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

Andy Brown – Good Atmosphere (String Damper)

If you happen to make your way to Andy’s Jazz Club on nearly any Sunday, you’ll hear the Andy Brown Quartet, swinging their way through any number of standards, bossa novas and gypsy jazz tunes. So, to these ears anyway, Good Atmosphere had been way, way overdue. Guitarist Andy Brown is joined by Jeremy Kahn at the piano bench, Joe Policastro on the bass, and Phil Gratteau behind the drums. Throughout the course of these 10 songs, we’re treated to lovely versions of Wes Montgomery’s “Far Wes,” the rarely heard “Two Note Samba,” and Django Reinhardt’s “Douce Ambiance.” Listen for it on WDCB, and then head down to Andy’s and buy yourself a copy in person!

Eddie Henderson – Witness to History (Smoke Sessions)

Trumpeter (and doctor!) Eddie Henderson is back with a new album on Smoke Sessions Records, Witness to History. Eddie is joined by Donald Harrison (alto sax), George Cables (piano), Gerald Cannon (bass) and Lenny White (drums). That band sounds as good as it looks on paper with an NEA Jazz Master (Harrison), the drummer from Return to Forever (White), a pianist who’s played with Sonny Rollins, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Woody Shaw and so, so, so many more (Cables) and one of the most grooving bassists in New York (Cannon). They run through standards (“Sweet and Lovely,” and “Born to Be Blue”), Jazz classics (Lee Morgan’s “Totem Pole” and Eddie Harris’ “Freedom Jazz Dance”) and one of Eddie Henderson’s songs (“Scorpio Rising”). This is a satisfying and grooving album from front to back. It’s the kind of album you can make when you’ve got the chops and the experience to be a Witness to History.

Miki Yamanaka – Shades of Rainbow (Cellar Music)

Pianist Miki Yamanaka wrote a handful of nice songs for her latest album, Shades of Rainbow. These compositions show off the breadth of her compositions and her playing as well. Joining her to help bring Shades of Rainbow to life are Mark Turner (tenor sax), Tyrone Allen (bass) and Jimmy McBride (drums). There’s a dedication to Mary Lou Williams (“Song for Mary Lou”), a song written over a Benny Golson classic (“That Ain’t Betty”) and one written specifically for Mark Turner to play on (“Shades of Rainbow”). Miki Yamanaka is a compelling player and with this quartet, she’s making some genuinely interesting music.