Warren Wolf - Chano Pozo: Origins

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2023
Time: 40:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 94,2 MB
Art: Front

(1:28) 1. Intro
(6:08) 2. Sunday Morning
(2:55) 3. Havoc
(6:41) 4. Another Side
(2:28) 5. Thelma E.
(4:29) 6. Lady
(6:15) 7. Wishing I Were With You
(9:31) 8. The Struggle Continues
(0:53) 9. Outro

Warren Wolf is a multi-instrumentalist from Baltimore, MD. From the young age of three years old, Warren has been trained on the Vibraphone/Marimba, Drums and Piano. Under the guidance of his father Warren Wolf Sr., Warren has a deep background in all genres of music. Vibraphonist Warren Wolf is one of the hardest swinging virtuosos in all of modern music.

“Chano Pozo: ORIGINS” is Warren’s 10th record as a recording artist, and is set to release July 7th, 2023. It features himself playing all instruments, except for the horns. All songs are original except for “LADY” by D’Angelo and Raphael Saadiq.

Personnel: Warren Wolf [vibes]; Alex Brown [piano]; Blake Meister [bass]; Brent Birckhead [saxophone]; Charles Wilson [drums]; Imani-Grace Cooper [vocals]

Chano Pozo: Origins

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Warren Wolf - Reincarnation

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:28
Size: 123,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:06) 1. Smooth Intro
(4:57) 2. For Ma
(7:06) 3. Vahybing
(6:52) 4. In the Heat of the Night
(9:19) 5. The Struggle
(7:07) 6. For the Love of You
(5:27) 7. Sebastian and Zoë
(5:26) 8. Livin' the Good Life
(3:37) 9. Come and Dance with Me
(1:26) 10. Smooth Outro

Less a true rebirth than a return to the stylistic suggestions that surrounded Warren Wolf's ears in the 1990s, Reincarnation finds the forty-year-old vibraphonist folding his serious jazz persona within settings that lean heavily on soul and R&B. Embracing the grooves, glazes and hooks endemic to those realms, Wolf delivers music that's both slick and smile-inducing.

Paving the way for what's to come down the road, Baltimore radio personality Marcellus "Bassman" Shepard introduces the "new" Warren Wolf to us with the brief "Smooth Intro." Then it's off to the world of glee and groove on "For Ma," a dedication to Wolf's late mother. With foundational pocket-playing from church-reared drummer Carroll Dashiell III and jazz-fusion electric bass dynamo Richie Goods, tasteful contributions from pianist Brett Williams and a catchy melody courtesy of Wolf's mallets, the song, which nods to the Wolf family matriarch's love of Motown and vintage soul, is brimming with optimism.

Continuing down hybridized roads, Wolf lays claim to all that glistens and flows. There's "Vahbying," which relies heavily on a bounding vamp that offers welcome blowing room; "In The Heat of the Night," a steamy and sultry slow-joint with vocalist Imani-Grace Cooper and Shepard plus guest guitarist Mark Whitfield upping the humidity factor; "The Struggle," a largely reflective nod to personal heartbreak; and the Isley Brothers' "For the Love of You," a number that looks romance square in the eyes.

Whether thinking fondly of his musical past, his mother's influence, his youngest children (on the touching "Sebastian and Zoë"), or life's blessings, love is paramount in Wolf's vision. It's the through line that makes Reincarnation a unified statement. Less muscle and more heart, this is Warren Wolf in his most tenderly expressive stance. By Dan Bilawsky
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/reincarnation-warren-wolf-mack-avenue-records

Personnel: Warren Wolf: vibraphone.

Additional Instrumentation: Brett Williams: Fender Rhodes (1, 4, 6, 7, 10), piano (2, 3, 5, 7-9); Richie Goods: electric bass (1-7, 10), upright bass (8); Mark Whitfield: guitar (4, 6); Carroll "CV" Dashiell III: drums, percussion (1-8, 10); Imani- Grace Cooper: vocals (4-8); Marcellus "Bassman" Shepard: vocals (1, 4, 7, 10).

Reincarnation

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SFJazz Collective - New Works & Classics Reimagined

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:58
Size: 183,6 MB
Art: Front

( 9:03) 1. Perseverance
(10:41) 2. Crossings
( 8:14) 3. The Plains
( 9:44) 4. Smokey
( 8:13) 5. Lands End
(10:55) 6. Hacienda y Capataz
(10:39) 7. God Bless The Child / That's The Way Of The World
(12:25) 8. Prelude / Someday We'll All Be Free

This limited edition CD, recorded during the SFJAZZ Collective’s four-night residency in October 2022 on the Miner Auditorium stage at the SFJAZZ Center, documents new works from the all-star ensemble. Additionally, the album includes fresh new approaches to timeless classics, like a two-part medley of Billie Holiday’s “God Bless The Child” and Earth, Wind & Fire’s “That’s The Way Of The World,” and Donny Hathaway’s “Someday We’ll All Be Free.”

Featuring 8 tracks, this CD release contains a 24-page booklet with exclusive photos, liner notes, article by Marcus Crowder, and insight from the Collective members on their arrangements.
https://www.sfjazz.org/shop/cds-dvds/sfjazz-collective-cd-new-works-new-works-classics-reimagined/

Personnel: Chris Potter tenor saxophone; David Sánchez tenor saxophone; Warren Wolf vibraphone; Edward Simon piano; Matt Brewer bass; Kendrick Scott drums

New Works & Classics Reimagined

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Willie Jones III - Groundwork

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:43
Size: 98,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Git'cha Shout On
(6:10)  2. Hindsight
(6:48)  3. Dear Blue
(5:23)  4. Toku Do
(4:43)  5. Charity
(6:27)  6. Groundwork
(4:02)  7. New Boundary
(4:25)  8. Jamar

Drummer Willie Jones III is releasing a new album, Groundwork, dedicated to the late Cedar Walton, Ralph Penland, Mulgrew Miller and Dwayne Burno, influences on Jones who have passed in recent years. Jones’ sixth album as a leader and the 17th release on WJ3 Records, is now available on iTunes and Amazon.com and will be in stores on February 19. On Groundwork, according to a press release, Jones explores the works of Walton, his former bandleader; Penland, an early mentor; and Burno, Jones’ contemporary and former band mate. 

The album also includes original tunes by Buster Williams, Eric Reed and more. Musicians on the recording include Williams (bass) and Eddie Henderson (trumpet), Reed (piano), Warren Wolf (vibes) and Stacy Dillard (saxophones).  https://jazztimes.com/news/drummer-willie-jones-iii-dedicates-new-album-to-departed-influences/

Personnel:  Drums – Willie Jones III;  Bass – Buster Williams; Piano – Eric Reed; Tenor Saxophone – Stacy Dillard; Trombone – Steve Davis; Trumpet – Eddie Henderson; Vibraphone – Warren Wolf

Groundwork

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Christian Scott - Stretch Music

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:01
Size: 118,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:04)  1. Sunrise in Beijing
(4:15)  2. TWIN
(4:22)  3. Perspectives
(8:07)  4. West of the West
(4:09)  5. Liberation over Gangsterism
(1:34)  6. The Corner
(7:34)  7. Of a New Cool
(2:07)  8. Runnin 7's
(4:24)  9. Tantric
(7:11) 10. The Last Chieftain
(2:10) 11. The Horizon

Stretch music, according to New Orleans jazz musician Christian Scott, is an approach that engenders a more absorbent and sensitive kind of jazz. "We are attempting to stretch not replace jazz's rhythmic, melodic and harmonic conventions to encompass as many musical forms/languages/cultures as we can," he says on his website. He titled his fifth album after the concept, but this sensibility is visible even in his earliest work as a leader; the title track of 2007's Anthem is jazz in its instrumentation, but it also obeys the rhythms and structures of post-hardcore, a series of contrasting shapes which build an atomically tense and spectral space, like a cathedral at night. His description of "stretch music" somewhat resembles the omnivorous jazz approaches of bassist/singer Esperanza Spalding and pianist Robert Glasper. It's similarly collaborative and elastic. But Scott's genre splicing is not as mosaic as Glasper's. It’s doesn’t lock different genres together in unusual patterns as much as it melts them down into asymmetrical and indivisible sculpture. It's almost curious to call it "stretch music" when it feels as if jazz isn’t so much expanded here as collapsed into small, oblique jewels. Later in his mission statement, Scott describes his intention to draw unusual instruments through distortion. This is how Stretch Music begins: A piano, played by Lawrence Fields, struggles through noise, as if pressing and blurring against a force field. Instruments undergo a kind of metamorphosis in Scott’s aesthetic, which is reflected in the album cover: his trumpet bends and warps into elastic shapes. https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21105-stretch-music/

Personnel:  Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah – trumpet, sirenette and reverse flugelhorn; Elena Pinderhughes – flute; Braxton Cook – alto, straight alto; Corey King – trombone; Cliff Hines – guitar; Lawrence Fields – piano; Kris Funn – bass; Corey Fonville – drums, SPD-SX pad; Joe Dyson Jr. – pan-African drums, SPD-SX; Warren Wolf - Vibraphone

Stretch Music

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Mack Avenue SuperBand - Live from the Detroit Jazz Festival

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:16
Size: 136,5 MB
Art: Front

( 0:59)  1. Introduction
( 9:49)  2. Riot
(10:31)  3. The Struggle
( 7:53)  4. A Mother's Cry
(11:25)  5. Santa Maria
( 7:01)  6. For Stephane
( 1:17)  7. Introduction to Bipolar Blues Blues
(10:17)  8. Bipolar Blues Blues

Bands fostered by labels and sourced from their stables are nothing new. The concept itself has always carried great possibility, but many a label has dropped the ball on the artistic responsibility side of the equation. At their worst, these types of get-togethers have come off as incongruous gatherings that are crudely slapped together. The concerts and/or albums that often fall into that category typically have one thing in common: they're there to make a quick buck and nothing else really matters. But not every label gathering is made for that purpose. A label band, when done right, can help to showcase artists while displaying and furthering a sense of community. The Mack Avenue Superband projects prove that point.  So what exactly makes this album and its two antecedents work while other such projects have failed miserably? There's no easy answer, but organization and attention to detail may very well be the keys to success. This gathering may take place on one fine day, but the band's music director bassist Rodney Whitaker starts to formulate a plan several months ahead of time, reaching out to the musicians to put together a program where everybody has input. So while the seven musicians featured on this album may not be the most stylistically well-matched on paper, with relatively straight ahead players, a gypsy jazz guitarist, and a smooth-gospel saxophone star joining forces, they're all on the same page from beginning to end and there's a spirit of togetherness here that's refreshing to encounter on such an offering.  

Everybody involved with this album knows the drill and comes prepared. Whitaker, his longtime drumming partner Carl Allen, Hot Club of Detroit guitarist Evan Perri, and pianist Aaron Diehl have all been on board for both of the previous incarnations of this group; vibraphonist Warren Wolf and saxophonists Tia Fuller and Kirk Whalum have each taken part in one of these gatherings before. Here, they all gel beautifully in various combinations. Whalum and Fuller blow atop the rhythm section with vim and vigor on the former's "Bipolar Blues Blues"; Wolf and Perri prove to be surprisingly well-matched partners, locking in together on Herbie Hancock's "Riot" and pulling from the same stylistic bag on Perri's Spanish-tinged, Chick Corea-esque "For Stephanie"; Wolf's vibes, Fuller's soprano, and Whalum's flute meld and move gently atop the light Latin flow below on Whitaker's "A Mother's Cry"; and Diehl's gifts as a genre-blind player with exquisite taste and an enormous musical vocabulary come to the surface on his own "Santa Maria," a piece which opens on three-and-a-half minutes of expression-rich piano exploration before taking shape as a swinger that vacillates between lightheartedness and resoluteness. This edition of the Mack Avenue Superband has much to offer, proving that the difference between success and failure with label bands rests with the execution and the chemistry. With sound planning and the right participants, a label concoction can be a very good thing. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-from-the-detroit-jazz-festival-2014-mack-avenue-superband-mack-avenue-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Rodney Whitaker: music director, acoustic bass; Carl Allen: drums; Aaron Diehl: piano; Tia Fuller: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Evan Perri: guitar; Kirk Whalum: tenor saxophone, flute; Warren Wolf: vibraphone.

Live from the Detroit Jazz Festival

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Warren Wolf - Warren Wolf

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:30
Size: 138,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:17)  1. 427 Mass Ave
(7:19)  2. Natural Beauties
(6:03)  3. Sweet Bread
(7:04)  4. How I Feel at This Given Moment
(5:36)  5. Eva
(4:40)  6. Senor Mouse
(6:23)  7. Emily
(7:38)  8. Katrina
(3:56)  9. One for Lenny
(5:29) 10. Intimate Dance

Prominent jazz vibraphonists have always been relatively few and Warren Wolf has the potential to be one of the top players of his generation. Wolf is joined by bassist Christian McBride, pianist Peter Martin, and drummer Gregory Hutchinson, with guest appearances by trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and saxophonist Tim Green. Wolf is a master of lyricism and restraint with his spacious interpretation of Johnny Mandel's timeless ballad "Emily." He doubles on vibes and marimba in an intricate interpretation of Chick Corea's "Señor Mouse." Six of the songs are originals by the leader. The composer takes a back seat in the sensual "Natural Beauties," showcasing Martin and Green (the latter on soprano sax) first before adding his dazzling solo. Pelt and Green (on alto sax) are added for the hard-charging post-bop vehicle "Sweet Bread," a performance with plenty of fireworks. The brilliant Christian McBride introduces the rapid-fire "One for Lenny," where Wolf shows his chops at a blazing tempo, followed by potent solos from Green and Martin, along with a fiery arco solo by the bassist and a brief break by Hutchinson. Martin contributed the warm ballad "Intimate Dance," a lyrical duet with the leader. Previously recorded by a Japanese label, Warren Wolf's impressive debut for Mack Avenue should open lots of doors for the talented vibraphonist.~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/warren-wolf-mw0002176817

Warren Wolf

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Adonis Rose - On The Verge

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:03
Size: 144,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:04)  1. Robin In Pink I
(9:18)  2. Liyah's Blues
(9:20)  3. Lies In Beauty
(6:39)  4. Shed
(7:28)  5. Gingerbread Boy
(8:57)  6. Robin In Pink II
(7:40)  7. On The Verge
(5:33)  8. Shades Of Light

While rhythm is as fundamental to mainstream jazz as changes and melody, to denizens of New Orleans it's even more elemental. Drummer Adonis Rose may have left the Crescent City in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, but it hasn't changed the approach he's honed on two previous releases as a leader Song for Donise (Criss Cross, 1998) and The Unity (Criss Cross, 1999). On the Verge brings back three collaborators from these earlier releases trumpeter Nicholas Payton, saxophonist Tim Warfield and bassist Reuben Rogers but Rose changes pianists this time, enlisting the increasingly ubiquitous pianist Aaron Goldberg and a relative newcomer, vibraphonist Warren Wolf (last hear on trumpeter Jeremy Pelt's Identity (MaxJazz, 2005)). The result, while never short on groove, covers considerable dynamic territory rather than being as consistently hard-hitting as one might expect from a drummer-led session. That's not to say there isn't some bodacious energy to be found on this largely original set of eight tunes, featuring four from Rose and one each from Goldberg and Warfield. The fiery 9/8 theme of Rose's modal title track is urgently propelled by Rogers and Rose, who light a serious fire under Goldberg's Tyner-esque solo, Warfield's potent tenor and a vibrant solo from Wolf that suggests, if there's any justice, that he'll be heard more from and soon. Rose takes his most visceral solo of the set over Goldberg and Rogers' ostinato before curiously ending, seemingly in mid-sentence. 

Rose's "Liyah's Blues swings hard, with a straightforward stop/start melody that opens up for strong solos from everyone, but especially Payton, whose tradition-centricity is equally expanded by his forward-reaching ideas, supported and urged on by Rose, Goldberg and Rogers. The shifting tempos and cued sections of an imaginative take on Jimmy Heath's "Gingerbread Boy make it fit within the context of the originals, and breathes new life into this enduring classic. Elsewhere the material ranges from the deceptive simplicity of Warfield's late-night ballad, "Lies in Beauty, to the organic and relaxed 5/4 pulse of Goldberg's "Shed. Two extended versions of Rose's soft but nevertheless rhythmically insistent "Robin in Pink blend the cerebral with passionate understatement, while the set closes with flautist Hubert Laws' "Shades of Light, its gentle Latin vibe acting like a cool-down from the workout of the preceding title track. On the Verge is a down-the-middle set of contemporary straight-ahead jazz that's not likely to shake any foundations or introduce any significant innovations. But with a set of engagingly diverse material and committed performances by Rose's sextet, it's an album that makes a case for the continued validity and modernity of the mainstream tradition. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/on-the-verge-adonis-rose-criss-cross-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Adonis Rose: drums; Nicholas Payton: trumpet; Tim Warfield: tenor and soprano saxophones; Warren Wolf: vibraphone; Aaron Goldberg: piano; Reuben Rogers: bass.

On The Verge

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Jason Palmer - Songbook

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:29
Size: 130,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Priest Lake
(5:59)  2. Found It
(6:57)  3. Laid Up
(7:03)  4. Checkmate
(4:15)  5. One For J Mac
(6:00)  6. In A Certain Way
(7:14)  7. The Shadowboxer
(6:05)  8. Hoop-Ti-Du
(6:11)  9. Will There Ever Be Employment For The Exonerated People

Trumpeter and composer Jason Palmer cares intensely about jazz and his place within its musical world. He's working hard to find his own voice, and represents one of the young players who has gone through the mentoring process, in this case, with saxophonist Greg Osby. Songbook's pieces are all written by Palmer, and played by Osby (alto saxophone), Ravi Coltrane (tenor saxophone), Warren Wolfe (vibes), Leo Genovese (piano, Fender Rhodes), Matt Brewer (bass) and Tommy Crane (drums). The arrangements are adventurous and balance the needs of structure versus improvisation. The music would have to be called mainstream, particularly from the rhythmic and harmonic viewpoint. However, while the connection to traditional jazz is perfectly clear (more so in some pieces than others), the feeling is more of acknowledgment rather than obeisance. The term "mainstream" describes the playing of Swing Era, big band musicians in the bebop era. For whatever reason, they could or would not jump on the bandwagon of the "new thing," (primarily meaning the rhythmic and harmonic innovations) but rather took what they wanted from bebop as extensions to their basic swing style. The more original players, like Lester Young, remained original, and influenced many later players.

It is in this manner that Songbook can be heard. Palmer has a gift for melody and he's very sure of his playing, which gives the sense of improvisation-that the notes he's currently playing formed in his mind only a moment before. The interest comes in how his lines evolve, rather than guessing his next move. Both Osby and Coltrane are of the generation prior to Palmer's and it shows in their playing. While respecting the vibe and harmonic conception of Palmer's music, their experience is displayed by their rhythmic freedom and unconventional phrasing. Of the players of Palmer's generation, Genovese stands out. He makes the Rhodes sound natural as he pushes the musical envelope, sounding fresh and exciting on both piano and keyboards. The musical unpredictability of the opening tune, "Priest Lake" originally written as a suite and presented here in compressed form offers a hint of where Palmer might be heading, while only parts of the rhythmically complex "Checkmate" follow suit. The ballad, "One For J Mac" (dedicated to Jackie McLean) is flat out beautiful. Other tunes fall back on the tried-and-true unison-head/solo(s)/recap format of the hard bop era, pulling the music backwards. With the release of Songbook, Palmer presents himself as a talented and ambitious player who is well worth watching. ~ Budd Kopman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/songbook-jason-palmer-ayva-musica-review-by-budd-kopman.php
 

Personnel: Jason Palmer: trumpet; Greg Osby: alto saxophone; Ravi Coltrane: tenor saxophone; Warren Wolf: vibes; Leo Genovese: Fender Rhodes, piano; Matt Brewer: bass; Tommy Crane: drums.

Songbook

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Warren Wolf - Convergence

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:54
Size: 158,3 MB
Art: Front

( 4:56)  1. Soul Sister
(11:06)  2. Four Stars From Heaven
( 5:08)  3. King Of Two Fives
( 4:39)  4. New Beginning
( 6:46)  5. Cell Phone
( 4:36)  6. Montara
( 5:09)  7. Havoc
( 5:05)  8. Tergiversation
( 6:38)  9. Knocks Me Off Of My Feet
( 8:38) 10. A Prayer For The Christian Man
( 5:10) 11. Stardust / The Minute Waltz

The name of Baltimore vibraphonist Warren Wolf may not be too well known, but the sidemen he has called on for his third release on well-funded US indy label Mack Avenue should ensure he doesn’t remain so for much longer. Produced by Wolf’s mentor and regular employer, bassist Christian McBride, Convergence features a dream team band including pianist Brad Mehldau and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, with guitarist John Scofield guesting on two tracks. The danger when you recruit such heavyweight sidemen, of course, is that they will eclipse you and indeed there are times when Wolf’s companions, particularly Mehldau, raise proceedings to another level, but at his best, the 36-year-old’s strong melodic sense and bravura technique mean he holds his own, just. http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/warren-wolf-convergence-album-review-holding-his-own-among-the-heavyweights-1.2696282

Personnel:  Warren Wolf – vibes, marimba 5/6/9/10/11, Fender Rhodes 2/9, piano 9;  Christian McBride – bass 1/2/3/5/6/7/8/9/10;  Brad Mehldau – piano 1/2/4/5/7;  John Scofield – guitar 1/7;  Jeff “Tain” Watts – drums 1/2/5/6/7/8/9/10

Convergence

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Willie Jones III - The Next Phase

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:37
Size: 124,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:38)  1. The Thorn
(6:59)  2. Changing the Game
(6:21)  3. Melancholy Mind
(6:33)  4. Family
(6:43)  5. Kosen Rufu
(5:26)  6. Another Time
(4:43)  7. Until It's Time For You To Go
(9:11)  8. Up the Middle

On his fourth album, Jones leads a group that features the modern jazz scene's most innovative musicians: Steve Davis on trombone, Greg Tardy on saxophone, Eric Reed on piano, Dezron Douglas on bass, Warren Wolf on vibes and vocalists Claudia Acuna and Renee Neufville. The Next Phase consists of an original tune by Jones as well as new and unreleased songs by Reed, Douglas and Davis. Until It's Time for You To Go, originally recorded by Roberta Flack, has been translated to the jazz medium by vocalist Renee Neufville. Claudia Acuna is featured on Melancholy Mind, written by pianist Anthony Wonsey. Jones continues to work consistently with venerable artists Cedar Walton, Hank Jones, Ernestine Anderson, the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars and others but the album's title reflects the changes in the drummer's life, both personally and professionally. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/The-Next-Phase-Willie-Jones/dp/B003K7TMNG

Personnel: Willie Jones III (drums); Eric Reed, piano; Dezron Douglas, Bass; Warren Wolf, vibes; Greg Tardy, sax; Steve Davis, trombone; Claudia Acuna, vocals; Renee Neufville, vocals

The Next Phase

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Jeremy Pelt - Identity

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:46
Size: 169,1 MB
Art: Front

( 6:42)  1. Re-Invention
( 8:54)  2. Eddie's Story
( 5:11)  3. Seek
( 7:38)  4. Suspicion
( 7:40)  5. Eye of the Beholder
( 5:29)  6. Celestial
( 4:42)  7. Angular
( 6:31)  8. Haiku
(11:41)  9. Scorpio
( 9:14) 10. Dusk

Most of the best composers, like Ellington and Shorter, have also been great players. The two processes are mutually reinforcing. Jeremy Pelt's Identity shows him to be on this two-fold path. It's all original material performed with Frank LoCrasto on keyboards, Vicente Archer on bass, and Eric McPherson on drums all on a par of excellence with Pelt in their playing. This particular group formed just recently, yet it already has sharp rapport. If it stays together, it'll likely become one of the better groups out there. Pelt pulls off the difficult trick of being simultaneously cerebral and inviting. His tone strikes a warm balance between brightness and suffusion. The more aggressive tunes comprise the stronger material on Identity, and Pelt doesn't bury the lead, opening with his strongest track, "Re-Invention." The tune is bothcontrapuntal and harmonic, yet without traditional comping from LoCrasto. The introspective, darkly enigmatic melody is made of simple gestures taking on cumulative meanings throughout the sixteen-bar form. The writing recalls '60s-period Wayne Shorter. Yet, as with Shorter, the music follows its own internal logic. It also strikes a balance between a "free" feeling and closed form, which may be the highest level of craft for the modern improviser. LoCrasto's counterpoint acts like an oblique, reluctant shadow with a mind of its own. Both Pelt and LoCrasto use ideas from the melody, and each other, to inform their solos with mindfully small gestures and build larger concepts.

"Seek," "Suspicion," and "Angular" are the other relatively aggressive tunes. While they don't push boundaries, they share a spirit with many current artists exploring rhythmic complexity and form while maintaining swing and drive. The musicians incorporate occasional odd structures and rhythmic displacements into the blowing sections instead of discarding them as compositional quirks.Despite the appearance of some special guests on Identity, the quartet is central. Archer's turn on "Celestial" is a highlight, as is McPherson's blowing over the vamp at the end of "Suspicion." As for the relaxed, slower material on Identity, it's often beautiful but occasionally so introspective as to implode under its own weight. An exception is the engaging "Haiku," where Pelt and LoCrasto both make deeply personal statements while recalling two of the greatest ballad interpreters on their instruments.

The media affair regarding Pelt is well underway. Identity may lead some critics to celebrate the arrival of the "future of jazz," or cause others to feel compelled to refute such claims. But the reality is not so black and white. Those who are preoccupied with finding an artist to label the "future of jazz" can't see the trees for the forest. Innovation is sometimes incremental and often not easy to detect. It's all a continuum. We need faith that the pursuit of excellence supplies the energy to keep jazz moving forward. Innovation need not always be a "change of the century." It often hides in the shadows, tucked into a brilliant corner like a precocious child smiling to himself with a secret. There may well be such a child tucked into Identity. ~ John Dworkin http://www.allaboutjazz.com/identity-jeremy-pelt-maxjazz-review-by-john-dworkin.php

Personnel: Jeremy Pelt: trumpet and flugelhorn; Frank LoCrasto: keyboards; Vicente Archer: bass; Eric McPherson: drums. Special guests: Myron Walden: saxophone and bass clarinet; Warren Wolf: vibes; Mike Moreno: guitar.

Identity

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Quincy Davis - Songs In The Key of Q

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:21
Size: 129,3 MB
Art: Front

(10:48)  1. Everybody's Peace
( 8:31)  2. Walnut Creek
( 4:25)  3. Soar
( 3:12)  4. Ponder This
( 8:16)  5. Cold Rain
( 5:03)  6. See You Tomorrow
( 3:52)  7. Epiphany
( 5:52)  8. Matter Factual
( 5:16)  9. Erica's Song
( 1:01) 10. Ponder This (Reprise)

This is a wonderful debut album by Quincy Davis, who has long been highly regarded as one of the great jazz drummers of his generation. In this album, listeners can finally enjoy a compelling glimpse into the mind and soul of Davis as a composer. Davis' music can be described as very "melodic, sophisticated, introspective, soulful and catchy". His playing can be described as simply "refreshing". While the roots of jazz are deeply embedded throughout the album, you will hear no cliches what-so-ever. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/quincydavis

He is joined by a stellar band: Dayna Stephens (tenor sax), Warren Wolf (vibraphone), Xavier Davis (piano), Vicente Archer (bass) and Richie Goods (electric bass, 1 track).

Songs In The Key of Q

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Warren Wolf - Black Wolf

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:52
Size: 125,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:39)  1. From Day to Day
(5:27)  2. Maiden Voyage
(5:49)  3. The Wire
(6:09)  4. Chelsea Bridge
(7:17)  5. Bags' Groove
(9:36)  6. Who's Afraid of the Big Black
(6:56)  7. Speed Ball
(6:57)  8. Katrina

Warren Wolf is a multi-instrumentalist from Baltimore, MD. From the young age of three years old, Warren has been trained on the Vibraphone/Marimba, Drums, and Piano. Under the guidance of his father Warren Wolf Sr., Warren has a deep background in all genres of music. Beginning with classical music, Warren had studied classical composers from Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Paganini, Brahms, Vivaldi and Shostakovich. Warren also studied ragtime music learning music from the songbooks of Scott Joplin, Harry Brewer and Geroge Hamilton Green. In Jazz, Warren has studied artist and composers from Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Brown, Herbie Hancock, Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson, Cal Tjader, Return to Forever, Weather Report, Wynton Marsalis and many others.Warren attended the Peabody Prepatory for eight years studying classical music with former Baltimore Symphony Orchestra member Leo LePage. During his high school years at the Baltimore School for the Arts, Warren studied with current Baltimore Symphony Orchestra member John Locke. After graduating from Baltimore School for the Arts in June of 1997, Warren headed north and enrolled at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.During his time at Berklee, Warren studied with Carribean Jazz Vibraphonist Dave Samuels for seven of eight semesters.

One semester was spent with vibist Ed Saindon. During his time at Berklee, Warren began to explore deeper into jazz. Some musicians who've helped Warren reach his musical goal during his time at Berklee were musicians such as Jeremy Pelt, John Lamkin, Darren Barrett, Wayne Escoffery, Richard Johnson, Kendrick Scott, Walter Smith, Jason Palmer, Rashawn Ross and many others. Through those musicians Warren becamse an active performer around the Boston area, gigging frequently on the Vibraphone, Drums and Piano. One of the highlights of Warren's stay in Boston was co-leading a quintet with Boston-based trumpeter Jason Palmer at the historic jazz club Wallys Cafe. Warren was the house drummer at Wallys for two years, performing every Friday and Saturday. After graduating from Berklee in May of 2001, Warren became an active musician on the Boston local scene. Warren was hired in September of 2003 to become an instructor in the percussion department at Berklee College of Music. Warren taught private lessons on the Vibraphone and Drums, as well as teach a beginners keyboard class for entering freshman drumset majors. After two years of teaching at Berklee College of Music, Warren headed back to Baltimore to start his main goal of becoming a full time performing musician. Since leaving Berklee as a teacher, Warren has landed the piano duties performing in the Rachael Price Group. Recording and touring with Rachael, Warren has had the opportunity to tour throughout the entire Unites States of America. Warren is currently the drummer of choice for Alto Saxophonist Tia Fuller, who tours with internationally renowned pop star Beyonce Knowles. Warren is also a member of the Donal Fox Group which includes bassist John Lockwood and drummers Dafnis Preito and Terri Lyne Carrington. Also, Warren tour and perform with Bobby Watson's “Live and Learn” Sextet, Karriem Riggins “Virtuoso Experience” and Christian McBride & “Inside Straight”. With these three groups Warren has traveled the world. 

Warren has performed throughout the United States of America, South America, Canada, Italy, Spain, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Scotland, London, Greece, Singapore, Thailand, Jarkata, Bangkok, Tokyo, Paris, Moscow and many other countries. Warren has several recordings as a leader. Warren's first two records are on the M&I label which is based in Japan. The first record is titled “Incredible Jazz Vibes” which features Mulgrew Miller on Piano, Vicente Archer on Bass and Kendrick Scott on Drums. The second record is titled “Black Wolf”. That record features Mulgrew Miller on Piano, Rodney Whitaker on Bass and Jeff “Tain” Watts on Drums. Warren has a self produced CD which is titled “RAW”. That record features Darren Barrett on Trumpet, Walter Smith on Tenor Saxophone, Jason Palmer on Trumpet, Plume on Alto Saxophone, Kris Funn on Bass, Peter Slavov on Bass, Lawrence Fields on Piano/Fender Rhodes and Charles “Dogg” Haynes on Drums. On “RAW” Warren performs on both the Vibraphone and Drums. The fourth recording is titled Warren “Chano Pozo” Wolf. On this recording, Warren performs on the Vibraphone,Drums/Fender Rhodes and Piano. This recording features Tim Green on Alto Saxophone, Lawrence Fields on Piano/Fender Rhodes, John Lamkin on Drums, Dana Hawkins on Drums, Kris Funn on Bass, Louis Cato on Electric Bass, Delandria Mills on Flute, Tabreeca Woodside on Vocals and Integriti Reeves on Vocals. Warren has recently signed to the Mack Ave recording label. A future record will be released in the near future. ~ More Bio  http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/warrenwolf

Personal: Warren Wolf – vibraphone; Mulgrew Miller – piano; Rodney Whitaker – bass; Jeff "Tain" Watts - drums

Black Wolf

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Warren Wolf - Incredible Jazz Vibes

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:03
Size: 124,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:54)  1. I Hear a Rhapsody
(5:30)  2. Overjoyed
(6:23)  3. I Want More
(7:04)  4. Masquerade Is Over
(4:25)  5. Four on Six
(5:00)  6. Why Is There a Dolphin on Green Street
(2:42)  7. Reflections
(6:46)  8. Howling Wolf
(5:55)  9. Lake Nerraw Flow
(5:18) 10. Chan's Song

Throughout its history, jazz has been revitalized with a continual evolution of style, fresh transformations in expression, bold leaps into the free improvisational sphere of the unknown and most importantly the arrival of young artists who, while steeped in the past, have an eye to the future of the idiom. Jazz aficionados welcome the dawning of the next generations of talented musicians who boldly stride into progressive territory. Among the most important young jazz stars in that vein is vibraphonist Warren Wolf, who delivers his remarkable sophomore album, Wolfgang, on Mack Avenue Records. Wolf, a multi-instrumentalist who has also honed his chops on drums and piano since age three, is also following in the footsteps of vibes masters Bobby Hutcherson and Stefon Harris by becoming a member of the SFJazz Collective (both of whom precede him in the vibes chair). Wolfgang, set for an August 20 release, features two different three-man rhythm sections pianist Benny Green, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Lewis Nash; and pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Kris Funn and drummer Billy Williams, Jr.), as well as two noteworthy duo pieces with pianist/label-mate Aaron Diehl. Wolf and Diehl are both building their careers as young (each under age 35) musicians keeping the jazz tradition alive. Comprising nine tunes (six of which are originals), Wolfgang spotlights Wolf taking a different, more laid-back take than his volcanic eponymous debut album on Mack Avenue. 

“The last record was a means of introducing myself as a leader,” says the 33-year-old Baltimore-based vibraphonist. “This time I set out to showcase my writing skills with compositions that have melodies people can remember.” On his first album, which was produced by mentor/label-mate McBride (who Wolf has been performing with since 2007 after the pair met at Jazz Aspen seven years before that), Wolf placed himself in the context of a quintet and sextet (with saxophonist Tim Green and, on two tracks, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt). This time out he largely focuses on the quartet setting. “I wanted to display the beauty of the vibes,” he says. “In a quintet, you’re limited. With a quartet, you can hear me more. A lot of times the vibes is played in support of others. I’m showing here that I can hold the ball by myself.” Wolfgang sets out to showcase Wolf’s classical and blues influences, as well as his compositions.

Wolfgang opens with the vibraphonist leading his own home-base band (Fun and Williams with Goldberg sitting in as a guest) into “Sunrise,” with Goldberg and Williams making predawn statements, then develops into the relaxed aurora with Wolf joining the group. The piece develops into a swinging gem with lyrical vibes lines. With the same band, Wolf speeds into the hard-burning swinger “Grand Central,” which takes a frenetic pace with mad dashes of movement: a wild chase, a crushing push. “Actually, this originally had another title which we decided not to use,” says Wolf. “But I was performing it at Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and a guy came up after and said that reminded him of being at Grand Central Station at rush hour. So, that’s the perfect title.” The foursome also jumps into the upbeat “Lake Nerraw Flow” which features Wolf taking a rippling solo. It’s a song he wrote as a senior at Berklee College of Music in 2001. “I don’t write like that anymore, but I knew this would be great for all of us to stretch out,” Wolf says. And the title? “That’s my name spelled backwards.” As for the fourth tune of the band, “Setembro,” written by Ivan Lins/Gilson Peranzzetta, Wolf invites singer Darryl Tookes to harmonize with smooth wordless vocals. “It goes back to my goal for this album: record melodies that people actually enjoy,” says Wolf. Wolf and Diehl have become good friends because of their deep appreciation for both jazz and classical music.

 “When I first composed the song ‘Wolfgang,’ I had a jazz band choir in mind as well as a whole other section that I cut out.” In the tune, Diehl and Wolf marvelously converse on their instruments, in dialogues and in counterpoint. The other duo number comes at the end of the disc when the pair gleefully dives into “Le Carnaval de Venise,” a waltz composed by Jean-Baptiste Arban. “I first heard this music in high school [Baltimore School of the Arts] where a trumpeter took the lead,” Wolf says. “Fast-forward to seeing a clip on YouTube of Wynton [Marsalis] playing this with a symphony orchestra. I bought the recording and was blown away.” The piece is delivered as a percussive waltz with Diehl and Wolf flowing together like gentle waves. With the rhythm section of Green/McBride/Nash, Wolf launches into three tunes including a bluesy and hip take on the traditional song, “Frankie and Johnny,” which his father had turned him on to when he was a teenager. “I listened to a live version that Ray Brown did with Milt Jackson and Stanley Turrentine and others, and I loved the pulse of the bass,” Wolf says. “You can hear Christian yelling in this take, which is a tribute to Ray Brown.” The group also serves up “Annoyance,” with McBride bowing in the opening and Wolf taking the lyrical duties (“If you hear something like a mistake in this, it’s supposed to be there,” says Wolf, who likes to hear dissonance within the beauty) and the blues-oriented “Things Were Done Yesterday,” where Green flies on the keys. “I’ve always been a big-time fan of Benny,” Wolf says. “To hear the way he plays through changes is amazing. He tears it up here.” A smart, fun, blues-to-swing-to-classical collection of indelible melodies, Wolfgang ups the ante in Wolf’s young career. Even though he’s still developing his voice and his vision (he says he has several new projects he’s thinking of), he has been given high praise, including from Blue Note Records’ Chairman Emeritus, Bruce Lundvall. When asked about whom Lundvall is impressed with on the scene today, the legendary label chief immediately responded: Warren Wolf. "Warren is very different,” he said. “He has a sense of swing and a percussive style. He has great dynamics, excellent compositions and is very exciting." He called Wolf's deal with Mack Avenue to be a very important signing. ~ Bio   http://www.amazon.com/Warren-Wolf/e/B001LIDAPC/ref=ac_dtp_sa_bio

Personnel: Warren Wolf (vibraphone).

Incredible Jazz Vibes

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Warren Wolf - Wolfgang

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:09
Size: 141,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:55)  1. Sunrise
(7:18)  2. Frankie and Johnny
(7:25)  3. Grand Central
(6:05)  4. Wolfgang
(5:34)  5. Annoyance
(5:34)  6. Lake Nerraw Flow
(6:07)  7. Things Were Done Yesterday
(6:27)  8. Setembro
(8:41)  9. Variations sur "Le carnaval de Venise"

In a succession of vibraphonists that began with Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo, Wolf has come into his own. His new album finds him with one rhythm section of veterans pianist Benny Green, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Lewis Nash and another of young musicians from his own quartet. He and the increasingly impressive pianist Aaron Diehl play duets on two pieces. With Wolf on marimba, the two defy categories in variations on the 19th century trumpet chops buster “The Carnival of Venice.” In “Wolfgang” and “Grand Central” (unrelated to the John Coltrane piece of that name) Wolf the composer writes straightforward melodic invention that is also a hallmark of his soloing. His improvisation on “Frankie and Johnny” is a bluesy joy. ~ Doug Ramsey  http://www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/2013/09/cd-warren-wolf.html

Wolfgang

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