NEW RELEASES: WADADA LEO SMITH – REFLECTIONS & MEDITATIONS ON MONK; ERIC REVIS – SING ME SOME CRY; BRIAN CHARETTE - BACKUP

WADADA LEO SMITH – REFLECTIONS & MEDITATIONS ON MONK

Trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith never fails to blow us away – and even though he's captured our ear with recent higher-concept projects or other group work, he sounds equally mindblowing here in a completely solo setting! As you'd guess from the title, the set's based around the musical vision of Thelonious Monk – territory not often explored on solo trumpet, and handled beautifully here by Smith – both on his long extrapolations based on Monk's compositions, and on his own tunes dedicated to Monk – which are these bold, brilliant paintings in sound that the legendary pianist would have been proud to hear. We're not sure what's in the water over at Smith's house, but he's really had this amazing blossom of fresh creativity in recent years – as you'll hear on his compositions here, entitled "Monk & His Five Point Ring At The Five Spot Cafe", "Monk & Bud Powell At Shea Stadium", and "Adagio Monkishness – A Cinematic Vision Of Monk Playing Solo" – alongside versions of Monk tunes that include "Ruby My Dear", "Reflections", "Round Midnight", and "Crepuscule With Nellie".  ~ Dusty Groove

ERIC REVIS – SING ME SOME CRY

The bass of Eric Revis sounds better than we ever remember – and that's saying a lot, because we've really liked his other records too! Yet here, it almost feels like Revis is out to re-state himself as a musician – coming on strong with a tone that could put him up there with the giants of earlier years – and beautifully matched with drummer Chad Taylor, who's always been an amazing example of that rare quality of being tight and loose at the same time! Ken Vandermark blows tenor and clarinet – but in a way that really seems to respect the path taken by Revis and Taylor – as does the piano of Kris Davis, which punctuates the sound perfectly. Titles include "Sing Me Some Cry", "PT 44", "Good Company", "Rye Eclipse", "Rumples", and "Drunkard's Lullaby".  ~ Dusty Groove

BRIAN CHARETTE - BACKUP

Brian Charette's a contemporary organist who's always out to set himself apart from most of the rest – not by forcing any sort of experimental modes on the Hammond, or by trying to race up and down the keys – but just by relaxing into a tune, and really finding a way to deliver a performance that's clear and crisp, yet undeniably soulful! Whereas other younger Hammondists might be driven to work in the territory of the Jimmys – McGriff and Smith – or Jack McDuff – Charette's almost got more of the understated quality of Shirley Scott, especially on a trio date like this. Brian keeps his tone nicely in check – always playing with these round, fully-formed notes – even on material by artists like Larry Young or Joe Henderson – and he's balanced out here by the piano of Henry Hay and drums of Jochen Rueckert, in a way that uses the piano to almost underscore and echo the lines of the organ. Titles include "The Blessing", "Backup", "A Shade Of Jade", "Tadd's Delight", "These Are Soulful Days", and "Dahoud".  ~ Dusty Groove