In case you missed the last one…
Larry Koonse, What’s in the Box? (Jazz Compass): Tremendous yet underrated guitarist from Los Angeles, playing the music of Jimmy Wyble.
David Rogers Sextet, The World Is Not Your Home (Jumbie): African-inspired jazz from a little-known saxophone modernist, featuring monsters Craig Taborn and Gerald Cleaver, plus the noted classical composer Derek Bermel, my old high school friend, on clarinet.
Jeremy Pelt, Shock Value: Live at Smoke (MaxJazz): Strong showing by the young trumpeter and his vibrant band, with the hugely promising Frank LoCrasto on keyboards. Becca Stevens’s guest vocal is markedly better than the one on Frank’s album When You’re There.
Groundtruther, Altitude (Thirsty Ear): The final installment in a Charlie Hunter/Bobby Previte duo trilogy that isn’t entirely my cup of tea. But Charlie Hunter’s acoustic guitar on disc 1 here is a revelation. Also features John Medeski.
Vernon Reid/Jamaaladeen Tacuma/Calvin Weston, Free Form Funky Freqs: Urban Mythology Volume One (Thirsty Ear): Reid plugs in and plays with Philly’s most potent jazz-beyond-jazz rhythm section.
Horace Silver, Live at Newport ’58 (Blue Note): Previously unreleased, good sound, riveting performance, due out February 5.
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