Jazz On The Beach 152 & Blues Beach 59
Jazz On The Beach 152 & Blues Beach 59
Samara Joy, Jimi Ahlroos, Myra Brownbridge, Branford Marsalis, The Blues
On the first Jazz On The Beach that was broadcast live on September 29th 2021 (third anniversary show coming up fast), I played two songs featuring the then relatively unknown young vocalist Samara Joy. The first was was her contribution to saxophonist Ruben Fox’s sparkling So Much Joy from his excellent debut Introducing…Ruben Fox (Rufio Records, 2021), the second was her version of Frankie Laine’s It Only Happens Once from her debut album Samara Joy (Whirlwind, 2021), with the extraordinary guitarist Pasquale Grasso, double bassist Ari Roland and drummer Kenny Washington, both of which I reviewed for UK Jazz News (formerly London Jazz News).
Following her major breakthrough with her second album, Linger Awhile (Verve, 2022) and a period of constant touring, she’s just released a great version of the ‘40’s show tune You Stepped Out Of A Dream, the first single from Portraits (Verve, October 11th) which features prominently on this week’s Jazz On The Beach playlist. There’s no Pasquale Grasso this time, instead Joy and her co-producer, the trumpeter and bandleader Brian Lynch, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s old studio with her touring band of trumpeter Jason Charos, saxophonists David Mason and Kendric McCallister, pianist Connor Rohrer, double bassist Felix Moseholm and drummer Evan Sherman. The arrangements and playing are wonderful, and Joy’s voice is simply sensational, both out front and wordlessly blending with the horns.
There’s a very exciting new release from the Jimi Ahlroos Trio with Kouvo’s Dance from their 10” 3 track vinyl LP (Jazzaggression, September 3rd) limited to 350 individually numbered copies. There’s precious little information about this Finnish trio of 23 year old tenor saxophonist Ahlroos, double bassist Tuomo Purhonen and drummer Mooses Kuloniemi, except for Fredrik Lavik of Jazzaggression’s assertion that this is ‘Killer Youth Jazz’ which sounds like an expression I’d probably use.
Out of the blue (thanks to Jazzfuel) comes this hauntingly lovely title track from The Voyage Out by London based double bassist Myra Brownbridge, with guitarist Tom Ollendorff, saxophonist George Garford and drummer Matthew Holmes. I’m really looking forward to hearing the rest of the album which also features saxophonist Tony Kofi on one track and will be self released on October 18th.
Hard boppin’ is always close to JOTB’s heart and this week there’s trumpeter Lee Morgan with Somethin’ Cute from Charisma (Blue Note, 1969) featuring saxophonists Jackie McLean and Hank Mobley, pianist Cedar Walton, double bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Billy Higgins.
There’s also pianist Horace Silver with Juicy Lucy from Finger Poppin' with the Horace Silver Quintet (Blue Note, 1959) featuring trumpeter Blue Mitchell, tenor saxophonist Junior Cook, double bassist Gene Taylor and drummer Louis Hayes. These records continue to sound so fresh, time only makes them stand out more.
The saxophonist Branford Marsalis performed excellent interpretations of John Coltrane’s immortal A Love Supreme on the album Footsteps Of Our Fathers (Marsalis Music, 2002) and the DVD A Love Supreme: Live In Amsterdam (Marsalis Music, 2003), both with his Quartet of pianist Joey Calderrazo, double bassist Eric Revis and drummer Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts.
On this week’s Jazz On The Beach playlist I’ve chosen an earlier version of A Love Supreme that was released on the bonus disc from Stolen Moments (Red Hot + Cool) (GRP Impulse! 1994), an album in the Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series featuring hiphop and jazz artists that was Time Magazine’s 1994 Album Of The Year. The line up was the original Marsalis Quartet of Tain, pianist Kenny Kirkland and double bassist Robert Hurst, and it received a somewhat mixed reaction at the time. On the release of Footsteps Of Our Fathers in 2002, Branford said the following about it:
"I wasn’t really ready to play A Love Supreme then, but the only way to get at a piece like that is to keep playing it, because you’re not going to get it right the first time.”
Marsalis is being a little hard on himself, although this performance may not have the emotional heft of the later recording, it’s still a fascinating, exciting and a rewarding listen. Also, any opportunity to hear Kenny Kirkland’s wonderful playing is always to be savoured.
To listen to Jazz on The Beach, just click the link below…
Blues Beach is back with another playlist of classic blues tracks and some fine new releases. There’s Mississippi John Hurt from 1928 with Nobody’s Dirty Business, Howlin Wolf’s Forty Four from 1954, Sonny Boy Williamson II’s Bring It On Home from 1966, and anyone who loves modern Texas blues will enjoy Larry Davis’ original version of Texas Flood from 1958 featuring Fenton Robinson on guitar.
There are new releases from Shemekiah Copeland with Tough Mother and Zac Harmon’s Babe’s & Ricky’s Inn plus a trio of ‘60s British blues boom classics with Fleetwood Mac and Long Grey Mare, Chicken Shack featuring Christine (Perfect) McVie and I Wanna See My Baby and the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation’s Mean Old World.
To listen to Blues Beach, just click the link below…
Listen live…
You can listen live to Jazz On The Beach every Wednesday evening from 10.00pm - midnight* and to Blues Beach every other Thursday from 6.00pm - 7.00pm* on DealRadio.co.uk or via the TuneIn Radio app. (*UK time). Or you can ask your smart device to ‘Play Deal Radio’.
Both shows are broadcast live from the Deal Radio Studio at 69a High Street, Deal, Kent CT14 6EH, a stone’s throw from the beach.
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Jazz On the Beach and Blues Beach radio shows are sponsored by our good friends at 6 Park Avenue Coffeehouse & Bar, Deal and Wellingtons Coffeehouse & Bistro, Dover.
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