NEW MUSIC RELEASES: JIMMY GREENE – FLOWERS: BEAUTIFUL LIFE VOL. 2; JOEY DEFRANCESCO – PROJECT FREEDOM; D-ERANIA – LANGUAGE OF THE HEART

JIMMY GREENE – FLOWERS: BEAUTIFUL LIFE VOL. 2

A huge step forward in music for saxophonist Jimmy Greene – an artist who's still reeling from the loss of his daughter, who was murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012 – but who's turning his grief and sorrow into some of the richest music he's ever recorded! The feel here is even deeper than the first volume dedicated to Green's daughter – original songs that burst out with so much life and energy, we're held rapt right from the very first note – almost never mired in the sort of melancholy you might expect from such an experience, and instead ready to set a new fire to light the way ahead! Greene plays tenor, soprano, alto, and baritone – and other musicians include Kevin Hayes on Rhodes and piano, Mike Moreno on guitar, Renee Rosnes on piano, Ben Williams and John Patitucci on bass, and Jeff Tain Watts and Otis Brown III on drums. Titles include "Fun Circuits", "Second Breakfast", "Flowers", "Stanky Leg", "Big Guy", "Amantes", and "Thirty Two".  ~ Dusty Groove

JOEY DEFRANCESCO – PROJECT FREEDOM

Joey DeFrancesco's been giving us albums for many years now, and he never fails to deliver something that's right on the money – as is the case with this tight quartet session with his People combo! Joey's touch on the keys of the Hammond is amazing – and there are all these unusual inflections and shadings throughout – of the sort that few players can do while still keeping their groove – and as always, Joey's sense of space and timing is what really makes the album sparkle, and set him apart from so many of his contemporaries. At a spot or two, DeFrancesco also picks up the trumpet, which he blows overdubbed over his keys – and the rest of the group features warmly understated work from Troy Roberts on tenor and soprano sax, plus Dan Wilson on guitar and Jason Brown on drums – on titles that include "So Near So Far", "Peace Bridge", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "Stand Up", "Project Freedom", and "The Unifier".  ~ Dusty Groove

D-ERANIA – LANGUAGE OF THE HEART

A sultry saxophonist from the Chicago scene – an artist who's especially great on soprano sax, which she uses in a sweet style that takes us back to Grover Washington in the 70s! Yet there's also a contemporary vibe to the record, too – not a smooth jazz polish, but instead a reworking of older funky jazz modes – into a modern, urban groove that's mighty nice – and which has plenty of space for D-Erania to give us some well-crafted lines on both soprano and alto sax. Tony Cazeau handles keyboards on most tracks – although one title features guest work on keys from Robert Irving III, and a few more feature drums from Makaya McCraven. Titles include "El Tobias", "Is What It Is", "All We Need", "Native Beauty", "Ride With Me", and "Laelia's Dream".  ~ Dusty Groove