Jazz on the Beach 179 & Blues Beach 71: Spike Wilner Trio, Tom Caraher, Lucía & Donovan Haffner
More hard boppin' and blues gems from Goldband and Excello
A major highlight of this week’s Jazz on the Beach radio show playlist is the exciting and fleet footed Maybe by the Irish tenor saxophonist Tom Caraher. It comes from his debut album 90 Degrees (DCC Records, 10th March), which features trombonist Paul Dunlea, pianist Darragh O'Kelly playing Fender Rhodes, electric bassist Barry Donohue and drummer Shane O’Donovan. It’s a great tune that really showcases their excellent musicianship and the sheer sense of fun they seem to be having. If you happen to be in Dublin on 10th April (well, you might), Caraher has an album launch gig at Arthur’s Blues and Jazz Club, it should be quite a night.
Caraher was born in Bangkok and has lived in Cambodia, Pakistan, Ireland and North Carolina before studying in Boston at Berklee. He’s now settled in Co. Kilkenny with his wife and child and is an established presence on the Irish scene. He’s also an accomplished arranger, live sound engineer and a photographer too. Hoping to see him play somewhere nearer here soon.
Last week I played the Roy Ayers Ubiquity’s Red, Black and Green which featured the pianist and composer Harry Whitaker, and in the post included a link to this amazing story by T. J. English from The Village Voice. This week the pianist and club owner Spike Wilner with his Trio Contrafactus offer a marvellous tribute to his late mentor Whitaker on The Child and the Warlock, from the new album The Children and The Warlock (Cellar Live, 25th April).
It was recorded in August 2023 with tenor saxophonist George Garzone and his rhythm section of double bassist Paul Gill and drummer Anthony Pinciotti. Here’s writer Morgan Enos' recent interview with Wilner for UK Jazz News.
Yet another Tomorrow’s Warriors alumnus steps forward - this time it’s the terrific young alto saxophonist Donovan Haffner with The Sublime from his debut album Alleviate (DGH Records, 16th April), featuring guitarist Francisco Garcia de Paredes, pianist Jay Verma, double bassist Harry Pearce and drummer Harry Ling. He’s got an album launch show too, at Pizza Express Live in Soho on 16th April.
Speaking of Warriors, there’s A Region in My Mind (the third track played so far), from pianist Sultan Stevenson’s El Roi (Edition, 28th March). It features his superb rhythm section of double bassist Jacob Gryn and drummer Joel Waters, with guests Soweto Kinch playing tenor saxophone and trumpeter Josh Short.
The Mexican born Lucía performs a gorgeous version of her hometown bolero Veracruz from her upcoming album Lucía (La Reserve, 16th May). It’s beautifully produced by Matt Pierson and features the sensational lineup of Puerto Rican tenor saxophonist David Sánchez, Venezuelan pianist Edward Simon, Californian double bassist Larry Grenadier, Mexican drummer Antonio Sánchez and Costa Rican percussionist Felipe Fournier. Here’s the video…
With so many strong trio releases recently, (think Carl Allen, Yotam Silberstein, Charles Owens, Gilad Hekselman and John Patitucci), I went back to the Patrick Bartley Trio’s strutting Just One Look (Into Your Eyes) from First Song (self released, 2023), with alto saxophonist Bartley, double bassist Russell Hall and drummer Stefan Klein. It still sounds absolutely great.
There’s also the Bill Laurance Trio’s dazzling The Pines from Live at Ronnie Scott’s (Flint Music, 2020), with pianist Bill Laurance, double bassist Jonathan Harvey and drummer Marijus Aleksa tearing up the bandstand in 2018.
We’re still hard boppin’ as always, with pianist Horace Silver’s Sayonara Blues from The Tokyo Blues (Blue Note, 1962), featuring trumpeter Blue Mitchell, tenor saxophonist Junior Cook, double bassist Gene Taylor and drummer Joe Harris. There’s tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley’s An Aperitif from Third Season, (Blue Note, recorded 1967 & released 1980), with alto saxophonist James Spaulding, trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Cedar Walton, guitarist Sonny Greenwich, double bassist Walter Booker and drummer Billy Higgins. This album is an underrated gem and now gets the Tone Poet love it deserves.
And finally, guitarist Grant Green’s great version of Duke Pearson’s Minor League from Solid (Blue Note, recorded 1964 & released 1979), with alto saxophonist James Spaulding, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, pianist McCoy Tyner, double bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Elvin Jones.
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Blues Beach
Independent record labels were essential for the recording, distribution and promotion of blues artists in the postwar era when the major labels wouldn’t touch them. This week's Blues Beach playlist features four tracks released by Eddie Shuler’s Goldband Records, based in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
There are a couple you’ll probably recognise, Guitar Junior’s The Crawl and Hop Wilson’s Always Be in Love with You, as well as the less known but equally terrific Ashton Savoy’s Rooster Strut and Danny James’ Tony Joe White styled Boogie in the Mud.
There are also a couple of tracks from the Nashville based Excello Records, founded by Ernie Young, the owner of Ernie’s Record Mart and gospel label Nashboro Records. Excello had hits with artists including Slim Harpo, Lazy Lester and Lightnin’ Slim who are regularly featured on the show, but here are the less well known (but again, equally terrific) Lonesome Sundown with No Need to Worry and Guitar Gable’s Guitar Rhumbo.
To listen to this week’s Blues Beach on Mixcloud, just click below:
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Jazz On The Beach broadcasts live every Wednesday evening from 10:00 PM to midnight (UK time), with a repeat on Monday mornings from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM (UK time).
Blues Beach broadcasts live every other Thursday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (UK time).
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