Seeking consideration, albums arrive by the dozens. The reviewer must decide which ones will get his attention. Wearing a blindfold and searching randomly through the burgeoning stacks of incoming CDs (and occasional LPs), is not productive. So, we fall back on name recognition, listening experience and trust, hoping to do justice to a few of the hordes of discs that the post office, FedEx, DHL and UPS deliver in ceaseless profusion.

So…onward. Over the next few days, we shall consider a few recent arrivals, beginning with Lee Konitz’s Old Songs New. The alto saxophonist recently observed his 92^nd birthday. He has long found that the nine-piece-ensemble format stimulates his creativity. Over the years, he has made several nonet albums. In this instance, much of the stimulation comes from the arranger Ohad Talmor, a Swiss-born protégé of the classical pianist Martha Argerich who has long been active in New York’s jazz scene. Konitz and Talmor have been associates for 20 years. Written by Talmor and featuring a string quartet, the arrangements complement the subtleties of Konitz’s improvisations. The ensemble includes a string quartet, superb flute work by Caroline Davis, Dennis Lee’s bass clarinet and subtle percussion touches by drummer George Schuller. Talmor’s charts live up to the claim of the album title. They bring vibrant harmonic substance to standard songs, among them “Goodbye,” “I Cover The Waterfront” and “Foolin’ Myself,” and to the venerable Konitz invention called “Kary’s Trance.”

This video teaser for the album appeared on Talmor’s website

The new Konitz album is to be released on November 22. In the meantime, let’s enjoy a performance of “Kary’s Trance” from the 1994 Leverkusen Jazz Festival in northern Germany. The late guitarist Attila Zoller and vibraphonist Wolfgang Lackerschmid join Konitz.

The young Canadian drummer Harry Vetro has followed his debut album as a leader, Northern Ranger, with a shorter CD of four tracks.  The new album has a similar title, Eastern Stranger, but perhaps that won’t create confusion among Vetro devotees. As in his first recording, the music reflects the influence of the drummer-composer’s nationality. It also captures a bit of the whimsy that occasionally peeped through the seriousness of the writing for strings on Vetro’s initial CD. Indeed, whimsy abounds in its first track, “Quidi Vidi Ditty,” whose title Vetro says is pronounced, “Kitty Vitty Ditty,” inspired by the name of a village near St. John’s in the province of Newfoundland. The piece opens with Vetro playing the ugly stick, an instrument that he explains is native to Newfoundland. Here are Vetro and his quartet with Noah Franche-Nolan, piano; Nelson Moneo, violin; and Jill McKenna, bass.

This fall, Vetro’s Northern Ranger band is touring Europe.

It may be too easy to take Louis Armstrong for granted. After all, he is one of the greatest musicians of the Twentieth Century. Perhaps we all conclude that we understand why. Then, along comes yet another reminder of the intensity, the sheer strength, of his musicianship. The most recent reissue to remind us of his inimitable energy and creativity is the Dot Time release Louis Armstrong Live In Europe. It’s not just his astonishing trumpet playing that can drive home the point. It’s also Armstrong’s leadership in directing the creative energies of some of the most gifted artists alive. In his sleeve notes, historian and Armstrong expert Ricky Riccardi quotes British trumpeter Humphrey Lyttleton as confessing to “quaking in his boots” at the ferocity with which Armstrong led the band. Lyttleton said, “If Sid Catlett’s drums started to intrude too heavily upon a solo, Louis would turn to him and hiss at him like a snake. And more than once Earl Hines’s exuberance was curbed by a sharp, ‘Cut it, boy.'” With Catlett, pianist Hines, trombonist Jack Teagarden, clarinetist Barney Bigard and bassist Arvell Shaw, Armstrong ran a tight ship while also delivering solos to make you understand Lyttleton’s “quaking.” What trumpet player wouldn’t quake when Pops was so powerful well into his forties?

The first nine performances on this album were recorded in Nice, France in February of 1948. Seven others come from concerts in Berlin, Germany, in the fall of 1952. The Berlin tracks have Arvell Shaw again, along with Trummy Young on trombone, Marty Napolean, piano; Bob McCracken, clarinet; Cozy Cole, drums. Throughout, we find Armstrong driving hard, in superb company and high spirits

Who is your favorite singer from the Canadian province of Newfoundland? Don’t have one? If you listen to Heather Bambrick, that could change. Ms. Bambrick is a nominee for the Juno Awards, Canada’s equivalent of the Grammys. She is known in her country for singing with sensitivity about things that matter to her. Among them are racism, homophobia and other contemporary expressions of interpersonal aggression. She sets the tone of her new album Fine State, with “You’ve Got To Be Taught,” Rodgers’ and Hammerstein’s anti-prejudice anthem from the musical South Pacific. A dedicated Canadian, she pays tribute to her home province, with “Homeland,” which she also uses in the CD’s promotional video.

Other highlights of the Bambrick album are Milton Nascimento’s modern classic “Bridges”; Rodgers’ and Hart’s “It Never Entered My Mind;” an adaptation of Lalo Schifrin’s and Gene Lees’s “The Right To Love,” and several song composed or co-written by written by Ms. Bambrick herself. Among the impressive guest instrumental soloist are flugelhornist Chase Sanborn and, on several tracks, pianist Andrea Farrugia.

Thanks to Terri Hinte for calling our attention to the new album by New York Voices. In their third decade together, the group’s Reminiscing In Tempo fortifies their reputation as a vocal ensemble whose musicality matches their ability to reach deeply into the rhythmic heritage that gives jazz its unique place in world culture. I would be surprised if the lead track doesn’t grab the most attention, in part because when “Round, Round, Round” debuted as part of the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s Time Out album in 1959, it became ubiquitous on radios and juke boxes. Then, it was known as “Blue Rondo á la Turk” and was nearly as famous as “Take Five.” New York Voices adapts the Al Jarreau version that itself came near Top-40 status in the fifties. Other pieces in this intriguing collection: the Ellington title track “Reminiscing In Tempo,” “Avalon,” Lennon and McCartney’s “In My Life” Cole Porter’s “It’s Alright With Me,” and an “Avalon” so speedy that Al Jolson, who wrote the song, might have had trouble keeping up with it. This is an album of variety and depth, beautifully sung.

One of the highlights of the 2019 Ystad Sweden Jazz Festival was a concert by Hannah Svensson. Now, Ms. Svensson’s new album, Places And Dreams, presents her along with the colleagues who backed her at Ystad. They include her guitarist father Ewan Svensson and her good friend pianist Jan Lundgren, artistic director of the festival. From Lundgren’s trio are Matz Nilsson, playing electric bass, and drummer Zoltan Csörcz. The album contains seven new songs written by Ms. Svensson, as well as a stirring version of “Honeysuckle Rose.” At the concert, a videographer was on hand for the full-scale performance of Fats Waller’s 1929 classic. The video wanders now and then, but it captures the zest and spirit of the performance.

It is always sad to report the end of a major spot for jazz listening. In this case, the word is that Seattle’s venerable Tula’s is closing. The club has been a jazz fixture in the US Pacific Northwest for more than two decades. In this weekend’s edition of his Jazz Northwest, Jim Wilke will concentrate on Tula’s and what the club has meant to jazz in the US Pacific Northwest for more than two decades. Below is Mr. Wilke’s summary of the program, illustrated with one of Jim Levitt’s always fine photographs:

                  (L to R) Tim Kennedy, Thomas Marriott, Rick Mandyck, Jeff Johnson, John Bishop                (Jim Levitt photo)

Trumpeter Thomas Marriott has been playing at Tula’s for all his professional life.  He started there with his brother Dave on trombone when they were in their teens.  The Marriotts represent an entire generation of Seattle musicians who have been regulars on stage at Tula’s for more than two decades. Sadly, Tula’s closes after 26 years at the end of this month, another victim of gentrification and high rents. Most of the one-story block in the Belltown district will be demolished for a new high rise building.

It’s been a busy month at Tula’s as most of the top jazz musicians in Seattle are playing their last gigs at the club and it’s been a full house every night.  We have mixed feelings about presenting this last of many broadcasts from Tula’s, but we’re happy to have had the opportunity to record many shows there to share with our listeners.  The music has been great, the audiences appreciative, the staff friendly and welcoming.  

BTW, this is the Fall Fund drive edition of Jazz Northwest  at 2 PM Pacific this Sunday September 29 on 88.5 KNKX and knkx.org.  Maybe make a donation in memory of the hundreds of great nights of jazz at Tula’s? More info:

thomasmarriott.net   (see Tom’s comments on the closing of Tula’s)