2021 – Music That Moved, Soothed, Educated, and Inspired (Part 2)

 Since I began this blog in 2009, I realized that every Top Ten list has a number 11, 12, and so on. When hundreds of recordings are released every year, it's physically impossible to give every one of those albums the time it deserves to be heard but I believe that every reviewer/ critic has favorites that could quite easily replace several, if not more, of the recordings listed 1-10.  Ergo, here's Part 2.

Fergus McCreadie – "Cairn" (Edition Records) – The young Scottish pianist and composer has proven himself to be a technical wizard but this album shows he has a delightful and potent lyrical side. Wit an equally impressive rhythm section, this music sings.

Go to https://fergusmccreadie.bandcamp.com/album/cairn. 

Joe Fiedler's "Open Sesame" – "Fuzzy and Blue" (Multiphonics Music) –  Trombonist, orchestrator, and composer Fiedler has the music director of "Sesame Street" for over a decade embraces his playful side. Along with trumpeter Steven Bernstein, saxophonist Jeff Lederer, bassist Sean Conly, drummer Michael Sarin, and (occasional) vocalist Miles Griffith, he takes this "kids music" and brings out the funky, jazzy, side. 

Go to https://joefiedler.bandcamp.com/.

William Parker – "Migrations of Silence Into and Out of the Tone World" (AUM Fidelity) – 10 albums, 10 different ensembles, hours of fascinating music: released early in 2021, this collection continues to display/ uncover the bassist's endless springs of  creativity each time you play one or more of the recordings. In those hours when the despair in the world has tried to overtake the days/ nights, Mr. Parker's music reminds one that music is a welcome oasis.

Go to https://williamparker.bandcamp.com/album/migration-of-silence-into-and-out-of-the-tone-world-volumes-1-10. 

In 2021, the Finnish label TUM Records celebrated Wadada Leo Smith's 80th birth year by releasing four projects, three in multi-disk boxed sets that the trumpeter, composer, and conceptualist recorded in the past six year. All four deserve to to be listed in Part 1 of these posts and in any "Best of" list. The picture on the left is the cover of "A Love Sonnet for Billie Holiday" featuring Wadada with drummer/ percussionist Jack DeJohnette and pianist/ organist/ synth player Vijay Iyer.

"Trumpet" (pictured left) is three albums of solo trumpet music recorded in St Mary's Church in Pohja, Finland. Before you shake your head and walk away, know that this is an amazing journey filled with introspection, joy, feistiness, freedom, and more, never failing to satisfy the adventurous listener. One can hear the spirits of Louis Armstrong, Lester Bowie, Booker Little, and Clifford Brown shaking their collective heads and shouting "Amen"!

"Sacred Ceremonies" is also a three-CD set, one with Wadada and percussionist Milford Graves, one with the trumpeter and bassist Bill Laswell, the third with all three artists.  The sound quality of these albums is stunning, one feels as he or she in the middle of a room watching the the musicians creating in the moment.  Music without borders played by musicians who love and respect each other so they create without ego.

Go to https://tumrecords.com/tum-info to find out more and also to check the 38-minute video of Wadada's 80th Birthday tribute.  

Gabriel Vicéns – "The Way We Are Created" (Inner Circle Music) – Puerto Rican-born guitarist and composer Vicéns strikes gold with his third album as a leader. His mature, intelligent, and playful compositions are performed by a splendid sextet including Roman Filiú (alto sax), Glenn Zaleski (piano), Rick Rosato (bass), E.J. Strickland (drums), and Victor Pablo (percussion). One can get lost, entranced, in the flow of this wonder-filled collection.

Go to https://gabrielvicens.bandcamp.com/album/the-way-we-are-created. 

Roxana Amed - "Ontology" (Sony Music/Latin) – The Argentinean-born, Miami, FL, vocalist, composer, and educator has had a long and distinguished career in Latin America. Since moving to the US, Ms. Amed has created alongside Guillermo Klein, Frank Carlberg, Leo Genovese, and others – this album runs the gamut from introspective ballads to performances in a "freer" style and a voice that move one to the edge of his seat.

Go to https://roxana-amed.com/. 

Jen Shyu – "Zero Grasses: Ritual for the Losses" (Pi Recordings) – There are albums and artists whose music enters my brain and soul yet I cannot really describe why. Ms. Shyu, an amazing composer, musician, and performer has the innate ability to make "foreign" sounds feel familiar; in the case of this album, much of which is inspired by the loss of her father, it's because she is telling a story mostly all of us live through, facing pain with the need to create music that "frees" feelings. Her ensemble – Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet), Dan Weiss (drums, percussion), Thomas Morgan (bass), and Mat Manieri (viola) –  aids in her quest with creativity and dignity for the subject matters.

Go to https://jenshyu-pi.bandcamp.com/.

Lorraine Feather – "My Own Particular Life"  (Relarion Records) – Ms. Feather has proven herself time and time again to be one of the finest lyricists of the past 20 years. Over the past decade, her albums have become even more personal even as she displays quite a love for science as well as more arcane subjects. This may be her most personal album as there are songs that address her former husband's battle with dementia, how one lives a real life during the pandemic, and a few more.  But there are also new examples of her delightful humor. The band, all recorded remotely (including the late percussionist Michael Shapiro who recorded his work in the Philippines!), is her usual band of suspects including the wondrous violin of Charlie Bisharat.  

Go to https://lorrainefeather.com/. 

Art Hirahira – "Open Sky" (Posi-Tone Records) – Over the past decade, pianist and composer Art Hirahira has issued six albums as a leader for the Los Angeles-based Posi-Tone Records: he started out strong in 2011 with "Noble Path" and his music has only gotten stronger and more delightful since.  Here, he is backed by Posi-Tone's "pandemic" rhythm section (bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Rudy Royston with guests vibraphonist Behn Gillece and tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover performing on selected tracks) and the results are exciting, lyrical, exploratory, and so much more.

Go to https://arthirahara.bandcamp.com/album/open-sky.

Chuck Owen & The Jazz Surge – "Within Us" (MAMA Records/ Summit Records) – Composer, arranger, and educator Owen (who retired this year) has produced one fine large ensemble album. The lyricism, the musicianship, the delightful violin of guest artist Sara Caswell, and a 19-piece band that is so responsive that the music flows seemingly without effort, Mr. Owen has kept this band together for 25 years (this album celebrates that longevity), continuing to produce music filled with ideas, possibilities, dreams, and realities.  

Go to www.summitrecords.com/release/within-us-celebrating-20-years-of-the-jazz-surge/. 

As I look back over this list, all of them deserve top 10 status so I'll call them #11 A-L.  I'll unveil a list of #12s next week.  

Be safe!

Songwriters, Singers, Science, & Personal Journeys

When I try to explain to my friends about why I love the music of Lorraine Feather so much, I'm often at a loss for words.  In a recent post of another blog, I compared the ballads she writes and sings to those of Randy Newman. But, the jazzy inflections of other tunes might suggest comparisions to Joni Mitchell or Oscar Brown Jr.  Her lyrics to songs by Fats Waller and Duke Ellington have links to the work of Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross, and Bob Dorough. Yet, she sounds like none of the artist I mentioned above. What's a hapless writer to do?  Mea Culpa - Lorraine Feather is her own person, a fascinating lyricist who does not avoid humor, exposes her myriad interests in her songs, understands that "this is what I do, who I am (or, at least, as much I will let you into my life)", and is curious about so much.

"Math Camp", her latest musical adventure, is the 12th release since she first began her solo career in the mid-1990s. This is her "science" album (although one could argue, most of the music she has released since 2008 shows her fascination with the science of relationships) as well as the first since she headed back East from rural Washington state.  Seven of the 10 tracks were composed by long-time associate Eddie Arkin with the remainder by another long-time contributor Shelly Berg.  Four songs are just piano and voice, three feature the quartet of Fred Hersch (piano), James Genus (bass), Gilad Hekselman (guitar), and Terri Lyne Carrington (drums), and the remaining three feature the West Coast ensemble of Grant Geissman (guitar), Michael Valerio (bass), and Michael Shapiro (drums) joined on several tracks by co-producer/co-arranger Arkin on guitar or pianist Russell Ferrante, and  on two cuts, by reed master Dan Higgins (alto flute, clarinet).

Songs such as the title track, "Hadron, Meson, Baryon", "In a Hot Minute", "It All Adds Up", and "Some Kind of Einstein" all are related to the overall Science theme.  "Hadron..." is a jazzy, breezy, journey inspired by a magazine about physicists at a conference studying a "theory of everything" with the song's title not a law firm but a trio of sub-atomic particles.  It's a treat to listen to the NYC musicians grooving underneath the voice.  "...Hot Minute" and "...Adds Up" are inspired by quotes from scientists, the first from astro-physicist Neil de Grasse Tyson and the second from physicist Richard Feynman.  The former has a Latin groove delightfully transmitted by the NYC quartet while the latter is a "jump tune" taken a breakneck speed. Enjoy how Ferrante and Higgins (clarinet) play Berg's be-bop inspired riff alongside Ms. Feather's vocal.  Ferrante returns to accompany the voice on the emotionally rich ballad "The Rules Don't Apply", the title song from a 2016 Warren Beatty movie "Rules Don't Apply" - the piece was nominated for the Critics Choice Award.

"I'll See You Yesterday" (another one of the Berg melodies) takes its inspiration from Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse 5" as well as William Shakespeare. Berg's third contribution, "...Einstein", closes the album and is built off a splendid Mozart-inspired melody while one of the verses was inspired by a New York Times article from 1919 about an experiment conducted during a solar eclipse by British astronomer/ physicist Sir Arthur Eddington.  Note the lovely use of vocal overdubs.

Is "Math Camp" the first album that could be called "Geek Jazz"?  That's up to you. Ditch the label and just listen, laugh and sigh, tap your toes, enjoy the wonderful contributions from the musicians, and revel in the way Lorraine Feather sings, speaks, and writes.  In my youth, I was a horrible science student but, over the years, my fascination with what human beings and the physical world is composed of, has increased umpteenth fold (is there such a thing?).  As for outer space, like many of my contemporaries, I was equally fascinated by the "Space Race" and by the likes of Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and other speculative fiction writers.  Who knew Ms. Feather was a kindred spirit?  It would not surprise that the singer/songwriter's fans around the world might croon to her "Teach Me Tonight." Seriously, "Math Camp" is a delight from start-to-finish and will send ripples through your personal universe for many a day and night.

For more information, go to lorrainefeather.com.


Go to vimeo.com/271560555 to watch the promotional video!

Imagine if you can that you are raised in London, England, by a single mother.  Then, you move to the United States to begin career as a journalist. Now in your mid-20s, you discover that your birth father is a Black man from Trinidad and that your DNA contains numerous connections to Africa. Some years later, you decide to study jazz singing in New York City with the likes of Mark Murphy and Sheila Jordan.  Seven years later, in 2004, you record your first album.

That is a very short description of the life of Tessa Souter, the singer-songwriter whose fifth album, "Picture in Black And White" (self-released), is, in some ways, a musical autobiography as much as a fascinating collection of songs.  Ms. Souter, who also produced the album, works with a band throughout the program, an ensemble that includes her husband Billy Drummond (drums), Yotam Silberstein (guitars, oud), Adam Platt (piano), Dana Leong (cello), Keita Ogawa (percussion), and Yasushi Nakamura (bass).   The material blends originals with songs by Jon Lucien (a mentor to  the singer), Wayne Shorter, Ornette Coleman, McCoy Tyner, Terry Callier, U2, Milton Nascimento as well as folks songs and the standard "A Taste of Honey."

Photo: Richard Conde

There is a plethora of memorable moments on this album.  The intelligent blending of Callier's "Dancing Girl" with U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" is emotionally rich while Lucien's "Child of Love" dances forward on the strength of the percussion work by Ogawa and Drummond and the handsome acoustic guitar playing.  Vicki Burns created a powerful and lyrical story for Tyner's "Contemplation" while also adding the title "Ancestors".  Led by Platt's powerful piano work and  Drummond's equally robust drumming, her voice rises above the musical storm to tell a story about a person's roots.  Coleman's "Lonely Woman" with its recognizable melody features voice, bass, cymbals, and drums. There's so much going on, the participants are fully invested, and the song becomes a haunting elegy.

There are three originals pieces (words and music) in the 12 song program and they appear in order 2/3rds of the way through the CD.  The title track features with just the bass and guitar (overdubbed, at least, twice); it is a bittersweet story of the memories that the singer has of her father, mostly through old photographs.  The pace picks up with "You Don't Have to Believe" with Silberstein playing both guitar and oud while Ogawa creates a steady beat on the frame drum. "Reynardine" is actually a traditional British folk ballad adapted for string bass, guitar, and oud.  Ms. Souter, who arranged the song, tells the tale-in-song in a powerful voice, the words clearly articulated. The piece would not sound out of place on a Sandy Denny album.

Earlier albums from Tessa Souter have appeared on Motema Records and the Japanese Venus label.
"Picture in Black and White" is her first self-released project and the freedom one gets from a "Do It Yourself" project is evident throughout as this program is so varied, the band (in its various forms) is with the leader from the beginning, and the results are rewarding for the listener.

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

Here's the T Callier/U2 medley:

2015, a Year of Struggle & Success (Part 1)

So much has happened on a public and personal level that there were stretches over the past 12 months when music took a back seat to life. Anyone who knows me realizes how hard it is for me to write those words because, for the vast majority of my 66+ years on this planet, music has always been front-and-center.  Can't walk through our house without a CD on a table or desk, can't ride in my car without a pile of CDs to play (love those 6-disk changers!), and there is always a song running through my head.

But, 2015 was different. My teaching load was heavier but not so bad (plus I met some very smart and curious young people) and I actually stepped down from a part-time job.  There were numerous health issues in the family, good friends moved and, invariably (as it happens when one ages), friends passed away.

After a particularly tough few weeks (in October), several new recordings wormed their way into my ears and the excitement returned.  You'll see them listed below in this first set of "Best of 2015."Also, on the night of the Paris terrorist attacks, I saw and heard the Dave Douglas Brazen Heart quintet at The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme; the power of the music, whether it was the gospel songs that were woven n and out of the 2 sets or the splendid interactions of the 5 musicians, gave me back a piece of my heart that is continuously torn away at by the horrendous stupidity and callous yet calculated disregard for human life and basic rights at home and around the world. Every semester, I ask my students "Can music change the world?", a question that begs to answered in the affirmative. I think many of them humor me by saying "Of course it does" but, in the long run, I fall back on telling them that music certainly changes the way I see the world, thereby avoiding the possibility of having them say "not really."

Well, these recordings brought me joy, often challenged my world views, made me sit down and take notice, and even gave a sense of peace (if only for a few hours at a time).

There is no one overall favorite but this group are the ones I returned to time and again.

Truth be told, I heard Henry Threadgill Zooid live at Wesleyan  University several years ago playing a few pieces off of "In For a Penny, In for a Pound" (Pi Recordings) and was not blown away. Then the 2-CD set arrived this year and blew me away each time I listened.  One really needs to sit and listen, to listen to the interactions, to the various melodies and counter-melodies that move through these 6 tracks to really take in the majesty of this project.  This is just one of several recordings in this list that point to the ongoing work of the AACM, the Chicago-based organization that has been celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015.
Go to pirecordings.com/album/pi58.

Near the close of 2014, we got to hear David Bowie's collaboration with the Maria Schenider Orchestra, a dark-hued, sinister, piece titled "Sue (or In a Season of Crime").  Then in May of this year came "The Thompson Fields" (ArtistShare), a splendid collection of new pieces that feature her amazing ensemble and fine soloists (ArtistShare supporter also received 2 other tracks, making the entire album run nearly 90 minutes.)  Cinematic in scope and poetic at heart, one is continually impressed by how much emotion and narrative the composer/arranger puts into her music.

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

In its 20th year, PosiTone Records released a slew of recordings, most, if not all, worth your time and money.  The one that stood out most to me was "The Whisperer" from bassist/composer Ben Wolfe. With pianist Orrin Evans, drummer Donald Edwards and the very impressive Stacy Dillard (his soprano sax work stands out throughout the program), the program goes from strength to strength with nary a wasted moment.  The quartet (or variations of the 4 participants) appeared twice in Connecticut around the time of the release and, not hard to believe, the music sounded even more impressive.

For more information, go to posi-tone.com/whisperer/whisperer.html.

Vibraphonist Chris Dingman appeared on a number of mighty impressive CDs this year (see directly below and in further installments) but his own release "The Subliminal and the Sublime"(Inner Arts Initiative) is a splendid work of art. The original music features the contributions of an amazing group of young musicians including Fabian Almazan (piano), Loren Stillman (alto saxophone), Ryan Ferreira (guitar), Linda Oh (bass) and Justin Brown (drums). In my review, I called this "music for healing" and this music resonates even more as I return.

For more information, go to www.chrisdingman.com/the-subliminal-and-the-sublime/.

This is a fairly new release but, like the Mike Holober release below, has been very hard for me to ignore.  "Follow The Stick" (BJU Records) is the first recording from reed artist Sam Sadigursky to exclusively feature his clarinet work and not to have poetry. Nevertheless, the music shines on the strength of the material (mostly original) and the great work of Bobby Avey (piano), Jordan Perlson (drums), the afore-mentioned Chris Dingman and the leader. I love the interactions, the variety of material and sounds and would love to see the band in person.

For more information, go to samsadigursky.com.

Ryan Truesdell has dedicated a good part of his life to keeping the legacy of Gil Evans' music alive and most certainly well. He has done this through his research and access to arrangements that had never seen the light of day.  In the process of 2 recordings (with personnel that often overlaps with Ms. Schneider's Orchestra), Truesdell has reminded modern audiences of the incredible scope of this music, how modern it sounded 5 -6 decades and his modern it still sounds. "Lines of Color: The Gil Evans Project" (ArtistShare) may not be as immediately dazzling as its predecessor (2013's "Centennial") but the CD is chock-full of impressive pieces that gives an even fuller picture of a most amazing composer/arranger.
For more information, go to www.ryantruesdell.com/gilevansproject/.

During my time of musical abstinence, the recording that broke the spell (so to speak) was the sprawling 2-CD release from pianist and composer Matt Mitchell. "Vista Accumulation" (Pi Recordings) features all-original compositions played by Mitchell (who also appears on several albums below), bassist Chris Tordini, drummer Dan Weiss and saxophonist/clarinetist Chris Speed.  Even today as it plays in the background, I am pulled into the group's performances by the audacity of the melodies and performances.

For more information, go to pirecordings.com/album/pi62.

This was the other CD to snap the spell. Pianist, composer, and arranger Mike Holober may be best known for his big band work but "Balancing Act" (Palmetto) stands out of his discography for any number of good reasons. First is the 8-member ensemble including Brian Blade(drums) and John Hébert(bass) plus a front line of Jason Rigby (tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet). Dick Oatts (alto & soprano saxes, flute), Marvin Stamm (trumpet, flugelhorn), Mark Patterson (trombone), and Kate McGarry (voice). Second is the great choice of material, mostly originals but with 2 prominent covers.  I love the intimacy of this music, the splendid musicianship, the intelligent writing, and just how great Kate McGarry sounds in the midst of the arrangements. 

For more information, go to mikeholober.com/discography/.

"Flight" by Ross Hammond (Prescott Records) is a collection of solo guitar pieces created by an artist best known for electric guitar playing. Recorded in various locations around California (including on his front porch), this is music that pulls in the listener from the first note and does not let go until the 15th song has ended (and beyond).  In my review, I mentioned John Fahey and Leo Kottke but should have included Jorma Kaukonen as well. That written, Hammond doesn't imitate any of those players but creates his own world.  This is great music for sitting by yourself and contemplating the world.

For more information, go to rosshammond.bandcamp.com/album/flight. While you're on his Bandcamp page, check out "Reindeer Songs", his album of Christmas songs - it certainly makes the season lighter and brighter!

In my initial review, I called "Flirting With Disaster" (Jazzed Media) "adult music", serious and playful, contemplative, so well-played and sung.  That's what we expect from Lorraine Feather.  From her sanctuary in the islands of Washington state, she connects with the hearts and minds of listeners around the world.  Her collaborations with composers Dave Grusin, Russ Ferrante, Shelly Berg, and Eddie Arkin keep getting deeper and, if possible, more personal and even more musical.  I find it impossible not to listen to all 11 songs when I play this CD (no shuffle for me.  Violinist Charles Bisharat, who appears on a number of tracks, is an absolute standout!

For more information, go to www.lorrainefeather.com/albums/flirting-with-disaster/.

Needless to say, there's more and it'll show up in the next few weeks.  Thanks for reading!

Love, In Many Shapes, In Many Dreams

Love songs, one imagines, are as old as the spoken word, as old as religion, old as other music.  In his plays, William Shakespeare wrote about love in its many guises. In the work of great painters, such as Michelangelo and Renoir, one could view the physical aspects of love. Rodin, in his sculptures, and Ansel Adams, in his natural images, showed love.  But, a good love song gets inside one's mind and can stay there forever (for this writer, John Lennon's "In My Life" made a great impression on first listen and still, after 50 years, has great power).  As opposed to "lust" songs (everyone has his or her favorite), love songs deal with emotions that are hard to categorize and even harder to shake.

This post looks at 3 new recordings, all of which have love at its core.

While there are plenty of love songs written every year, if you are an adult and you like "pop" music, well-written love songs usually end up on Broadway.  For her 11th recording (10 under her name and "Fourteen" with Stephanie Trick), Lorraine Feather has created her first album entirely made up of romantic songs.  Judging by the title - "Flirting With Disaster" (Jazzed Media) - this is not an album filled with "pie-in-the-sky" true love ditties. Instead, these are songs about who take chances even if there is a possibility of being burned.

Working with her impressive band of co-writers that include Russell Ferrante, Eddie Arkin, Shelly Berg, and Dave Grusin (all but Grusin have been involved as composer and/or musician with Ms. Feather's music for the past 5 albums and he showed up on 2013's "Attachments"), she has created 11 impressive songs, each with its own strength and beauty. If you're a fan you already know to expect the unexpected.  The violin of Charles Bisharat makes several appearances and his distinctive sound blends so well with the voice. On "Off-Center", the violin acts as a counterpoint while, on the title track, he wraps his tones around the active rhythm section of bassist Michael Valerio and drummer Michael Shapiro. Guitarist Grant Geissman appears on 3 tracks; his rolling phrases and blues-drenched riffs adds depth to "Big Time" while his acoustic rhythm guitar bounces along ever-so-Brazilian on "Wait For It."

  Ms. Feather has always had a playful side.  It's here on pieces such as the funky ditty "Muse" where Berg's piano and Bisharat's violin take turns riffing around the vocal choruses. The song is a sexy plea for a splendid melody and what the vocalist is willing and not willing to do. There's a more than a touch of salsa on "I'd Be Down With That", even a bit of rap that helps to take the piece out (drummer Shapiro really shines on this track playing off the vocal and Ferrante's montuno.) Her background vocal arrangement stands out on "Off-Center" (sounding a bit Beatles-esque on the opening section).

EyeShot Jazz 2012

However, the ballads on this recording are just stunning.  "Feels Like Snow" starts slowly, light piano notes dropping down on a quiet bed of synthesized strings.  The delicate vocal, the gentle piano (Ferrante - pictured left - composed the music and plays all the parts), and the emotions in the lyrics all build to an ethereal finish. Arkin composed and arranged "The Last Wave" yet the guitarist used Ferrante's sweet piano as the only instrument to support the vocal.  "Disastrous Consequences", composed and arranged by Ferrante, has uses rapid-fire circular piano lines to frame the voice with the violin playing counterpoint and the atonal chords give the piece an ominous feel (but do refer to the title.)  The program closes with "The Staircase";  here, it's just composer Berg on piano, Valerio's bowed bass, and Bisharat's exquisite violin lines that frame and support the vocal.  The lyrics attempt to explain the multitude of emotions that love can create within the mind and body of a person coming to terms with dedicating herself to another.

"Flirting With Disaster" is adult music, music that does not pander to or look down upon its audience but allows listeners to revel in the creative process, how musicians, composers, lyricist, and singer work together to illuminate the complexities of their lives. All of us have had these emotions, have been unable to express them or done so clumsily - that's life. Lorraine Feather continues to grow as a lyricist, vocalist, arranger, performer and human being.  Her music not only resonates but also brings joy.

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

Composer and vocalist Kat Reinhert, a native of rural Wisconsin, has studied with Ken Schaphorst at Lawrence University, with vocalists Peter Eldridge and Jane Monheit at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City and earned her Masters in Music/Jazz Pedagogy at the University of Miami. She has released 2 previous CDs in 2001 and 2009 under the name of Kat Calvosa.  After returning to New York City several years ago, she formed a band with Perry Smith (guitar), Sam Minaie (bass) and Ross Pederson (drums); they are featured throughout her new recording "Spark" (self-released), an impressive collection of 13 songs (all original save for a splendid rearrangement of Rush's "Limelight") produced by David Cook (who appears throughout on piano and keyboards).

It's obvious from the opening notes of "Walk Into The Rain" that these musicians have put time in on this music.  The interaction of bass and guitar push the piece forward while Pederson dances beneath. Cook's electric piano adds quiet colors but Ms. Reinhert is the focal point. She makes sure you hear each word, articulating her story.  There are moments when the music has an airy feel, such as on the country-ish "My Arms" (1 of 3 tracks that feature Julia Pederson on electric bass) but, if you listen closely, the vocalist gives credit to her parents for teaching how to be an adult. The playful nature of "Naked" is not just about nudity but also shows the artist's strength to be her own person.  Cook take a brisk solo over the thick bass lines but it's Smith's crackling guitar that underpins the vocals.

A touch of Americana and psychedelia enters into the mix of "Little Compartments", a track that features the 2 bassists and a trio of background vocalists that include Ms. Reinhert's contemporaries, Jo Lawry, Shayna Steele and Sarah Tolar. The vocal trio returns on on "Without A Fight", a sweet ballad that opens with just voice and guitar.  Nudity enters this track as well but the piece is really about what one really wants out of life.  The angelic voices appear on the top of each chorus.  Ms. Lawry is the only "extra" voice on "Paper Bag", yet another reminder of how hard it is to get through certain day and how one needs to dig deep.  Cellist Jody Redhage makes the first of her 2 appearances on the track strictly in a supportive role beneath the voce on the chorus.  Her "deep" tones are more noticeable on "Prison", blending with the stark piano chords and synth moans.  The "country" feel of the piece comes from the fine slide guitar work of Smith.  He's the unsung hero of the program - Cook's keyboard work is quite good as well but the guitarist often is the one who creates or interprets the mood of the song and of the vocalist.  Minaie and Pederson is the rhythm section Smith worked with on his 2013 debut on BJU Records so the familiarity breeds freedom (knowing the musicians have each other's backs).

Over the course 13 tracks, Kat Reinhert reveals much about the lot of a contemporary artist as well as how one deals with relationships in hectic lives.  One of the strengths of this album is that one has to listen a number of times to hear the stories, the intelligent arrangements, the plethora of fine solos (bassist Minaie stands out as do the afore-mentioned Cook and Smith), and the fine vocals. Though the sparkler Ms. Reinhert holds out on the CD cover will burn out quickly, the music contained on "Spark" will last much longer.

The album hits the streets o 8/21/15 - for more information, go to www.katreinhert.com.

Vocalist Mark Christian Miller is a new name to me but seeing that pianist Josh Nelson is on the CD and arranged or co-arranged 7 of the 11 tracks plus the fine vocalist Judy Wexler produced the recording (along with Miller), all that piqued my interest. "Crazy Moon" (Sliding Door Jazz Productions) is his 2nd CD as a leader (the first was released in 2000 under the name Mark Miller plus he released a duo disc in 2011 with fellow vocalist Betty Bryant).  The program is mostly standards, with a few surprises, played by a top-notch group of Los Angeles musicians including Nelson, bassist Dave Robaire and drummer Sammy Miller (no relation) plus guests Larry Koonse (guitar), Ron Stout (trumpet), Billy Hulting (percussion) and Bob Sheppard (bass clarinet).

While the leader does not have a "big voice", he has a friendly approach to the music.  That makes some of the music seem impersonal.  Yet, there are a number of pleasant surprises. "Cheek to Cheek" dances in on the brush work of Miller the younger but pay attention to what Nelson does in the background and on his solo.  His adventurous nature gives Robaire his wings for his solo.  There is a dynamic version of Artie Shaw's 1939 hit "Moonray", arranged by pianist/vocalist Jamieson Trotter, (1 of his 4 on the CD) with Koonse and Nelson standing for the original version's orchestra. Another excellent choice is "Twilight World", the Marian McPartland composition that Johnny Mercer added lyrics to.  Hulting's percussion rises out of the rhythm section while Nelson lays down the fundamental chords. This is one of Miller's best performances as he inhabits the lyrics, trying to convince his lover to make the most of their time together.  Koonse's splendid solo takes its cue from the vocal.  In fact, throughout the album, Miller's alto voice sounds better in its higher ranges.  His bluesy turn on Andre Previn's "Second Chance", ably abetted by the sensitive rhythm section and the whiskey-smooth tones of Ron Stout's trumpet is still another highlight.

"Crazy Moon" is a solid and smart debut enlivened by the strong musicianship and good choice of material.  At times, it sounds like Mark Christian Miller should have had an audience for these performances because the enthusiasm of an audience for good songs often adds adrenalin to the performers. Give a listen below:

"A Beauty So Glorious And Strange"

In January of 2012, I was woefully unaware of Lorraine Feather and her music; then, "Tales of the Unusual" crossed my desk and my life changed...for the better. I dug into her website - www.lorrainefeather.com - discovered all the recordings released under her name since the turn of the 21st Century, found the lyrics written to melodies by Duke Ellington and Fats Waller, heard her work with the great pianist Dick Hyman.  I soon realized she was one of the few contemporary songwriters whose songs made me think and laugh the way Stephen Sondheim, Paul Simon (at times), Randy Newman (but not as caustic), Richard Thompson, Rebecca Martin and few others can.  Ms. Feather can be "girly" and she's certainly "one of the boys."

"Attachments" is her new recording for Jazzed Media;  it follows in the pattern of her last 3 releases ("Language", "Ages" and "ToTU") in that Ms. Feather writes with 3 or 4 different musicians (in this instance, all pianists but one ), adding lyrics to their music.  She has wonderful writing relationships with Dave Grusin, Shelly Berg, Russell Ferrante and guitarist Eddie Arkin, recording several songs composed by them as well as adding lyrics to a piece by Johann Sebastian Bach and Joey Calderazzo (using his "La Valse Kendall" to produce "We Have The Stars.") Like an actress in a one-person play, she's not afraid to break down the "4th Wall", talking to her audience as if in a conversation over lunch.  It's used to great effect on "I Love You Guys", her Valentine to the musicians she has worked and does work with - she attempts to define for the listener what the drummer's 7-stroke roll is and ends by saying "I kind of explain it in the booklet."

Overall, there are more somber tunes on "Attachments" than on any of the earlier recordings.  The mood is set right from the start, with Charlie Bisharrat's solo violin intro to "A Little Like This." One can hear the longing, the loss, the release that defines the music on the CD in his 65-second overture.  The lyrics that decorate the expansive melody that Russell Ferrante creates speaks to a long-term relationship that has its moments of intensity and moments of separation when no one actually leaves ("Sometimes there's a kiss with no longing/ Sometimes there's a longing but no kiss.")   The rhythm section of Ferrante, bassist Michael Valerio, drummer Michael Shapiro, percussionist (and husband) Tony Morales plus guitarist Grant Geissman and Bisharrat really move the piece along. The title track has the feel of Brazilian music with a nod to "Aja"-era Steely Dan.  Bisharrat appears on 7 of the cuts and often, he is the second "voice", the counterpoint to the lead vocal but, on the title tracks, it's Ferrante's splendid piano solo that stands out.

On the upbeat side, pianist Grusin asked Ms. Feather to write lyrics to the instrumental he composed for "The Firm." "Memphis Stomp" becomes "I Thought You Did"; the composer's left hand work is utterly irresistible, as much Harold Mabern and Memphis Slim as anyone else.  Grusin plays with such great fluidity and to have Ms. Feather vocally dancing over, under and around him is a true delight. The final track, "True", came about because the pianist was playing Bach's "Air on a G String" and suggested Ms. Feather create lyrics for the melody. After the introduction of piano and violin, the vocal enters on the word "true" held out over the accompaniment.  The violin provides the counterpoint, the piano supports the vocal as well as providing the forward motion and, like the opening track, the lyrics speak of a relationship that waxes and wanes but never collapses.

"The Veil", with music and piano accompaniment by Shelly Berg, is a ballad in which Ms. Feather sings about her mother.  While it is quite personal (following her parent as she moves into dementia), those people who have watched a mother and/or father "disappear" before their eyes well know the situation that the singer is relating.  It is one of several songs in the program that details a relationship that fades with time but "The Veil" is, ultimately, the most devastating (because it's the most personal.)

"Attachments" is not a gloomy recording but touches many sides of one's soul. There is joy in making music, there is release in working through personal issues by putting them in the open, thereby making them universal. Yes, many of these lyrics are serious and demand scrutiny but make sure to listen to the musicians and how they relate to the melodies.  Make sure to pay attention to Ms. Feather's voice, how she inhabits the lyrics, the graceful harmonies, the infectious out-going manner in which she slides through songs such as "159" (a song about "groove") and the honest and moving emotion of "Anna Lee."

People who know I write about music and host radio shows that are filled with music often ask "Why is this so important to me?"  One can be surrounded with music and not hear a thing but, for me, music, recorded and, even moreso, live, helps me to find into and through my everyday life.  I could listen to Dave Grusin's piano line on "I Thought You Did" a dozen times in a row and not get tired.  "The Goldberg Variations", Muddy Waters' "I Can't Be Satisfied", "Steppin" by the World Saxophone Quartet, Wadada Leo Smith's "10 Freedom Summers", John Lennon's "Julia" - I could fill this column and more about music that disrupts and moves my soul.  "Attachments", this wonderful addition to my existence by Lorraine Feather, is powerful, satisfying, sad, joyful, an emotional examination of special events and everyday life, and is music you should hear.  It may not move you as it does me but, then again.....

For more information go to www.lorrainefeather.com.  I had a pleasant chat with Ms. Feather that I will be playing this Sunday (8/11/13) at 11 a.m. (EDT) on WLIS-AM1420, WMRD-AM1150 and online at www.wliswmrd.net. It will be archived on the station's website (specifically, the "On-Demand" section) for 30 days and, depending on the length, I might just post it on the blog.