NEW RELEASES - ROSCOE MITCHELL - CONVERSATIONS; MIKE LEDONNE - I LOVE MUSIC; DENA DEROSE - WE WON'T FORGET YOU

ROSCOE MITCHELL WITH CRAIG TABORN AND KIKANJU BAKU - CONVERSATIONS

Roscoe Mitchell returns to a mode that he explored freely back in the 70s – loose, improvised collaborations with other musicians – done at a level that offers up a richly organic blend of sonic elements and musical moments! Some of Mitchell's later work has been more structured, but the approach here is very much in the best early AACM mode – or maybe a bit like Roscoe's classic Sackville recordings – extended "conversations" between his own flutes and saxes, the drums and percussion of Kikanju Baku, and the piano, organ, and keyboards of Craig Taborn. All players are nicely restrained – and as with Mitchell and the Art Ensemble, the mix of instruments is never used in any way that's gimmicky at all – but with subtle shifts that really emphasize the need of the players to communicate together. Titles include "Splatter", "Rub", "Cracked Roses", "Last Trane To Clover Five", and "Knock & Roll". ~ Dusty Groove

MIKE LEDONNE - I LOVE MUSIC

Hammond hero Mike LeDonne's working here in the very well-named Groover Quartet – a rock-solid lineup that features Eric Alexander on tenor, Peter Bernstein on guitar, and Joe Farnsworth on drums! All players have recorded often with each other, and fit together like hand in glove – soaring forth in a set of tenor, organ, and guitar-based cuts that really revive the soul jazz 60s years of Prestige Records – while allowing for some great personal inflections on all the solos. Alexander's warmth works perfectly to push LeDonne's work on Hammond – and Bernstein nicely balances between rhythm and melody throughout – almost a classic Pat Martino sort of mode. Titles include "Blues For Ball", "Do I Do", "The World Is A Ghetto", "I Love Every Little Thing About You", and "I Love Music". ~ Dusty Groove

DENA DEROSE - WE WON'T FORGET YOU...AN HOMAGE TO SHIRLEY HORN

Dena DeRose serves up a tribute to the great Shirley Horn – and works here with the kind of hip jazzy combo that Horn definitely would have loved! Like Horn, DeRose both sings and plays piano – plus a bit of Hammond on a few tracks too – and in addition to core trio instrumentation on bass and drums,t he set also features tenor work from Eric Alexander, trumpet from Jeremy Pelt, and baritone from Gary Smulyan – each players who drop in on certain tracks and make things shine wonderfully – like those key instrumental solos on later Shirley Horn records for Verve. Dena's own vocals and piano are great, though – perfectly timed to replicate that soulful swing that always set Shirley apart – a richness of feeling that's never overdone, and which always knows how to groove even at the most expressive moments. Titles include "Sunday In New York", "Big City", "Don't Be On The Outside", "Quietly There", "A Time For Love", "The Great City", and "Wild Is Love". ~ Dusty Groove