What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella

Helen Sung Big Band – Oracles (Sunnyside)

I can’t imagine that writing for, arranging for, let alone running a big band is an easy task, even for someone who might genuinely love it. Helen Sung’s latest project is just that, and it’s clear that she’s poured her heart and soul into the result, the album Oracles. This band’s got some heavyweights in its ranks, including Nicole Glover and John Ellis (saxophones), Alex Norris (trumpet), Vicente Archer (bass), Adam Cruz (drums) and Samuel Torres (percussion). You can hear the talent oozing from this group in the way they sound so relaxed as they make their way through these songs. While listening to “Wayne’s World,” I started to think that this band sounds like a hot knife cutting through butter. On the hard swinging opener, “Convergence,” the rhythm section and the background horns are as precise as a Swiss wristwatch. Tributes to Clark Terry (“Positively C.T.”), Wayne Shorter (the aforementioned “Wayne’s World), Ron Carter (“Mr. Virtuoso”) and Jimmy Heath (“A Little Bird Watchin’”) were clearly written with much love for their subjects. The most fascinating tribute, however, might be the Pianism suite, with movements for Barry Harris, Kenny Barron and Herbie Hancock. Harris’ movement swings, exactly as it should. Barron’s movement evokes some of his 70’s funky gems like “Nubian Lady” or “Swamp Monster,” and Herbie’s hints at hard-hitting fusion moments like “Actual Proof” or “Sly.” Over the course of these twelve tracks, Sung and this impressive band take the listener on quite the journey. Luckily for us, it’s a journey that is absolutely worth the trip.

Richard Baratta – Another Kind of Bird (Savant)

If Charlie Parker didn’t write perfect compositions, he certainly came awfully close. Proof of just how durable and unforgettable those songs are is found throughout Richard Baratta’s new album, Another Kind of Bird. Baratta is a drummer who has surrounded himself with a stellar crew for this new project, with Vincent Herring and Abraham Burton on alto saxophones, Eric Alexander on tenor saxophone, Craig Handy on tenor, flute and soprano sax, Bill O’Connell playing piano, Paul Bollenback on guitar, Michael Goetz on the bass, and Paul Rossman on the percussion. With all of that talent in the room, focusing on one of the most enduring songbooks in the Jazz pantheon, sparks are going to fly. And indeed, sparks do fly. “Donna Lee” is taken at a Be-Bop tempo,“Little Suede Shoes” retains its Latin Jazz feel, and “Embraceable You” remains a gorgeous ballad. Other than that, This album is given over to pretty drastic reinterpretations of Parker’s music. “Moose the Mooche” and “Segment” specifically work VERY well in their new arrangements. Another Kind of Bird reshapes Charlie Parker’s music into another kind of fun while never losing sight of what made the original versions of the songs brilliant the first time around. That, in and of itself, is a pretty impressive feat.

Ben Wolfe – Any Time After Now (Resident Arts Records)

Bassist Ben Wolfe has made some compelling albums over the course of the past few years. On Any Time After Now, he’s assembled a nice band to play ten of his compositions, all of which have turned out quite nicely. Chicagoan Joel Ross is on the vibes, Sullivan Fortner is at the piano bench, Chris Lewis plays tenor sax and Aaron Kimmel is the drummer. Ross and Fortner do much of the heavy lifting here, as you might imagine, but the whole band is impressive throughout. And, sure, they’re impressive on uptempo jams like “Any Time After Now,” but there’s also the lovely and understated playing happening on “Waltz II,” “Blues” and “’Til Next Time.” “Down with Gravity” and “5/4 Groove” have quirky melodies that stick in the listener’s ears just by virtue of being a bit different than everything else that they’ll hear on any given day. If you haven’t gotten hip to Ben Wolfe yet, any time after now is a great time to start, and Any Time After Now is a great place to start.