The Complete Woody Herman Decca, Mars and MGM Sessions (1943-1954) (Mosaic) Woody Herman and his band were most closely associated with the Columbia and Capitol labels, but in the 1940s and '50s the clarinetist, saxophonist and influential leader also recorded for the companies you see named in the headline above. The Mosaic label has issued a seven-album set of Herman's recordings for those labels.  The collection seems certain to get the attention not only of Herman fans but also of … [Read more...]

An Italian of Slovenian ancestry who grew up in Trieste, pianist Roberto Magris frequently tours in Europe with colleagues from a variety of European nations. He also works in in the United States, where he operates the record label called JMood. Here, we see and hear Magris a few weeks ago in the Birdland Jazz Club in Neuburg a.d. Donau, Germany. With him are the formidable bassist Frantisek Uhlir and drummer Jaromir Helesic, mainstays of modern jazz in the Czech Republic. They play Charlie … [Read more...]

Los Angeles singer Lyn Stanley frequently appears in L.A. with a big band of Swing Era veterans. However, in the recording we are sampling today, her accompanists are six of Southern California's busiest veteran  players of modern jazz. Called for this album, the Jazz Mavericks, they are guitarist John Chiodoni, pianists Otmaro Ruiz and Mike Lang, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Aaron Serfaty, with Luis Conte on additional percussion. The album follows Stanley's earlier tribute to singer … [Read more...]

The last thing any of us at Rifftides wants is for our endeavor to become an obituary service. Life goes on, however, as does its opposite. So we continue to note the passing of musicians who have enriched listeners around the world. Recently, we lost American saxophonist, bandleader and composer Jimmy Heath (pictured left) and Brazil's Claudio Roditi, (pictured right, below), perhaps the most influential trumpet and flugelhorn soloist to emerge from his country in the second half of the last … [Read more...]

Yelena Eckemoff, Nocturnal Animals (L&H Productions) Russian-born pianist and composer Eckemoff, long a New York resident, collaborates with a superb rhythm section of Scandinavian musicians. They are inspired by creatures that populate the world's forests of the night.  Eckemoff's animals range from those we humans seldom see…cicadas, scorpions, fireflies, walkingsticks…to those familiar from daily life and folklore…wolves, bats, owls, grizzly bears, snakes. She and her collaborators are … [Read more...]

Dear Readers,   The past four days at Rifftides world headquarters have been a blogger's nightmare, but thanks to the brilliance of Apple's superb technical staff and the aid of computer maven Geoff Blechschmidt, it appears that we have defeated the gremlins and the attack is over. We are back in the ballgame. If you have attempted to sign in recently, thank you for your patience. Please bear with us as we return to a normal posting routine. Doug Ramsey … [Read more...]

Here's an item purloined (with his permission) from bassist Bill Crow's column "The Band Room" in Allegro, the publication of New York Local 802 of the American Federation Of Musicians. Zoot Sims was one of the many tenor saxophonists who took Lester Young's style as a starting point for their own development. But Zoot also idolized Coleman Hawkins (pictured left). He once told me, "Hawk never played a wrong note in his life." Zoot had a classic Volvo that he was very fond of. He had it … [Read more...]

Franco Ambrosetti Quintet, Long Waves (Unit) The Swiss trumpeter and flugelhornist assembles a group of contemporaries to play his compositions and a couple of cherished standard songs. Ambrosetti's fluid improvisations, sometimes with a Miles Davis bent, are consistently impressive. So, too, is the work of the star-filled rhythm section of pianist Uri Caine, guitarist John Scofield, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Jack DeJohnette. Among the highlights are Ambrosetti's "Silli's Waltz," named … [Read more...]

It is sad to report that the great trumpeter Jack Sheldon has died at the age of 88. Sheldon sang with spirit, style, phrasing and good humor that paralleled his trumpet playing. This video is from his 1984 appearance at Lulu White's Mahogany Hall in the New Orleans French Quarter. The other members of his band were Dave Frishberg, piano; John Pisano, guitar; and Dave Stone, bass. Reader Peter Levin's comment is correct; the drummer is Frankie Capp. The tune is Duke Ellington's "Don't Get Around … [Read more...]

Recent Listening In Brief Spinning Song: Duck Baker Plays The Music Of Herbie Nichols We continue to consider relatively recent recordings that deserve greater recognition. In the New York jazz scene of the 1950s and early sixties, the breadth and depth of his talent won enormous respect for pianist and composer Herbie Nichols (pictured left). His composition "Lady Sings The Blues" was recorded by Billie Holiday, who adapted its title as the name of her autobiography. Nichols was in the … [Read more...]

Recent Listening In Brief Extracurricular obligations have made Rifftides posts few and far between. Thanks for bearing with us. We will get back to a regular schedule with brief reviews of recently released music. On a visit to Vancouver, British Columbia, pianist Bill Mays collaborated with alto saxophonist PJ Perry, a veteran of Rob McConnell's Boss Brass and a longtime stalwart of jazz in Canada. Their album of duets proceeds from the excitement they generate in Bud Powell's … [Read more...]

Many thanks to the Rifftides readers who have expressed concern about the lag between postings. It has, indeed, been several days since a new entry. The interregnum has been for a good cause…continuation of the blog. Sometimes that depends on meeting other obligations, as in this case. I took on a pair of freelance assignments that required lots of research, interviews and, of course, writing. In both cases they were notes for new albums. One CD is for a welcome Summit Records release by … [Read more...]

We remember the life of Paul Desmond, who bequeathed us decades of memorable moments in American music. We lost a great musician, and I one of my dearest friends, when Paul died in his early fifties. He was born on November 25, 1924. From his earliest days in San Francisco through decades as Dave Brubeck's alto saxophonist partner and with an enthusiastic following of his own, Desmond became one of the most celebrated soloists in jazz. Here is one reason, his 13-chorus solo on "Tangerine," … [Read more...]

We return, as promised, to further consideration of bassist David Friesen and his Circle 3 Trio's new double CD, Interaction. The album in fact highlights the work of two Friesen trios, with Portlander Joe Manis on tenor and soprano saxophone in both. The second disc, recorded at the Porgy and Bess Jazz Club in Vienna, Austria, has Reuben Bradley on drums. All of the compostions are Friesen's, with his "Flight of the Angels" on both discs. The live version of the tune in Vienna finds Manis and … [Read more...]

Bobby Shew And Bill Mays, Telepathy It was a coincidence that could not have been more welcome if it had had been planned; One day, the mailwoman brought two new albums that feature pianist Bill Mays. One is a reissue that has an estimable bonus in the presence of trumpeter and flugelhornist Bobby Shew. Mays and Shew recorded their vinyl album Telepathy in 1978 for the all-but-forgotten Jazz Hounds record company. Jordi Pujol of the resourceful Fresh Sound label has rescued it from … [Read more...]