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

Isabella Isherwood – The Sweetest Sounds (Sabrina Records)

“Oh, well that’s slick…” I said, as soon as “Devil May Care” started playing in my office. Bob Dorough’s classic gets an awful lot of attention these days, and most arrangements tend to be some form of a barnburner. Which is cool. But, Chicago based vocalist Isabella Isherwood had something different in mind, and I’m here for it. Her take on the song, in 5/4 time, is a revelation, and as the opening track to your debut album, it’s a statement. That debut album is called The Sweetest Sounds, and it’s impressive. Of course, it is a lot easier to make an impression when the trio backing you up is guitarist Mike Allemana, bassist Joe Policastro and drummer Alejandro Salazar. Isherwood is capable of swinging hard, too, as she does on “The Song Is You,” which she takes at a tempo that would make Anita O’Day proud. “Teach Me Tonight” and “I Love Being Here With You” mine more familiar territory, as well, and they do so with taste and groove. There are a few left turns to be found on The Sweetest Sounds, as well. Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” makes a fine vocal Jazz vehicle in Isabella’s hands, and Amy Winehouse’s “Love is a Losing Game” isn’t just a lovely ballad; it also features Isherwood’s fine piano playing as well. If this is a debut album, I’m excited to hear what Isabella Isherwood has in store for us next.

Bria Skonberg – Brass (Cellar Music)

Trumpeter and vocalist Bria Skonberg is back with another compelling album that finds her weaving New Orleans, New York and her new compositions into a joyful gumbo. Buoyed by an outstanding rhythm section of Luther Allison on piano, Eric Wheeler on bass and Darrian Douglas on drums, there is a playfulness to the proceedings that is downright infectious. That playfulness makes Jelly Roll Morton’s “New Orleans Bump” sound fresh, it makes “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” jump out of the speakers, and it makes the dueling trumpets on “Brotherhood of Man” (Kellin Hanas joins in on the fun for that one) sound like it must have been an absolute blast in the studio. Skonberg’s vocals only make one appearance this time out, on the mash up of “Comin’ Home Baby” and “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To” that closes out the disc. It’s a clever idea, and it works. Bria and her crew are swinging hard on Brass, and the results are going to be plenty of happy WDCB listeners, I’m sure of it.

Brian Lynch – Torch Bearers (Hollistic Music Works)

Brian Lynch is an educator and composer, in addition to being a world class trumpet player. On his latest album, Torch Bearers, he shares the spotlight with alto saxophonist Charles McPherson, and on a few select tracks, vocalist Samara Joy. Piano duties are split between Orrin Evans, Rob Schneidermann and Luis Perdomo, Boris Kozlov plays bass, Ulysses Owens, Jr plays drums on one track, while Chicago’s own Kyle Swan plays on the rest. McPherson and Lynch make for a stellar front line combination, whether they’re bopping like they do on “Luminescence” and “Blue n’ Boogie” or strolling through mid-tempo grooves as they do on “Luck of the Draw,” “The Juggler” or “Kyle’s Dilemma.” Samara Joy’s features on “The Joy of Love” and “Pursuit of a Dream” are both lovely, as expected. Brian Lynch has been on quite the tear in the past few years, releasing banger after banger, and Torch Bearers is the latest in that streak.