Fred Hersch Trio, Floating (Palmetto)
I’m not sure how this 2014 CD ended up in the holding pen for so long, but I am delighted that it finally called to me from the stacks. With his celebrated keyboard touch and control, the pianist floats even through the trio’s zestful 12/8 approach to “You & The Night & The Music.†In the title tune the twinkle of Hersch’s single high notes contrasts with the relaxed feel as drummer Eric McPherson’s brushes agreeably offset the time. Hersch, McPherson and bassist John Hébert had just finished a run at the Village Vanguard when they went into the studio for this recording. They have, if anything, an even tighter collective aspect than in their 2012 Alive At The Village Vanguard. Hersch’s seven new compositions balance nicely with originals by Dietz & Schwartz and Lerner and Lowe, and with Thelonious Monk’s “Let’s Cool One.â€
When the eleven-year-old Indonesian pianist Joey Alexander materialized last year in a flurry of accolades from Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock and others, I kept him at arm’s length. Now, I have paid close attention to his debut album, 
From his American Indian grandfather, tenor saxophonist Jim Pepper (pictured) learned “Witchi-Tai-To,†a peyote healing chant of the Native American Church. It became a part of the repertoires of several bands including Oregon, the group that brought guitarist Ralph Towner to wide attention in the 1970s. The Scandinavian musicians Jan Garbarek and Bobo Stenson and the duo of Brewer and Shipley also made enduring recordings of the Indian chant that Pepper transformed into a song that spent weeks on jazz and pop charts.
Tom Harrell, 
The many obituaries of Chess Records co-founder Phil Chess correctly note his importance in the record company that that brought attention to blues artists who went on to became famous. Chess died yesterday at 95. The Chicago company owned by Chess and his brother Leonard had on its roster Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Etta James, Bo Didley and Howlin’ Wolf, among other blues stars. Leonard shepherded the label’s blues operations. He died in 1969.
Cyrille, a dancer on drums, teams with the intrepid tenor saxophonist McHenry in a succession of duets. Their close listening to one another results in empathy that sustains remarkable quietness, considering that one of the partners is a percussionist. They express their shared sense of jazz rhythm even when—as on “Seasonsâ€â€”McHenry applies lyricism and tone akin to that of classical saxophonists. Over the subtle insistence of Cyrille’s mallets in “Bedouin Woman,†McHenry contributes to a mood of mystery that sustains through the fade ending. “Drum Song For Leadbelly†is a succession of drum-tenor exchanges on a rhythmic idea. In spirit, symmetry and repetition it, indeed, grows into a performance reminiscent of the great folk and blues artist. Some of Leadbelly’s 1940 recordings with the Golden Gate Quartet (“Pick a Bale of Cotton,†“Yellow Galâ€) come to mind. In “Aquatics,†Cyrille plays brushes so softly under McHenry’s ruminations, that the saxophonist evidently feels the suitable response is to blow pure air through his horn. It is remarkably effective. Of the 12 tracks, none runs much over five minutes. The last one—five seconds long—is Cyrille saying, “To be continued.†Good idea.
the Cyrille-McHenry album, percussion plays a principal role without overwhelming the proceedings. Drummer and marimbist Pawel Czubatka and pianist Jochen Pfister are hand-in-glove with Ms. Effenberg throughout. In “So ist das,†Pfister, and Czubatka on drums, stir up a crescendo that contrasts with the reserve of much of the rest of the album. Ms. Effenberg’s “Meaning of Life†is reassuringly peaceful and bluesy. IZA seems to be available in the US only as a download but widely available in Europe as a CD.
Collaborators since their student days at the New England Conservatory nearly a decade ago, pianist Sanders and saxophonist Strosahl are dedicated to tradition and improvisation. Making the two qualities inseparable, they take listeners on an excursion through music as old as the dance rhythm of the Allemande, as new as the adventurism of Strosahl’s genre-busting title tune and as familiar as “Stardust.†It makes programming and musical sense when they go from their daring “Be-Bop Tune†to the 14th century composer Guillame Machaut, then to the quintessential 20th century composer Olivier Messiaen. Strosahl’s “Mazurka†leads into lilt and lyricism in Willard Robison’s “Old Folks,†with echoes of Charlie Parker. Sanders’ nostalgic “R.P.D.†finds the two mostly in sober unison and in a plaintive minor ending. With his two faces, the ancient Roman god Janus looked back and ahead—as does this intriguing namesake album.
Nick Sanders and Logan Strosahl, now and then put up a video on their YouTube channel. Their recent album is the new Rifftides Monday Recommendation (see the previous post). Here is a standard song not included on that CD. Mr. Strosahl makes the introduction—and a pitch.
names ballads that he believes don’t get enough attention, he also presents them in performance. The extent to which some of his song choices are generally ignored may be in the ear of the behearer—as Dewey Redman might have said (in fact, did say 
Cecil Payne & Duke Jordan, 
Still, Effenberg’s ensemble does not float through one boreal mood after another in the manner of many ECM ventures. Indeed, there are passages of mutual improvisation and complexity that suggest Twentieth Century pioneers of modern music such as Charles Ives and Bela Bartók. The quirky opening track, “Dings Bums,†contains allusions to John Coltrane and Horace Silver— just two of the album’s quick side trips into witty allusions that often verge on the subliminal. 
In her first album for a major label, Bria Skonberg achieves consistency that in the past she sometimes obscured in forced vocal mannerisms. Her trumpet work, based in traditional jazz and swing, includes surprising bebop touches. She has unfailing agility and good tone. With and without a mute, her growl and wa-wa work shows familiarity with Bubber Miley, Rex Stewart and the Ellington brass tradition, nowhere more than in Sidney Bechet’s “Egyptian Fantasy.†Pianist Aaron Diehl, bassist Reginald Veal and drummer Ali Jackson are the first-class rhythm section, joined occasionally by vibraharpist Stefon Harris. Like Skonberg, Evan Amtzen is a native of British Columbia transplanted to New York. He enriches the proceedings with his tenor saxophone and clarinet solos and ensemble work. Of Skonberg’s five original songs, crossover potential of the 16-bar “Wear and Tear,†could take it a long way. 
 to solo on Duke Ellington’s “Prelude to a Kiss.†The video allows us an opportunity—far too rare—to see and hear the elegance of a guitarist whose vast experience includes playing with Charlie Parker, Cal Tjader, Stan Getz, Vince Guaraldi, Red Norvo, Earl Hines and George Shearing. Yet, Duran (born in 1925) spent most of his career in and around his native San Francisco and has never received recognition commensurate with his talent.