At the risk of biting off more than I can chew, I’m going to start this little series to supplement my monthly Six Picks. The volume of music coming my way is just overwhelming — a lot really good, some extraordinary, too much of it getting filed away without comment. I figured it’s time to step up the level of coverage on this site. I’ll generally avoid overlapping these choices with Six Picks, but not as a rule. Editorial remarks won’t be extensive; during particularly busy weeks, there won’t be remarks at all. But better a quick list than nothing. Here’s the first:
Mudville, Iris Nova (no label): Funk/soul/lounge vibe with major jazzers on board (Liberty Ellman, Alan Ferber, Michael Blake). Songs not great, but the production is, and singer Marilyn Carino reminds me a bit of k.d. lang meets Annie Lennox.
Benny Lackner, Pilgrim (Stray Dog): Pianist from the group Maroon with another moody, sonically inventive trio release. Derek Nievergelt on bass, Robert Perkins on drums. Two Feist covers, shades of Mehldau’s Largo.
Bob Mintzer & Gil Goldstein, Longing (Owl/Sunnyside): Unbelievably beautiful duo recording from 1995, a reissue I think (or else the archival find of the year). Tunes by both players. Mintzer’s tenor smolders, and his bass clarinet’s even better.
Harris Eisenstadt, The All Seeing Eye + Octets (Poo-Bah Records): Adventurous drummer/composer, anything under his name guaranteed worth a listen. First half of this is a reimagining of Wayne Shorter’s Blue Note classic, but I prefer the second half, a collection of original chamber-like pieces.
Chris Jentsch, Brooklyn Suite (Fleur de Son): Nice guitar work from the leader, though I’d love to hear him with a cleaner sound. The big band writing is tight, conceptually ambitious, packed with monster solos (Mike McGinnis, Andy Laster, Russ Johnson, more).
André Ceccarelli, Golden Land (CAM Jazz): Burning session from the Italian drummer. Pianist Enrico Pieranunzi destroys (he has a way of doing that). Tenor saxist David El-Malek does some damage too.
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