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

Andrew Bird Trio – Sunday Morning Put-On (Loma Vista)

Violinist, vocalist and Chicagoan, and Jazzy prodigal son, Andrew Bird has just released a new album of standards called Sunday Morning Put-On. Bluntly put, it is fascinating. His career is laid out here on other folks’ material. He spent time in Chicago playing with Kevin O’Connell’s Quality Six, and later on, played with The Squirrel Nut Zippers (by far and away, the best of the bands caught up in the 90’s swing revival of my youth), before moving toward a more singer/songwriter space later on. The Hot Jazz vibe present with the Quality Six is also present here, and the dramatic shadow of the Squirrel Nut Zippers looms large on Sunday Morning Put-On as well. You couldn’t ask for a more interesting crew of musicians to gather here: Bird is joined by bassist Alan Hampton and percussionist Ted Poor to form the base trio, and the band is filled out at times with the guitar of Jeff Parker and the piano of Larry Goldings.  Everything on the album is a comfortable listen, but when these guys stretch even a little bit, like on “Caravan,” “Django,” or “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise,” I am flat out astounded by what comes out of my speakers.

Something Else! (featuring Vincent Herring) – Soul Jazz (Smoke Sessions)

Vincent Herring is quite possibly the world’s most recognizable Cannonball Adderley acolyte. So, it would make sense that he’d name an all-star ensemble after a legendary Cannonball Adderley album, Something Else! What is a little less expected is the notion that such a band would record none of Cannonball’s (or Nat’s) songs for their album, Soul Jazz. Now, this band Herring put together is top notch. Jeremy Pelt joins on trumpet, Wayne Escoffery is the tenor saxophonist, Paul Bollenback is the guitarist, David Kikoski sits at the piano bench, Essiet Essiet is the bassist, and Otis Brown III is the drummer. This album is dripping with grease. Donald Byrd’s “Slow Drag” is grunt-worthy. I love seeing more artists tackle Roy Hargrove’s compositions, like they do here with “Strasbourg/St. Denis,” and Eddie Harris’ “Mean Greens” gets your morning show host’s approval. The world is just a better place with well-played, funky, swinging music. Something Else’s Soul Jazz fits that description to a “T.”

Oscar Hernandez & Alma Libre - No Words Needed (Ovation Records)

Pianist Oscar Hernandez is a multifaceted musician if you’ve ever seen one. Leader of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, pianist on a truckload of excellent Latin Jazz records, and, for the third time now, leader, composer and arranger for Alma Libre, I don’t know when this guy sleeps. His latest album, No Words Needed, tells no lies. When a band has this much instrumental firepower, words would just get in the way. Joined by Bobby Franceschini on woodwinds, John Benitez on bass, Robby Ameen on drums and Samuel Torres on percussion, this quintet knows how to work a groove, and work a groove they do. “Wayne’s Wonder,” is, of course, a tribute to Wayne Shorter. It really does capture the ethereal nature of Shorter’s character and music. “Jazz Pa’l Mambo” is a fantastic, hard grooving jam, and “Rise Above” sounds exactly like its name.  I know I’ll be featuring No Words Needed during the Latin Bit, and Rene will surely be getting down to this one during The Mambo Inn on Sundays. But I think you’ll be hearing this one throughout the day and throughout the week, because it’s just that good.