New Releases Spotlight: Week of May 4, 2015

This week in The Music Lounge, it’s an organ lover’s dream, as music director Paul Abella takes a look at new releases from Jared Gold, Pat Bianchi and Cory Weeds:

Saxophonist Cory Weeds has just released a tribute to Jackie McLean titled Condition Blue.  Interestingly enough, McLean never recorded much with organists, which gives these arrangements a nice breath of fresh air.  Mike LeDonne is stellar as always on the organ, Peter Bernstein is as tasty as ever, and Joe Farnsworth keeps things nicely in the pocket.  The song selection is excellent with a couple of nice standards, some of McLean’s coolest originals, and a real treat in the arrangement of Charles Tolliver’s "Jacknife."

Metropolitan Rhythm is the most recent album from organist Jared Gold and it’s a grooving good time!  Featuring guitarist Dave Stryker, it’s stocked with Gold’s original tunes as well as some well-done covers.  Gold is an excellent writer, and his arrangement of Paul McCartney’s "Maybe I’m Amazed" is a great listen. "Homenagem" is just a great, up tempo, swinging jam that’s well worth your time.  Gold will even take you to church on "God Has Smiled On Me."  Interesting side note:  Gold and Stryker can be heard together on Stryker’s newest disc, Messin’ with Mister T, which is also playing a lot on 90.9 FM.

Organist Pat Bianchi’s new disc, A Higher Standard, is fantastic!  Bianchi gets some aid from Joey DeFrancesco’s drummer, Byron Landham, who adds a whole lot of fire to the proceedings.  And Pat’s in fine form here, from swinging standards like "Without A Song" to the sultry grooves of "Some Other Time," and he resurrects a couple of neglected classics, including "Satellite" – John Coltrane’s revision of" How High the Moon."  This whole disc is really well played, and I think you’ll like it too.

Paul will have more new releases next week in The Music Lounge!  …‘til next time, keep your ears open!