Jim Rotondi Quintet - Over Here

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:23
Size: 120,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:35) 1. I'll Be Seeing You
(5:00) 2. Pete's 32
(7:43) 3. I Concentrate on You
(5:20) 4. Jim's Blues
(5:25) 5. Moclieda
(3:35) 6. Voice
(6:58) 7. Leemo
(7:09) 8. Father John
(5:34) 9. Happy Feet

By titling his eighth Criss Cross album Over Here!, trumpeter Jim Rotondi picks up on the sentiments he signified with The Move, his seventh for the label. “It doesn’t necessarily mean moving somewhere else, but rather returning home, playing tunes with a lot of straight-ahead swing and interesting chord sequences with guys I’m comfortable with,” Rotondi stated in the liner notes I wrote for that kinetic 2009 recital.

That’s an effective description of what transpires on Rotondi’s latest swinging affair. But although he wasn’t misdirecting, he wasn’t telling the whole story. As it turned out, The Move indeed foreshadowed Rotondi’s decision in 2010 to leave New York for Austria for a position as Professor of Trumpet at the University of Graz. As indicated by the current title (which references George M. Cohan’s 1917 flagwaver “Over There” and Rotondi’s father’s service in Europe during World War 2), Rotondi is ensconced on the Continent thirteen years later, augmenting pedagogical responsibilities with several trips a year to New York and other U.S. waystations, and also touring the jazz clubs of central Europe, Italy, France, Spain and the U.K.

In fact, Over Here stems from a ten-day sojourn by a band of four New York-trained masters that opened with a jazz cellar gig in the Viennese suburb Bruck an der Leitha, proceeded to Neuberg, Germany, doubled back to Vienna’s prestigious Porgy and Bess club, continued with a drive to tenor saxophone maestro Piero Odorici’s club in Bologna, and then transitioned to Udine for the recording session.https://www.challengerecords.com/products/16914145778748/Over%20Here

Personnel:Jim Rotondi - trumpet / fluegelhorn; Danny Grissett - piano; Rick Margitza - tenor saxophone; Joshua Ginsburg - bass; Vladimir Kostadinovic - drums

Over Here

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Tony Lakatos - Blue Chili

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:28
Size: 143,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:22) 1. Rama IX
(6:55) 2. Zoot Suits
(9:46) 3. Blue Chili
(4:54) 4. Easy Wish
(6:42) 5. Eugen Choose the Shorter Way
(7:41) 6. Amla Noc
(7:41) 7. Le Babe
(7:18) 8. Mingus Diggs
(5:06) 9. Pocket Waltz

Tony Lakatos is undoubtedly the shining light of the saxophone in the German jazz scene. Like very few German jazz musicians before him, he has gained worldwide recognition and is constantly on the road in concerts to keep the legacy of jazz history alive, including current trends, so he has recently been seen a lot as an outstanding soloist of the ensemble Web Web with Max Herre. Beyond all genres and pigeonholes, he has found his very own, suspended saxophone tone, both on the tenor and soprano saxophone.

In 2021 he was awarded the Hessian Jazz Prize and now he has used the prize money to put together an international top cast in Berlin, with which he pays tribute to his idols. In addition to Alex Sipiagin on trumpet and flugelhorn, he is accompanied by Hans Glawischnigg on drums, Gregory Hutchinson on drums and the famous Danny Grisett on piano and Fender Rhodes.

Nine original compositions impressively demonstrate the mastery of the Frankfurter, who originally came from a Hungarian musical dynasty. With titles such as "Zoots Suits", "Eugen Choose The Shorter Way" or "Mingus Diggs", the connoisseur will know which idols Lakatos recalls. Already from February this ensemble will go on an extensive European tour with numerous concerts in Germany release date of BLUE CHILI: January 13, 2023https://shop.skiprecords.com/blogs/tour-daten/tony-lakatos-with-blue-chili-on-tour

Personnel: Tony Lakatos: tenor, soprano saxophone, flute; Alex Sipiagin: trumpet; Danny Grissett: piano; Hans Glawischnig: bass; Gregory Hutchinson: drums

Blue Chili

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Jeremy Pelt - November

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:08
Size: 121,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. Mata
(8:09)  2. Avatar
(5:42)  3. Clairvoyant
(5:55)  4. Dreamcatcher
(5:34)  5. Phoenix
(5:44)  6. Rosalie
(3:54)  7. Monte Cristo
(6:05)  8. Nephthys
(6:48)  9. 466-64 (Freedom Fighters)

In the same way that Roy Hargrove's Earfood (Emarcy, 2008) updated Lee Morgan's Cornbread (Blue Note, 1965), so Jeremy Pelt's November updates Miles Davis' Miles Smiles (Columbia/Legacy, 1966). If creativity and art can be evaluated on both the vertical and horizontal, Morgan's and Davis' offerings represent horizontal progressions of the art of jazz into new areas, where Hargrove's and Pelt's are vertical elaborations of those previous collections. Jeremy Pelt (with his band Wired) last offered Shock Value: Live at Smoke (MaxJazz, 2007), an exploration of the style Miles generated with Live at the Fillmore East (March 7, 1970): It's About That Time (Legacy, 2001). Pelt returns to a fully acoustic format on November, but this music is no more wooden than Miles' groundbreaking second quintet recordings were. 

November is a fully realized post-bop suite, a jazz Also Sprach Zarathustra. "Mata" is five-plus minutes of introduction, a free form recital with no resolution. Here and throughout the disc we can hear the spirit of the late Anthony Tillman Williams, who's drumming for Miles Davis, continues to touch all aspects of jazz percussion almost 50 years later. Pelt's compositions are all tightly angular and anxious, both probing and airy. His trumpet is tart and sweet, the tone very much his own. The choice of JD Allen on tenor saxophone was a deeply thoughtful one as Allen is one of the finest post bop tenor's performing. As a collection, November is a compelling listening experience from beginning to end. Do you miss Nefertiti (Columbia/Legacy, 1967)? Not any more. 

~ C.Michael Bailey http://www.allaboutjazz.com/november-jeremy-pelt-maxjazz-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Jeremy Pelt: trumpet; JD Allen: tenor saxophone; Danny Grissett: piano; Dwayne Burno: bass; Gerald Cleaver: drums.

November

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Danny Grissett - Form

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:01
Size: 137,8 MB
Art: Front

( 9:22)  1. King Cobra
( 8:09)  2. Heard's Word
( 9:43)  3. Without You
( 7:44)  4. Let's Face the Music and Dance
( 7:40)  5. Distant
( 7:16)  6. Ugly Beauty
(10:03)  7. Are We There Yet?

A sparkling pianist as well as a fine budding composer, Danny Grissett's star has been on the rise lately and he's a favorite accompanist to a growing body of leaders including trumpeters Jim Rotondi, Jeremy Pelt, and Tom Harrell. He returns for his third Criss Cross release and moves past the trio format to feature tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, trombonist Steve Davis and newcomer Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet. Grissett puts his stamp on all the material including updates on Herbie Hancock's King Cobra, and Monk's Ugly Beauty. His originals are also cut from a regal cloth of originality, with bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Kendrick Scott responsive to the pianist's every move.https://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7908835&style=music

Personnel: Danny Grissett (piano); Seamus Blake (tenor saxophone); Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet); Steve Davis (trombone); Vicente Archer (bass instrument); Kendrick Scott (drums).

Form

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Jimmy Greene - Gifts And Givers

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:44
Size: 146,9 MB
Art: Front

( 9:26)  1. Mr. McClean
( 7:37)  2. Greene Blues
( 8:49)  3. Forever
(10:10)  4. Magnolia Triangle
( 8:07)  5. 26-2
(10:18)  6. Blue Bossa/Boudreaux
( 9:14)  7. Eternal Triangle

It's probably time to cast aside labels like "up-and-coming" and "rising star" when describing Jimmy Greene. As Gifts and Givers makes clear, the Connecticut-born tenor saxophonist has definitely arrived. An inventive, technically-advanced mainstreamer, Greene made his mark in the bands of Horace Silver, Tom Harrell and Harry Connick Jr., as well as with younger studs like Jason Lindner and Avishai Cohen. On his fifth effort as a leader, he's paired with another young tenor titan, Marcus Strickland. The two saxophonists prove themselves a like-minded and well-matched pair as they lead an explosive rhythm section the superb drummer Eric Harland, bassist Reuben Rogers, guitarist Mike Moreno and promising young pianist Danny Grissett (now he is a "rising star") through a set of compelling originals and nicely varied standards, including John Coltrane's harmonically complex "26-2," New Orleans legend James Black's intricate "Magnolia Triangle" and Kenny Dorham's "Blue Bossa" (with Greene doubling on soprano sax). While they mostly steer away from the sort of twin-tenor battle popularized by Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons, Greene and Strickland do get into some high-octane, old school jamming, notably on Stitt's bebop chestnut, "Eternal Triangle." 

The opening "Mr. McLean" is a rousing tribute to Greene's mentor, the great alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, with the two tenors expertly capturing McLean's intensity and unique inside-outside sensibility. All in all, it's an impressive outing that should help solidify Greene's reputation as one of the better tenor saxophonists of his generation. 

~ Joel Roberts https://www.allaboutjazz.com/gifts-and-givers-jimmy-greene-criss-cross-review-by-joel-roberts.php

Personnel: Jimmy Greene: tenor and soprano saxophones; Marcus Strickland: tenor saxophone; Mike Moreno: guitar; Danny Grissett: piano; Reuben Rogers: bass; Eric Harland: drums.

Gifts And Givers

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Tom Harrell - First Impressions

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:31
Size: 146,2 MB
Art: Front

( 5:07)  1. Sainte
( 8:14)  2. Voices
(11:49)  3. Perspectives
( 7:28)  4. Beau soir
( 5:57)  5. Rêverie
(11:29)  6. Passepied
( 6:26)  7. Sarabande
( 6:58)  8. Musique du café

Tom Harrell is in a classical mood on his genre-blending First Impressions. This isn’t new for the brilliant trumpeter-composer. The six-part suite The Adventures of a Quixotic Character, off Harrell’s 2014 album Trip, had a classical feel to it, and this new album’s liner notes, by Robert Baird, trace Harrell’s blending of classical music and jazz in his earlier work. But the emphasis of that fusion is heightened on First Impressions, and the jazz/classical recipe is seasoned with tastes of other styles as well. The eight tracks here include Harrell arrangements of four pieces by Debussy (“Beau Soir,” “Reverie,” “Passepied,” “Sarabande”), two by Ravel (“Sainte,” “Voices”) and two new compositions of his own, “Perspectives” and “Musique du Cafe.” They’re performed by his crack working quintet with Wayne Escoffery on soprano and tenors saxophones, Danny Grissett on piano, Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Johnathan Blake on drums, augmented by flute, guitar, violin and cello. Latin influences-bossa, baião, hints of tango and flamenco-insinuate themselves here and there amid all the classical impressionism, as does a touch of hip-hop rhythm beneath the leader’s solo on “Sainte.” The quintet’s straight-ahead prowess is deployed too-Blake’s transitional solo on “Perspectives” and Grissett’s and Escoffery’s deft turns atop the Okegwo-fueled “Reverie” are among the other highlights. Harrell, of course, blows as beautifully as ever. More significant, the 69-year-old master makes clear that it isn’t just millennials who are currently embracing an eclectic approach to jazz composition. “I think all forms of music, even popular music, are close to jazz and classical music,” Harrell declares in Baird’s album notes. “There’s been a revolution in musical composition. Composers are utilizing pop elements, which would have been unheard of a short time ago, but now it’s really accepted.” ~ Bill Beuttler https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/tom-harrell-first-impressions-debussy-and-ravel-project/

Personnel:  Tom Harrell, trumpet & flugelhorn; Wayne Escoffery, soprano & tenor saxophone; Charles Pillow, flute & bass flute; Danny Grissett, piano; Rale Micic, guitar; Meg Okura, violin; Rubin Kodheli, cello; Ugonna Okegwo, bass; Johnathan Blake, drums

First Impressions

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Tom Harrell - Roman Nights

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:37
Size: 143,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:13)  1. Storm Approaching
(6:46)  2. Let the Children Play
(7:53)  3. Roman Nights
(7:35)  4. Study in Sound
(5:26)  5. Agua
(6:02)  6. Obsession
(8:22)  7. Harvest Song
(9:19)  8. Bird in Flight
(5:58)  9. Year of the Ox

Since coming back from hiatus following the superb Wise Children (Bluebird, 2003), Tom Harrell's been on a roll. On a new label (HighNote) and with a new working quartet, the trumpeter has gone from success to success, from the undeniably fine Light On (2007), to the even better Prana Dance (2009). Whether Roman Dances is even better still is a tough call; Harrell's writing and quintet are so uniformly excellent that comparisons empirical or otherwise are rendered moot. There's plenty that resonates on Roman Nights, where the one thing that is certain is that the chemistry amongst the members of Harrell's quintet continues to refine and grow even more empathic with each passing year. The short but completely to the point solos on the aptly titled opener, "Storm Approaching," not only demonstrate the exhilarating interplay between accompanists and soloists, but amongst the accompanists themselves, as drummer Johnathan Blake, in particular, accomplishes the remarkably multi-tasked challenge of responding simultaneously to both pianist Danny Grissett and Wayne Escoffery, during the saxophonist's fiery solo. But he's not the only one who's clearly listening. Again on the disc opener, as solos are passed first from Harrell to Escoffery, and then on to Grissett it's as if the transitions were scored; except, of course, they're not. A final barnstorming solo from Blake, over a driving ostinato, amply explains why the increasingly busy drummer, in addition to his tenure with Harrell, has been finding employment with artists ranging from vibraphonist Joe Locke to septuagenarian saxophonist Oliver Lake. Bassist Ugonna Okegwo, another busy player with modern mainstreamers like Jacky Terrasson, Ari Ambrose and D.D. Jackson, anchors the entire disc with firm but pliant support. Soloing rarely, when he does it's a treat; his extended workout on "Study in Sound," one of Harrell's more complicated charts, is a combination of lithe lyricism and compositional intent.

As impressive as the members of Harrell's quintet are individually and collectively it's never about acumen being an end. Instead, it's a clear and focused means for everyone, where rhythmic placement and weaving through Harrell's sometimes rapid, other times more languid changes is all about finding new ways to shape melody. Whether it's on the brief but incendiary modal workout of "Agua," the Latin esque "Obsession" or bass riff-driven "Let the Children Play," Escoffery his Wayne Shorter roots clear but equally subsumed as but one parameter of his own voice and Harrell make a potent frontline that's equally capable of gentle, almost folkloric tranquility on the deceptively simple sounding "Harvest Song," where there's clearly a lot more sophistication going on under the hood. With even great emphasis on Grissett's Fender Rhodes than ever before, there's an ethereal, dreamlike quality that imbues much of Roman Nights, even at brighter tempos like "Bird in Flight" Throughout, Harrell has never sounded better, his dulcet plangency a reminder that it's not necessary to be oblique in order to be progressive. As with his previous HighNote sets, Roman Nights is another fine entry from one of the contemporary mainstream's most memorable players and telepathically transcendent quintets. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/roman-nights-tom-harrell-highnote-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Tom Harrell: trumpet, flugelhorn; Wayne Escoffery: tenor saxophone; Danny Grissett: piano, Fender Rhodes; Ugonna Okegwo: bass; Johnathan Blake: drums.

Roman Nights

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Vincent Herring - Mr. Wizard

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:31
Size: 115,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:28)  1. All God's Children Got Rhythm
(4:43)  2. Citizen Of Zamunda
(4:05)  3. Hopscotch
(5:04)  4. You Leave Me Breathless
(5:04)  5. Four By Five
(7:43)  6. Encounters
(5:21)  7. Cassius
(7:19)  8. The Walk Home
(5:40)  9. Mr. Wizard

With more than a dozen discs as a leader under his belt, Vincent Herring has developed a foolproof prescription for making great records: employ compatible sidemen, choose appealing compositions and approach the music with zealous devotion. On Mr. Wizard the brilliant saxophonist follows this formula faultlessly and the result is another rewarding listening experience. Herring has one of the most recognizable voices on alto saxophone in music today and is increasingly developing his own personality on soprano as well, as heard on three of the nine tunes here. Joined by young veterans of his recent recordings  trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, bassist Richie Goods, drummer E.J. Strickland and an impressive newcomer in pianist Danny Grissett the leader navigates his quintet through a program mainly comprised of originals by the group’s members.  Beginning with a bebopping arrangement of “All God’s Children Got Rhythm,” featuring alternating alto and trumpet calls and responses in the melody and four bar exchanges with Strickland, the band shows where it’s coming from before Goods’ “Citizen Of Zamunda,” with its modernistic Native American sounding melody and rhythm featuring the leader’s soprano, demonstrates where it can go. Grissett’s “Hopscotch,” named for its stuttering introduction, is an engaging line that might easily be mistaken for a Horace Silver classic. Herring’s impassioned alto is particularly attractive on “You Leave Me Breathless.” The quintet fires up McCoy Tyner’s tricky “Four By Five” with admirable aplomb, breathing new life into a classic from a still neglected period of the jazz repertory. A second Grissett original, “Encounters,” is an harmonic exploration of the territory originally mined by Miles Davis’ ‘60s quintet, with the entire group blending into an expressive impressionism propelled by Strickland’s provocative percussion discussions. A pair from the pen of Pelt, “Cassius” and “The Walk Home,” the former a swinging affair and the latter a pensive waltz, demonstrates the trumpeter’s strength as a composer. Herring wraps up the date with his own “Mr. Wizard,” a Jazz Messengerish anthem that gives everybody in the band the kind of workout you can expect to hear in one of their exciting live performances. ~ Russ Musto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mr-wizard-vincent-herring-review-by-russ-musto.php

Personnel: Vincent Herring: Alto Sax, Soprano Sax; Danny Grissett: Piano; Richie Goods: Bass; Jeremy Pelt: Trumpet; E.J. Strickland: Drums.

Mr. Wizard

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Danny Grissett - Remembrance

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:50
Size: 126,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:10)  1. Woody'n You
(6:41)  2. Lament for Bobby
(5:03)  3. Prelude to a Kiss
(5:26)  4. Gallop's Gallop
(6:07)  5. Renatus
(5:47)  6. Just Enough
(7:22)  7. A Friend Indeed
(7:48)  8. Digital Big Foot
(5:22)  9. Detour Ahead

Pianist Danny Grissett is fantastic here not just bursting out with so many deft colors and changes on both piano and Fender Rhodes, but also really showing some great strengths as a leader too! One of those strengths is the way he puts together the tunes especially the more familiar numbers, which feel completely fresh here augmented by some wonderful work on both soprano and tenor sax from Dayna Stephens, who's almost the co-star of the record especially when he takes on a tune from the lead! The quartet's balanced out nicely by Bill Stewart on drums and Vicente Archer on bass all players who really seem to "get" each other in the best way possible. In addition to Grissett's original tunes "Renatus", "Lament For Bobby", "Digital Big Foot", and "A Friend Indeed" the set also features versions of "Just Enough", "Prelude To A Kiss", "Detour Ahead", and "Gallop's Gallop". © 1996-2017, Dusty Groove, Inc. 

https://www.dustygroove.com/item/854211/Danny-Grissett:Remembrance

Personnel:  Danny Grissett  piano, fender Rhodes;  Dayna Stephens soprano, tenor saxophon;  Vicente Archer bass;  Bill Stewart  drums

Remembrance

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Steve Nelson - Brothers Under the Sun

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:02
Size: 138,0 MB
Art: Front

(9:07)  1. The More I See You
(4:41)  2. Eastern Joy Dance
(6:23)  3. Grew's Tune
(8:38)  4. Soul Leo
(5:13)  5. It Never Entered My Mind
(5:16)  6. Samba d'Blue
(4:52)  7. Brothers Under the Sun
(5:28)  8. For Those Who Do
(4:46)  9. New Wheels
(5:33) 10. Melody for Mulgrew

Vibist Steve Nelson made a big splash as a newcomer in the jazz polls at the end of the '80s just as the vibraphone began to re-emerge as one of jazz's favorite instruments. The cool, drifty, slightly detached sound of the vibraphone will forever be associated with great jazz players like Lionel Hampton, Gary Burton and others, but Nelson has firmly established himself as a leader of top-notch small ensembles that showcase his own personal voice on the instrument. Leading a blue-chip quartet composed of pianist Danny Grissett, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Lewis Nash, Nelson has put together an imaginative setlist that serves as a tribute to the late pianist Mulgrew Miller, with whom Nelson enjoyed a long and fruitful musical collaboration and friendship. Throughout the date the interplay of the quartet is engaging, the creativity unflagging and the joy in the music making is always apparent. Brothers Under the Sun is a substantial addition to Steve Nelson's far-too-small discography as a leader. https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Under-Sun-Steve-Nelson/dp/B01MTBDPQW

Personnel: Steve Nelson (vibraphone), Danny Grissett (piano), Peter Washington (bass), Lewis Nash (drums)

Brothers Under the Sun

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Jeremy Pelt - # Jive Culture

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:16
Size: 123,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. Baswald's Place
(7:30)  2. Einbahnstrasse
(7:04)  3. Dream Dancing
(5:37)  4. A Love Like Ours
(7:28)  5. The Haunting
(5:42)  6. Rhapsody
(7:40)  7. Akua
(8:42)  8. Desire

Taking a more stripped-down approach than the expansive electric path he's been pursuing since 2013's Water and Earth, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt's 2016 album, #Jiveculture, is a visceral exploration of small-group post-bop. It's also Pelt's first album featuring legendary bassist and Miles Davis associate Ron Carter. Also joining Pelt here are longtime bandmates pianist Danny Grissett and drummer Billy Drummond. While Pelt has never completely eschewed swinging, harmonically challenging, straight-ahead jazz, his previous efforts, Water and Earth, Face Forward, Jeremy, and Tales, Musings, and Other Reveries were notable for their more experimental flourishes that combined Pelt's love of hip-hop and electronic dance music with his reverence for '70s-era jazz fusion, à la Miles Davis' Bitches Brew. For much of his career though, Pelt has excelled at the kind of organic, modal-based jazz that Davis played in the mid-'60s. This is the approach he takes on #Jiveculture and one that works perfectly with the addition of Carter, whose languid, supple bass style helped to define modern jazz. Here, Pelt and company dive headlong into a set of originals and lesser-played standards, including a jaunty take on Carter's own "Einbahnstrasse." Similarly compelling is the relaxed midtempo swinger "Dream Dancing," which brings to mind both mid-'50s Miles and '80s Wynton Marsalis. Davis is also evoked on the angular "The Haunting" and the lyrical, sad-eyed ballad "Akua," with Pelt utilizing a plaintive Harmon mute. Ultimately, while #Jiveculture is a more stripped-down, traditional jazz production than Pelt's previous releases, it's also one of his more densely packed, flowing with harmonic and melodic ideas that are all the more striking when set against the straight-ahead framework of a quartet. ~ Matt Collar http://www.allmusic.com/album/jiveculture-mw0002903911

# Jive Culture

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Keyon Harrold - Introducing Keyon Harrold

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:52
Size: 135,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:27)  1. TMF Nuttz
(7:17)  2. Sudden Inspiration
(8:00)  3. Shirley's Blues
(6:34)  4. Keyon Beyond
(6:41)  5. Amazing Grace/ Lord My God
(7:57)  6. Peace
(7:38)  7. Hip Hop Joint
(7:14)  8. The Awakening

Keyon Harrold comes to jazz and pop from his home in St. Louis, and at age 28 presents his debut recording of straight-ahead modern mainstream music in the typical Criss Cross label tradition. He's not carved in the mold of hometown icon Miles Davis, but has some of the bold technique of Freddie Hubbard and fluidity of Lee Morgan, while stylistically within the neo-bop range of Wynton Marsalis or Tom Harrell. Harrold has played with the Count Basie and Roy Hargrove big bands and as a sideman with Billy Harper, and has worked with Jay-Z, Beyoncé Knowles, and Snoop Dogg, among others, so he knows the twentysomething audience as well as grown-up purist jazz listeners. Brothers Marcus Strickland (saxes) and E.J. Strickland (drums) support Harrold, along with the fabulous young pianist Danny Grissett and bassist Derzon Douglas. 

As you'd expect, Harrold is an accomplished player with both youth and experience on his side, but also uses different arenas of modern jazz as a composer. His opener, "TMF Nuttz," is a Marsalis-type angular bop-strewn swinger powered by Grissett's two-fisted chords and a ripe solo by the brassman, and features Harrold's mentor, fellow trumpeter Charles Tolliver. The chunkier melody of "The Awakening" takes into account a blues aspect that identifies Harrell's pure tuneful sound, while an atypical version of Horace Silver's "Peace" is stewed in a light Brazilian broth with guitarist Jeremy Most added on in an interpretation quite different from the pensive, balladic original. Grissett is fond of switching to the electric Fender Rhodes piano, adding more of a retro feel to the funky boogaloo strains of "Shirley's Blues" and the 4/4 bounce during "Hip Hop Joint," with Harrold's muted horn alongside Marcus Strickland's solid tenor sax. In reference to his deep St. Louis gospel roots, "Amazing Grace"/"Lord, My God" is fairly typical in the main, but Marcus Strickland's soprano sax adds brighter color to the combo piece. 

These are all very good and well for what one might expect, but "Sudden Inspiration" stands out in its easy swing stance offset by staggered phrasings that jump out, where "Keyon Beyond" more perfectly envisions the duality of clockwork beats with a hip-hop sway that made Ahmad Jamal's "Poinciana" a seminal reference point for current music in the urban collective. Certainly this is a credible first effort, as Harrold only scratches the surface of his potential, and though somewhat derivative of past predecessors, it bodes well for his bright future alongside Jeremy Pelt, Sean Jones, and Ambrose Akinmusire as the leading jazz trumpet players of a new generation.~Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/introducing-keyon-harrold-mw0000833353

Personnel: Keyon Harrold (trumpet); Jeremy Most (guitar); Marcus Strickland (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Charles Tolliver (trumpet); Danny Grissett (piano); E.J. Strickland (drums).

Introducing Keyon Harrold

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Jeremy Pelt - Soul

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:45
Size: 123,3 MB
Art: Front

( 5:17)  1. Second Love
( 6:21)  2. The Ballad Of Ichabod Crane
( 6:31)  3. Sweet Rita Suite Pt. 2: Her Soul
( 8:36)  4. The Tempest
( 6:21)  5. The Story
( 3:46)  6. Moondrift
(11:19)  7. What's Wrong Is Right
( 5:30)  8. Tonight...

On Soul, trumpeter and composer Jeremy Pelt's third offering for High Note, his stellar quintet with saxophonist J.D. Allen, pianist Danny Grissett, bassist Dwayne Burno, and drummer Gerald Cleaver is intact, having been together for nearly six years. That said, where his first two offerings for the label were exceptional exercises in on-the-edge post-bop and modal jazz, Soul looks all the way back to 2003's Close to My Heart for comparison one that reveals just how far Pelt has come as a composer, a soloist, and an arranger. Soul is a collection of (mostly) blues and ballads. He wrote all but two of the album's eight tunes: the Sammy Cahn standard "Moondrift" (on which the band is fronted by vocalist Joanna Pascale) and a lively reading of George Cables' "Sweet Rita Suite, Pt. 2: Her Soul." Pelt and his band recorded this set in a single day, and had nuanced it all live before hitting the studio. 

On display here are intimacy, nuance, elegance, and an adventurous communication that is nearly symbiotic traits not normally associated with ballads or blues (these days, anyway). The frontline of Pelt and Allen is in perfect sync throughout, whether the two are playing counterpoint ("The Ballad of Ichabod Crane") or in unison ("The Story"). The exchange between ballads and blues is fluid. The former is an example of both existing side by side because of Pelt's structural harmonic development and Grissett's confident pianism. On "The Tempest," Burno and Cleaver push Grissett, who responds with flurries of notes and then the horns. The rhythm section's freedom is balanced by the horn solos and brief, contrapuntal head. On "Moondrift," Pascale is able to extract from her delivery every unnecessary utterance; Pelt is known for his sharp sense of economy, and Pascale rises to the challenge with a lovely, disciplined vibrato that allows the band to create shades of meaning behind her. The set's longest tune, "What's Wrong Is Right," commences with a slightly dissonant, Monk-esque harmonic statement and features excellent solos from Pelt, Grissett, and Allen; Burno and Cleaver drive them relentlessly, all the while swinging like mad. Soul is another high-water mark for Pelt and company, and an exercise in taking the tradition and giving it a thoroughly modern twist without sacrificing its heart. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-mw0002280210

Personnel: Jeremy Pelt (trumpet, flugelhorn); Danny Grissett (piano); Gerald Cleaver (drums).

Soul

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Danny Grissett - Promise

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:33
Size: 134,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:25)  1. Moment's Notice
(7:04)  2. Autumn Nocturne
(8:26)  3. Promise
(5:58)  4. Where Do We Go From Here?
(6:59)  5. Cambridge Place
(4:04)  6. You Must Believe In Spring
(5:09)  7. On The Edge
(7:28)  8. Everything Happens to Me
(5:57)  9. Eleventh Hour

The jazz piano trio format has its share of plaudits and pitfalls. One the one hand, it has immense possibilities in terms of orchestration and rhythm. But on the other hand, it's all too easy for the music to turn into background wallpaper for the local cocktail lounge. As such, it's a risky decision to make your debut recording in a trio setting, but pianist Danny Grissett need not worry—he deserves nothing but acclaim for this set, one of the best maiden voyages that I have heard in years. Only making his move to New York City in 2003, Grissett has nonetheless become a valuable sidemen to some heavy-hitting leaders, including Nicholas Payton, Tom Harrell and Vincent Herring. On Promise, the pianist gets together with bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Kendrick Scott for a recital of originals and standards that give full expression to his range of abilities while avoiding any inclination to wear his chops on his sleeves. This later point is particularly important at a time when it seems that a slew of current pianists from Eldar to Hiromi seem to be trying too hard to dazzle with technique. Don't get me wrong, Grissett is highly skilled, but he chooses to channel his abilities into the emotional impact of his performances.

Coltrane's "Moment's Notice" is a time-worn test of a musician's mettle that can merely sound perfunctory in many hands, but Grissett opens the disc on a positive note by breaking up the flow of the rhythm so that instead of an insistent pulse, there are periods of tension and release. "Autumn Nocturne" also gets a makeover, taken at a brisker pace than usual but retaining the sentimentality of the lyrics. Grissett's own tunes explore a multiplicity of moods and are exigent without being cloying. Just listen to how natural he makes 13/4 sound in the original "Where Do We Go From Here?" A closing romp through Mulgrew Miller's quicksilver "Eleventh Hour" finds all the pots on in a blistering performance that illustrates the great rapport that Grissett shares with Archer and Scott. All three of these men are at the top of their game, and collectively they've come up with a piano trio set that is as far away from cocktail piano music as it gets. And that's a good thing indeed! ~ C.Andrew Hovan http://www.allaboutjazz.com/promise-danny-grissett-criss-cross-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Danny Grissett: piano; Vicente Archer: bass; Kendrick Scott: drums.

Promise

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Danny Grissett - The In-Between

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:07
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:59)  1. Blue J
(6:00)  2. Seven Tune
(4:07)  3. The Kicker
(6:50)  4. Winter Silence
(5:00)  5. The In-Between
(8:28)  6. Mr. Wiggle Worm
(7:44)  7. Dreamsville
(4:46)  8. Stablemates
(9:18)  9. How Deep Is the Ocean
(5:50) 10. Sweetest Disposition

Pianist Danny Grissett decided to name his fifth Criss Cross recording The In-Between to evoke the experience of flying back and forth between New York, where he is a first-call sideman for, among others, Jeremy Pelt and Tom Harrell, and Vienna, Austria, where he has lived with his wife and small son for several years. Joined by tenor saxophonist Walter Smith, an acquaintance since both attended the Thelonious Monk Institute in the early aughts, bassist Vicente Archer, a partner of long-standing, and great drummer Bill Stewart, Grissett offers a mix of five originals, four personalized standards, and a lovely ballad by his wife. ~ Editorial Reviews http://www.amazon.com/The-In-Between-Danny-Grissett/dp/B0143DKJ64

Personnel:  Danny Grissett (piano), Walter Smith III (tenor saxophone), Vicente Archer (bass), Bill Stewart (drums).

The In-Between

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Tom Harrell - Light On

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:53
Size: 152,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:48)  1. Va
(8:17)  2. Sky Life
(9:11)  3. Contrary Mary
(4:20)  4. Fountain
(7:20)  5. Nights at Catalonia
(5:56)  6. The Gronk
(5:03)  7. Architect of Time
(7:39)  8. Bad Stuff
(6:17)  9. Blue Caribe
(3:56) 10. Va (Reprise)

As the business of music makes the wobbly transition from unified collections of songs to individual tracks as the primary currency of recorded music, jazz continues to embrace the increasingly antiquated format of the album to great effect. Such is the case with trumpeter Tom Harrell's Light On, a bonafide collection of compositions and performances that are conspicuously unified, and an open challenge to the notion of "album as anachronism" in the digital age. This collection of songs was meant to be swallowed whole. All the ingredients for a fine "album" are there intricate but accessible melodies, potent and personal improvisations both individually and collectively, even Rudy Van Gelder, one of the prime architects of the art of the long player, whose touch on the faders brings together familiar sounds and textures that evoke the past, yet present music that is decidedly modern.

Harrell's playing is typically relaxed and confident, and that confidence and capability is also evident in his selection of sidemen. This group has just the right balance of musical personalities that function as a cohesive unit without sacrificing each musician's distinct identity. All nine of the compositions heard here are Harrell's, each with memorable and infectious melodic hooks and satisfying harmonic structures. "Skylife," with it's subtle but assertive funky groove is probably the best example of how Harrell is able to create music that is simultaneously accessible and intricate. Tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffrey delivers an arresting solo so typical of his stellar performances on every track, and Danny Grissett's touch on Fender Rhodes brings a warmth and blithe fluency that makes highly crafted lines go down easier than one might expect. Indeed, Escoffrey consistently attracts the most attention. His dense and plaintive phrasing contrasts effectively with Harrell's soft spoken interjections and pleasing tone. The saxophonist's dizzying work on both takes of "Va, the wry wit and virtuosity on tracks like "Contrary Mary," the up-tempo "Gronk" and "Blue Caribe" reveals an arresting, inventive voice of considerable skill and emotional depth, delivering provocative and complex lines with a highly distinctive flavor.

"Nights at Catalonia" evokes the exoticism of a Horace Silver composition and presents Harrell's sound at its best, with a typically sparse and introverted exploration that deepens the mystery hidden in the subtle rhythmic pulse so ably created by drummer Johnathan Blake and bassist Ugonna Okegwo. "Bad Stuff" presents that rhythm section unleashed, as the quintet engages in a spirited, swinging romp. Light On is among the rarest of jazz releases that is sure to please the casual listener as well as the hardcore aficionado. Both will be swept up in the intensity and precision of the performances, and both will walk away humming the same melodies that linger stubbornly in memory and stick to the ribs. This is music that invites the listener along for the ride and rewards those who take the trouble to climb aboard. Like the very best of jazz, Harrell's quintet seeks to communicate and illuminate, and succeeds handsomely in doing both.~ Ken Kase http://www.allaboutjazz.com/light-on-tom-harrell-highnote-records-review-by-ken-kase.php

Personnel: Tom Harrell: trumpet; Wayne Escoffrey: tenor saxophone; Danny Grissett: piano, Fender Rhodes; Ugonna Okegwo: bass; Johnathan Blake: drums.

Light On

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Vincent Herring - Ends And Means

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:07
Size: 130,9 MB
Art: Front

( 7:57)  1. Ends And Means
( 8:29)  2. Tom Tom
( 6:28)  3. The Song Is Ended
( 6:04)  4. Stable Mates
( 5:45)  5. Norwegian Wood
( 5:16)  6. Wingspan
( 5:38)  7. Thoughts
(11:27)  8. Caravan

Ends and Means is Vincent Herring's fourth CD as a leader on the HighNote label. Where Herring once sounded like Cannonball Adderley, he has developed his own distinctive sound over the years, whether on alto or soprano. Herring was one of the young lions of the '80s and early '90s (although unfortunately underrated) and has matured into a respected leader in mainstream jazz. He now seems to be discovering and employing the new generation of young lions, including this time around trumpeter Jeremy Pelt (on four cuts) and pianist Danny Grissett. The date includes the classic "Caravan, plus some two modern standards, Mulgrew Miller's "Wingspan" and Benny Golson's "Stable Mates, and Lennon and McCartney's "Norwegian Wood. Drummer Joris Dudli contributed two compositions. Dudli's playing provides a driving theme on the date, standing out especially in the give and take he has with Herring on "Caravan.

The set begins with the title track, which was composed by former Herring pianist Renato Chicco. Herring gets the affair started with some fiery playing, and given that the tune was composed by a pianist, it is only fitting that Grissett steps forward and shines, as he does on most of the tracks. He is clearly a young player to watch. Irving Berlin's "The Song Is Ended marks Pelt's first appearance. His fluid tone meshes perfectly with Herring's playing, making me wish he was on board for more than just four tracks. "Wingspan is the name of Mulgrew Miller's ensemble and a classic bop tune. Miller and Herring have played on each other's records in the past and are part of the same generation of jazz musicians. This track, the highlight on this session, is given a royal treatment by Herring and Pelt, who soar in unison before taking up-tempo solos. They catch their breath while the rhythm section steps forward to keep things going. The song concludes with Herring and Pelt coming together again for one last dance. While everyone in the band has a chance to shine, this is still clearly Herring's show. And Ends And Means is another excellent addition to his growing catalogue as a leader in the world of modern mainstream jazz. ~ Edward Zucker  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/ends-and-means-vincent-herring-highnote-records-review-by-edward-zucker.php

Personnel: Vincent Herring: alto, and soprano saxophones; Danny Grissett: piano; Essiet Essiet: bass; Joris Dudli: drums; Jeremy Pelt: trumpet (3,6,7,8).

Ends And Means

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Danny Grissett - Encounters

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:35
Size: 136,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. Hopscotch
(7:39)  2. Waltz for Billy
(6:02)  3. A New Beginning
(5:54)  4. Encounters
(5:39)  5. Toy Tune
(9:07)  6. Sunrise
(7:46)  7. It Could Happen To You
(6:08)  8. Never Let Me Go
(6:37)  9. Git!

When I first heard pianist Danny Grissett a few years back and gave his debut album a favorable review, I anticipated that we'd be hearing more from the Los Angeles native. In fact, his star has been on the rise lately and he's a favorite accompanist to a growing body of leaders including a cache of trumpeters that includes Jim Rotondi, Jeremy Pelt, and Tom Harrell. Now, he returns to Criss Cross for his sophomore release and again fronts a trio that includes bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Kendrick Scott. A sparkling pianist as well as a fine budding composer, Grissett ups the ante on this varied set of compositions. The clarion call of "Hopscotch" gets things underway with a bristling solo from Grissett and closes by trading fours with Scott, a superbly inventive drummer who has good ideas and a crisp sound and attack. Penned for Billy Higgins, "Waltz for Billy" is a moving threnody for the late drummer and it shows Grissett to be as convincing a balladeer as he is an up-tempo swinger. "A New Beginning" and the title track are notable for establishing a mood before changing up the tempos to allow for some of Grissett's best playing of the date. The other originals include "Sunrise," a gentle number in a reflective mood, and "Git!," a funk-based tune that finds Grissett exploring Silverish roots with great results. 

Three standards round out the program, with Wayne Shorter's "Toy Tune" being a sagacious choice for examination by this trio. The longest track on the date, "It Could Happen to You," evolves slowly during Grissett's rubato opening. Then, Scott sets a pulse with his brushes while the intensity builds. Talk about telling a story; these guys do so in abundance. Avoiding the urge to switch to double time, Grissett turns the lamp down low for "Never Let Me Go," contributing another of the album's fine ballad performances. Grissett's ability to adapt to any situation and speak convincingly at any tempo is put on full display for Encounters. It's no wonder that he's become a first-call musician on the current scene. ~ C.Andrew Hovan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/encounters-danny-grissett-criss-cross-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php
 

Personnel: Danny Grissett: piano; Vicente Archer: bass; Kendrick Scott: drums.

Encounters

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Jeremy Pelt - The Talented Mr. Pelt

Styles: Post-Bop, Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:32
Size: 120,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. Pandora's Box
(6:34)  2. All My Thoughts Are With You
(7:19)  3. Paradise Lost
(5:36)  4. When the Time Is Right
(9:06)  5. Pulse
(5:57)  6. In Love Again
(5:36)  7. Only
(7:54)  8. David and Goliath

Jeremy Pelt's 2011 effort, The Talented Mr. Pelt, features the same working ensemble the trumpeter has used since 2007, which includes tenor saxophonist J.D. Allen, pianist Danny Grissett, bassist Dwayne Burno, and drummer Gerald Cleaver. In many ways, the album is a similarly inclined mix of adventurous, on-the-edge, post-bop and modal jazz that featured on Pelt's stellar 2010 album, Men of Honor. A forward-thinking improviser with an ear for late-'60s Miles Davis and '70s Woody Shaw, Pelt pushes the brass envelope as much as possible and can engage a listener quite well on record. 

In that sense, you never get a canned or predictable moment on The Talented Mr. Pelt. Tracks like the funky, off-kilter waltz "Paradise Lost" and the forceful, rough-around-the-edges "Pulse" are terrific modern jazz numbers that bring to mind both the dreamy compositions of saxophonist Wayne Shorter and the early, firebrand work of trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Similarly, the gorgeous later-album ballad "Only" and the driving, eyes-toward-the-horizon closer "David and Goliath," while coming at group interplay from different emotional directions, find Pelt and his ensemble working as a cohesive unit of like-minded individuals who truly seem to dig playing with each other. Of all of Pelt's prodigious talents showcased on The Talented Mr. Pelt, clearly the ability to pick musically sympathetic and daring sidemen makes the album a joy to hear. ~ Matt Collar  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-talented-mr-pelt-mw0002086204

Personnel: Jeremy Pelt (trumpet, flugelhorn); J.D.Allen (tenor saxophone); Danny Grissett (piano); Gerald Cleaver (drums).

The Talented Mr. Pelt

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Danny Grissett - Stride

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:13
Size: 140,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:29)  1. Stride
(7:15)  2. Viennese Summer
(8:45)  3. Etude Opus 10: No. 6 In E-Flat Minor
(6:36)  4. Two Sleepy People
(8:25)  5. Close Quarters
(8:05)  6. Scene
(6:50)  7. It Takes Two To Know One
(8:44)  8. Some Other Time

Danny Grissett gets under your skin...I mean that in a good way! While I was familiar with Danny, I had not really "listened" to Grissett until I heard some of his Fendor Rhodes work on Tom Harrell's Roman Nights. Danny Grissett also turned in some captivating work on the Jeremy Pelt release, "The Talented Mr. Pelt." There is something truly unique to Grissett's piano work not to mention his compositions. Grissett wields a deft hand of sensitivity but can unleash a brilliant sonic attack on your senses at a moments notice.  "Stride" is the fourth release on the Criss Cross label for Grissett as a leader where he is joined by bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Marcus Gilmore. "Stride" is a unique fusion of the American songbook with European overtones carefully placed among three Grissett originals and works from Nicholas Peyton and the legendary Tom Harrell. This is a lyrically driven trio with a sense of purpose and swing yet with intriguing hints of melancholy and introspection allowing the release to have depth of musical character not often heard from younger players such as Grissett. There have been some tremendous piano trio recordings released this year. "Stride" is a sleeper...Artistically gifted and technically proficient Grissett is the future of jazz piano. 

~ Brent Black  http://www.criticaljazz.com/2011/07/danny-grissett-stride-criss-cross-2011.html

Personnel: Danny Grissett (piano); Marcus Gilmore (drums).

Stride

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