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

Eric Alexander – Like Sugar (Cellar Music)

Saxophonist Eric Alexander has been on a tear this year, appearing on a number of albums, on top of releasing a few of his own as well, featuring collaborations with Mike LeDonne and Vincent Herring. On his latest, Like Sugar, he salutes one of his heroes, Stanley Turrentine. Not by making a tribute record, per se, but rather by making something like Turrentine would have made. Like Mr. T. Like Sugar. Along for the ride with Eric are David Hazeltine on piano, and Chicagoans Dennis Carroll playing bass and George Fludas behind the drums. Two nods are given to Turrentine’s most enduring composition, “Sugar;” “Jave” is based off of it melodically, and “Like Sugar” uses its chord changes. Turrentine had an affinity for Brazilian music (look no further than the legendary Salt Song album), so Alexander played Jobim’s “Triste.” The two standards on the album, “The Way We Were” and “Love Letters” are highlights. Alexander pours his soul into the former, and the latter swings so comfortably, you’d swear they were an old pair of jeans. The one Stanley Turrentine composition on Like Sugar is a right in the pocket groover called “Is it You.”  Like Sugar is a likable tribute to a lovable master of the tenor saxophone, and I’m sure Stanley Turrentine would appreciate it.

Ledisi – For Dinah (Candid)

OK, so, pardon my ignorance, but, I knew that Ledisi was an R&B singer that had a few hits, but I hadn’t heard her music prior to her latest, a tribute to Dinah Washington called For Dinah. So, to educate myself a little bit, I went back and checked out a few of her previous singles from 10-15 years ago. Yup. I get it. Of course she digs Dinah Washington.  She’s seemingly always had a great voice, the maturity to not overuse it, and a keen sense of phrasing besides. She put all of those to work on some well known and much cherished classics, and the results are impressive. There’s a multitude of different ensembles backing her up throughout the album, but they all start with the base of pianist Michael King, bassist Christian McBride and drummer McClenty Hunter. Some songs also get Rodney Jones playing the guitar, the addition of some swinging horns, or a tasteful string section, but, for the most part, this is a pretty intimate affair. Gregory Porter takes the place of Brook Benton on “You’ve Got What it Takes,” and on “You Go To My Head” the airy vocal/guitar duet between Ledisi and Paul Jackson, Jr really shows off what a great voice she truly has. “This Bitter Earth” is the only song that drifts drastically far away from Washington’s original take, but this slow jam with strings rendition has its own charms that deserve to be heard. For Dinah is a really nice album for us Jazz fans.

Mike Clark – Itai Doshin (Wide Hive Records)

Drummer Mike Clark is a monster of a player. Most Jazz fans know of him from Herbie Hancock’s album Actual Proof, but his resume is a lot longer than that. On his latest album, Itai Doshin, he’s assembled a world class crew around him to make some music worthy of his talents. Trumpeter Eddie Henderson and saxophonist Craig Handy are on the front line, while keyboardist Patrice Rushen and bassist Henry Franklin round out the rhythm section. As hard swinging as the opener, Thelonious Monk’s “Epistrophy” is, the real eye opener is the s-l-o-w version of “Cherokee” that follows it. It’s a bold move to swim against the current on such a well worn standard, but this group does it, and they nail it. “Mganga” sounds like the mid-60’s Jazz Messengers come back to life. “I Shot the Sheriff” gets an interesting arrangement, reminiscent of a second line groove, but not all the way there. Henry Franklin contributed the ballad-esque “Midori” which rides on a fluffy cloud of a groove. This excellent crew succeeds in making an hour or so of excellent music well worth a listener’s time. I look forward to sharing it with you!