Jazz on the Beach 228: Stanley Turrentine, Sam Barrell Jones, Dexter Gordon, Franck Amsallem, Richard Baratta, Joe Lovano, Russ Macklem, Ben Wolfe, Matthew Stevens, Vimbs Mavimbs, Bill Evans
Jazz radio from Deal
As you can see above, I’ve added this week’s show as embedded audio in addition to the usual Mixcloud link further down. Some may find it easier to listen back this way. I like using Mixcloud, it’s a licensed streaming platform that pays royalties to artists, labels and publishers from my and other users’ membership fees. However, if anyone is unhappy with their music being embedded on Substack, please let me know.
One of the highlights of this week’s playlist is tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine’s title track from Sugar (CTI, 1970), one of the jewels of the CTI catalogue and his debut for the label after a long run at Blue Note. It’s a star studded lineup featuring trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, electric pianist Lonnie Liston Smith, guitarist George Benson, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Billy Kaye. Not only is the music sensational, but the cover artwork, a photograph by Pete Turner of a mother licking her child’s foot, is wonderful.
On to the new releases, starting with film producer, production manager and drummer Richard Baratta’s follow up to last year’s highly enjoyable Looking Back, with his Charlie Parker-adjacent Another Kind of Bird (Savant, 22nd May). Here’s Donna Lee with Baratta leading a crack lineup featuring alto saxophonists Vincent Herring and Abraham Burton, tenor saxophonists Craig Handy and Eric Alexander, pianist and arranger Bill O’Connell, guitarist Paul Bollenback, double bassist Michael Goetz and percussionist Paul Rossman.
Another drummer leading from the front is South-East London’s Sam Barrell Jones, a Tomorrow’s Warriors alumnus and the engine of tenor saxophonist Nubya Garcia’s band. He’s just released his first solo single, The Bredrins, which features Garcia alongside keyboardist Lyle Barton, bassist Max Luthert, harpist Miriam Adefirs and guitarist Ciaran Corr. Its groove and atmosphere epitomises the current London scene, and it’s great.
I was delighted to hear from the Paris-based pianist and composer Franck Amsallem, whose playing I’ve long admired. He was letting me know that his 2003 album Summer Times has been given the remastering it deserves and is being reissued digitally and on CD. (Sunnyside Records, 1st April). For this week’s playlist I chose Harry Warren’s Tin Pan Alley classic You’re My Everything, with double bassist Johannes Weidenmüller and drummer Joe Chambers. As the album was recorded digitally, a vinyl version wouldn’t be worth doing, (if it’s created digital, keep it digital), but the files on Bandcamp sound as warm as the summer-ready repertoire.
I first became aware of Amsallem on New York Stories Vol. 1 (Blue Note, 1992), playing alongside Danny Gatton, Roy Hargrove, Bobby Watson, Joshua Redman, Charles Fambrough and Yuron Israel, an album we played to death over Tower Records Piccadilly jazz department’s mighty sound system. It was reissued digitally in 2023, and although not essential, is well worth seeking out.
Back to new releases… there’s double bassist and composer Ben Wolfe and his ‘cool swinging’ title track (as Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts put it) from Any Time After Now (Resident Arts, 15th May), with vibraphonist Joel Ross, pianist Sullivan Fortner, tenor saxophonist Chris Lewis and drummer Aaron Kimmel. If anyone’s ever uninformed enough to suggest there’s little quality ‘real’ jazz anymore, I suggest you play them this.
Joel Ross also features on guitarist and producer Matthew Stevens’ Take Heart, a terrific second track from Matthew Stevens (Candid, 8th May), with keyboard player Chris Fishman, saxophonist Josh Johnson, bassist Kyle Miles, drummer Eric Doob and percussionist Paulo Stagnaro.
There’s something wonderful from tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet, featuring guitarist Julian Lage, double bassist Asante Santi Debriano and drummer Will Calhoun. They sound absolutely magical on this performance of Wayne Shorter’s Lady Day from Paramount Quartet (ECM, 29th May).
West Coast woodwind specialist Brian Landrus plays some superb baritone saxophone on Untold Story from Just When You Think You Know (Blueland/Palmetto, 20th March), with guitarist Dave Stryker, pianist Zaccai Curtis, bassist Lonnie Plaxico and drummer Rudy Royston.
There’s a second single from South African double bassist Vimbs Mavimbs, short for Thembinkosi Mavimbela, with the warm Family Gathering from Late Bloomer (La Reserve, 12th June). Update: the lineup is soprano saxophonist Sisonke Xonti, guitarist Keenan Ahrends, pianist Teboho Kobedi and drummer Lungile Kunene. Thanks Matt!
Detroit/Windsor-based trumpeter Russ Macklem’s Introducing: the Russ Macklem Detroit Quintet was one of my favourite discoveries of last year. I sought out his previous album The South Detroit Collection (QTM Recording Co, 2023), and found a raw and exciting set recorded at the Phog Lounge in Windsor, Ontario. The lineup only features soprano saxophonist Kasan Belgrave from Introducing, but guitarist Sam Dickinson, double bassist Johnathon Muir-Cotton and drummer Adam Arruda play with real fire, and Macklem is just as incredible.
A ‘70s classic from trumpeter Luis Gasca, where Latin jazz meets Bitches Brew on Street Dude from For Those Who Chant (Blue Thumb, 1972), with a line up of tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, flautist Hadley Calliman, pianist George Cables, organist Richard Kermode, electric pianist Mark Levine, bassist Stanley Clark (before he added the ‘e’), guitarists Carlos Santana and Neal Schon, drummers Lenny White and Michael Shrieve, vibraphonist Jose ‘Chepito’ Areas, congeros Victor Pantoja and Mike Carabello, timbaleros Carmelo Garcia and Coke Escovedo, and percussionists Rico Reyes and Snooky Flowers.
We’re still hard boppin’ with two fine Blue Notes. There’s tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon’s The End of a Love Affair from Dexter Calling (Blue Note, 1962), with pianist Kenny Drew, double bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones. It’s being reissued in the Tone Poet series for Record Store Day on 18th April.
And trombonist Bennie Green’s Green Street from Back on the Scene (Blue Note, 1958), reissued as a Tone Poet in February, with tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse, pianist Joe Knight, double bassist George Tucker and drummer Louis Hayes.
And finally, the Bill Evans Trio with Richard Rodgers’ Spring Is Here from Portrait in Jazz (Riverside, 1960), highlighting the telepathic understanding between pianist Evans, double bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. As I write this there’s a hailstorm outside, so perhaps the title was a little premature.
To listen to this week’s Jazz on the Beach on Mixcloud, just click below:
Jazz on the Beach #228 25th March 2026
Dexter Gordon - The End of a Love Affair
Richard Baratta - Donna Lee
Sam Barrell Jones feat. Nubya Garcia - The Bredrins
Vimbs Mavimbs - Family Gathering
Bill Evans Trio - Spring Is Here
Brian Landrus - Untold Story
Matthew Stevens feat. Joel Ross - Take Heart
Joe Lovano - Lady Day
Leo Larratt - For Malone
Ben Wolfe - Any Time After Now
The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis - Rules of the Game
Stanley Turrentine - Sugar
Franck Amsallem - You’re My Everything
Russ Macklem - Who is Genuine
Luis Gasca - Street Dude
Bennie Green - Green Street
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Jazz on the Beach broadcasts every Wednesday evening from 10:00 PM to midnight (UK time), repeating on Monday morning from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM (UK time).
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