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

Tim Lin – Romance in Formosa (Linsanity)

Saxophonist Tim Lin released his debut album, Romance in Formosa in 2022, and, wow, what an auspicious debut! Of course, it helps to be joined by some heavy-duty sidemen like Andy Laverne on piano, Jay Anderson on bass and Billy Drummond on drums. On three songs, “You’re My Everything,” “How Deep is the Ocean” and “Pursuing Resolution,” Bob Sheppard joins in on the fun on various woodwinds.  On “Airegin,” and “A Weaver of Dreams” most notably, it’s clear that Lin is going to be a force for some time to come. I’m looking forward to more music in the future from him, and I look forward to playing Romance in Formosa for you in the coming weeks ahead!

Nica Carrington – Times Like These (self-produced)

It’s a bold move for a singer to sing an entire album of ballads. After all, at slower tempos, every weakness in a vocalist’s instrument is immediately exposed. It’s an even bolder move for someone to do this as their debut album. But, here we are, on Nica Carrington’s first disc, Times Like These. Along for the ride on these 10 songs are pianist John Proulx, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Joe LaBarbera. Hoagy Carmichael’s “Skylark” is a lovely way to start the program, and Carrington acquits herself nicely on “Here’s to Life.” In between those two signposts are lovely classics penned by Cole Porter, Billie Holiday and Matt Dennis, among others, and for a mellow, well-done set of tunes, it’s a great way to start off a career.

Jason Marshall – New Beginnings (Cellar Live)

I love that buzzsaw sound that some baritone saxophone players get. Ronnie Cuber had it. Pepper Adams had it. And Jason Marshall has it. And it’s the first thing you hear on New Beginnings, his latest for Cellar Live. He’s joined by a nice rhythm section: Marc Cary (piano), Gerald Cannon (bass) and Willie Jones III (drums). That first song is a great rendition of Joe Henderson’s Recordame. New Beginnings, with one exception, is a lovely collection of Jazz standards and classics from the pens of Charles Mingus (“Peggy’s Blue Skylight”), Quincy Jones (“Fallen Feathers”), Rodgers & Hart (“I Could Write a Book”) and others. A list of songs like that could easily spell boredom in the wrong hands, but here, Marshall takes the time and effort to arrange each of these songs in a way that makes each of them sound unique and fresh. The sole original here might be my favorite of the bunch: “Ms. Garvey, Ms. Garvey!!” is a funky and swingin’ song right out of Art Blakey’s playbook, and it’s a headbobber. I hope you like it as much as I do!