Friday, February 16, 2024

Kayla Waters - Apogee

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:00
Size: 96,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:15) 1. Earth Arrival
(4:33) 2. I Am
(3:23) 3. Sunkissed
(4:27) 4. Heaven Is Here
(3:21) 5. Freedom March
(4:45) 6. The Dream
(4:42) 7. Elevation Bop
(3:50) 8. Spirit Awakening
(4:41) 9. Look to Love
(1:58) 10. Pluto Departure
(4:01) 11. Apogee

Contemporary jazz pianist, composer and writer Kayla Waters, the daughter of famous saxophonist Kim Waters, debuts with her first work Apogee (2017) on Trippin N’ Rhythm Records.

Along side of Kayla, Kim was also executive producer for her album. Apogee is another word for the highest point in the development of something, a climax or culmination. For Kayla this album is the first highlight of her musical career. She has written all songs of the CD.

The album was recorded in six days straight. The album has biographical references. So for example Earth Arrival tells the story how Kayla arrives on earth, the point when everything started. The song grows with a constant flow, a springy rhythm and vibrant keyboard works.

I Am implies Kayla's personality and her love for music. The arrangement is from shiny appearance and polished blank. You can feel the wings of Kim Waters. Sunkissed describes a person whose appearance is attractive because they have recently been in the sun. Figuratively it means pampered by life. Kayla chooses this adjective for her state of life. For being in a happy position to make those things, what she loves most. This piece is astoundingly positioned in contemporary jazz.

Heaven Is Here underlines this with another musical expression. The song gets an unexpected twist when Kayla presents a vocal impact transferring the tune from an even and smooth keel to excitingly troubled water. Freedom March is conceived as a protest song. However, in the absence of a strong text, the meaning is lost in an admittedly successful instrumental showpiece.

The Dream is a tribute to Martin Luther King's socio-political appeal in August 1963. A surprisingly political reference that is seldom in the smooth jazz genre. When Sister Peace and Mr. Freedom are in search of their dream than you know in which direction. Elevation Bop is the anthem for the world to raise and move forward. Kayla and Kim create a unique theme by uniting smooth and contemporary jazz in transcending genre and expectations.

Kayla refers Spirit Awakening on herself as young woman with her talent, her possibility of sustainable development and potential. She feels the song like a blossoming of a flower. In this sense the melody unfolds in its multiplicity. With the ballad Look to Love Kayla defines her very own emotional and vocal approach on this subject.

A frozen region north of Pluto’s icy mountains, is informally named “Tombaugh Regio” (Tombaugh Region) after Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto in 1930. Pluto Departure is Kayla's idea, if even this planet is so far away, love is possible over there. The unreality of this region is reflected in her song.

The final Apogee embraces all elements, which are popular in today's smooth jazz. A catchy piano theme, strings, synth bass, horns and a stomping beat. Kayla Waters is a hot ticket in smooth jazz. She shows individual character in her compositions leaving a lasting impression. Avoiding sonorous platitudes with intelligent arrangements and dazzling themes is a promising concept. http://www.smooth-jazz.de/starportrait/Waters/Apogee.htm

Line-up/Musicians: Kayla Waters keyboards, vocals; Kim Waters saxophone; Shacara West vocals; Kelly Gainer flute

Apogee

Eddie Henderson - Witness to History

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:00
Size: 128,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:02) 1. Scorpio Rising
(8:35) 2. Why Not?
(7:40) 3. Sweet and Lovely
(8:45) 4. It Never Entered My Mind
(5:21) 5. Freedom Jazz Dance
(5:02) 6. I'm Gonna Miss You, My Darling
(7:04) 7. Totem Pole
(6:27) 8. Born to Be Blue

Make no mistake: it is the hot buttered soul, "Shaft"-like theme of "Scorpio Rising" that first snags one's attention. But once snagged, the old cool sets in and Witness To History, trumpeter Eddie Henderson's self curated soundtrack, unwinds with a wicked fervor. A deep, wicked joy.

Henderson who has pretty much seen it all from the impulsive, jazz rock Realization (Capricorn, 1973) through The Cookers to the still palpable Shuffle and Deal (Smoke Avenue, 2020) looks back for a PBS documentary due for release in early 2024 and knows for sure he has had a good run. He then intuitively and soulfully gathers a few wily and confident cohorts and it is away to the races.

But it is not that frantic metro influencer gallop for this crew. Not by any means. These cats are all pure blue, after-hours shuffle. Because not only is Henderson, now in his eighty-third orbit, at a zenith in said orbit, ditto that of Donald Harrison's blue venue sax and George Cables' pianistic touch. Splice all that in with the interstitial elasticity of bassist Gerald Cannon and drummers Lenny White andMike Clark and "Scorpio Rising" becomes an infectious roll through the back alleys of late 1970s urban noir. The liquid gold of "I Am Going to Miss You, My Darling," written by the trumpeter's wife, beautifully occurs.

It is very hard to learn that everyone should lay back on the groove, but to this group it is a banner taken into battle. A badge of honor. Witness To History is full of badges and banners. First heard on Lee Morgan's eventful The Sidewinder (Blue Note, 1964), "Totem Pole" holds all the flash and slink of the original but with its own immediate vibe. Cables' jumpy "Why Not" is a slow steamer highlighted by trumpet and saxophone punching the air. As it should be, "Sweet and Lovely" is all trad jazz with Cannon in the lead.

Maybe when and if it all becomes accountable, Witness To History does not stand the test of time. Maybe it does. The same can be said for all and any of us. But that does not make Witness To History any less of great record. In fact it just being makes it all that much better.By Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/witness-to-history-eddie-henderson-smoke-sessions-records__22447

Personnel: Eddie Henderson - trumpet; Donald Harrison - saxophone, alto; George Cables - piano; Lenny White - drums ; Gerald Cannon - bass

Witness to History

Darden Purcell - Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:28
Size: 155,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:37) 1. Willow Weep for Me
(6:24) 2. Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood
(5:41) 3. Come Back to Me
(5:48) 4. It's a Most Unusual Day
(4:57) 5. I Concentrate on You
(5:35) 6. A Cottage for Sale
(5:55) 7. Estrada Branca (This Happy Madness)
(7:24) 8. Chatterbox
(7:09) 9. Estate
(6:32) 10. Taking a Chance on Love
(5:21) 11. You've Changed

Darden Purcell's album Love's Got Me In A Lazy Mood (OA2 Records, 2023) shows her keen ear for the subtleties and nuances which define the West Coast cool jazz vocal sound. Purcell's album comprises eleven tracks which blend the laid-back, sophisticated rhythms and melodic inventiveness that characterize the style with beautiful singing and nimble playing.

Purcell is joined by an ensemble of musicians whose contributions are pivotal to the album's charm and success. On six tracks the ensemble features Joe Locke on vibraphone, whose nuanced textures and rhythmic sophistication add depth to each track. Shawn Purcell, who arranged all the songs, weaves intricate harmonies and melodies which complement and converse with Darden Purcell's vocals. Todd Simon's piano provides a supportive undercurrent, binding the ensemble's sound. The rhythmic foundation laid down by Jeff Reed on acoustic bass and Todd Harrison on drums is compelling, creating a rhythmic flow which allows each musician to flourish in the various feels and styles. The ensemble creates a cohesive, explorative, and resonant sound with an overall essence of West Coast cool jazz.

Purcell's vocal delivery is a journey through the emotional landscapes of each track. Her rendition of "A Cottage for Sale" is a highlight as she confidently conveys the song in a heartfelt narrative. "You've Changed" is another song in which she displays those qualities, matching the lyrics with the coloring of her tone and inflections. In the title track, "Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood," Purcell uses the lyrics to explore love's complex, layered emotions through her vocal inflections. Her vocal delicacies hint at an undercurrent of both contentment and longing, a duality often explored in the introspective nature of West Coast cool jazz, where the focus is often on expression and mood.

In "Estrada Branca (This Happy Madness)," Purcell's switch between Portuguese and English adds a unique storytelling dimension. Her nuanced and deliberate phrasing engages in both linguistic settings, creating a creative and universal performance. "Estate" has a moody and dark arrangement. The laid-back phrasing of Purcell's vocals makes the song's story come alive. This ability to tell a story through subtle vocal inflections is reminiscent of the West Coast jazz ethos, where less is often more.

Shawn Purcell's original, "Chatterbox," is one of the album's many highlights. The song has an exciting approach to the vocal, guitar, piano, and vibes possibilities to create varying orchestrative dialogues. Purcell's voice engages with the ensemble as an instrument which happens to be singing lyrics. This interplay is done with a command of jazz rhythms and articulations. Purcell's personal touch comes through in her lyric choices and vocal expression. By choosing both aspects, Purcell can give a performance that distinctly displays her jazz articulation and rhythm with excellent lyric writing.

Throughout Love's Got Me In A Lazy Mood, Purcell comprehends jazz's expressive potential. Her vocal delivery is built upon solid technical skills, but her artistry is about weaving a melody with stories and emotions.By Geannine Reid
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/loves-got-me-in-a-lazy-mood-darden-purcell-oa2-records

Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood