New Music Releases: Saxophone Summit, Jazz Defenders, Crown Jewels Vol. 1

Saxophone Summit (Liebman/Lovano/Osby) - Street Talk

A strong summit of saxophone giants – Joe Lovano on tenor, Dave Liebman on soprano, and Greg Osby on alto – all uniting here in one of the boldest statements of their individual voices we've heard in years! Part of the record's charm is the way the three saxes come together to carve out bold formations together – with a free-spirited sound that almost takes us back to some of the sax quartet records of earlier decades – save for the fact that this album's got an equally bold rhythm section – with Phil Markowitz on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – players who tie together very well, and who provide this stunning backdrop for the sharper lines of the saxophonists! Liebman is especially great – very sharp, but also swinging – and Osby sounds better than we've heard him in years, maybe opened up by Joe Lovano expressing some of his more avant sensibilities. Titles include "Loudly", "Street Talk", "Point", "Toli's Dance", and "A Portrait".  ~ Dusty Groove

Jazz Defenders - Scheming

The first we've ever heard from the Jazz Defenders – but a record that makes it feel like the group has been together for years – as the songs explode with all sorts of fresh ideas and individual voices – all while the whole thing stays in strongly soulful, swinging territory! The tunes are all originals – and the group's led by keyboardist Greg Cooper, who plays organ, piano, and Wurlitzer – in a lineup that also features Nick Malcolm on trumpet and Nicholas Dover on saxes – players who clearly understand an older legacy of soulful jazz from the Prestige/Blue Note side of the spectrum, but who also don't just go for a slavish recreation of that style! Instead, there's lots of interesting rhythmic interplay at the bottom of the tunes, which seems to set the horns and piano in bright new directions – on titles that include "Late", "Hawkeye Jorge", "Costa Del Lol", "Scheming", "Brown Down", and "Top Down Tourism".  ~ Dusty Groove

Crown Jewels Vol 1 (Compilation)

A big collection of funky gems from the Big Crown label – an important imprint in the role of fresh funky styles in the global underground! Big Crown are part of a musical legacy that stretches back to Soul Fire and Desco – but the company also has an ear towards newer modes of funky sounds too – and mixes together some older funky favorites with newer talents, mostly issued initially in a long run of 7" singles. This set brings together a dozen of the labels' best, with titles that include "Pimp" by Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, "Guilty" by Lady Wray, "Parachute" by Thee Lakesiders, "This Strange Effect" by The Shacks, "Once In A While" by Paul & The Tall Trees, "Tearz" by El Michel's Affair, "This Love" by Bobby Oroza, "Terrorize My Heart (disco dub)" by 79.5, "Never Be Another You" by Lee Fields & The Expressions, "Oh I Miss Her So" by Holy Hive, and "Dead End" by Brainstory. ~ Dusty Groove