As we barrel towards summer, don’t let the heat get to your head, hepcats. Stay cool and enjoy what’s swinging high this week in KZSC’s Jazz Department.
TOP TEN CHARTS:
1 ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ The Invasion Parade Mack Avenue
2 LISA HILTON Kaleidoscope Self-Released
3 KRIS BOWERS Heroes + Misfits Concord Jazz
4 BAD PLUS The Rite Of Spring Sony Masterworks
5 IAN CAREY AND BEN STOLOROW Duocracy Kabocha
6 BRAD MEHLDAU AND MARK GUILIANA Mehliana: Taming The Dragon Nonesuch
7 JANICE BORLA GROUP Promises To Burn
8 RUDY ROYSTON 303 Greenleaf
9 ULYSSES OWENS Onward And Upward D-Clef
10 AMY CERVINI Jazz Country Anzic
ADDS THIS WEEK:
1 BRIAN BLADE AND THE FELLOWSHIP BAND Landmarks Blue Note
2 MO’FONE Fonology Evander
3 JESSICA WILLIAMS With Love Origin
4 LENNY MARCUS TRIO Second Set Self-Released
5 REGINALD CYNTJE Elements Of Life Self-Released
Brian Blade and his fellowship of virtuosos returns with the Brian Blade Fellowship Band’s fourth studio album to date, entitled Landmarks. It’s a pensive, dramatic collection of tasteful compositions – from spatial, spiritual ballads to furious out-bop concourses – with Blade’s dynamic drum-work that will blast you into aural outer-space. Featuring an instrumentation rarely heard in this capacity, get ready for some Eric Dolphy-esque rips on the bass clarinet and soprano saxophone – courtesy of Myron Walden and Melvin Butler. If I’m not convincing enough, check it out yourself in stores or hear it extensively on Stirrin’ the Soup, Wednesdays 2-4pm. Until then, here’s the Brian Blade Fellowship laying it down at New York’s Village Vanguard last year. This guy sure loves to play.