NEW RELEASES - RICARDO SILVEIRA / VINICIUS CANTUARIA, BENNIE GREEN, ELMO HOPE SEXTET

RICARDO SILVEIRA / VINICIUS CANTUARIA - RSVC

One of the warmest, most intimate records we've ever heard from Vinicius Cantuaria – and one of the most beautiful too! The set's got Vinicius on vocals and guitar, in the company of guitarist Ricardo Silveira, and no other instrumentation at all – which makes for a wonderfully airy sort of record, and one that really lets Cantuaria open up! We might dare to say that the album's got a more classic bossa approach than some of Vinicius' other records – but the music isn't really bossa, either – and instead has all these fresh, individual inflections that really come from the simple, yet stunning work from both guitar players – and Cantuaria's well-measured use of lyrics – often in ways that have them taking second stage to the guitar instrumentation. Titles include "Perritos", "A La Dori", "Sessao Das Onze", "E O Fim", "Trilha Polar", and "Dia Del Sol".  ~ Dusty Groove

BENNIE GREEN - WALKING DOWN

A stone classic from the great Bennie Green – working here at a sharp 50s level that easily makes him one of the most hard-edged players in jazz at the time! Bennie's rooted in bop, but has plenty of deeper soulful elements too – a groove that others would expand more in the soul jazz generation, but which Green unleashes here with a really raw sort of energy – a tightness that's almost more suited to the trumpet than modes you'd usually hear from other trombonists. The setting's almost a blowing session one, but a bit tighter overall – and the quintet features Eric Dixon on tenor and Lloyd Mayers on piano – plus raw rhythms from Sonny Wellesley on bass and Bill English on drums. Titles include "East Of The Little Big Horn", "Walkin Down", and "But Not For Me". (SHMCD pressing.)  ~ Dusty Groove

ELMO HOPE SEXTET - INFORMAL JAZZ

Quite possibly the most "all star" session ever cut by pianist Elmo Hope – and one of his few dates to feature horns as well! The album's one of a few cut for Prestige by the modern piano giant – and it's done in an open-ended, long song format that was very much in keeping with the label's "blowing session" mode of the time – a setting that lets Hope really stretch out with players that include John Coltrane, Donald Byrd, Hank Mobley, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones. And while the album has less of the angular, more tightly wound modern lines of some of Hope's better known work, it's still an extremely strong set overall – more of a showcase for all players involved, but still featuring 2 Hope original compositions – "Weeja" and "On It" – as well as versions of "Polka Dots & Moonbeams" and "Avalon". (SHMCD pressing.)  ~ Dusty Groove