{"id":8799,"date":"2017-11-09T23:19:17","date_gmt":"2017-11-10T07:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/?p=8799"},"modified":"2018-12-16T22:26:05","modified_gmt":"2018-12-17T06:26:05","slug":"recent-listening-in-brief-really-brief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/2017\/11\/recent-listening-in-brief-really-brief\/","title":{"rendered":"Recent Listening In Brief (Really Brief)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Over the next day or two, maybe more, Rifftides<\/em> will attempt the impossible\u00e2\u20ac\u201dwe will \u00e2\u20ac\u0153review\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a significant number of the albums that fill the music room\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s overloaded shelves of incoming albums. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Review\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in the previous sentence is in quotation marks because the only practical (practical, not easy) way to tackle this is to write tweet-length acknowledgements, with whatever pithy remarks we can devise that may indicate the albums\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 worth. Twitter just doubled to 280 the allowable number of characters in a tweet. Adopting their standard, I will try to observe that maximum length.”\u00a0Here we go.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ernesto Cervini\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/strong> Turboprop, Rev<\/a> (Anzic)<\/p>\n

\"\"The energetic Canadian drummer brings together four of his countrymen and the formidable American tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm. Cervini\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s arrangements include the demanding counterpoint of the title tune. He gives \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Pennies From Heaven\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a stimulating paraphrase melody and booting big band spirit.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Norma Winstone<\/strong>, Well Kept Secret<\/em><\/a> (Sunnyside)\"\"<\/p>\n

Sunnyside has simultaneously reissued three classic albums by the incomparable singer. Alone, her”\u00a0transformation of pianist Jimmy Rowles\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Peacocks\u00e2\u20ac\u009d into \u00e2\u20ac\u0153A Timeless Place\u00e2\u20ac\u009d”\u00a0would make this a desirable release. Winstone, Rowles, George Mraz and Joe LaBarbera together make it an essential one. See other Winstones here<\/a><\/p>\n

Bria Skonberg<\/b>, With a Twist<\/a> (Okeh)\"\"<\/b><\/p>\n

Her second Okeh album proves Skonberg a superb entertainer whose jazz chops and time feeling underlie every trumpet solo she plays and song she sings. She brings humor to novelties (\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Cocktails For Two\u00e2\u20ac\u009d!), passion to romantic songs (\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Dance Me to the End of Love\u00e2\u20ac\u009d) and joy to originals (\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Same Kind of Crazy\u00e2\u20ac\u009d). Sidemen include pianist Sullivan Fortner and drummer Matt Wilson.<\/p>\n

Blue Mitchell & Sonny Red<\/strong>, Baltimore 1966<\/a> (Uptown)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A previously unissued concert at the Crystal Ballroom finds Mitchell by turn lyrical and aggressive and, as always, at the summit of post-bebop trumpeters. Alto saxophonist Red solos with drama that compensates for a tendency to repeat ideas. Mitchell all but steals the album with a solo on his classic \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Fungi Mama.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d John Hicks, Gene Taylor and Joe Chambers are the solid rhythm section.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Anouar Brahem<\/strong>, Blue Maqams<\/a> (ECM)<\/p>\n

Brahem plays the oud. He writes, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I simply began in my usual way. Letting the ideas come in of their own accord\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Bassist Dave Holland, drummer Jack DeJohnette and pianist Django Bates help those ideas to blossom. The extraordinary rhythm section enhances a relaxed exotica. For his soft touch and canny harmonies, Bates was a perfect choice.<\/p>\n

Dick Hyman<\/strong>, Solo at the Sacramento Jazz Festivals 1983-1988<\/a> (Arbors)\"\"<\/p>\n

This compilation is a summary of the pianist\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s astonishing ability. The 16 pieces encompass what may seem polar opposites, e.g. Victor Young\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Stella By Starlight\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and James P. Johnson\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Carolina Balmoral.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He plays them all brilliantly. His kaleidoscopic \u00e2\u20ac\u0153All The Things You Are\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is a hoot. So is Wagner\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s (via Donald Lambert) \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Pilgrim\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Chorus.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\"\"Mark Whitfield<\/strong>, Live & Uncut<\/a> (Chesky)<\/p>\n

The guitarist went into the studio with bassist Ben Allison, old pal Billy Drummond on drums and an audience. In skittering single-note lines, and in deep, rich chords, Whitfield plays standard songs, Monk\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Jackie-ing,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and originals by trio members. The opening \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Without a Song\u00e2\u20ac\u009d sets a high criterion that they observe throughout.<\/p>\n

Sine Eeg<\/strong>, Dreams<\/a> (artistShare)\"\"<\/p>\n

Dreams<\/em> is an ideal way to meet this remarkable Danish singer. She includes Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart and Gene DePaul, but her original songs are equally important introductions to her vocal quality, flexibility and musicianship. Fellow Dane Jacob Christoffersen is on piano, with guitarist Larry Koonse, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Joey Baron. Ms. Eeg amusingly converts \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Anything Goes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d into commentary on current politics<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Okay<\/strong>, I occasionally went beyond 280 words. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll try to watch that next time. Stay tuned for more briefs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Over the next day or two, maybe more, Rifftides will attempt the impossible\u00e2\u20ac\u201dwe will \u00e2\u20ac\u0153review\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a significant number of the albums that fill the music room\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s overloaded shelves of incoming albums. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Review\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in the previous sentence is in quotation marks because the only practical (practical, not easy) way to tackle this is to write tweet-length […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8800,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8799","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-main","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8799","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8799"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8799\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rifftides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}