice and pain. Yes, there are moments of pure joy, moments of anger, pride, lust, love, of hope.

Trombonist-composer Ryan Keberle & Catharsis looked for hope on "Find The Common, Shine a Light" (Greenleaf Music). Original songs mixed with intelligent covers ("The Times They Are A'Changing", "Fool on The Hill", "Al Otro Lado del Rio") played by a band that enjoys working together including trumpeter Michael Rodriguez, bassist Jorge Roeder, and drummer Eric Doob plus the voice and guitar of Camila Meza.  Also a response to the 2016 election, the music reached out to divergent audiences across this country, reminding people that creative musicians see what's going on in the world they travel through, that they react by playing music to exemplify community, togetherness, showing how men and women from different backgrounds can share a common  vision.

Ms. Meza is also part of pianist-composer Fabian Almazan's album-length suite "Alcanza" (translate to "reach") - the music, released on the pianist's Biophilia Records, speaks to the need of conservation of natural resources, to education, to the proliferation of wars and homelessness and more.  The rhythm section of Linda May Han Oh (bass) and Henry Cole (drums) know when to stoke the fire (and when to hold back) while Almazan's string arrangement are sophisticated and essential.  Note how melodic the solos are, how those arrangements frame and interact with the voice and soloists, and just how powerful the music is.  A shout-out to the string section of violinists Tomoko Omura and Megan Gould, violist Karen Waltuch and cellist Noah Hoffield for their stellar work.  All in all, a splendid recording.

Trumpeter, vocalist, saunter player, composer and arranger Amir elSaffar expands upon his studies of Iraqi maqams with his 2-CD masterwork "Not Two" (New Amsterdam Records). Written for his 17-piece Rivers of Sound Orchestra, the songs flow with grace and elegance, moves on the power of the brilliant rhythm section (drummer Nasheet Waits and bassist Carlos de Rosa), and draws on many traditions to create an aural sound painting  that shifts gears all the time. Keeps you on your toes does this music without condescending to popular tastes or being strictly traditional - the more creative composers do that and Amir elSaffar is deserving of all the accolades he has received for his brilliant contributions to music and to educating his listeners to the width and breadth of Arabic culture.

Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner, and Melissa Stylianou - collectively known as Duchess - added much-needed brightness to a cold and dark winter (heck, the whole darn year) with "Laughing at Life" (Anzic Records). The group's music, a potent and pleasurable mix of standards from the "Great American Songbook" and beyond.   Each with solo careers and two with young families, they come together to invite listeners out of the ordinary and the humdrum into a world where harmonies, melodies, smart and sassy arrangements (from the fertile mind of Oded Lev-Ari) and sometimes saucy and often sweet lyrics tell delightful stories.  Special guests Wycliffe Gordon (trombone, scat vocal) and Anat Cohen (clarinet) augment the musical trio of Michael Cabe (piano), Matt Aranoff (bass), and Jared Schonig (drums) - guitarist Jesse Lewis and tenor saxophonist Jeff Lederer also add their unique voices to several tunes.  The music can certainly stand on its own but does the sun shine brighter when these three voices step out in front. Whew! What joy!

Ms. Gardner joins forces with pianist Ehud Asherie for "The Late Set" (Anzic Records), an aural evocation of smoky nightclubs, out of the glare of the lights of Broadway, perhaps down a set of stairs, with glasses clinking while the audience sits quietly listening.  Mostly composed of ballads, the performers do not rush through these performances (mostly from well-known composers of the 1920s-1950s. Asherie is the perfect accompanist, framing Ms. Gardner's supple voice with lovely reactions,interactions, and harmonies.  O, and that voice....plenty of emotion, a dash of playfulness, every lyric can be understood, even felt. "The Late Set" is more than the midnight hour at the cabaret - listen to the songs and you'll hear the fine line between blues, joy, and sadness.

I'm still processing the amazing 2-CD "Dreams and Daggers", the latest album from Cécile McLorin Salvant. Mostly recorded live at The Village Vanguard with her Trio of Aaron Diehl (piano), Paul Sikivie (bass), and Laurence Leathers (drums), this music often shimmies, shakes, struts, slithers, slides, and sashays out of the speakers. Plus don't miss the songs that whisper, sigh, shudder, and sit in wonder. There are also several shorter tracks recorded in the studio where Ms. Salvant's voice is accompanied only by the strings of the Catalyst Quartet and piano - those tracks, arranged by bassist Sikivie, add a classy touch but your brain will be forever rearranged by the torch songs, by the intelligent choice of material from the Great American Songbook and the early blues of Bessie Smith (pianist Sullivan Fortner accompanies the vocalist on "You've Got To Give Some") and Ida Cox.  The multi-sectioned "Somehow I Never Could Believe", composed by Langston Hughes and Kurt Weill for their "American" opera "Street Scenes" (1947), is a certifiable masterpiece as performed by Ms. Savant and the Trio.  So much to behold here.

Vocalist Lizz Wright strikes pay dirt on "Grace", her second album for the Concord Music Group. Produced by Joe Henry, who surrounds this lovely alto voice with the twin guitars of Chris Bruce and Marvin Sewell, the acoustic bass of David Piltch (one great underrated bass player), drummer Jay Bellerose, and the keyboards of Kenny Banks and Patrick Warren plus an occasional choir.  Compare her version of "Stars Fell On Alabama" (first recorded by the Guy Lombardo Orchestra in 1934) to the one on the Duchess CD - two great interpretations with Ms. Wright's dreamy reading displaying her Southern roots (born in Georgia and now living in North Carolina) while Henry's arrangement gives the song a glow of late evening.  Ms. Wright covers tunes from Birds of Chicago, Bob Dylan, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Nina Simone, k.d. lang, Ray Charles, and others, making each song her own without losing the beauty, joy, anger, and soul within.

Each one of these albums buoyed my spirit - the next list will feature albums from younger musicians, from veterans, from masters, and several delightful reissues.

Music of Hope and Humanity

Music has always had the power to move me out of the doldrums, to lift my spirits especially when musicians take chances, ask hard questions, go beyond the cliche or just soothe the anger caused by an increasingly (my opinion) uncaring world. Now I know there are good, caring people everywhere and, though our political views may be miles apart, can still carry on conversations without resorting to name-calling and/or "hate speech." But, what passes for public demeanor nowadays surprises and saddens me. Whether one believes in global warming/climate change or not, to hear that the United States is pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord shows short-sightedness of the highest order (my opinion), a lack of vision for a better future for our nation and the rest of the world.  To see an entertainer holding up a severed head in the name of political satire crosses the boundary of good taste - no matter what you feel about the President, he commands the respect of the office (despite the subject matter of his numerous "tweets").

Still, I am not in a position to whine, I'm neither a Congressman nor a lobbyist. I write about music, believing to my soul that music does have the power to change the world or to, at least, inform us of issues that we keep ignoring (or keep choosing to ignore).


For his third album as a leader, pianist, synthesist, composer, and conceptualist Fabian Almazan has composed an hour-long suite for eight musicians, an ensemble he has dubbed Rhizome.  He has worked extensively with these people, his friends. They include Camila Meza (guitar, vocals), Linda Oh (bass), Henry Cole (drums) plus a string quartet that is composed of violinists Tomoko Omura and Megan Gould (who was not present on 2014's Blue Note/Artists Share album titled "Rhizome" as she was giving birth at the time of the sessions), violist Karen Waltuch, and cellist Noah Hoffield.

"Alcanza" (Spanish for "reach") is available on Almazan's Biophilia label and only as a digital download. However the album package is a sight to behold. It includes a code to download the music from the label's Bandcamp page and is a 20-panel work of origami that opens to reveal portraits of the ensemble, the lyrics, the artist's message, and more. The program is divided into the nine-part "Alcanza Suite"and three interludes that individually put the spotlight on the pianist, Ms. Oh, and Mr. Cole.

If you take the time to speak to Fabian Almazan, you'll find an earnest, thoughtful, and well-informed person.  You hear all that in his music, in the stories that four tracks of the "Suite" tell, of the composer's search for answers to the issues that have plagued and puzzled mankind throughout his/her existence, especially homelessness caused by war, occupation, and famine.  Sounds frightfully serious (and it is) but Ms. Meza's sparkling vocals help the listener navigate the message. And the music calls upon influences from 19th and 20th Century classical music, from the Cuban and Afro-Cuban the composer heard growing up in Cuba and, later, Miami, from the Black composers of the 1960s and 70s, even "heavy metal." You must listen to the entire program each time you enter the music (in fact, the download comes with 12 separate tracks plus the entire program without any breaks).  

Now, go listen. Check out the brilliant drumming of Cole (a long-time member of the Miguel Zenon Quartet), the wonderfully melodic work of Ms. Oh, the fascinating string arrangements which are an organic part of the music (and not tacked on for color), and the wonderful and wonder-filled piano. There is not one stand-out track but 12! Whether it's the rapid-fire opening of "I: Vida Absurda Y Bella" or the whisper-soft strings on "III: Verla" or Ms. Meza's lovely and soulful vocal on "IV: Mas" or the intelligent interaction of synthesizers, voice, strings, and active rhythm section on "VII: Pater Familias" (not to forget how memorable the melody is), or the psychedelic feel of the final movement ("IX: Marea Alta", which may remind some of Peter Townsend's arrangement of "Love Reign O'er Me" from "Quadrophenia"),  the landscapes created on "Alcanza" are unforgettable.

Yes, I believe this is a necessary, rewarding, and highly enjoyable listening experience.  The music will challenge you even as it soothes.  Fabian Almazan cares deeply about the survival of the human race, believing the human race is all connected no matter our religion, politics, gender, color, or language.  Music is his vehicle and we are the better for his choice.

For more information, go to www.fabianalmazan.com and to biophiliarecords.com.

Here's a preview:

"Find the Common, Shine a Light" is a call to action, one that reverberates throughout the new Greenleaf recording of the same name by Ryan Keberle & Catharsis, the band's fourth for the label and third to feature the lineup of Michael Rodriguez (trumpet), Jorge Roeder (acoustic and electric basses, bass FX), Eric Doob (drums), Camila Meza (voice, guitar, guitar FX), and Mr. Keberle (trombone, Fender Rhodes, melodica, vocals).  The album comes 15 months after "Azul Infinito", a recording that paid tribute to the various Latin and Central American bands the leader played with after moving to New York City from Spokane, Washington where he grew up (although was born in Bloomington, Indiana).

The new album, recorded a week before Inauguration Day in the United States, is certainly a reaction to the pronouncements of the Trump campaign and the comments after Election Day. The opening track, "Become The Water" is part of the refrain from where the album's title comes from; composed by Keberle with lyrics from Mantsa Miro, the song asks questions such as "Why don’t we fight for greater common? Are we not here
to elevate us all?" and "Why do we let our fear
be greater than our greatness? In times of fear, compassion is an orphan." Urging the listener to be awake and aware of the changes and challenges, the refrain dances through the brain like an earworm. Yet, listen to smart arrangement of the brass, the use of Fender Rhodes mesmerizes as the voice soothes and trumpet calls us to pay attention.

Listen to how Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changein'" (written in the months after President Kennedy was assassinated, the Civil Rights Act was passed, the Vietnam War was escalating, and the Free Speech Movement was starting on college campuses) sounds as if it could have been written last month. Jorge Drexler's Academy Award-winning composition from "The Motorcycle Diaries" (2004) "Al Otro Lado Del Rio" (On the Other Side of the River) addresses a person looking for "a light" because "In this edge of the world /What is not taken is up for grabs." One can argue about who Paul McCartney was referring when he wrote the lyrics to "The Fool on the Hill" but one could argue that, in a number of Williams Shakespeare's plays, The Fool was the one who could get away with telling the hard truths.  The final cut on the album, "I Am A Stranger", composed by Vito Aiuto and recorded by his group The Welcome Wagon features the verse "Tis seldom I can ever see/ Myself as I would wish to be; What I desire I can't attain/ From what I hate, I can't refrain." This call for introspection and empathy in troubled time closes with the mantra "Everything's alright, yes" but that can be a question as a plea.  

Ms. Meza's wordless vocals on "Ancient Theory" dance along with her guitar lines - she did not play guitar on the other recordings with the band yet listen to how she moves aside as the melodica moves out in front on "...Theory" framing Roeder's electric bass solo. Pay attention to strong trumpet work of Rodriguez and how he blends so well with the leader's hardy 'bone work.  Door and Roeder are powerhouses throughout driving the music even as they support the soloists and the melodies.  Notice the extra voices on several pieces, creating a chorus in support of both Ms. Meza and the band.  As easy it is to focus on the lyrical aspect of this program, do not neglect the music. This is a "working band" and they speak as "one."  

"Find the Common, Shine a Light" comes out on June 16 and can be ordered on Amazon, iTunes, and  from the ensemble's Bandcamp page through Greenleaf Music (go to ryankeberlecatharsis.bandcamp.com/album/find-the-common-shine-a-light).   Ryan Keberle & Catharsis ask us to be diligent in the face of tyranny, to be intelligent in the face of belligerence, and to be united in these contentious times.  While you're at it, see and hear this group live as they have developed into one of the more impressive ensembles in contemporary music.  

For more information, go to ryankeberle.com.  

Here's the song that opens the album: