 This
Month's Featured CD Release |
SFJAZZ
Collective, "Live 2007: The Fourth Annual
Concert Tour" (SFJAZZ)
 The
all-star SFJAZZ Collective — tenor
saxophonist and bandleader Joshua Redman,
vibist Bobby Hutcherson, alto saxophonist
Miguel Zenón, trumpeter Dave Douglas,
trombonist André Hayward, pianist Renee
Rosnes, bassist Matt Penman and
drummer Eric Harland — hit the road in
the Spring of 2007 for the group's fourth annual
tour of Asia and the U.S., and came home with a two-CD
set showcasing original compositions and the
music of jazz legend Thelonious Monk. This
specially-priced release, limited to 3,000
copies, showcases this top-flight ensemble
in peak form. Disc 1 showcases Monk's music ("Brilliant Corners," "Crepuscule
with Nellie," "Epistrophy" and
eight other tracks), while Disc 2 offers new
works from Rosnes, Penman, Zenón, and Douglas,
who contributes a three-part "San Francisco
Suite" that matches well with Monk's
"San Francisco Holiday" (arranged by
Zenón) on the first disc. A highly recommended
set, even with the $35 price tag (with proceeds
helping to fund the SFJAZZ educational
programs). |
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New CD Releases |
Monk's
Music Trio, "Monk
on Mondays" (CMB Records)
 Since
August, 1999, local jazz cats Si
Perkoff (piano), Chuck Bernstein
(drums) and Sam Bevan (bass) have
been holding court two to three Monday
nights each month at the Simple Pleasures
Café in San Francisco's Richmond
District, spotlighting the rich musical
legacy of jazz great Thelonious Monk.
"Monk on Mondays" explores the
trio's repertoire in a "live"
studio recording, with 13 tracks developed
and refined over eight years of live
performances that touch on the breadth of
Monk's compositional prowess. |
Jackie
Ryan, "You
and the Night and the Music" (OpenArts
Productions)
 Jazz
singer Jackie Ryan is an absolute
delight: a magnificently gifted vocalist
with a breathtaking range and gorgeous
interpretive style. On "You and the
Night and the Music," Ryan shares the
spotlight with special guest saxophonist Red
Holloway as she plumbs the Great
American Songbook and comes up
winners. |
Jules
Broussard, "With
Strings Attached" (Darling & Kid
Records)
 Bay
area saxophone veteran Jules Broussard
gathers a group of like-minded local
talent together for "With Strings
Attached," backed by a nine-piece
string section (hence the title) on two
tracks. |
Sherri
Roberts, "The
Sky Could Send You" (Pacific Coast
Jazz)
 Bay
area saxophone veteran Jules Broussard
gathers a group of like-minded local
talent together for "With Strings
Attached," backed by a nine-piece
string section (hence the title) on two
tracks. |
Ed
Reed, "Sings Love Stories" (Blue
Shorts Records)
 Bay
area saxophone veteran Jules Broussard
gathers a group of like-minded local
talent together for "With Strings
Attached," backed by a nine-piece
string section (hence the title) on two
tracks. |
Justin
Hellman, "Shakin' It Like A Blue Funk
Monkey" (Justin
Hellman Music)
 Bay
area saxophone veteran Jules Broussard
gathers a group of like-minded local
talent together for "With Strings
Attached," backed by a nine-piece
string section (hence the title) on two
tracks. |
The
Hot Club of San Francisco, "Yerba
Buena Bounce" (Reference Recordings)
 Celebrating
the vintage 1930s swing of the Django
Reinhardt/Stephane Grappelli-led Hot
Club de France, "Yerba Buena
Bounce" features the songwriting and
arranging skills of bandleader and lead
guitarist Paul "Pazzo"
Mehling, rhythm guitarists Jeff
Magidson and Jason Vanderford,
violinist Evan "Zeppo" Price,
and bassist Ari Munkres. Along for the ride on the Hot Club's 10th
CD is North Bay mandolinist and "Dawg
Music" master David Grisman,
who joins the quintet on two tracks. There
are also two "bonus" tracks on
the new disc that feature the addition of
three "Dixieland" horn players:
clarinetist Bill Carter, trumpeter Marc
Caprone, and trombonist/tuba dude Clint
Baker. Rounding out the guest list is
bandoneon virtuoso Seth Asarno.
Note to audiophiles: "Yerba Buena
Bounce" was recorded by "Professor"
Keith Johnson at Fantasy Studios in
Berkeley, employing an innovative and
clever way to re-create the vintage
ambiance of 1930s-era jazz using
state-of-the-art recording techniques.
Pretty cool. |
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