John Raymond & Real Feels, Joy Ride Review

John Raymond & Real Feels, Joy Ride Review 1

John Raymond & Real Feels have a new album called, Joy Ride on Sunnyside Records. The energetic warmed toned trumpet and flugelhorn player and composer has emerged as one of the most capable jazz musicians on the scene. Raymond regularly performs with musicians such as: Billy Hart, Orrin Evans, Linda Oh, Gilad Hekselman and Dan … Read more

The Chick Corea + Steve Gadd Band, Chinese Butterfly Review

The Chick Corea + Steve Gadd Band, Chinese Butterfly Review 3

The always creative and prolific pianist/keyboardist/composer Chick Corea has released a new project with drummer Steve Gadd. The project is a two-disc studio album called Chinese Butterfly. Featuring five epic new Corea compositions, and a supporting band of guitarist and vocalist Lionel Loueke, saxophonist and flutist Steve Wilson, bassist Carlitos Del Puerto, and percussionist Luisito … Read more

Joe Mongelli and The Cape Jazz Crew, WashAshore Review

Joe Mongelli and The Cape Jazz Crew, WashAshore Review 5

Joe Mongelli is a Massachusetts based trumpet and flugelhorn player that has compiled an enjoyable set of jazz standards and given them all creative arrangements, that will satisfy your jazz appetite.  Mongelli and The Cape Jazz Crew converge to give us, WashAshore. The group is made up of: Mongelli trumpet and flugelhorn, Fred Boyle: piano, … Read more

Dr. Lonnie Smith, All In My Mind Review

Dr. Lonnie Smith, All In My Mind Review 7

Hammond B-3 organist Dr. Lonnie Smith at the age of 75 has released a new album called, All in My Mind. A foremost maestro of the Hammond B-3 organ, innovation and experimentation. The 2017 NEA Jazz Master has a lot to say musically, all in the spirit of tradition and pushing forward, as evidenced on … Read more

Marius Preda, Mission Cimbalon Review

Marius Preda, Mission Cimbalon Review 9

Marius Preda is a multi-instrumentalist that has earned the respect and lauding of other musicians for his mastery and power on a multitude of instruments he performs on. Ten time Grammy Award Winner and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval explains it best, “Marius is a gift from God for our own enjoyment.” His latest album is titled, Mission Cimbalom, … Read more

Run N’ Fly Review

Run N' Fly Review 11

The band Run N’ Fly pays homage to strong feminine role models that have defined pop culture on their self-titled release. Sandro Albert is the architect, guitarist, composer and producer of the dynamic collective, Run N’ Fly. The collective is, Brazilian lyricist and artist Manu Lafer, drummer Omar Hakim, percussionist Bashiri Johnson, bassist Derrick Murdock … Read more

Gabe Evens Trio, The Wrong Waltz Review

Gabe Evens Trio, The Wrong Waltz Review 15

Pianist and composer Gabe Evens is the Assistant Professor of Jazz Piano, Composition and Arranging at the University of Louisville, Jamey Aebersold Jazz Studies Program. Evens is a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique, which is a process that attempts to develop the ability to avoid unnecessary muscular tension by retraining physical movement reactions. Evens … Read more

The Eyal Vilner Big Band, Hanukkah Review

The Eyal Vilner Big Band, Hanukkah Review 17

Band leader, saxophonist, composer and arranger Eyal Vilner has released unique holiday album titled, Hanukkah. Presenting six traditional Hanukkah songs (“These Candles” is a bonus track, only available digitally), the album features Vilner’s 16-piece big band, a vocal trio (in the style of the Boswell Sisters) and special guest, Israeli flutist, Itai Kriss. The big … Read more

Larry Ham/Woody Witt Presence Review

Larry Ham/Woody Witt Presence Review 19

Houston based tenor-saxophonist Woody Witt, and educator Larry Ham have teamed up the create a swinging session, that burns the bebop and swing lantern very brightly.  Their co-album Presence features Woody Witt and the Larry Ham Trio (comprised of pianist Ham, bassist Lee Hudson and drummer Tom Melito).  After meeting in 2008, while Ham was … Read more