Jazz on the Beach 186: Russell Hall, Louis Stewart, Tyreek McDole, Jason Miles, Mark Millington, Edison Machado, Steve Holt Jazz Impact Quintet, Vega Trails, Cannonball Adderley
This week's jazz radio from Deal, Kent
Double bassist Russell Hall is a heavy presence on the New York scene and has just released a fierce version of Herbie Hancock's The Sorcerer, the first single from his upcoming Dragon of the South (La Reserve, September). It’s a tribute to Hall’s mentor Ron Carter (who celebrated his 88th birthday last Saturday), and features some of the most exciting playing you’ll hear this year from his quartet that features trumpeter and saxophonist Mike Troy, pianist Esteban Castro and drummer Matt Lee. You’ll find it at towards the end of this week’s radio playlist, as it’s a powerful performance that needs building up to.
The recently resurrected Livia Records’ reissue programme of the brilliant Irish guitarist Louis Stewart continues apace, their latest release is a remixed and greatly improved version of his 1980 album I Thought About You (Livia, 29th May). Recorded in 1977 at Olympic Studios in London with pianist John Taylor and touring U.S. heavyweights, double bassist Sam Jones and drummer Billy Higgins, it all sounds rather wonderful, as this version of Jimmy Heath’s Smiling Billy proves.
There’s more great music this week from keyboardist Jason Miles who is now happily settled in Lisbon, with a great take on Don Grolnick’s Cactus from his Jason Miles’ Lisbon Electric 4Tet (self released, 28th April), featuring drummer Vicky Marques, bassist Yami Aleolel and guitarist Tiago Oliveira. I’ve always loved this song ever since first hearing it on guitarist Joe Beck’s Beck (Kudu 1975) and this version has an even deeper groove with fine solos from Miles and Oliveira.
Also making a big impression this week is Toronto’s Steve Holt Jazz Impact Quintet with the exuberant title track from Impact (self released, 25th April), led by pianist Steve Holt with trumpeter Kevin Turcotte, tenor saxophonist Perry White, double bassist Duncan Hopkins and drummer Terry Clarke.
I’m also thoroughly enjoying British saxophonist Mark Millington’s Nothing New from Picture This (Albert’s Favourites, 18th April), where he travels to New York and plays alto (tenor on the other tracks) with guitarist Jackson Potter, pianist Addison Frei, bassist Yoshi Waki and drummer Brian Fishler. He’s a seasoned pro who sacrificed touring to settle down and raise a family, finally releasing his first album. It’s about time.
There’s another track from vocalist Tyreek McDole’s recent Open Up Your Senses (Artwork Records, 2nd April), and it’s a terrific version of Leon Thomas and Pharoah Sanders’ The Creator Has a Master Plan. Joining him on tenor saxophone is Pharoah’s son Tomoki Sanders, alongside soprano saxophonist Dylan Band, pianist Caelan Cardello, guitarist Logan Butler, bassist Rodney Whitaker and drummer Justin Faulkner.
A major new discovery is the pioneering Brazilian drummer Edison Machado’s previously unreleased 1978 New York sessions. There’s Janiero from Edison Machado & Boa Nova (Far Out Recordings, 28th March), with a line up of trumpeter Paulo Roberto de Oliveira, tenor saxophonist Ion Muniz, baritone saxophonist Steve Sacks, pianist Mozar Terra and double bassist Ricardo dos Santos. It’s a thrill to hear this incredible music, and a typically excellent cut by Caspar Sutton-Jones at Gearbox Mastering just tops the whole thing off.
More Brazilian jazz, this time from tenor saxophonist and former Monk sideman Charlie Rouse with the terrific Clove and Cinnamon from Cinnamon Flower: The Expanded Edition (Resonance, 18th July). The 2 LP set will include both the original 1977 tracks overdubbed by producer Alan Douglas for the 1980 release, as well as the previously unreleased versions without overdubs recorded by George Klabin, a co-founder of Resonance. Among the top New York and Brazilian players on this exciting overdub free version are trumpeter Claudio Roditi, flautist Lou Orenstein, pianist Dom Salvador, guitarist Amaury Tristão, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Portinho and percussionists Carlos Martinez and Steve Thornton.
Something new from the Leeds based multi instrumentalist/producer Greg Surmacz, who’s playing everything on the hugely enjoyable ‘tripped out, low-slung, downtempo roller’ Stop Dividing Us from Building Beyond the Sky (XVI Records, 30th May). And there’s Portico Quartet’s cofounder Milo Fitzpatrick’s cinematic Vega Trails with Old Friend; The Sea from Sierra Tracks (Gondwana, 28th March). Fitzpatrick plays cello, double bass and synths with pianist Taz Modi and vibraphonist Harriet Riley.
There are tracks from two mid-century New York jazz giants, alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley plays Jimmy Heath’s Gemini from the outstanding The Cannonball Adderley Sextet in New York (Riverside, 1962). Recorded live at the Village Vanguard with little brother and cornettist Nat Adderley, tenor saxophonist and flautist Yusef Lateef, pianist Joe Zawinul, double bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes.
Trumpeter Thad Jones leads the Prestige All-Stars: tenor saxophonist Frank Wess, pianist Mal Waldron, guitarist Kenny Burrell, double bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor on Waldron’s Count One from After Hours (Prestige, 1957), which was later re-released in 1963 as Steamin' by Frank Wess and Kenny Burrell. But whichever version of the album you play, these blues always sound better late at night, just as the original title suggests.
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And finally….
For anyone curious about where I live in Deal on the South East Kent coast, here’s a new video made by Don’t Walk, Walk Gallery.
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