Jazz nuts...

i've been listening to their latest, Activate Infinity... also great!

This one keeps cycling in my brain:

 

Despite being a fan of hard bop & post bop jazz, I somehow missed Sonny Clark...hadn't even heard of him until @Jinxy245 sent me one of his youtube performances. I didn't pay it much mind: he sounded so much like Bud Powell that I dropped it.

(wrong)

Have been listening to a lot of Sonny's music today and am starting to understand the way he played. Yes, there's an obvious Bud Powell influence, but there's also more going on than bebop lines. If only he'd lived a few more years...

Example: The Sonny Clark Trio's compelling version of "Softly as a Morning Sunrise"

 

Something rather different from my usual fare, via jazztrail.net and Qobuz. Jazz-prog-metal or whatever, intense, dense, take no prisoners. For ancient reasons that I can't quite explain, these come to mind https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Utterance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starless_and_Bible_Black

 

Here is something awesome from guitar maestro Kurt Rosenwinkel leading his band, Heartcore:

 

Thanks for the suggestion, I have some of his more recent work, but I hadn't heard this. I know what I'll be listening to later

 

Here's one I found on Indiegogo, an artist named Chien Chien Lu. Classically trained and jazz inspired vibraphone player, she has a good lineup too it seems.

 

VIBRAPHONES! Can't get enough of that instrument.

One of the greatest (probably THE greatest) vibes players is Milt Jackson. Here he is with John Coltrane playing a pretty little 1930s tune. Milt solos first, and as always finds the soul & sadness in the tune. Then Coltrane steps up and blows the chart to pieces.

 

Thanks for that, somehow missed that album, must have been living under a rock. In exchange:

Any of Steve Nelson's appearances with the classic Dave Holland Quintet (Prime Directive, Not For Nothin', Extended Play: Live at Birdland, Critical Mass, Points of View). Some of the very best gigs I attended in the last 20 years were by (versions of) the quintet (with Chris Potter, Robin Eubanks, Steve Nelson, and Nate Smith) at the now sadly gone Painted Bride Arts Center in Philly.

Warren Wolf's Convergence. He's a member of the SFJAZZ Collective and I've had the pleasure of enjoying his liquid motion at several SFJAZZ performances. The album has an all-star cast: Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, John Scofield, and Jeff "Tain" Watts.

 

Just out on Bandcamp, found via jazztrail.net, Pistils by Rajiv Jayaweera and friends. Mostly slow, atmospheric, melodious, wistful. Calming sound for unnerving times. One track below (there's a pre-roll ad on the video, musicians gotta eat...)

 

This really is good. Piano is warmly recorded yet not muddled. I even like the guitar, and I don't often like guitar with my small ensemble jazz. I almost hate to point out it is streaming 24/88.2 on Qobuz now, better just to go to https://pistils.bandcamp.com/releases and buy it

 

A beautiful Makaya McCraven composition wrapped around Gil Scott-Heron's words:

 

Speaking of Makaya McCraven, I've been on a binge with his Universal Beings. Somehow missed it originally, and it is not canonical jazz, but it's so diverse and engaging, so rhythmically warm, just so much what is needed now...

 

Universal Beings is another great one from Makaya. The latest release from @earnmyturns cousin, Vanderlei Pereira, brings us more sunshine. Here is my favorite track from the album:

 

Have no idea what kind of jazz it is, every track is different and surprises you.
Never heard about them before, and could find only one album on Qobuz but I like it a lot.,

 

Some new tracks for yall

 

I'm following vocalist, Michael Mayo. He has a truly gorgeous voice & a very distinct harmonic sensibility.

His a capella cover of "If You Could See Me Now"

 

This reissue just showed up on Qobuz. We were in need of some bossa nova and choro standards with a jazz twist to detach from the covid-wildfire smoke stress. There's something deeply world-wise, tragic but hopeful, in Brazilian music. A gentle remedy where nothing else works.

 

Joey Alexander turned SEVENTEEN in June. My favorite track from his latest, Warna, his FOURTH studio album:

 

Superb!
what a groove!
Thanks for posting.

I discovered ithad a great review in the Guardian as well., while searching for the album.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/apr/21/herlin-riley-perpetual-optimism-review