Brass Tracks
March 2005 By Mike Shanley
New York-Philly Junction
Criss Cross Jazz
For their second Criss Cross meeting, Joe Magnarelli and John Swana say they didn't head into the studio attempting to make an album like Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan's Night of the Cookers cutting session. New York-Philly Junction-not to be confused with...
March 2005 By Mike Shanley
Panorama
Summit
To rework the old song title, it ain't what register you play in, it's what you play in that register. Furthermore, "Over the Rainbow" is the name of the song, not a directive to play the song at the upper stratosphere of your instrument. But Vaughn Nark...
March 2005 By Mike Shanley
Time and Spaces
Sirocco Jazz
In 2003 Eddie Henderson paid a tasteful tribute to Miles Davis on So What. Time & Spaces (Sirocco) also features some tunes associated with his peer, but this time they come from the songbooks of Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul. The former's "Water Babies...
March 2005 By Mike Shanley
Prototype
HighNote Records
Wallace Roney's Prototype marks the trumpeter's debut for HighNote after a series of mid-'90s albums for Warner Bros. whose productions were apparently fraught with arguments and compromises. The mood and scope of the writing makes you wonder why the Warners...
March 2005 By Mike Shanley
Song for Amy
SteepleChase
Note to liner note writers: If you want readers to notice a trumpet player's originality, don't start the notes by mentioning the artist's adoration of Miles Davis. It makes readers feel like they're being whacked with the obvious stick and doesn't bode...
March 2005 By Mike Shanley
Tribute
Bella
Tony Lujan plays with a sense of melody that owes a bit to his mentor, Clark Terry, as well as a bright tone similar to Freddie Hubbard's. So it comes as no surprise that both musicians are among the slew of bop trumpeters whose tunes fill Lujan's Tribute...
March 2005 By Mike Shanley
Here on Earth
Enja Records
Enja released Ingrid Jensen's Here on Earth in 1997, but Justin Time recently licensed it from the German label so anyone who missed the Canadian trumpeter's sophomore release can play catch up. Jensen sounds like a mature leader, even when her tone sounds...
March 2005 By Mike Shanley
The Attack of Wren
Nagel-Heyer
Darren Barrett focused more on traditional jazz approaches on his previous albums. For The Attack of Wren (Nagel-Hayer), however, he created all the basic tracks using the computer programs Reason, Logic and Pro Tools. Then he invited a slew of guests to...
March 2005 By Mike Shanley
New Vistas
Criss Cross Jazz
Jim Rotondi spent time playing with B3 organ master Charles Earland, but the presence of new generation organist Sam Yahel doesn't mean New Vistas (Criss Cross) simply revisits the greasy grooves favored by the trumpeter's former employer. With Chris Potter...
March 2005 By Mike Shanley
Happiness Is
Stunt
Denmark's annual Jazzpar Prize is reputedly the largest monetary jazz award in the world, and past recipients include Roy Haynes, Lee Konitz and David Murray. Enrico Rava became the Jazzpar's 13th recipient in 2002, and Happiness Is... (Stunt) chronicles...
