’s Road to Royalty

SPRING 2013 D isplay until JUNE www.jazziz.com that he won’t replicate that success with parent in the results, which were released by a Poisoned Arrow,” the last of which his latest album, The Beat (Concord). James on 2008’s Now is our selection. Vitchev’s instrumental says that the new recording was inspired Was the Time. The voice bears echoes of the tonal warmth by his passion for both Latin music and veteran artists and big-sky sweep of Pat Metheny, as he R&B, specifically Sergio Mendes’ record of team up once again and Iago, his beyond-simpatico musical “Batucada,” or “The Beat,” which the saxo- on Witchcraft compatriot, switch off on leads, riding the phonist reinterprets here as a tune. (Savant), another rolling hillocks of rhythm provided by In addition to his old pal Rick Braun, who sterling program Shannon and acoustic bassist Dan Robbins. lends his trumpet to the Mendes’ song, of duets that finds Shannon proves an exceptional addition James also recruited soul singer Raheem both players at the height of their mature to the group, responding to and driving his DeVaughn and spoken-word artist The mastery. Barron, who celebrates his 70th companions in equal measure. Floacist on other tracks. Expect the usual birthday this summer, remains among the mix of high-energy romps and romantic most lyrical of straightahead pianists, his At age 36, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt is a balladry, the latter of which is represented thoughtful and unfussy playing engag- standard-bearer with “Mari’s Song,” included here. ing in dynamic conversation with the for the continued 64-year-old bassist. Indeed, both players relevance of Serving as keyboardist, composer and are equal participants in a fascinating straightahead arranger on Jimmy dialogue, which delves into the music of modern jazz. His Kimmel Live for the Duke Ellington, Stevie Wonder and Eumir discography of past decade hasn’t Deodato, among others. One of their more recent years has seemed to slow obscure selections, “Deep Night,” included reflected solid down Jeff Babko. here, is a peppy number first performed by grounding in the modal and post-bop The Southern Rudy Vallee and his Connecticut Yankees vocabularies established by Miles Davis California native in the 1920s. However, Barron and S swing and Wayne Shorter on their early-to- and University of it in a fashion closer to Sonny Clark’s mid-’60s recordings. And Pelt certainly Miami School of Music grad has played version from his 1958 classic Cool Struttin’. continues in that direction on Water and on albums with Vinnie Colaiuta and Jeff Hearing the piano-and-bass team just dig Earth (HighNote), albeit with a different in- Coffin, as well as with drummer Toss in and go for it is sheer, smile-inducing joy. strumental orientation. Replacing acoustic Panos, and, more recently, with Frank piano and bass with their electric coun- Ocean and . He also found Over the past few years, Bulgarian-born, terparts, and subtly employing electronic time to co-produce the all-star Generosity Bay Area-based effects, Pelt isn’t severing his straightahead Water Project, which raised money for and guitarist and ties, but simply updating them. While awareness about desperate water shortages composer Hristo listeners may hear hip-hop or trance or in Africa. The keyboardist’s latest recording, Vitchev has con- electronica flavors woven into the tapestry, Crux (Tonequake), features an exciting mix sistently crafted in truth, the album frequently calls to of straightahead jazz and fusion sensibili- music of great lyri- mind Freddie Hubbard’s late-’60s/early-’70s ties on a program of original music. Babko cal beauty. With his CTI recordings, or even Miles’ or Shorter’s creates a moody aural palette on “Fools,” self-named quartet albums from that period. Much of that has included here. His sparkling acoustic or quintet, or in duet with pianist and to do with the era-distinctive keyboard piano, ’s poignant trumpet and frequent collaborator Weber Iago, Vitchev sounds of the Fender Rhodes and clavinet, Timothy Young’s textured guitar float atop has advanced a sound that manages to provided throughout by David Bryant. On a dreamy tapestry of strings, undergirded sound intimate and epic at the same time. “Mystique,” included here, Pelt and soprano by the super-sensitive rhythmic propulsion He does so again on Familiar Fields (First saxophonist Roxy Cross float atop those of Tim Lefebvre’s acoustic bass and Matt Orbit Sounds), his latest recording with his ambient keyboard textures on respective Chamberlain’s drums. quartet, which welcomes new member solos, before Bryant adds his own lively Mike Shannon on drums. As he has on solo to the mix. The superb rhythm section The bass-and-piano team of Harvie S and previous recordings, Vitchev makes use of of bassist Burniss Earl Travis — switching Kenny Barron first recorded together classical imagery and narratives in song to upright here — drummer Dana Hawkins in 1986, their wonderfully compatible titles such as “The Prophet’s Daughter,” and percussionist Jeffrey Haynes keep the sensibilities and unselfishness readily ap- “The Mask of Agamemnon” and “Wounded magma flowing underneath it all. OnDisc

40 spring 2013 jazziz JAZZIZ OnDisc SPRING 2013

SPRING 2013 Ladies First / Gentlemen Next

Disc 2 GENTLEMEN NEXT JAZZIZ on Disc on JAZZIZ

Larry Carlton • tim green • Ethan Farmer Donny McCaslin • Spencer Day • Carl Bartlett, jr. Disc One Ladies First Disc two Gentlemen Next Boney james • Aaron Diehl • jeff Babko • Harvie S 01 “Room 335” Hristo vitchev Quartet • jeremy Pelt • Kevin Eubanks 01 Kait Dunton “Frolic” Disc 2 Four Hands & a Heart, Volume One (335) Kait Dunton Larry Carlton Disc 1 Mountain Suite (Real & Imagined Music)

02 tim green “Philippians 4:13” 02 Gentlemen Andrea Brachfeld Tim Green Ladies Andrea Brachfeld “Bebop Hanna” Songs From this Season (true Melody Music) lady of the Island (Zoho)

03 Ethan Farmer “Showdown” Next Iris Ornig Ethan Farmer First 03 iris Ornig “Spark of Light” Wine & Strings (Good People Club Music) No Restrictions (Self-Released) 04 Donny McCaslin “Henry” Nadje Noordhuis Donny McCaslin 04 nadje noordhuis “Le Hameau Omi” Casting for Gravity (Greenleaf Music) 000000 Nadje Noordhuis (little Mystery) WHITE 05 Spencer Day “Something Wicked” Spencer Day 05 terri Lyne Carrington “Grass Roots” the Mystery of you (Concord) YELLOW Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue (Concord Jazz)

Jana Herzen Carl Bartlett, Jr. MAGENT FIRST LADIES A 06 Carl Bartlett, jr. “Fidgety Season” Hopeful (Self-Released) CYAN 06 jana Herzen “Secrets are Safe With Me” Florencia Gonzalez Big Band Boney James Passion of a lonely Heart (Motéma) 07 Boney james “Mari’s Song” BLACK the Beat (Concord) 07 Florencia gonzalez Big Band “Hurry” Jessica Williams Aaron Diehl Woman Dreaming of Escape (Self-Released) 08 Aaron Diehl “Generation Y” the Bespoke Man’s Narrative (Mack avenue) Anat Cohen Jeff Babko 08 jessica Williams “Poem” Please see our file submission form at Songs of Earth (Origin) 09 jeff Babko “Fools” worldmediagrou p. com/resources/submission-checklist.pd f Crux (tonequake) Brandi Disterheft Harvie S feat. Kenny Barron 09 Anat Cohen “Anat’s Dance” Claroscuro (anzic) 10 Harvie S feat. Kenny Barron “Deep Night” Patricia Barber Hristo Vitchev Quartet Witchcraft (Savant) 10 Brandi Disterheft “Blues for Nelson Mandela” Gratitude (Justin time) jAzziz On DiSC is an exclusive 11 Hristo vitchev Quartet Hiromi Jeremy Pelt “Wounded by a Poisoned Arrow” 11 Patricia Barber “The Wind Song” limited-edition music collection Familiar Fields (First Orbit Sounds) available from jAzziz for Yelena Eckemoff Trio Kevin Eubanks Smash (Concord) 12 jeremy Pelt “Mystique” subscribers only. 12 Hiromi Water and Earth (HighNote) “Move” Log onto jazziz.com or Move (telarc) email [email protected] 13 Kevin Eubanks “Sister Veil” SPRING 2013 SPRING 2013 to subscribe. the Messenger (Mack avenue) 13 Yelena Eckemoff trio “Whistle Song” www.jazziz.com Glass Song (l&H Productions) EXCLUSIVE CDs available only from JAZZIZ Publishing, LLC. P & C 2013. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED •

JZD0313 Spring www.jazziz.com 800-742-3252 P & C 2013 Concord Music group inc, Savant records inc, Heads Up international a division of Concord Music group inc, Carl tyrone Bartlett jr, jessica Williams/Origin records, Andrea Brachfeld/zoho Music LLC, telarc international a division of Concord Music group inc, Patricia Barber under exclusive license to Concord Music group inc, groove jazz Media LLC/Hebert-Carrington Media exclusively licensed in all territories (except japan, Brazil and China) to Concord Music group inc. greenleaf Music, iris Ornig JAZZIZ on Disc produced by Michael Fagien Exclusive CD available only from jAzziz Publishing, LLC. & © 2012. ALL rigHtS rESErvED. www.jazziz.com Music, justin time records inc, Kait Dunton, Ana Florencia gonzalez Delgado ASCAP, Yelena n Eckemoff, the LP2 group, Little Mystery records, true Melody Music, Savant 2013 Aaron Diehlrecords, 335 records inc, Hristo vitchev, jeff Babko/tonequake records, Anzic records LLC, Mack Avenue records ii LLC, Motema Music LLC. All rights of the producer, owner, Pianist and manufacturer of the recordedhas work reserved. been Unauthorized copying, hiring, generating lending, public performance, and broadcasting of this compact an disc prohibited. ever-increasing Not for resale. buzz since he took Outstanding Cover art excerpted from jAzziz Magazine cover by Daniel nevins Soloist honors at the Essentially Ellington Competition in 2002. Upon graduating from high school, the Columbus, Ohio, native was scooped Disc 2 Gentlemen Next up by Wynton Marsalis, with whose septet he toured. And his career 01 Larry Carlton “Room 335” has continued to soar. With a degree from Juilliard, onstage experi- Four Hands & a Heart, Volume One (335)

ence with the likes of Benny Golson and , and a featured 02 Tim Green “Philippians 4:13” spot on Marian McPartland’s program, Diehl has accom- Songs From This Season (True Melody Music)

plished plenty at age 27 — not the least of which was his winning the 03 Ethan Farmer “Showdown” Wine & Strings (Good People Club Music) Fellow in Jazz competition in 2011. Following the release of two live recordings — with a trio and solo — the pianist makes his Mack Avenue debut with 04 Donny McCaslin “Henry” Casting for Gravity (Greenleaf Music) the studio release The Bespoke Man’s Narrative, which showcases his playing andDie writing Number: in a Description: 2-Disc 4-Panel Wallet quartet setting. Presumably like Diehl’s “bespoke” suit on the album cover photo, the pianist 05 Spencer Day “Something Wicked” the Mystery of You (Concord) has tailored his music to fit his musical companions. This certainly seems to be the case1070 with Sheet Sizes: 5up - (23x35) / 2up - (17.5x23) 06 Carl Bartlett, Jr. “Fidgety Season” “Generation Y,” our selection. Warren Wolf’s free-flowing vibes keep pace with Diehl’s swift Hopeful (Self-Released)Blank Size: 20.625W x 6.625H runs, as bassist David Wong and drummer Rodney Green maintain a brisk lope. Stock: 07 Boney James “Mari’s Song” 15pt Cut Lines Type: CD/DVD the Beat (Concord)Flat Size: 10.5W x 5.125H recordingScore Lines Songs From This Season (True “Philippians 4:13,” our selection, was 08 Aaron Diehl “Generation Y” Spine: MelodyImage Music). Bleed The altoist recruited inspired by ScriptureGroup: and is a straight-Wallet the BespokeFinish Man’s Narrative Size: (Mack Avenue) 5.125W x 5.125H 0.25 first-rate players for this straightahead up reaffirmation of faith. Green says 09 Jeff Babko “Fools” program, including guitarist Gilad he wrote the piece after enduring a Crux (Tonequake) Hekselman, pianist Orrin Evans, drummer particularly challenging time in his life. 10 Harvie S feat. Kenny Barron “Deep Night” Witchcraft (Savant) Obed Calvaire and vibraphonist Warren “At that point,” he writes in the liners, “I Wolf. In addition to religious references in sat down at the piano and this was the 11 Hristo Vitchev Quartet “Wounded by a Poisoned Arrow” song titles such as “Psalm 1,” “Siloam” and melody that came to mind and heart.” Familiar Fields (First Orbit Sounds)

“The Queen of Sheba,” Green also dedi- Hekselman unfurls a poignant, uplift- 12 Jeremy Pelt “Mystique” cates songs to important influences such ing solo, and pianist Allyn Johnson, Water and Earth (HighNote) as Mulgrew Miller and Kenny Kirkland, bassist Josh Ginsburg and drummer 13 Kevin Eubanks “Sister Veil” the Messenger (Mack Avenue) his wife, and filmmaker Spike Lee, and Calvaire seem to be on the same page interprets favorites by Wayne Shorter as Green, who pulls deep gospel feeling and Billie Holiday. As its title indicates, from his horn.

If you purchased this magazine without the CDs or would like additional copies, e-mail [email protected] or log onto www.jazziz.com.

jazziz spring 2013 37