On this show music from Ronny Smith, Pat Smythe, Dave Douglas, Tim Berne’s Science Friction, Dave Schumacher & Cubeye,Ron Reider, Mercer Hassey Orchestra, Ari Joshua with Delvon Lamarr Skerik and Grant Schroff, Four, The Messthetics And James Brandon Lewis, Paul Dunmall with Paul Rogers and Mark Sanders, and Cecil Taylor Unit.
Ronny Smith – Angel – Struttin’ (Pacific Coast Jazz) : Ronny Smith – Guitars, Keys, Bass, Programming, featuring: Jose Juvinao – Bass and Juan Guillermo Aguilar – Drums/percussion. Ronny Smith was inspired early on not only by Wes Montgomery and George Benson but Joe Pass, Larry Carlton and Pat Martino. Smith had private lessons with Martino, attended Morgan State University in Baltimore, and performed in the University of Maryland’s jazz band and in various US Army Bands. Releases April 19, 2024
Pat Smythe Quartet – British Rail – New Dawn: Live 1973 (British Progressive Jazz) : Pat Smythe – piano, Fender Rhodes, Allan Holdsworth – guitar, Daryl Runswick – double bass, John Marshall – drums. Previously unreleased and captured in 1973, “New Dawn” by the Pat Smythe Quartet offers a rare glimpse into a pivotal moment in jazz fusion history, particularly for fans of guitarist Allan Holdsworth. Recorded across two dates in France, the eight-track album showcases the virtuosic quartet at the intersection of jazz fusion, jazz rock, and Latin American influences, featuring an early and electrifying performance by Holdsworth, a pioneer of the genre.
Dave Douglas – One The Power Of The Vote – UPLIFT : Twelve Pieces For Positive Action in 2018 (Greenleaf) Originally released monthly from January 22, 2018, Dave Douglas, trumpet, Joe Lovano, tenor saxophone, alto clarinet, alto flute, mezzo soprano sax, Mary Halvorson, guitar, Julian Lage, guitar, Bill Laswell, bass, Ian Chang, drums and electronics
Science Friction – Time Laugh – No Tamales On Wednesday (Screwgun) : Craig Taborn Keyboards, Marc Ducret Guitar, Tom Rainey Drums, Tim Berne Alto. Released March 1, 2024 – recorded live in 2018 – unknown venue. Mastered by David Torn
Dave Schumacher & Cubeye – Smoke In The Sky – Smoke In The Sky (Cellar Music) : An accomplished and versatile, virtuoso baritone saxophone player, Chicago native Dave Schumacher has been a mainstay on the New York jazz scene for more than forty years. While Schumacher has given listeners a taste of his command of the Latin Jazz language on his previous efforts, here for the first time, leading his current working band that he’s dubbed Cubeye, he offers a full album’s worth of songs that advance the genre with an exciting 21st Century sensibility. Assisting him in firing up the music on the disc by turns heated and warm, are likeminded “musically bilingual” players—trumpeters Josh Evans and Jesus Ricardo, tenor and soprano saxophonist Peter Brainin, pianist Manuel Valera, bassist Alex “Apolo” Ayala, drummer Joel Mateo and percussionist Mauricio Herrera— each one of whom is well known for being equally skilled in playing both jazz and Latin music as one can witness throughout. Drawing upon an aggregate of experience performing with the likes of Arturo O’Farrill, Hilton Ruiz, Papo Vazquez, Yosvany and Yunior Terry, Melvis Santa and the Mambo Legends Orchestra, their combined talents are instrumental in bringing Schumacher’s cross-cultural vision to fruition.
Ron Reider – Pescado – Latin Jazz Sessions (Self Released) : Fernando Brandão – Flute, Gerson Lazo-Quiroga – Bass, Alain Mallet – Piano, Ricardo Monzon – Percussion, Claudio
Ragazzi – Guitar, , Mike Tucker – Tenor Saxophone, Mark Walker – Drums. A new name to the musical worlds of Brazilian sambas and Afro-Cuban jazz, Ron Rieder is a composer who has a knack for writing catchy melodies and rhythmic music that inspires both jazz soloists and dancers alike. On his debut, Latin Jazz Sessions, Rieder’s ten compositions are performed by an all-star group
Mercer Hassey Orchestra – Passion Flower – Duke’s Place ( Mercer Hassy Records) : Veteran arranger Mercer Hassy and his Japanese big band perform fresh and lively interpretations of songs by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn on Duke’s Place. The orchestra plays some of Ellington’s most beloved standards in addition to superior obscurities reaching back to the 1920s.
Hour Two
Ari Joshua, Delvon Lamarr, Skerik, Grant Schroff “Rare Groove” from Rare Groove (Music Factory Records) – the newest single from an all-star cast of musicians. The single features composer Ari Joshua on guitar, Delvon Lamarr on Hammond organ, Skerik on sax, and Grant Schroff on drums
Four “Shouldn’a’ Did That” from +Six (Jazz Hang Records) – Continuing a long tradition of wonderful jazz saxophone quartet recordings FOUR adds trumpet, trombone, piano, guitar, bass and drums for a smorgasbord of new tunes by the amazing composer, Mark Watkins. The core of FOUR is Mark Watkins, soprano saxophone; Ray Smith, alto saxophone; Sandon Mayhew, tenor saxophone; and Jon Gudmundson, baritone saxophone. They are joined by Derrick Gardner, trumpet (Count Basie Band); Vincent Gardner, trombone (lead trombone with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra); Justin Nielsen, piano; Corey Christiansen, guitar; Braun Kahn, bass; and Kobie Watkins, drums (Sonny Rollins). The tunes are significantly different from each other and offer a varied tour of styles with the inventive twist of Mark Watkins. Perhaps it should be noted that Mark wrote and recorded the tunes after he went completely blind. This is one unique recording not to be missed in the plethora of new recordings coming out.
The Messthetics And James Brandon Lewis “That Thang” from The Messthetics And James Brandon Lewis (Impulse!)
Paul Dunmall, Paul Rogers, Mark Sanders “Beauty Sung In Another Way” from Wildlife (Fundacja Słuchaj) – Legendary saxophonist and one of the most important musicians on the British improvised scene. Member of great bands led by Keith Tippet and Barry Guy including the London Jazz Composers Orchestra, Paul Dunmall on one hand. On the other hand double bass virtuoso, known in the past as a musical companion of legendary trombonist Paul Rutherford and a crucial on the European free improv scene band Mujician, Paul Rogers. On drums Mark Sanders, for sure a key person in the British and European free movement. Three legendary musicians together on the brand new studio album Wildlife.
Credits. Releases March 30, 2024
Cecil Taylor Unit “Part I” from Live At Fat Tuesdays, February 9, 1980 First Visit (First Visit Archive) – Recorded live February 9, 1980 at Fat Tuesday’s, New York by Peter Kuhn & Harry Baker. Jimmy Lyons – alto saxophone, Ramsey Ameen – violin, Cecil Taylor – piano
Alan Silva double – bass & cello, Jerome Cooper – drums & african balaphone, Sunny Murray – drums
Different Noises 