Summer may be ending, but things are really heating up with in terms of Jazz in the area. The 57th annual Monterey Jazz Festival has come to to town as well as some great sounds to KZSC. The charts remain dominated by Concord and Bluenote favorites, but some new artists from the international stage are rightly making their presence known on the airwaves and in the station. Most notably, young vocalist Malika Tirolien and Mexican pianist Alex Mercado (and his quintet). Canadian based artist, Malika Tirolien is increasingly getting critics attention with her smooth blend of R&B and Afro-Carribean infused jazz, which adds to a fresh new sound to jazz. Mexico City may not be known for jazz, but has given birth to one special pianist that makes us take a second look south for what’s new in jazz. Classically trained Mexican Pianist, Alex Mercado debuts his masterful skills on his album Symbiosis, which is steep in melodic improvisations and virtuosity. If the summer has taught me anything, it’s that it has surely set the stage for the upcoming school year for jazz.
Charts:
1 BAD PLUS Inevitable Western SPEAKEASY
2 MALIKA TIROLIEN Sur La Voie Ensoleillee
3 BOSSACUCANOVA Our Kind Of Bossa Six Degrees
4 JOSE JAMES While You Were Sleeping Blue Note
5 JOSHUA REDMAN Trios Live Nonesuch
6 BRIAN BLADE AND THE FELLOWSHIP BAND Landmarks Blue Note
7 YELENA ECKEMOFF QUINTET A Touch Of Radiance L and H
8 MELISSA ALDANA AND CRASH TRIO Melissa Aldana And Crash Trio Concord
9 LISA HILTON Kaleidoscope Self-Released
10 DR. JOHN Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit Of Satch Concord
Adds:
1 YELENA ECKEMOFF QUINTET A Touch Of Radiance L and H
2 AFRO BOP ALLIANCE Angel Eyes Zoho
3 ALEX MERCADO TRIO Symbiosis Fornarte Latino
4 BOBBY BROOM My Shining Hour Origin
5 MOON HOOCH This Is Cave Music Palmetto-Hornblow