NEW RELEASES: FREDDIE HENDRIX – JERSEY CAT; ADAM O’FARRILL – STRANGER DAYS; SHINJUKU MADNESS

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