Patrick Cornelius - Book Of Secrets

Styles: Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Alto Flute
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:55
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:15) 1. Archetype
(4:37) 2. Legend Has It
(4:49) 3. If You Can
(4:03) 4. Lady Of The Clouds
(5:44) 5. Book Of Secrets
(6:45) 6. Puzzle Box
(4:36) 7. A Wish
(5:21) 8. Ambition
(5:25) 9. The Way
(6:36) 10. Inner Sanctum
(6:43) 11. The Glory
(5:55) 12. Days End

Patrick Cornelius’s new offering, Book of Secrets, is akin to opening a chest of forgotten heirloom seeds. Each composition unfolds like a rare, precious plant, with Cornelius and his skilled band cultivating a lush, fertile musical landscape that yields tidbits for our jazz gastronomic enjoyment.

Cornelius leads his formidable ensemble on Book of Secrets, showcasing his versatility across instruments: the alto saxophone on tracks 1, 5, 6, 8, and 11; the soprano saxophone on tracks 2, 3, and 12; the clarinet on tracks 4 and 9; and the alto flute on tracks 7 and 10. The unique tonality of Behn Gillece’s vibraphone can be savored on all tracks but 4 and 12, while Art Hirahara’s piano, Peter Slavov’s bass, and Vinnie Sperrazza’s drums create a savory rhythmic base for this flavorful musical stew. Diego Rivera’s tenor saxophone adds a spicy note on tracks 6 and 9, complemented by Altin Sencalar’s rich trombone on track 9. All these, masterfully brought together under the deft hands of producer Marc Free and engineered by Nick O’Toole, form a robust ensemble, a musical pot-au-feu simmering with artistry and passion.

Book of Secrets unfolds like a rare heirloom tomato: each track has a unique variety, flourishing under the nurturing care of this skilled ensemble. The opening track, “Archetype,” starts as the first light of dawn, the alto saxophone rippling forth with melodies as vibrant as heirloom tomatoes bursting under the sunrise. The vibraphone lends a sparkling dew-kissed texture, a delicacy as tantalizing as the first bite of the sun-ripened fruit.

“Legend Has It” is akin to an old vine winding through the sonic space with a narrative force. Cornelius’ soprano saxophone weaves intricate tendrils, climbing over the sturdy trellis of the piano and rhythm section, while the vibraphone glistens like morning dew on leaves. This track is an old vine wine, rich with history and depth, leaving the listener with a lingering aftertaste of rhythmic complexity.

“Lady Of The Clouds” presents Cornelius’ talent on the clarinet, a gentle summer rain that quenches the eager earth, the notes pouring down like warm droplets onto a leafy salad, enhancing its organic crunch.

The title track, “Book of Secrets,” is a testimony to the ensemble’s ability to sync as if they were a vibrant musical ecosystem. The alto flute’s haunting melody serves as a will-o’-the-wisp, leading the listener deeper into the album’s secret garden. The song blossoms open like a night-blooming jasmine, its aromatic allure floating over the hushed whispers of the rhythm section.

“Puzzle Box” is the garden’s maze, the pathways crisscrossing, intersecting, and leading to unexpected delights. Cornelius’ alto saxophone, along with the guest tenor saxophone by Diego Rivera, sets up a playful conversation, winding up and down the chromatic scales like ivy.

The tracks “Ambition,” “The Way,” “Inner Sanctum,” and “The Glory” encapsulate the gastronomic journey from entrée to dessert, each representing a season’s harvest at its peak, resplendent with flavor. The album concludes with “Days End,” a final toast to the evening, Cornelius’ soprano sax offering the lingering, sweet note of a dessert wine.

Book of Secrets is a feast for the senses, each musician a chef who knows when to chop, simmer, and serve their notes. Just like in a well-prepared meal, the elements coexist, thrive, and create a gastronomic spectacle of vibrant taste and aroma. Whether you’re a seasoned gourmet of jazz or just starting your journey into this rich cuisine, this album is an enticing exploration into the hidden layers of flavor in the world of jazz.

In conclusion, Book of Secrets is a delicately balanced ecosystem of musical interaction, with each track flowering into a unique auditory experience. Just like in a well-maintained garden, the elements coexist, thrive, and create a unified spectacle of vibrant life. Whether you’re a seasoned connoisseur of jazz or just beginning your journey into the genre, this album will be an enchanting exploration of the hidden nooks and crannies in the garden of jazz.By Nolan DeBuke https://thejazzword.com/2023/08/patrick-cornelius-book-of-secrets-review/

Personnel:

Patrick Cornelius - alto saxophone 1, 5, 6, 8, 11; soprano saxophone 2, 3, 12; clarinet 4 & 9; alto flute 7 & 10

Behn Gillece - vibraphone (not on 4 & 12); Art Hirahara - piano; Peter Slavov - bass; Vinnie Sperrazza - drums; Diego Rivera - tenor saxophone 6 & 9; Altin Sencalar - trombone 9

Book Of Secrets

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Katie Noonan - Joni Mitchell's Blue

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:54
Size: 98,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:55) 1. All I Want
(3:15) 2. My Old Man
(3:36) 3. Little Green
(3:14) 4. Carey
(3:23) 5. Blue
(4:02) 6. California
(2:47) 7. This Flight Tonight
(4:16) 8. River
(4:44) 9. A Case of You
(4:14) 10. The Last Time I Saw Richard
(5:25) 11. Circle Game (Bonus Track)

When Joni Mitchell’s revered 1971 album Blue neared its 50th anniversary, it was inevitable some brave souls would attempt to cover it. For lovers of Blue, there was an equally inevitable shudder at the thought of one of music’s sacred cows being massacred!

However it was a different matter when one of Australia’s national treasures, Katie Noonan announced a national tour to play the album in its entirety. As each state and dates were released, the venues quickly sold out and in WA’s case the initial single-date show became three performances.

The WA leg of the tour kicked off at Freo.Social, and although the 500 capacity venue was sold out, the arrangement of chairs worked well to provide an intimate setting fitting for such a show.

Jack Carty was first to the stage. Originally hailing from New South Wales, he was the perfect artist to set the tone for a memorable evening. Performing solo with just an acoustic guitar and harmonica, Carty commanded the audience’s attention especially when he described the background of his well-written, beautifully played songs.

These included the story about travelling with a mate in Summer in New Zealand, which had the audience in stitches, while at other times he was poignant and tender, like when he spoke of the people he loved in Autumn Leaves. Other standout songs were Why the Universe Expands (written for his children), and the closer Fleeting. With four albums under his belt, it’s a mystery he isn’t more widely known.

Katie Noonan took to a stripped-back, minimalist stage with low lighting, two chairs, a keyboard and the wonderful Ben Hauptman on guitar. From the beginning, Noonan was warm, funny, and very knowledgeable about Joni Mitchell and Blue itself. But she also humbly owned up to times she might forget a word, while never seeming daunted by the potential weight of audience expectation.

Giving background to her own journey with Joni Mitchell, Noonan described how she came to her music, specifically Blue, through a friend who gifted her a CD album. She described it as an incredible record, with incredible lyrics, incredible musicianship and incredible honesty and vulnerability, and was inspired by it as a songwriter.

The album was written during a period of two, maybe three big love affairs; Graham Nash, James Taylor and Leonard Cohen. As Noonan put it: “she had good taste quite the trifecta of bad asses."

Katie's voice and delivery leant themselves sublimely to singing Mitchell's songs because she has the same extraordinary ability to sound warm and earthy on the lower register then effortlessly soar so high, with the note caught and held with her trademark bell-like tone, clear and pure. She was exquisite, mainly performing herself on keyboards along with the phenomenal playing of Ben Hauptmann on guitar, who mostly stayed in the background although Noonan included him with stories of their times on the road and his family.

Finishing the night, Noonan dived back into an earlier album Ladies of the Canyon and played The Circle Game, encouraging the audience to sing along. After which Noonan and Hauptmann were given a richly deserved standing ovation.https://xpressmag.com.au/review-katie-noonan-performs-joni-mitchells-blue-at-freo-social/

Joni Mitchell's Blue

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Steve Wilson - Sit Back, Relax, & Unwind

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:12
Size: 92,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:17) 1. Sit Back, Relax & Unwind
(6:48) 2. 6/74
(7:00) 3. Songly Speaking
(7:41) 4. Jake's Place
(6:21) 5. Rest Of Our Times
(6:02) 6. Space Oddity

Steve Wilson has attained ubiquitous status in the studio and on the stage with the greatest names in jazz. A bandleader in his own right, Jazz Times calls him the consummate saxophonist-composer and one of the finest alto and soprano saxophonists of our time. A musicians musician, Wilson has brought his distinctive sound to more than 100 recordings led by such celebrated and wide-ranging artists as Chick Corea, George Duke, Michael Brecker, Dave Holland, Dianne Reeves, Bill Bruford, Gerald Wilson, Maria Schneider, Joe Henderson, Charlie Byrd, Billy Childs, Karrin Allyson, Don Byron, Bill Stewart, James Williams, and Mulgrew Miller among many others. Wilson has eight recordings under his own name, leading and collaborating with such stellar musicians as Lewis Nash, Carl Allen, Steve Nelson, Cyrus Chestnut, Greg Hutchinson, Dennis Irwin, James Genus, Larry Grenadier, Ray Drummond, Ben Riley, Nicholas Payton, Orrin Evans, Ugonna Okegwo and Bill Stewart.

In 2015 Wilson released his first project as a leader in 12 years, Steve Wilson & Wilsonians Grain: Live in New York: The Vanguard Sessions, on Random Act Records. Recorded live at the famed Village Vanguard in NYC on May 24 & 25, 2014, the recording features Wilsons potent quartet with Orrin Evans, Ugonna Okegwo and Bill Stewart. The CD was conceived to truly capture the live experience and the sound of one of the best listening rooms in the world. The tracking order reflects a Wilsonians Grain set, and includes three Wilson originals, and tunes by Orrin Evans, Joe Chambers, Thelonius Monk and Migiwa Miyajima. WBGO Radio describes Wilsonians Grain as jazz at its finest in conception, execution and spontaneity.

He has recorded another project, Sit Back Relax & Unwind, for JMI Records that features Ray Angry, Ben Williams and Willie Jones, III just recently released. In the vein of the old CTI recordings, it is an analog recording and will be released a vinyl LP only. Produced by Steven Mandel (Music Supervisor the The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Roots), he also contributed four tunes that were arranged by Wilson. There are two new tunes by Wilson and an arrangement by Ray Angry of David Bowies Space Oddity.

Starting his formal training on saxophone in his native Hampton, Virginia, Wilson also played oboe and drums in school bands while performing in various R&B/funk bands throughout his teens. After a year-long stint with singer Stephanie Mills he decided to major in music at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, where he performed and/or studied with Jimmy and Percy Heath, Jon Hendricks, Jaki Byard, John Hicks, Frank Foster and Ellis Marsalis. During those years he was also in constant demand for recording studio work, and as backing musician for touring shows such as The Four Tops and Sophisticated Ladies. Landing a chair with O.T.B (Out of the Blue), a sextet of promising young players recording on Blue Note Records, Wilson moved to New York in 1987 and the following year toured the U.S. and Europe with Lionel Hampton. Becoming a first-call choice for veteran and emerging artists alike, Wilson was the subject of a New York Times profile A Sidemans Life, highlighting his work with Ralph Peterson, Jr., Michele Rosewoman, Renee Rosnes, Marvin Smitty Smith, Joanne Brackeen, The American Jazz Orchestra, The Mingus Big Band, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, Leon Parker, and Buster Williams Quintet Something More. In 1996 he joined the acclaimed Dave Holland Quintet, and from 1998-2001 he was a member of Chick Coreas Grammy winning sextet Origin.

Cited by his peers in a New York Times poll as one of the artists most likely to break out as an established leader, Wilson recorded four CDs New York Summit, Step Lively, Blues for Marcus and Four For Time on the Criss Cross label. He then recorded two projects for Chick Coreas Stretch Records label Generations, his multi-generational quartet with Mulgrew Miller, Ray Drummond and Ben Riley and Passages which features his long-time musical partners Bruce Barth, Ed Howard and Adam Cruz, and special guest Nicholas Payton. Containing nine original compositions Passages established Wilson as a leader whose vision reveres the past, creates a soundscape of the present, and reaches toward the future.

In 2003 Wilsons recording Soulful Song was released on MAX JAZZ launching the labels Horn Series. It features special guest vocalists Rene Marie, Carla Cook, and Phillip Manuel and issues forth a powerful and provocative performance from these dynamic and versatile artists. As Wilson explains, Its a tribute Black radio, as it was called then, that was particularly inclusive in its programming and a galvanizing force in the community. On the same station one could hear R&B, jazz, blues, gospel, comedy, local news and affairs, and social commentary. In addition to new original material the program includes arrangements of songs by Stevie Wonder, Chick Corea, Abbey Lincoln, Gil Scott Heron, Earth, Wind & Fire, Patrice Rushen, and The Staple Singers.

Records in 2009. The project culminated in a successful 50-city tour of the U.S., and their recording Mosaic. Also that year Wilson made his orchestral debut performing Heitor Villa Lobos Fantasia for Soprano Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra with the Vermont Mozart Festival Orchestra. By popular demand he returned to the VMF in 2010 performing a commissioned work Sweet For Duke for Saxophone & Chamber Orchestra by Jonathan Ragonese.

In February 2011 Wilson celebrated his 50th birthday with a six-night engagement, leading six different bands at Jazz Standard, NYCs premiere jazz club. The all-star line-up included Mulgrew Miller, Bruce Barth, Karrin Allyson, Lewis Nash, Jeff Tain Watts, Carla Cook, Geoffrey Keezer, Christian McBride, Linda Oh, Ed Howard, Adam Cruz, Diane Monroe, Joyce Hammann, Nardo Poy and Troy Stuart. In a major interview feature preview, the Wall Street Journal proclaimed, The Sideman Becomes the Star. The WSJ article by award-winning journalist Larry Blumenfeld added, Mr. Wilson is essential to this citys jazz landscape. Since the 1990s Wilson has been regularly cited in the Downbeat Magazine Critics and Readers Polls in the soprano and alto saxophone categories. The Jazz Journalists Association nominated him for Best Alto Sax Player in 2008, and for Best Soprano Sax Player in 2010. His work in film has included being artistic consultant to Harvey Keitel for "Lulu On The Bridge as well as being featured on the soundtrack.

Wilsons current projects reflect his multifaceted artistry, versatility, and associations with some of the most highly regarded artists on the scene. His quartet Wilsonians Grain, which consists of Orrin Evans, Ugonna Okegwo, and Bill Stewart or Clarence Penn, has been featured on NPR live from the Kennedy Center and the Village Vanguard in New York City, and headlined at the prestigious Detroit Jazz Festival in 2011. Wilson is one-half of two dynamic duos, Musical Dialogue with renowned drummer Lewis Nash, they released their recording Duologue on MCG Jazz, and in another with pianist Bruce Barth as documented on their recording Home on the We Always Swing label. He co-leads an elegant trio with pianist Renee Rosnes and bassist Peter Washington, and with composer/arranger David ORourke has a repertoire as soloist with strings. Wilson is touring member of the Grammy-winning Maria Schneider Orchestra, the Billy Childs Quartet, Christian McBride & Inside Straight as well as McBrides Grammy-winning Big Band, and the Buster Williams Quartet.

An in-demand and passionate educator Wilson is the Director of Jazz Studies and an Associate Professor of Music at City College of New York. In 2019 he joined the prestigious faculty at Ravinias Steans Music Institute in Chicago, IL.

He has been artist-in-residence and/or guest artist at University of Oregon, University of Michigan, University of Maryland-College Park, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Delaware, Lemoyne College, North Carolina Central University, Bowling Green University, Lafayette College, University of Northern Colorado, SUNY New Paltz, Florida State University, California State University at Stanislaus, University of Manitoba, Hamilton College, Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and for the award winning arts organization CITYFOLK in Dayton, Ohio.

With the support of friend and mentor Dr. Billy Taylor, Wilson has been a frequent guest performer/educator at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. He has been a featured performer, panelist, and clinician at conferences of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Chamber Music of America, and International Association of Jazz Educators. Wilson was honored with the Marc Crawford Jazz Educator Award from New York University 2001 and the Virginia Jazz Award 2003 Musician of the Year presented by the Richmond Jazz Society, recognizing his outstanding service in the advancement of jazz and education in their respective communities. He is an active mentor in the nurturing and promotion of his former students emerging careers who have performed with The Count Basie Orchestra, Johnny Mandel, Beyonce Knowles, Roy Hargrove, and many others.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/steve-wilson/

Personnel: Alto Saxophone – Steve Wilson ; Bass – Ben Williams; Drums – Willie Jones III; Keyboards – Ray Angry

Sit Back, Relax, & Unwind

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Benny Benack III - Third Times the Charm

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:52
Size: 149,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:21) 1. Third Time's The Charm
(3:54) 2. I'll Never Fall In Love Again
(5:30) 3. Scootin'
(7:08) 4. Catching Drift
(4:38) 5. Thank You For The Heartbreak
(3:34) 6. Gary, Indiana
(5:41) 7. In A Mellow Tone
(4:29) 8. It's Not Unusual
(4:58) 9. Twilight Blue
(4:41) 10. Roylike
(3:14) 11. Jade
(3:00) 12. American Woman
(4:24) 13. Giselle
(5:14) 14. Pretty Eyed Baby

Though the title of this third album from multihyphenate Benny Benack III might imply misfires with his first two go-rounds, the truth really runs contrary to that line of reasoning. One of a Kind (BB3, 2017), while flying under the radar, introduced some listeners to a talent far too large to be contained; and A Lot of Livin' To Do (La Reserve, 2020) proved to be a strong follow-up statement, earning greater attention and acclaim for a dashing leading man with the world on a string. Now, building on those past successes while capitalizing on his growing experience(s), Benack is in full bloom and truly coming into his own.

Third Time's The Charm is the portrait of a debonair dynamo both strong and wise, able to power along or play with patience, all depending on what the music and the moment require. Tapping pianist Emmet Cohen's trio with bassist Russell Hall and drummer Kyle Poole, and adding some ace guests when the time is right, Benack brings his many talents as trumpeter, singer, lyricist, composer, arranger and producerto the fore. For starters he offers the title track a snazzy, swinging number that's chock-full of charm and a lovely, loyal take on "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" that leaves no doubt as to the power and poetry of a Bacharach-David tune in the right hands. The first two numbers on an album that presents 14, they bode very well for the balance.

Following those introductory offerings, Benack brings some more good friends into the fold. Guitarist Peter Bernstein, appearing on several numbers spread out across the program, drops by for some boogaloo action on "Scootin,'" plays the perfect chordal accompanist on the intimate and muted "Thank You For The Heartbreak," and proves key to the bossa-based beauty of "Jade." Tenor saxophonist Chad Lefkowitz-Brown makes for a well-matched frontline partner on the churning and waltzing "Catching Drift" and noir-ish, swirling "Twilight Blue." Vocalist and trumpeter Bria Skonberg complements and counters Benack in perfect form on an irresistible "In a Mellow Tone." And Michael Stephenson puts his tenor to good use on the funky "Roylike" and shares the vocal spotlight with the leader on scat-friendly closer "Pretty Eyed Baby."

Each of the aforementioned artists add volumes with their appearance(s), and in doing so they also reinforce Benack's elevated position and place in this music. Not that this all-rounder needs any help, of course. Even while sharing the spotlight, Benack is beaming. Whether gleefully singing and blowing the praises of "Gary, Indiana" with his piano pal by his side, delivering mellifluous and magical crooning over a "Poinciana"-influenced groove on "It's Not Unusual," jettisoning his whole crew (save for a mood-setting and song-grounding Hall) on a thrilling take on The Guess Who's "American Woman," or bathing the ears in tender balladry during "Giselle," this leader is always on point. His star power is absolutely undeniable. Benny Benack III is quite simply a force to be reckoned with, and Third Time's The Charm says as much or more. By Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/third-times-the-charm-benny-benack-iii-la-reserve-bandstand-presents

Personnel: Benny Benack III - trumpet; Emmet Cohen - piano; Russell Hall - bass.; Kyle Poole - drums; Ruben Fox - saxophone; Chad Lefkowitz-Brown - saxophone tenor; Peter Bernstein - guitar.

Third Times the Charm

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