A really special record from Robert Glasper – as you might guess from the reference to J Dilla in the title! The record is just an EP, but it brings together some of Glasper's hippest moments of the past few years – as the set features the three part "J Dillalude", with Robert on piano, Vincente Archer on bass, and Damion Reid on drums – acoustic instrumentation, but given a very strong inspiration from hip hop – with lots of crackling beats, and spare piano that gets nicely spaced out in the production! There's also a great blend of two cuts from Herbie Hancock and Radiohead – "Maiden Voyage/Everything In Its Right Place" – again with the trio, but done with energy that's very much in the world past jazz that Glasper was reaching right from the start! ~ Dusty Groove
"The cover's got a great look on the front – and the album's got a great sound within – surprisingly bold basswork from Brandi Disterheft on the album's leadoff version of the bossa groover "Surfboard" – then a mix of modes on a nice variety of tracks – some of which feature Brandi on vocals, and a few with some excellent guest tenor from the great George Coleman! The rest of the group features Klaus Mueller on piano and Portinho on drums – the latter of whom creates all these criss-crossing rhythms with the bass that are really wonderful – complex, but organic, and really keeping the upbeat tunes crackling nicely. Titles include "Portrait Of Petro", "Surfboard", "Coupe De Foudre", "Manhattan Moon", "Nana", "Pendulum At Falcon's Lair", and "Del Sasser". ~ Dusty Groove
He & Me, the newest project by singer and lyricist Ada Bird Wolfe, is a duo album featuring the esteemed pianist and arranger Jamieson Trotter performing jazz standards and original tunes. He & Me follows Wolfe’s 2018 release, Birdie, named one of the top 10 albums of 2018 by C. Michael Bailey in All About Jazz. Dick Metcalf of Contemporary Fusion Reviews called Birdie "a superb jazz vocal adventure." And Dodie Miller-Gould of Lemonwire said: "Birdie is a joyous compilation of songs that shows off the singer’s vocal range and scope of moods." Wolfe has a rich, alto voice with a warm, intimate timbre. She eschews melisma and vocal gymnastics to tell her stories through inventive phrasing and subtle variations on melody. Trotter is a first-call accompanist for vocalists who are serious about their craft. He possesses an expansive musical vocabulary and the ability to listen closely and react with his own imaginative turns of phrase. He and Me provides a glimpse into the creative process of two musicians whose tastes and aesthetics are completely in synch. They build tunes organically by listening closely to one another and weaving tapestries of sound that create new and unexpected aural images.
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