CD Discoveries: June 2015

Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com

So many great albums arrived over the past four weeks, I wanted to wait until month's end to get them all in. Here are 12 amazing gems...

Charenee Wade—Offering: the Music of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson (Motema). Singer Charenee Wade brings just the right level of vocal passion, soulful seduction and sensitivity to songs by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson—a pianist, flutist and Scott-Heron's collaborator. Fabulous chill-groove arrangements frame Wade perfectly throughout.

Doug Beavers—Titanes del Trombón (Artistshare). This Latin-jazz album sizzles with taut, hypnotic rhythms and pungent trombone exchanges. Trombonist, composer and arranger Beavers has extraordinary taste and restraint, keeping the focus on beautifully arranged section work instead of percussive power. The result is absolutely hypnotic.

Rayford Griffin—Reflections of Brownie (RazorEdge). This is one of the most successful inventive jazz albums I've heard in some time. Griffin, a nephew of trumpet great Clifford Brown, plays percussion, arranged the tracks and conducts the ensemble that splendidly updates the Brown canon. Artists include Roy Hargrove, George Duke, Brian Bromberg, Nicholas Payton, Bobby English, Clifford Brown Jr. and Clifford Brown III. This is a shrewd example of how to update familiar music with a soul-funk feel and not lose an ounce of what made it special in the first place.

Sue Raney—Late in Life (Fresh Sound). Recorded in 2010 and released now, this album features Sue in all her easy-does-it glory, weaving through a range of regal standards like At Last, Michel Legrand and the Bergmans' On My Way to You, Leslie Bricusse's When I Look in Your Eyes and a bossa nova treatment of The Second Time Around. She's backed by Jeff Driskill on alto and tenor sax, clarinet and flute; Barry Zweig on guitar and pianist Shelly Markham, bassist Kevin Axt and drummer M.B. Gordy. Sue is and has always been one of the breeziest vocalists around. 

Terell Stafford—Brotherlee Love: Celebrating Lee Morgan (Capri). Right, why bother taking on Lee Morgan when most of Morgan's albums are available? Because Stafford adds a fresh level of intelligence to the hard-bop trumpeter's material. Stafford retains Morgan's smoldering heat and high-end snap while adding a pointed inquisitiveness to his attack. He's joined by saxophonist Tim Warfield, pianist Bruce Barth, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Dana Hall. The album was produced by John Clayton. 

Deb Silver—In Spring (Debsilvermusic). Deb Silver is an extraordinary composer and vocalist. There's a vocalese, Sade-meets-Cory Daye, hammock-singing quality about her voice that will knock you out. What's more, all of the layered accompanying vocals are hers. This is one of those rare albums where Silver's originals are better than the two standards included. Dig her 90 in the Shade, Miho, Poor Youand Love Asylum. Just remember you heard about her here first. Stunning range and phrasing.

Omar Coleman—Born & Raised (Delmark). Chicago blues vocalist and harmonica player Omar Coleman packs quite a punch on this album recorded in January. The group backing Coleman is funky and tight: Pete Galanis on guitar, Neal O'Hara on keyboards, Ari Seder on bass and Marty Binder on drums. Dig Sit Down Baby and I Know You Been Cheating. Carrying on the tradition with new twists.

Solitaire Miles—Susie Blue and the Lonesome Fellas(Seraphic). Vocalist Solitaire Miles comes out of the Patsy Cline tradition. She sings Western swing material with warm highs and holds her lows neatly. There's a jazziness about Miles's phrasing, but she holds fast to a sound reminiscent of roadside bars where just three people are left near closing at the pinball machine. Solid accompaniment by jazz-influenced sax, fiddle, guitar, slide guitar, piano, bass and drums. I'm a Fool to Care says it all. Same goes for I'll Never Be Free.

Brian Charette—Alphabet City (Posi-Tone). Organist Brian Charette has plenty of history in his fingers. You can tell he's done his Don Patterson and Larry Young listening. Working in a trio setting with Will Bernard on guitar and Rudy Royston on drums, Charette has enormous spring and an explosive energy on all of the original tracks. Dig his technique on Not a Purist and The Vague Reply.

Lorin Cohen—Home (Origin). Lorin Cohen's bass serves as a big woody pulse on all of these original tracks, which he also arranged. The inclusion of Joe Locke's vibes gives the album a bright aura. Add Yvonnick Prene's harmonica and Victor Provost's steel pan, and your ear winds up having a wonderful time. What I love about Cohen's bass is the brightness, his time and love of space. Dig Saudade, a seductive masterpiece.

Perry Como—Look to Your Heart (Real Gone). When the world was coming apart in 1968, Como was doing his thing. And that thing was singing in a soothing, gentle tone for those fed up with Rat Pack shenanigans and pop singers warbling radio hits in Nehru jackets. This expanded edition of the original album features 12 singles and previously unreleased tracks, including an alternate version of his hit It's Impossible. Soft doesn't even come close to describing Como's voice here, and at age 56 no less. Addictive gentleness.

Dusty Springfield—Faithful (Real Gone). In 1971, Dusty Springfield recorded an album's worth of songs for Atlantic that were produced by Jeff Barry. Then she left the label. Only two of the tracks were released as singles. The rest remained on the shelf until a deluxe re-issue of Dusty in Memphis included them as bonus tracks. Now all of the planned masters have been gathered and released as Springfield's third ghost album for Atlantic. Many of the songs are powerful gospel pieces, and her covers of Bread's Make It With You and Carole King's You've Got a Friend are given the Dusty touch.

Used with permission by Marc Myers