Ken Peplowski, Enrapture (Capri)
Despite a playlist that seems to represent a grab bag of music, there is nothing scattershot about Ken Peplowski’s eclecticism. The clarinetist and tenor saxophonist with the capacious tone and imagination brings together Duke Ellington’s early-1940s “The Flaming Sword,†Lennon and Ono’s 1970s “Oh, My Love,†Fats Waller’s “Willow Tree,†a twelve tone piece by drummer Peter Erskine, and music from Bernard Hermann’s score for the Hitchcock film Vertigo. There are other songs by Harry Warren, Barry Manilow, Noël Coward, Leslie Bricusse, and the title tune by the daring 1950s pianist and composer Herbie Nichols. Peplowski brings this all together in a program united by his musicianship and humor and his superb rhythm section—pianist Ehud Asherie, bassist Martin Wind and drummer Matt Wilson. You may find yourself going back to Peplowski’s irrepressible clarinet solo in “The Flaming Sword.†It’s addictive.
The Resonance label continues its parade of previously unissued recordings with this jewel by Shirley Horn, a supremely gifted pianist and singer (1934-2005). By the time of the 1988 performance in the music room of her favorite Las Vegas hotel, Ms. Horn, bassist Charles Ables and drummer Steve Williams had honed themselves into a group of uncommon tightness and empathy. They generated seductive swing at the slowest tempos, as in this album’s vocal versions of Lil Armstrong’s “Just For a Thrill†and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Meditation.†In outright piano trio swing, Horn is at her peak in Randy Weston’s “Hi-Fly,†an extended “Isn’t It Romantic,†“Blues for Big Scotia†by her early piano influence Oscar Peterson, and an amused romp through Cole Porter’s “You’d Be So Nice to Come To.†This is a welcome addition to Horn’s discography.
The rich history of jazz in Scandinavia began more than a century ago. During the swing and bebop eras Sweden, Denmark and Norway produced major soloists, composers and arrangers. The emergence of Kathrine Windfeld’s big band brings assurance that the region’s new talents have the potential to equal achievements of players like Lars Gullin, Bengt Hallberg, Åke Persson, Jan Johansson, and writers of the stature of Bengt-Arne Wallin, Gösta Theselius and Harry Arnold. The evidence indicates that Ms. Windfeld, a Dane, could establish an equally impressive career. Her band’s first album has the musicianship, joy and drive of their performance at Sweden’s Ystad Jazz Festival a month ago. Ms. Windfeld tightly integrates the sections, but a feeling of looseness prevails. Among memorable solos are those from trombonist Petter Hängsel, trumpeter Andres Bergkrantz, tenor saxophonist Ida Karlsson and the leader at the piano. 
After all their years together, take it for granted that pianist Hersch, bassist John Hébert and drummer Eric McPherson listen intently to one another and mesh with elegance on every level. However, taking for granted anything about the Hersch trio can only open you up to surprises. Many of the surprises here involve time. There are no Dave Brubeck excursions into 9/8, Charles Ives flings with 15/16, or other unconventional time signatures. Instead, Hersch, Hébert and McPherson flex the time, vary it, sometimes improvise with it as surely as they do with harmonic content, and never lose forward motion. Hersch’s “Serpentine†is a prime example. The trio’s Village Vanguard playlist contains Thelonious Monk’s “We See,†Jimmy Rowles’ “The Peacocks,†Paul McCartney’s “For No One,†and among several Hersch compositions a delicious solo piano encore, “Valentine.†Close listening to this album brings great rewards. 
The loss today of the harmonica virtuoso makes this survey of his career poignant and rewarding. Two CDs with thirty-eight tracks, most previously unreleased, follow Thielemans from 1946, when he was a 23-year-old guitarist with a Belgian swing band, to a 2001 harmonica performance of “What A Wonderful World†with pianist Kenny Werner. In the late 1940s and early ‘50s, when many European musicians were struggling with the style, Thielemans had a firm grasp of bebop. Playing through the decades with George Shearing, Hank Jones, J.J. Johnson, Elis Regina, Mulgrew Miller, Shirley Horn and a few dozen others, Thielemans is astonishing on both instruments, but it’s his harmonica that brings grins of joy.
In Thad Jones’s “Little Rascal On A Rock,†pianist Charlap, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington summon up the dynamics of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis big band’s 1976 debut recording of the piece. Their twenty years together have given them sensitivity to one another that allows the strength and subtlety needed for such a feat. Charlap and the Washingtons are masters of a kind of jazz piano trio playing that recalls Ahmad Jamal, Hank Jones and George Shearing at their peaks. With jazz often stuck in place or flailing around, it is encouraging that this trio has high exposure and acceptance. Charlap includes welcome rediscoveries of neglected songs by Harry Warren, Harold Arlen and Burton Lane; a joyous Tiny Grimes blues; and what may be the world’s slowest, most endearing solo piano version of “On The Sunny Side Of The Street.â€
Drummer DeJohnette leads John Coltrane’s saxophonist son Ravi and Jimmy Garrison’s bassist son Matthew in an album that has majesty, reflection, calm and flashes of fire. The senior Coltrane and the senior Garrison were inspirations to DeJohnette’s generation. In a note, he expresses fatherly feelings for the sons, to whom he was close as they were growing up. The younger Coltrane gives his father’s “Alabama†a somber tenor sax reading enhanced by DeJohnette’s hushed cymbals commentary. On soprano he make an impressionist exploration of “Blue in Green,†whose original Miles Davis recording featured his father. Garrison’s subtle use of electronics is effective. DeJohnette plays piano on “Soulful Ballad.†Throughout, whether conversational in Earth, Wind and Fire’s “Serpentine Fire†or explosive in tribute to fellow drummer Rashied Ali, DeJohnette reminds anyone who may have forgotten that he is a drummer of infinite invention and flexibility.
It has been 16 years since Peggy Stern last applied her piano, composing and arranging talents to a mid-sized ensemble. Z Octet was worth waiting for. The sonic textures, harmonic subtleties, rhythmic variety and instrumentation draw upon classical chamber music in several pieces, including “Anomie†and “Zinfandel.†In “The Elephant’s Tango†and “Jury Duty,†Latin cadences create pulsing undercurrents. Stern’s writing weaves piano, clarinet, cello, trombone, flute, bass and drums into rich and often surprising textures. Vocals by her and Suzi Stern (no relation) enrich three tracks. In the solo piano piece “Time @ Time/Hymn,†Stern experiments her way into the chords, but not the melody, of “Time After Time.†“Whenever Sunrise†also borders on free jazz. The CD ends with an unlisted bonus track that makes enchanting use of cello, trombone and flute. The whole album is a bonus. 
Hollenbeck’s little band has unity of thought, purpose and execution more often found in long-lived classical ensembles than in jazz. The difference, of course, is improvisation. Yet, Hollenbeck’s skills as composer-arranger, leader and drummer are so finely honed that it is often a challenge to differentiate between his canny orchestration and all-out blowing. Listeners who let Claudia’s music wash over them, pick them up and carry them along are likely to disregard the difference and find the immersion rewarding. “Nightbreak,†Hollenbeck’s drastically slowed adaptation of the 
Charlie Parker has never disappeared from the consciousness of serious jazz listeners. This two-CD collection, due out on Friday, could go a long way toward helping new generations discover the stunning purity and power of Parker’s creativity. Subtitled “The Unissued Takes,†the album brings together 69 unissued tracks and released masters that the alto saxophonist recorded for the Verve label from 1949 to 1952. For close listeners, annoyance at the stop-and-go sequence of takes gives way to wonder at Parker’s genius. The contexts range from quartet to string orchestra. Emerging jazz players will benefit from immersion in a primary source of modern music. A couple of recent articles have acknowledged Parker’s enduring importance while also pointing out that in the culture at large he is no longer recognized as a seminal artist who remade jazz. To read them, go 
His abilities honed by studies at the Eastman School of Music and Juilliard, 29-year-old pianist Chris Ziemba is in demand on the New York scene. His debut recording as a leader discloses a varied compositional sense and a canny choice of sidemen. Ziemba, bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Jimmy MacBride are a keenly interactive trio. Michael Thomas joins them on alto saxophone for Ziemba’s evocative “The Road Less Traveled†and his boppish “Little T,†and on bass clarinet in the reflective title tune. “Escher’s Loops†seems to concern itself with symmetrical aspects of the work of the Dutch artist M.C. Escher. Ziemba’s keyboard touch and harmonies support the concept. The only piece not by Ziemba is Harry Warren’s 1945 classic “I Wish I Knew.†Ziemba’s arrangement incorporates a bass line leading to a solo in which Glawischnig is simultaneously incisive and relaxed. 
The title belies the pain of the loss that inspired Matt Wilson’s essentially jovial—even jocular—album. The drummer assembled a dozen of his musical colleagues to celebrate his wife Felicia, who died of leukemia two years ago. “Flowers For Felicia†and “July Hymn,†are instances of quiet remembrance amid 17 tracks that embrace the keen musicianship, spontaneity and humor (often raucous) that are core elements of Wilson’s musical and personal style. Pieces like “No Outerwear†and “25 Years Of Rootabagas†match Wilson’s disciplined, outré approach to life and work. The enthusiasm and abandon of his solo on “Schoolboy Thug†typify a philosophy embraced throughout the album by trumpeter Terrell Stafford, cornetist Kirk Knuffke, saxophonists Joel Frahm and Jeff Lederer, bassist Martin Wind and accordionist Gary Versace, among others. In his brief notes, Wilson writes that, “Felica …was all about love.†So is this album. 
Opposite the contents page of this concise book is a quote from Duke Ellington: “Listening is the most important thing in music.†It seems an obvious truth, yet the idea eludes many people who claim that they wish they understood jazz. Gioia marshals his skills as an accomplished musician, clear thinker and gifted writer, inspiring readers to want to listen. He stresses that fear of technical matters is no reason to shy away from the music. “In fact,†he writes, “the deepest aspect of jazz music has absolutely nothing to do with music theory. Zero. Zilch.†He stresses that records are not enough, that hearing jazz live is essential. The appendix naming 150 important contemporary jazz musicians is helpful. Gioia’s chapters dealing with rhythm, structure, origins of jazz, and evolution of styles are invaluable aids to understanding—for newcomers and experienced listeners alike. 
The wisdom of Allen’s choice of material is borne out in nine performances that illustrate an article of faith he expresses in his notes, “…the blues is the gateway to the past and future of American music; the well from which gospel, jazz, rock, country, rhythm & blues and hip hop are drawn.†In the album’s audio spectrum, Allen’s tenor saxophone is firmly between bassist Gregg August and drummer Rudy Royston. The sonic relationship emphasizes the interdependence the three have developed in their years as a working band. The power of August’s bass lines and the responsiveness of Royston’s drumming frame Allen’s deep musings and the harmonic coloring he uses to stir emotions. Seven of the nine blues lines are his. The trio’s passion makes this a living blues statement and a landmark in Allen’s impressive discography. 
The unprecedented double recommendation this week is because both albums have the brilliant Tom Harrell on trumpet and flugelhorn as a sideman, a rare role for him these days— and because they are among the most compellingly conceived and executed quintet collections in years. Kirk MacDonald is a Canadian tenor saxophonist whose imagination, firmness and drive recall Dexter Gordon and other mainstream tenor heroes. The rhythm section of pianist Brian Dickinson, bassist Neal Swainson and drummer Dennis Mackrel might have been made to order for MacDonald and Harrell.
MacDonald’s ten compositions are perfect for the band. The Russian tenor saxophonist Kireyev and American pianist Javors have recorded together before, but The Meeting, with Harrell’s buoyant contribution, takes the collaboration to a new height. Ben Williams on bass and E.J. Strickland on drums round out the rhythm section. Surprise: Kireyev’s Tuvan throat singing in “Caravan.†
Taken under Dizzy Gillespie’s wing when he was sixteen, Stan Levey (1926-2005) developed into a bebop drummer the equal of his early hero Max Roach. During the final five decades of his life, Levey left behind his rough east coast beginnings, his professional boxing sideline and a prison sentence. Before he moved to the west coast in the fifties, he kicked the habit, joined Stan Kenton’s band, stayed clean and healthy the rest of his life and became a mainstay of west coast jazz. The book’s insights into the bop dope culture are chilling. Author Hayde tells Levey’s story in a straightforward narrative that incorporates quotes from Levey, his family and many of the musicians he worked with, including Gillespie and Charlie Parker. In the seventies, facing deteriorating prospects in music, without regret Levey switched to professional photography, at which he excelled.
Lederer conglomerates music by the free jazz avatar Albert Ayler with sea shanties that survive from the whaling ship era when Herman Melville had Ahab pursuing Moby Dick. Influenced by Ayler’s haunting, raucous saxophone style, Lederer enlists ten longtime collaborators in combining his hero’s headlong improvisational style with traditional sea songs. Ayler’s “Bells†opens the collection, followed by “Haul Away Joe,†a shanty that sounds as if it could have been written by Ayler. Fellow tenor saxophonist Petr Cancura is part of the proceeding, along with cornetist and slide trumpeter Kirk Knuffke and accordionist Art Bailey. Brian Dye plays blowsy trombone. Matt Wilson’s, Allison Miller’s and Stephen LaRosa’s percussion instruments include drums, ship’s bell, chum bucket and chain. Mary LaRose sings spiritedly on five tracks and ends the album reading a passage from Moby Dick. This unlikely project is a joy.
The scores of photos, illustrations and reproductions of documents make this book a valuable supplement to the growing stack of Ellington biographies: Bennett’s watercolor painting of Ellington, the 10-piece 1920s band looking bemusedly at the camera, Ellington peering over the feathered headdresses of Cotton Club chorus girls, President Eisenhower’s note of appreciation, Duke playing a piano duet with actor Jimmy Stewart. Some material is seen for the first time. In the essays, Mercedes Ellington’s remembrance of her relationship with her grandfather illuminates the fragmented nature of his personal life. Co-author Brower contributes an invaluable 16-page timeline that traces the high points of Ellington’s life and career. Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Dan Morgenstern, Jon Batiste and Dave Brubeck discuss what Ellington means to them. Lack of IDs for many photos is a flaw that should be fixed before the next print run.
Beginning in 2012, the Detroit Jazz Festival has teamed players of varied backgrounds in all-star bands. At the 2015 festival, thorough preparation resulted not in a typical festival jam session, but a program of new music by participants who played with zeal and combined into a genuine unit. The sophisticated vibraharpist Gary Burton and the smooth-jazz tenor saxophonist Kirk Whalum may seem unlikely colleagues, but this album shows that combining them with hard-core, hard-bop members of younger jazz generations was a fine idea. Trumpeter Freddie Hendrix and pianist Christian Sands inject youthful surges of adrenalin that the veteran drummer Carl Allen and bassist Christian McBride match. In an impressive example of her mature style, soprano saxophonist Tia Fuller’s solo on her composition “Decisive Steps†stirs the festival audience to full-cry response. Hendrix nearly matches her passion, and Allen explodes with drum power on the out-chorus.