New Releases Spotlight: Week of March 30, 2015

This week in The Music Lounge, music director Paul Abella takes a look at three of the new releases hitting your ears this week!

First up, tenor saxophonist Doug Webb has put together an all-star session that swings for the fences called Triple Play.  Organist Brian Charette and drummer Rudy Royston join tenor players Joel Frahm, Walt Weiskopf and Webb (the triple play!) for a burning session.  This disc is nothing but high octane burners.  When the only time you ease off the gas is to play Lou Donaldson’s "Alligator Boogaloo," that’s a burning session. 

 

Local vocalist Keri Johnsrud has a new disc out called This Side of Morning.  The only way to really describe this album is to point to Joni Mitchell’s Court and Spark or Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, and then make them cross the divide between jazz and artful pop.  The players here include some genuine local jazz all-stars in John Deitemeyer and Larry Kohut, and the songs here groove with a jazz swagger.  It’s nice material, and it’s always great to see jazz vocalists writing their own material. 

 

Finally, speaking of jazz vocalists, Jose James has a new album out called Yesterday I Had the Blues.  It’s his tribute to Billie Holiday, and it’s perfectly timed as the jazz world celebrates her centennial this year.  Jason Moran plays piano on this one and figures in prominently.  This is a collection of gorgeous collection of ballads and James and Moran make great partners in music making here.  Look forward to hearing this one soon!
 

The Paul Abella's "New Releases" feature will be taking a week off, but it will be back in a couple of weeks, right here in The Music Lounge.