NEW RELEASES: AVERY SUNSHINE - THE SUN ROOM; NAT BIRCHALL QUINTET - LIVE IN LARISSA; JOHN ZORN - IN THE HALL OF MIRRORS

AVERY SUNSHINE - THE SUN ROOM               

Avery Sunshine stunned us with her debut, but she really blows us away with this amazing second set – a record that has the singer not only deepening her sound, but also hitting this really classic vibe that takes us back to legendary music on Stax or Hi Records! The production and setting is still relatively modern, but also stripped-down – so that Avery's vocals are massively right out front – almost doing the whole thing on their own, but getting some sweet support from Fender Rhodes – which is played by the lady herself on most tracks. Titles include "Won't You Try", "Nothing To Something", "Call My Name", "Mediation #1", and "Sweet Afternoon". ~ Dusty Groove

NAT BIRCHALL QUINTET - LIVE IN LARISSA: DIVINE HARMONY IN DUENDE JAZZ BAR

Sublime live sounds from the great Nat Birchall – one of the most spiritual jazzmen currently working today! The set has Nat and his quintet really stretching out – playing his own great compositions, plus some Impulse and Strata East classics too – all at an open, searching, constantly creative level that really lives up to their inspiration from the Coltrane generation! Nat himself plays tenor and soprano sax – and the group features piano, vibes, bass, and drums – plus a bit of bells as well. The whole thing's very spiritual – like some lost Strata set from the 70s – and titles include remakes of Clifford Jordan's "John Coltrane" and Alice Coltrane's "Journey In Satchidananda" – plus the tracks "Sacred Dimension", "The Black Ark", "Return To Ithaca", and "Divine Harmony". ~ Dusty Groove

JOHN ZORN - IN THE HALL OF MIRRORS

Beautiful work composed by John Zorn – done in a mix of minimalism and modern jazz – and played with an equal flourish by the trio of pianist Stephen Gosling! Zorn's best known for his own work on alto, but he proves to be a surprisingly strong visionary for jazz piano as well – and really creates some compelling compositions that are taken even further by the group! Gosling's piano can be bold one minute, hypnotic and subtle the next – and the group features equally dynamic work from Greg Cohen on bass and Tyshawn Sorey on drums. Tracks include "Epode", "Illuminations", "In Lovely Blueness", and "Nightwood". ~ Dusty Groove