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

Hey everyone! So, this week, I wanted to take a moment to check out six of the albums that are available during our Spring Pledge Drive. If one of these piques your interest, please consider making a contribution to WDCB this week, and help us to continue being Chicago’s home for Jazz every day of the week.  Thanks!

Oscar Peterson – Con Alma: Live in Lugano, 1964 (Two Lions/Mack Avenue)

Con Alma: Live in Lugano, 1964 is a fantastic archival release from The Oscar Peterson Trio. THE Oscar Peterson Trio, with Ray Brown on the bass and Ed Thigpen on the drums. Five years into their work together, and less than a year away from their parting ways, these three are at the peak of their powers. They swing the appreciative audience into a tizzy on “Blues for My Landlady.” They prove that no Jazz trio ever played a waltz better on Bill Evans’ “Waltz for Debby.” They showed the Swiss a little something about creative timekeeping with their arrangement of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma.” They made me grunt along in appreciation of their take on Gershwin’s “It Ain’t Necessarily So.” If you need some more live Oscar Peterson in your home library (and really, who doesn’t?), Con Alma: Live in Lugano, 1964 is a fantastic place to start.

Alliance – self-titled (Shifting Paradigm Records)

Multi-instrumentalist Sharel Cassity and drummer Colleen Clark co-lead the quartet that calls themselves Alliance. Joined by pianist Hannah Meyer and a bassist that you will be hearing a lot more from, Carmani Edwards, this is a top-notch ensemble.  Their inventive takes on Mary Lou Williams’ “Syl-O-Gism” and Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage” show that they’re bold enough to stray from expected convention, and talented enough to pull it off. Original material like Hannah Meyer’s high velocity swinger “Something New,” Colleen Clark’s second line-ish “Caro-Li-Na,” or Carmani Edwards’ haunting ballad “Linger” all prove that this is a collective with some fantastic writing chops as well. Here’s to hoping that this isn’t the last time we hear from this quartet.

Neal Alger – Old Souls (Calligram Records)

Chicago based guitarist Neal Alger has finally released some new music that I think Jazz fans are going to love. Old Souls features a stellar band, with trumpeter Chad McCullough, saxophonist Chris Madsen, bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Dana Hall. Playing through a set of almost all original material, this group sounds delightful. “This is Not a Test” is my favorite song on here, at least as of right now. It’s a medium tempo swinger with a knotty melody that gives way to propulsive solos from Madsen, Hall and Alger. “Go with the Sco-Flow” tips its hat to John Scofield’s rhythmic phrasing without attempting to copy Sco’s immediately recognizable tone. The first minute or so of “Choro Delinquente” might give off strong samba vibes at first, but that gives way to a menacing funky groove, which then makes another twist and then yet another. It’s Whitney Balliet’s quote about Jazz being the “sound of surprise” come to life. Old Souls is a delightful album, and even though we’re only in March, I’ve got to think this one will end up on a few 2024 best-of lists in another 8 or 9 months from now.

Maddie Vogler – While We Have Time (Origin)

Chicagoan Maddie Vogler has put together an impressive project with her new album, While We Have Time. Having recently graduated from the University of Illinois, she put together this debut album with a sextet featuring Tito Carrillo on trumpet, Matt Gold on guitar, Jake Shapiro on piano, Samuel Peters on bass and Neil Hemphill on drums. The leadoff track, “The Need to Be” is a fantastic song and arrangement that sounds like a slice of late 60’s Blue Note at its finest. “Hymn for August” while brief, is a lovely duet for saxophone and piano that I wish was quite a bit longer than its 1:45 runtime. Vogler proves to be a composer, arranger and player off to a fantastic start with While We Have Time. I look forward to hearing her much more often.

Joel Ross – Nublues (Blue Note)

Taken as a whole throughout the course of its 10 tracks, the latest album from Chicago vibraphonist Joel Ross is a fascinating listen, jumping from strength to strength balancing short-form pieces, longer, sprawling improvisations, and some impressive interpretations of the work of John Coltrane (“Equinox,” “Central Park West”) and Thelonious Monk (“Evidence”). The band of Ross (vibes), Immanuel Wilkins (alto sax), Jeremy Corren (piano), Kanoa Mendenhall (bass) and Jeremy Dutton (drums) is augmented by the flute of Gabrielle Garo on three songs: “Chant,” a duet for vibes and flute, “What am I Waiting For?” and “Bach (God the Father in Eternity),” and is as supple as can be no matter the material. Ross’ compositions continue to get stronger and more engaging, and the presentation here of some of the material as two long suites – “Early,” “Equinox,” and “Mellowdee” and later, ”Nublues,” “Ya Know?” and “Evidence” both make for remarkable experiences.

Bobby Lewis – No Expiration Date (Cool Horn Music)

Chicago elder statesman, trumpet and flugelhorn player, and all-around nice guy Bobby Lewis has just released a new album called No Expiration Date. Featuring some great Chicago musicians like Pat Mallinger (saxophones), Jeremy Kahn (piano), Andy Brown (guitar), Jeff Stitely (drums), Alejo Poveda (percussion), and more, No Expiration Date is an excellent document of Lewis’ skills as a player, composer and bandleader. We’re treated to a handful of Lewis’ always charming original compositions, as well as standards from the pens of Billy Strayhorn, Count Basie and Leonard Bernstein. The disc wraps up with an excellent live version of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Tanga,” from 2003, which shows us how much fire he had 20 years ago. The more recent tracks show us that he’s still got it in 2023, too. No Expiration Date, indeed.