FREDDIE HENDRIX – JERSEY CAT
Trumpeter Freddie Hendrix is one mighty hip cat – a player
who's got a bold, soulful sound right from the start – working here in a combo
that also features drummer Cecil Brooks III, who produced the record with that
tight, sharp sound that we love on the records he's handled for labels like
Muse and High Note! Hendrix is the clear star of the set, though – working here
not just as a stunning soloist and hell of a leader, but also as sometime
composer and arranger of all the tunes too – really great material that
bristles with fire and imagination right from the very first note – given full,
righteous energy from the work of Bruce Williams on alto and flute, Abraham
Burton on tenor, David Gibson on trombone, and Brandon McCune on piano. Titles
include "The Journey Man", "St Peter's Walk", "Whims
Of A Waltz", "Peace", "Jersey Cat", and "Madeira
Nights". ~ Dusty Groove
ADAM O’FARRILL – STRANGER DAYS
Trumpeter Adam O'Farrill's debut as a leader, and it's a
strong one! Adam is the son of Cuban jazz piano great Arturo O'Farrill, but on
Stranger Days, he's pretty firmly establishing his own identity in contemporary
post-bop – keeping up the family tradition as a top notch player, rather than
following the same stylistic path – not on this excellent debut for Sunnyside,
anyway. Players include his brother Zack O'Farrill on drums, Chad
Lefkowitz-Brown on sax, and Walter Stinson on bass. Titles include "A
& R ITalian Eatery", Survival Instincts", Forget Everything You
Learned At School", "The Courtroom", "Alligator Got The
Blues", "Building The Metamorphosen Bridge", "Lower
Brooklyn Botanical Union" and more. Great stuff! ~ Dusty Groove
SHINJUKU MADNESS - SHINJUKU MADNESS
A very hip group from the contemporary Japanese scene – a
large ensemble who completely remake modern big band modes with a very cerebral
vibe – perfectly balancing modern impulses and swing with effortless ease! It's
no surprise that the first track on the set is a Duke Ellington composition –
but it's handled with a very fresh approach, as are the other two long tracks
on the record – all music that has an open, flowing vibe that really lets the
soloists take over at times, and which never falls into any sort of easy
category or conception! The group's arranged by Akira Ishii and Hideaki
Kanazawa – the latter of whom plays bass in the lineup – and Minako Yoshida
sings on a version of "Come Sunday" – alongside other tunes that
include "Kumamono Blues" and "Shinjuku 2am". ~ Dusty Groove
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