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

The Dave Wilson Quartet – When Even Goes East (self-produced)

Saxophonist Dave Wilson has recently released his eighth album, When Even Goes East. The saxophonist, based out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania isn’t a household name, but he is making some interesting music. He’s joined here by pianist Jesse Green, bassist Evan Gregor, drummer Daniel Gonzalez, and on five songs, the legendary percussionist, Lenny Castro. Wilson’s originals on When Even Goes East are the stars on the album, whether it’s the hard swinging “Let’s Go,” the bossa-esque “When Even Goes East” and “Intragalactic Sunset,” or the lovely ballad “Slow Freeze.” These are joined by spirited takes on music by Paul McCartney (“The Fool on the Hill”), Jerry Garcia (“Eyes of the World”), Jackson Browne (“These Days”) and Jimmy Webb (“Adios” and “Wichita Lineman”). Put all of these together, and you’ve got a nice listening experience perfect for warming up a cold winter’s day.

Ron Rieder – Compositions in Blue and Other Hues (Meson Records)

Composer Ron Rieder appears nowhere on the album Compositions in Blue and Other Hues. Other than a couple of pictures, anyway. Instead, he assembled a top notch quintet to play his music and showcase it on this new disc. Trumpeter Yaure Muniz, tenor saxophonist Mike Tucker, pianist Maxim Lubarsky, bassist John Lockwood and drummer Mark Walker work together to make Rieder’s eleven songs swing. The leadoff track, “Dizzy Spell,” does indeed sound like some early Be-Bop a la Dizzy Gillespie. “I Sing For You” is a lovely ballad, and “Peach Blossom Blues” has one of those slow and easy grooves that fits like a pair of incredibly comfortable jeans. Rieder proves that he’s a fine composer on Compositions in Blue and Other Hues.

Kenny Reichert – Live in Chicago (Shifting Paradigm Records)

Guitarist Kenny Reichert recently recorded a set at Pro Musica with a fantastic quartet, and now it’s available as Live in Chicago. Lenard Simpson joins in on saxophone, Ethan Philion plays bass, and Devin Drobka is the drummer. If you, like me, are a fan of Bill Frisell, you will find so much to love here. The sparse and beautifully grooving on “Poppy Seed,” “Spheres” and “Eagle” evoke Frisell’s wide open spaces on the best of his work. On “Shades of Blue” and “Evening Camel,” it feels as if Reichert and company reach for much freer improvisations, and in that realm, these are indeed quite beautiful. Taken as a whole, Reichert, Simpson, Philion and Drobka show themselves to be quite an interesting quartet, able to find inspiration in a variety of different places.