Eric Alexander - Leap Of Faith
The great Eric Alexander in a trio mode – soaring out with a
lot more space and soul than some of his albums with a pianist – and that's
saying a lot, given the wonderfully soulful sound of that work too! The style
is a mode that Alexander has explored a bit over the years, but which really
comes out with great force here – and opens up a sharper, more biting tone than
you might be used to hearing from the saxophonist over his 25+ years of
recording! It's almost as if Eric's awoken with a whole new sense of spirit –
and we mean that quite literally, as the album has Alexander arising as a very
powerful saxophonist in a spiritual tradition – with a sound that's still very
individual, but which has links to a legacy that includes Pharoah Sanders and
Charles Lloyd – something we never would have said about Eric just a few years
ago. The other trio members are key to the sound, too – Doug Weiss on bass and
Jonathan Blake on drums – and titles include "Corazon Perdido",
"Luquitas", "Mars", "Magyar", "Big
Richard", "Second Impression", and "Frenzy". ~ Dusty Groove
Cherrill Rae – For Once In My Life
Cherrill Rae puts her indelible stamp on the Stevie Wonder
classic "For Once In My Life," featuring stellar backing from the
legendary Ingram Family band and production from the Philly Soul maestro, Butch
Ingram. One of the most talented vocalists in the Society Hill stable of
artists, Cherrill Rae is supremely versatile in R&B, Gospel, Jazz and Pop.
Born in England and raised in the Canadian province of Ontario, Rae grew up on
a steady diet of Motown and old school R&B, which left a lasting impression
that she strongly identified with, and quickly realized that singing was
something she had a natural affinity for.
Cherrill was a member of The Rae’s who were signed by
A&M records in 1980 and had a hit single with a remake of the old Doris Day
song “Que Sera Sera”. It was arranged with a percussive Latin beat and killer
vocals. It climbed to number one on the Canadian top 40 and stayed there for
ten consecutive weeks.Their next album "Dancing up a Storm" became a top
40 success in the United States as well as Canada and Europe. The number-one
single off that album "A Little Lovin’” written by Freddie Peren and Dino
Fekarris went top ten in Cash Box, Record World and Rolling Stone Magazine.
Michael Dease - Never More Here
Michael Dease is as great a writer as he is a trombonist –
which is to say a heck of a lot – but this time around, he opens the door to a
wider range of jazz history – by offering up his own arrangements of tunes by
Jimmy Heath, Jackie McClean, JJ Johnson, Eric Alexander, and others who've gone
down the path before him! Dease always has a fantastic ear for color and rhythm
– and that really comes through here, as he works with a fantastic lineup that
features Steve Wilson on reeds, Renee Rosnes on piano, Gerald Cannon on bass,
and Lewis Nash on drums – all players that have an equal mastery of color,
which really comes through as the album moves on! The Dease approach to
phrasing is fantastic – maybe in a space between JJ Johnson and Curtis Fuller
during their classic years – and as you might imagine, Rosnes and Wilson are a
delight, too. Titles include "Shortcake", "Frenzy", "Lament",
"Milestones", "A Harmonic Future", "I Wish I
Knew", and "For Hofsa". ~ Dusty Groove
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