Wayne Escoffery - Alone

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 56:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 129,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:31) 1. Moments with You
(8:07) 2. Alone
(6:44) 3. Rapture
(8:15) 4. The Ice Queen
(6:23) 5. The Shadow of Your Smile
(6:08) 6. Blues for D.P.
(9:03) 7. Stella by Starlight
(5:06) 8. Since I Fell for You

Saxophonist and composer Wayne Escoffery reflects on love, loss, and solitude on his stunning new album, an atmospheric and haunting mood piece, Alone, featuring a remarkable all-star quartet with pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Carl Allen. In the summer of 2023, saxophonist and composer Wayne Escoffery found himself alone in a way that he’d never quite experienced before.

He was away from home, on sabbatical in Europe with a month to himself between tours. A long-term relationship had just ended, and he was confronted with the loss of friendships that he’d once valued. Worst of all, he’d suffered a broken finger that left him unable to play the saxophone for the first time since he’d picked up the horn in high school. “Normally, my coping mechanism would be the saxophone,” Escoffery laments. “But even that wasn't available to me for about nine weeks, so I just had to be alone in my thoughts.”

He made good use of this alone time, conceptualizing the music that makes up his striking and singular new album. What emerged from that solitude was an extended mood piece, a workunique in Escoffery’s typically wide-ranging catalog for its sustained atmosphere of stark melancholy and searching introspection. Alone was conceived during a time of isolation, heartbreak, regret, and reflection, but the experience of the album is far richer even than that. In the end, “I was forced to reflect on life and what was most important to me,” Escoffery concludes. “The concept of this album grew out of that reflection.
https://www.deejay.de/Wayne_Escoffery_Alone_SSR2405LP_Vinyl__1071809

Alone

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Black Art Jazz Collective - Ascension

Styles: Post Bop,Jazz Contemporary
Size: 110,1 MB
Time: 48:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Art: Front

1. Ascension (5:36)
2. Mr. Willis (4:16)
3. Involuntary Servitude (6:46)
4. Twin Towers (6:28)
5. No Words Needed (1:54)
6. Tulsa (6:32)
7. Iron Man (6:31)
8. For the Kids (5:33)
9. Birdie's Bounce (4:27)

On Ascension, the Black Art Jazz Collective, a like-minded sextet co-founded in 2012 by trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and saxophonist Wayne Escoffery to salute the artistry of their mentors and musical heroes while moving the idiom forward into the twenty-first century, is unbending in its allegiance to the straight-ahead canon espoused by the architects of modern jazz. It's a stance that gives rise to pluses and minuses.

On the upside, this is splendid music, rhythmically and melodically pleasing, well-played by an ensemble whose members are bright and durable pillars on the New York-area scene. On the downside, the burnished performance can't becloud the fact that there's nothing special on the menu, simply well-arranged jazz that seems somehow vaguely familiar. In other words, the meal is meat and potatoes, even though remarkably well-cooked. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that every number is an original composition: three by Pelt, two each by pianist Victor Gould and trombonist James Burton III, one apiece by Escoffery and the late Jackie McLean, and, even more so, that none would have seemed out of place in a straight-shooting Prestige-Blue Note session from the '50s or '60s.

That's not to suggest that anything here is less than appetizing. Everyone writes well, and solos are as sharp and resourceful as one would expect from musicians with their awareness and expertise. Still, one can't evade the impression he/she has heard this before in other contexts. And yet, even an "encore" can be no less than agreeable when it is mapped out as well as this. Ascension embodies jazz whose contemporary framework is bolstered by an unerring trust in time- honored precepts as its anchor. By Jack Bowers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ascension-black-art-jazz-collective-highnote-records

Personnel: Jeremy Pelt, trumpet; Wayne Escoffery, tenor saxophone; James Burton III, trombone; Victor Gould, keyboards; Rashaan Carter, bass; Mark Whitfield Jr., drums.

Ascension

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Black Art Jazz Collective - Armor of Pride

Styles:Jazz
Size: 103,9 MB
Time: 45:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Art: Front

1. Miller Time (7:25)
2. Armor of Pride (6:53)
3. Awuraa Amma (6:47)
4. The Spin Doctor (4:56)
5. And There She Was, Lovely as Ever (3:16)
6. Pretty (5:19)
7. When Will We Learn (5:18)
8. Black Art (5:26)

2018 release. The Black Art Jazz Collective's mission statement celebrates African-American cultural and political icons. At the core is a modernism that conjures up the classic bands of Art Blakey and acoustic Miles Davis. But with the contemporary soul-fueled solos and locked-in rhythm the band is more likely to launch into a counterpoint riff or the spacious funk of hip-hop than the svelte lines of a classic walking bass.

The Black Art Jazz Collective delivers strong original tunes and purposeful, form-hugging improvisation that keeps things looking forward rather than back. And with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt on ebullient form, and saxophonist Wayne Escoffery's muscularity contrasting with the tenderness of James Burton III's trombone, the focus never becomes diffuse or wavers..By Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Armor-Pride-Black-Jazz-Collective/dp/B07CXGS6TS

Personnel: Wayne Escoffery – tenor saxophone; Jeremy Pelt – trumpet; James Burton III – trombone; Xavier Davis – piano; Vicente Archer – bass; Johnathan Blake – drums

Armor of Pride

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Black Art Jazz Collective - Truth To Power

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Size: 144,2 MB
Time: 62:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2024
Art: Front

1. Black Heart (5:49)
2. The Fabricator (6:16)
3. Truth To Power (8:20)
4. It's Alright (7:51)
5. Coming Of Age (5:29)
6. Dsus (5:29)
7. Code Switching (5:51)
8. Soliloquy (For Sidney Poitier) (4:20)
9. Lookin' For Leroy (6:45)
10. Blues On Stratford Road (6:30)

Many jazz fans break out in a sweat when they see the word “collective" in the name of a jazz group. One assumes the music is going to be avant-garde and free form to the point of incoherence. You'll be happy to know that that the Black Art Jazz Collective's new album Truth to Power (HighNote) is warmly stormy and soulfully engaging.

This collective is a sextet that has been around since 2014 and features topnotch musicians carrying on the tradition of black jazz of the 1960s and '70s that was both spirited and socially conscious. The album includes the following musicians on different tracks: Jeremy Pelt, Josh Evans and Wallace Roney Jr. (tp), James Burton III (tp), Wayne Escoffery (saxophones), Xavier Davis and Victor Gould (p,el p), Vincent Archer and Rashaan Carter (b) and Johnathan Blake and Mark Whitfield, Jr. (d).

tracks are: Black Heart; The Fabricator; Truth to Power; It's Alright; Coming of Age; Dsus; Code Switching; Soliloquy (for Sidney Poitier); Lookin' for Leroy; Blues on Stratford.

The music is hard-charging ("Truth to Power," “Dsus," “Lookin' for Leroy" and “Code Switching") and sensual ("It's Alright" and “Soliloquy for Sidney Poitier". In some places the group reminds me of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers with Wayne Shorter and in others the Jazz Crusaders.

Overall, the Black Art Jazz Collective has its own sound that delivers a strong message. This is jazz from a black point of view as I remember it in the 1960s and '70s, which means it's deeply felt and muscular in a poetic, meaningful way. Check it out. By Marc Myers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/news/black-art-jazz-collective-and-39truth-to-power-and-39/

Personnel: Wayne Escoffery - (tenor saxophone); Jeremy Pelt - (trumpet); Josh Evans, Wallace Roney Jr; James Burton III - (trombone); Xavier Davis - (piano on tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 9 & 10); Victor Gould - (piano on tracks 3, 6, 7 & 8); Vicente Archer - (bass on tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 9 & 10); Rashaan Carter - (bass on tracks 3, 6, 7 & 8); Johnathan Blake - (drums on tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 9 & 10); Mark Whitfield Jr - (drums on tracks 3, 6, 7 & 8).

Truth To Power

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Pat Bianchi - Back Home

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:35
Size: 131,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:48)  1. Fifth House
(7:00)  2. Midnight Mood
(8:34)  3. Lithia
(5:47)  4. Back Home
(4:43)  5. Blues Connotation
(7:21)  6. Portrait of Jenny
(7:07)  7. Just In Time
(8:10)  8. Hammer Head
(3:00)  9. Fifth House - alternate

Organist Pat Bianchi's turn to be in the spotlight as a premier player on his instrument is long overdue, and with the release of Back Home, it's clear his time has finally come. Since the 2006 issue of his album East Coast Roots on the Jazzed Media label and his estimable work with guitarist Corey Christiansen, Bianchi's star has been steadily rising, but now he's reached his zenith. Playing with two different groups, Bianchi transcends soul-jazz by playing the C-3 (church) organ, choosing heady progressive material, and showing his acumen on his instrument similar to peer Larry Goldings (see the Goldings masterpiece Sweet Science). With his "A" group the very energetic sidemen of drummer Ralph Peterson, tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, and trumpeter Terell Stafford alongside, Bianchi whips out compositions not necessarily thought of as vehicles for organ, evidence including the super-fast and tricky Ornette Coleman post-bop piece "Blues Connotation" and Chick Corea's 6/8 groove and bop track "Litha," which came directly from fusion originally with electric piano. The "B" trio with drummer Carmen Intorre and guitarist Gilad Hekselman also tackles difficult music John Coltrane's "Fifth House" (and an additional shorter alternate take) challenges rhythmic parameters in a modal sense while Bianchi goes off à la Larry Young. But where Bianchi's three pieces also explore a mellower sound during ballads and blues, it is his deeply hued style on the C-3 that identifies a new approach to playing modern jazz. What Bianchi is doing is very nearly innovative, and this should only be the tip of the iceberg. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/back-home-mw0001987608

Personnel:  Pat Bianchi - Organ; Ralph Peterson Jr. - Drums ; Terell Stafford - Trumpet; Wayne Escoffery - Saxophone; Carmen Intorre Jr. - Drums; Gilad Hekselman - Guitar

Back Home

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Wayne Escoffery - The Humble Warrior

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:10
Size: 145,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:46) 1. Chain Gang
(9:31) 2. Kyrie
(7:22) 3. Sanctus
(5:05) 4. Benedictus
(0:53) 5. Sanctus (Reprise)
(8:54) 6. The Humble Warrior
(7:00) 7. Quarter Moon
(6:34) 8. Undefined
(5:17) 9. AKA Reggie
(5:44) 10. Back to Square One

Saxophonist Wayne Escoffery is renowned for his fiery, muscular and virtuosic tenor playing, but his explosive sound is paired with a soft-spoken and thoughtful demeanor off the bandstand. In many cases both of those aspects of his personality can be credited to the same inspirations, giants of the music who paired estimable talents and imagination with rock-solid integrity.

On his latest album, The Humble Warrior, Escoffery pays homage to those figures with his most ambitious and wide-ranging set to date. While Escoffery himself strives to represents the tenets of a Humble Warrior, it would be easy for him to act otherwise given his stand-out career and ample accolades. A Grammy Award and DownBeat Critics Poll winner, he has performed with a who’s who of jazz including Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Abdullah Ibrahim, Al Foster, Billy Hart, Eddie Henderson, Wallace Roney and others. He has been a member of the Mingus Dynasty, Big Band and Orchestra since 2000 and toured and recorded with Tom Harrell for over a decade. In addition to his Quartet, Escoffery co-leads the Black Art Jazz Collective along with other leading voices of his generation and the next.

The Humble Warrior marks Escoffery’s leader debut for Smoke Sessions Records, where he’s previously recorded with the trombonist Steve Davis. The album features the return of Escoffery’s stellar quartet featuring pianist David Kikoski, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Ralph Peterson. Trumpet great Randy Brecker and guitarist David Gilmore supplement the band for Escoffery’s breathtaking arrangement of several parts of Benjamin Britten’s Missa Brevis in D. Vaughn Escoffery, Wayne’s son, also makes a powerful debut on the Benedictus.

“We lost a lot of really great musicians in 2018 and 2019,” he says. “People like Roy Hargrove, Harold Mabern, Larry Willis, Richard Wyands, Lawrence Leathers, and, most recently, Jimmy Heath. I would describe all of those musicians as “Humble Warriors.” I have a lot of admiration and respect for them; they were all great warriors of the music but always allowed the music to keep them humble. They all exemplified the utmost humility and integrity despite their superior abilities. I hope to maintain those same traits in my musical endeavors.”
https://smokesessionsrecords.com/shop/albums/the-humble-warrior/

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Wayne Escoffery; Guitar – David Gilmore (tracks: 3,4,5); Piano – David Kikoski; Acoustic Bass – Ugonna Okegwo; Co-producer – Damon Smith (6), Paul Stache; Drums – Ralph Peterson; Trumpet – Randy Brecker (tracks: 3,4,5,6); Vocals – Vaughn Escoffery (tracks: 5)

The Humble Warrior

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Wayne Escoffery - Like Minds

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:33
Size: 134,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:02) 1. Like Minds
(7:48) 2. Nostalgia in Times Square
(7:26) 3. Sincerely Yours
(7:55) 4. My Truth
(6:38) 5. Rivers of Babylon
(4:57) 6. Song of Serenity
(4:07) 7. Treasure Lane
(6:29) 8. Idle Moments
(6:08) 9. Shuffle

Like Minds, the latest album from saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, focuses on chemistry particularly the chemistry between old friends and bandmates who’ve played together so often their interplay is beyond telepathic. To that end, Escoffery uses his regular bandmates keyboardist David Kikoski, bassist Ugonna Okegwo, and drummer Mark Whitfield, Jr., replacing his late teacher Ralph Peterson, Jr. as the backbone. While this configuration has been a band for only about seven years or so, Escoffery has played with them in so many other contexts they sound like longtime soulmates. The quartet is joined by other Escoffery compadres from across his career, including trumpeter Tom Harrell, guitarist Mike Moreno, and singer Gregory Porter, all of whom grok Escoffery’s vibe well.

None of this is surprising, mind you even if you’re not familiar with the saxist himself, Escoffery’s position as co-director of the Mingus Big Band proves he knows how to lead the troops. In that respect, he takes them to fields of smooth hard bop (“Sincerely Yours”), mystical spirit jazz (Peterson’s “Song of Serenity”), soulful social commentary (“My Truth,” co-starring Porter and Harrell), smoky balladry (Duke Pearson’s “Idle Moments,” made famous by guitarist Grant Green), and funky bop fusion (Charles Mingus’s “Nostalgia in Times Square”). If that sounds too disparate, it ain’t – the tight arrangements, easy chemistry, and Escoffery’s warm tone make every song sound of a piece with the rest. Always smooth but rarely slick, Like Minds goes down like a great big bowl of spicy pho. By Michael Toland
https://bigtakeover.com/recordings/wayne-escoffery-like-minds-sm

Personnel: Wayne Escoffery - saxophone, tenor; David Kikoski - piano; Ugonna Okegwo - bass; Mark Whitfield Jr - drums; Gregory Porter - voice / vocals; Tom Harrell - trumpet; Mike Moreno - guitar

Like Minds

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Mingus Big Band - The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:30
Size: 146,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:22) 1. Work Song (Break The Chains)
(7:42) 2. The I Of Hurricane Sue
(1:01) 3. Intro To Nobody Knows The Bradley I Know
(5:46) 4. Nobody Knows The Bradley I Know
(8:15) 5. Meditations For Moses
(7:43) 6. All The Things You Could Be By Now If Sigmund Freud's Wife Was Your Mother
(6:35) 7. Don’t Let It Happen Here
(6:49) 8. Profile Of Jackie
(8:21) 9. Hobo Ho
(0:22) 10. Intro To Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting
(3:29) 11. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting

The legacy of Charles Mingus is continuing to be celebrated this year by his legacy bands. Now the Mingus Big Band has released The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions, which marks the 100th anniversary of the bassist and composer’s birth with 22 of his compositions.

The work includes new arrangements of his timeless songs with narrations by Charles’s son Eric Mingus. The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions was recorded with over 30 of the world’s leading musicians, rotating in the Mingus Big Band tradition, they say.

Bass on the album is handled by three men: Boris Kozlov, Andrew McKee, and Mike Richmond. Each has played an important role in the group. Kozlov has been in the band for over two decades and is the current co-leader of the group. McKee spent a decade in the ’90s and is featured on many recordings. When Mingus died in 1979, his widow Sue Mingus (who passed away in September 2022) launched the Legacy band with Mike Richmond in the bass seat.
https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2022/10/20/mingus-big-band-releases-the-charles-mingus-centennial-sessions/

Musicians: Dr. Alex Pope Norris, Tatum Greenblatt, Walter White, Philip Harper, Anthony Fazio, Jack Walrath, Alex Sipiagin - Trumpets; Conrad Herwig, Joe Fiedler, Robin Eubanks, Coleman Hughes - Trombones; David Taylor - Bass Trombone; Earl McIntyre - Bass Trombones & Tuba; Alex Foster (co-leader), Brandon Wright, David Lee Jones, Ron Blake, Alex Terrier - Alto Saxophones - Abraham Burton, Wayne Escoffery, Scott Robinson, Sam Dillon - Tenor Saxophones; Jason Marshall, Lauren Sevian - Baritone Saxophones; David Kikoski, Theo Hill - Piano; Boris Kozlov (co-leader), Andrew McKee, Mike Richmond - Bass; Adam Cruz, Donald Edwards, Johnathan Blake, Tommy Campbell - Drums; Eric Mingus, Renee Manning, Alex Foster - Vocals

The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions

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Amina Figarova - Joy

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:34
Size: 139,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:49) 1. Joy
(4:56) 2. October Phantasy (Feat. Sasha Masakowski)
(4:25) 3. Green Blues
(5:48) 4. Morning Dew
(5:15) 5. Ruby At Play
(8:29) 6. Suddenly Stars Are Falling From The Sky
(5:46) 7. Road Ahead
(6:51) 8. Only Peace Liberates
(4:45) 9. Getting There
(7:25) 10. Muse

Pianist Amina Figarova released an album in 2005 that was about as far away from the theme of "joy" as could be. September Suite (Munich Records) explored the deadly events of September 11, 2001 (she was in New York at the time; she experienced it). It is an album that she called: "An Ode to Mourning striving to articulate the various stages of grief in musical terms."

In 2022 Figarova turns 180 degrees to embrace optimism and a hope for a bright future with Joy. Born in Azerbaijan and now based in New York and New Orleans, Figarova once again displays her genius for arranging for a mid-sized ensemble, a three horn and a rhythm section sextet. On 2019's Road To the Sun (AmFi Records), perhaps her masterpiece, she enhanced her septet writing, on about half the tracks, with a string trio. It was enchanting, a top disc of the year list shoo-in.

On Joy she goes again with a (mostly) septet approach. The front line: the flute in the hands of Bart Platteau, which gives the sound a feeling of refinement; Alex Pope Norris' trumpet and flugelhorn, along with Wayne Escoffery's soprano and tenor saxophones. As always with the pianist, her group sounds bigger than a sextet. Credit Figarova's arranging mastery. Terrific soloing is heard all around, blowing organically out of the polish and shine of the well-crafted charts on the exuberant "Morning Dew," the reflective beauty of "Ruby At Play." Sasha Masakowski's dream-like vocals are featured on "October Phantasy," a recitation of her poem (included on the inside fold of the album cover) seeping softly into the arrangement with a slightly blurred, ghostly delivery.

Joy, with all compositions and arrangements coming from Amina Figarova's pen, is a magically uplifting experience. Figarova hails from Azerbaijan, and she was based in Europe for several years. Now the U.S. has her and her band and her Joy, and the country in trying times benefits from her consistently gorgeous contributions.By Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/joy-amina-figarova-amfi-records

Personnel: Amina Figarova: piano; Bart Platteau: flute; Alex Norris: trumpet; Wayne Escoffery: saxophone, tenor; Yasushi Nakamura: bass; Rudy Royston: drums; Brian Richburg Jr: drums; Sasha Masakowski: voice / vocals; Hasan Bakr: percussion.

Joy

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Steve Davis - Correlations

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:00
Size: 171,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:57)  1. Embarcadero
(8:53)  2. Subtlety
(5:59)  3. Batista's Revenge
(7:05)  4. Song for My Love
(5:27)  5. Newbie
(7:16)  6. Peace
(6:21)  7. Can't Complain
(7:01)  8. Think on Me
(5:39)  9. Blues for Owen
(6:18) 10. A Child Is Born
(8:01) 11. Inner Glimpse

Exploration and innovation may be the aspiration of modern jazz, but trombonist Steve Davis' Correlations exemplifies the fact that nothing proves more compelling than the timeless art of gathering a group of musicians who work remarkably well together. A veteran of The Jazz Messengers, One for All, and The Jazztet, Davis has a wealth of experience sharing the stage with multiple horns, essential to this album's sextet. His "get out of the way and let it happen" approach to band leadership pays off well with saxophonist Wayne Escoffery and trumpeter/flugelhornist Joshua Bruneau, who are backed by a rhythm section comprised of pianist Xavier Davis (no relation), bassist Dezron Douglas, and drummer Jonathan Barber. A little over half the songs on Correlations are originals by Davis. "Subtlety" is a fairly long, meandering piece in which he stretches out to allow time for each horn player to solo, in addition to Xavier Davis who closes out the tune before the final melody is repeated. The group seems to be having genuine fun on the rollicking "Bautista's Revenge," which features a guest appearance by percussionist Cyro Baptista. The album is balanced out by just three ballads, which is expected considering the band's large horn section. Davis dedicated "Song For My Love" to his wife, which features a lush, warm melody echoed by the trombonist throughout the upbeat tune. 

The second is Horace Silver's much-loved "Peace," which slows to a crawl, and has Barber taking up the brush and cymbals for most of its seven minutes. "A Child Is Born" is positioned as the album's penultimate song. While it doesn't allow the attention to wander too long, the band doesn't do anything particularly memorable with Thad Jones' cherished classic. George Cables' "Think On Me" is given a well-deserved treatment here. Originally recorded for his 1975 debut "Why Not," it's interesting to hear a large band play one of his classics besides jazz supergroup The Cookers, for whom he plays piano. The addition of horns does the song justice, while the only downside is the loss of Carl Burnette's deft and dextrous drum work on the original, which had to be cleaned out to make room for all three to solo.  It would have been a pleasure to hear more of Dezron Douglas who, possessing a deep, rich sound, is one of the most affecting and underrated bassists in the New York jazz scene, but in a group this size he is largely relegated to a backing role. That role shouldn't be underestimated however; with good speakers his clever plucking can be heard adding depth to every song on the album. If there's a flaw to be found on Correlations, it's that with so much talent in the studio Steve Davis seems to want to make time for everybody. Unfortunately, this approach does seem to limit the adventurousness they can offer, condensing their solo opportunities into narrower window. There's a smile inducing charm that groups like this have when everything seems to be going right. Correlations' freshly minted sextet is one of the best that jazz has to offer. In a time when many musicians are attempting to relocate the genre's boundaries away from its swinging ancestry, Davis is content to assemble a top-tier band to masterfully realize that guiding principle. ~ Peter Hoetjes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/member.php?id=189854

Personnel: Steve Davis: trombone; Joshua Bruneau: Trumpet, Flugelhorn; Wayne Escoffery: saxophone; Xavier Davis: piano; Dezron Douglas: bass; Jonathan Barber: drums.

Correlations

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Lonnie Plaxico - Rhythm & Soul

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2003
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 59:22
Size: 95,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. Rhythm & Soul
(6:24)  2. Kyeko
(5:36)  3. The Time
(6:20)  4. Slow Dance
(5:36)  5. Always Crazy
(5:41)  6. Don't Explain
(3:06)  7. Soul Eye's
(5:43)  8. Dark Side
(5:32)  9. I'll Wait And Pray
(5:37) 10. Weather Report
(4:29) 11. 'Tis So Sweet

Lonnie Plaxico is a tremendous bassist and session man. His eighth album as a leader spotlights his brilliance in several areas, from gently, yet substantially backing vocalists to working both alone and with large combos. Plaxico uses Mal Waldron’s “Soul Eyes” as a set piece to demonstrate his impressive solo bass facility, delivering a stunning melodic embellishment, then a dazzling improvisation working off it. On “‘Tis So Sweet,” a traditional gospel tune, he smoothly glides underneath vocalist Aneilia Lomax and pianist Arene Lomax, punctuating and extending their leads while turning the song into a majestic concluding work. The disc’s small-group pieces tend to be either intimate ballads, such as the poignant cover of “Don’t Explain” or “I’ll Wait and Pray,” where the unison interaction between Plaxico, pianist/organist George Colligan and drummer Billy Kilson is augmented by careful, intense playing from either trumpeter Jeremy Pelt or tenor/soprano saxophonist Marcus Strickland. The edgier, looser pieces feature bigger units, mainly sextets, on “The Time,” “Weather Report” and “Slow Dance,” but most notably the first-rate octet number “Always Crazy.” Rather than simply churning out another hard blowing piece, Plaxico reserves solos for Pelt and Strickland, getting fiery, expressive and disciplined statements from them, and strong complementary efforts from everyone else. Though the sextet tunes, particularly “Weather Report,” are crisply played, they’re not quite as explosive or memorable as “Always Crazy,” which stands as the best number on a very good record. https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/lonnie-plaxico-rhythm-and-soul/

Personnel:  Double Bass, Electric Bass – Lonnie Plaxico; Drums – Billy Kilson; Piano – Arene Lomax; Piano, Organ – George Colligan; Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Escoffery; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Marcus Strickland; Trumpet – Alex Sipiagin, Jeremy Pelt; Vocals – Aneilia Lomax (tracks: 11)

Rhythm & Soul

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Avi Rothbard, Wayne Escoffery - Standard Solo and Duet Sketches

Styles: Guitar And Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:59
Size: 142,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:14)  1. Sweet Blue
(4:03)  2. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(5:49)  3. Let's Call This
(5:26)  4. The Shadow of Your Smile
(5:41)  5. Satellite
(6:50)  6. Confessin'
(4:59)  7. Alone Together
(4:19)  8. Old Devil Moon
(4:45)  9. Ugly Beauty
(3:27) 10. What Is This Thing Called Love?
(4:43) 11. Inutil Paisagem
(5:37) 12. The End of a Love Affair

Guitarist and composer Avi Rothbard is one of New York’s prominent jazz guitarists and a jazz clinician. Born and raised in Kibbutz Gan Shmuel, Israel, Avi Rothbard has moved to Boston Mass in the summer of 1995, after receiving a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music. During his Berklee years, Mr. Rothbard has received The Jimmy Hendrix Award, Boston Jazz Society Award, Guitar Dpt. Achievement Award and The William Leavitt Award. Mr. Rothbard holds a Masters degree in jazz studies from the City College of New York and is also a 2013 recipient of the Bronx Council on The Arts award(BRIO) in the instrumental music category. A prolific composer, Rothbard’s compositions are featured in several recordings of his peers. In 2014 , Avi Rothbard has won the John Lennon Award for the jazz category. Since residing in New York City in 1999, Avi Rothbard has led and co-led ensembles in some of the major jazz venues around the world. Mr. Rothbard has worked with jazz veterans, as well as the new generation of jazz masters such as Ben Riley, Jeremy Pelt, Freddy Cole, Wayne Escoffery, Gregory Porter, Ray Drummond, Alex Blake, Mike Clark and Jay Leonhart, to name just a few.  Avi Rothbard’s name is included in Scott Yanow’s book: “The Great Jazz Guitarists: The Ultimate Guide” "Young Lions" is a term that jazz journalists have been using to describe the long list of straight-ahead, acoustic-oriented jazz improvisers who were born in the '60s, '70s, and '80s, and London native Wayne Escoffery is among the many Young Lions who started building his catalog in the early 2000s. Escoffery, who plays post-bop and hard bop, is a tenor saxophonist with a big, full tone; his influences on the tenor have included, among others, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, and Sonny Rollins. Escoffery plays the soprano sax as a second instrument, and his most obvious inspirations on the soprano include Coltrane and Shorter. But whether he is on the tenor or the soprano, Escoffery has maintained a decidedly straight-ahead perspective that is quite faithful to the spirit of the Young Lion movement. Notes by Alex Henderson https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/avirothbard4

Personnel:  Guitar, Producer – Avi Rothbard; Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Escoffery (tracks: 1, 3,5, 6, 8, 9, 12)

Standard Solo and Duet Sketches (feat. Wayne Escoffery)

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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 - Colors of a Dream

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:57
Size: 149,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:26)  1. Tango
(7:01)  2. Velejar (Sail Away)
(6:19)  3. Phantasy in Latin
(5:06)  4. State
(3:18)  5. Seventy
(9:01)  6. Blues 2013
(5:16)  7. Nite Life
(4:58)  8. Even If
(6:43)  9. Walkway
(4:18) 10. Family
(6:25) 11. Goin' Out

After a full career which has spanned decades without a lull Tom Harrell is as busy as ever. Here is a project which supplements his working quintet with two additions saxophonist Jaleel Shaw and bassist/singer Esperanza Spalding. Esperanza can be heard lending her voice to a number of Tom's impressive compositions, sometimes using it in a such way that it takes on the role of a instrument and also delivering a wonderfully unique version of his popular "Sail Away" in Portuguese ("Velejar"). Colors of a Dream is perhaps Harrell's most imaginative recording to-date. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Colors-Dream-Tom-Harrell/dp/B00F5O1YME 

Personnel:  Tom Harrell – composer, producer, primary artist, trumpet, flugelhorn;  Esperanza Spalding – bass, vocals;  Wayne Escoffery – sax (tenor);  Jaleel Shaw – sax (alto);  Ugonna Okegwo – bass;  Johnathan Blake – drums;  Fleurine Elizabeth Verloop – composer, lyricist

Colors of a Dream

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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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Wayne Escoffery - Vortex

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:03
Size: 138,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Vortex
(2:06)  2. Judgement
(8:04)  3. Acceptance
(8:29)  4. February
(9:16)  5. The Devil's Den
(8:17)  6. Tears for Carolyn
(7:12)  7. To the Ends of the Earth
(5:53)  8. In His Eyes
(5:44)  9. Baku

On this recording, jazz saxophonist Wayne Escoffery presents this great quartet on a number of original pieces, a standard and an original piece by the ensemble's brilliant drummer, Ralph Peterson, who Escoffery has worked alongside since Escoffery's arrival in New York in 2000. The rest of the band is equally pedigreed. Pianist David Kikoski has been a regular collaborator in the Mingus Big Band and with Eddie Henderson, and bassist Ugonna Okegwo has been driving the rhythm section of Tom Harrell's ensemble for the entirety of Escoffery's tenure. Escoffery's quartet is augmented by the percussion of Jaquelene Acevedo on a number of pieces.

Personnel:  Wayne Escoffery - tenor saxophone;  David Kikoski - piano;  Ugonna Okegwo - bass;  Ralph Peterson, Jr. - drums;  Jeremy Pelt - trumpet;  Kush Abadey - drums;  Jacquelene Acevedo - percussion

Vortex

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Wycliffe Gordon, Jay Leonhart - This Rhythm On My Mind

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:57
Size: 128.1 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:47] 1. Rhythm On My Mind
[4:14] 2. Problem
[3:21] 3. I Want My Blooz Back
[3:14] 4. Mr Leonhart Mr Gordon
[4:27] 5. Mood Indigo
[4:13] 6. Toast My Bread
[3:47] 7. Eddie Harris (Freedom Jazz Dance)
[4:46] 8. Missin Rb Blues
[4:16] 9. Lester Leaps In
[7:30] 10. All Alone
[4:45] 11. Little Honey
[4:15] 12. Lucky Day
[3:16] 13. Home For Supper

"Fun" is a word that one seldom hears in connection with jazz anymore. It's a word that easily describes Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Cab Calloway and many others who reigned supreme during jazz' pre-bop era, but the more jazz moved in a generally intellectual direction in the 1950s, '60s, '70s and '80s -- the more jazz musicians sought to be associated with "high art" rather than pop culture -- the less fun jazz' image became. But the word "fun" is most definitely applicable on This Rhythm on My Mind, a Wycliffe Gordon/Jay Leonhart collaboration that also includes tenor saxmen Wayne Escoffery and Harry Allen (not to be confused with the hip-hop journalist) and percussionist Jim Saporito. Although trombonist Gordon and acoustic bassist Leonhart are primarily instrumentalists, this 2006 date is vocal-oriented; Gordon and Leonhart both contribute to the album's vocals, and their fondness for the vocal styles of Armstrong and Waller is hard to miss -- which is not to say that This Rhythm on My Mind has a totally pre-bebop mindset. Actually, this 56-minute CD is more bop than anything, and bop vocalists like Babs Gonzales and Jon Hendricks are an influence along with Armstrong and Waller. An album that was strictly pre-Charlie Parker in its approach would not include Eddie Harris' "Freedom Jazz Dance," which is a welcome part of the program along with material ranging from Gordon and Leonhart originals to Lester Young's "Lester Leaps In" and Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo" (two well-known standards that came out of swing but have been used for bop and post-bop purposes time and time again). This Rhythm on My Mind is not the most essential disc that either Gordon and Leonhart have contributed to, but it's a consistently enjoyable and good-natured demonstration of the fact that jazz -- for all its complexity and intellectualism -- can still have fun. ~Alex Henderson

This Rhythm On My Mind

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Gregory Tardy - Jam Session, Vol. 21

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:17
Size: 145,7 MB
Art: Front

( 8:57)  1. I Remember April
( 9:53)  2. Impressions
( 4:43)  3. Misty Thursday
( 3:23)  4. Self Portrait In Three Colors
( 5:20)  5. Crazy Love
(10:59)  6. What Is This Thing Called Love
(11:10)  7. On Green Dolphin Street
( 8:47)  8. Au Privave

Born. c. 1964, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Tardy studied classical clarinet as a child, encouraged by his parents, both of whom were opera singers. His mother, Jo Anne Tardy, after singing classical music became a gospel-influenced jazz singer. After switching to tenor saxophone, Tardy played with funk bands in Milwaukee before his brother urged him to listen to jazz, after which he was especially influenced by John Coltrane’s recordings. He studied at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and at the University of New Orleans, along the way encountering Ellis Marsalis who became tutor and mentor. Resident in New York City from 1992, Tardy became deeply involved in the contemporary jazz and improvised music scenes. Among musicians with whom he has played are Rashied Ali, Omer Avitel, Jonathan Blake, Betty Carter, Steve Coleman, George Colligan, Ravi Coltrane, Sean Conly, Xavier Davis, Dave Douglas, Bill Frisell, Aaron Goldberg, Russell Gunn, Eric Harland, Tom Harrell, Antonio Hart, Andrew Hill, Elvin Jones, Joe Lovano, Ellis Marsalis, Jason Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Jay McShann, Mulgrew Miller, James Moody, John Patitucci, Nicholas Payton, Chris Potter, Dewy Redman, David Schumacher, Mark Turner and Bobby Watson, the latter being cited as an especially important influence.

Tardy customarily leads his own quintet but is also a regular member of other bands, including a cooperative quartet, the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, recording 2007’s Blues Man From Memphis released by Blue Canoe Records. Others in this quartet are John Clayton, Stefon Harris and Donald Brown. Although primarily playing tenor saxophone, Tardy has also latterly returned to the clarinet for some sessions. He has regularly returned to New Orleans, playing usually with contemporary bands, including the Young Olympians. On his 2007 recording Steps Of Faith, Tardy’s mother sings on one track, ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness’. A distinctive and forceful player, Tardy has rapidly built a reputation not only for his playing but also for his interesting compositions, which form the core of his repertoire. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gregory-tardy-mn0000162540
 

Personnel: Christian Winther, Gregory Tardy, Wayne Escoffery (tenor saxophone); Billy Drummond (drums).

Jam Session, Vol. 21

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Wayne Escoffery - Live at Smalls

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:29
Size: 138,7 MB
Art: Front

(13:36)  1. Concentric Drift
(14:26)  2. So Tender
(11:13)  3. A Cottage For Sale
(13:04)  4. Sweet And Lovely
( 8:08)  5. Snibor

"Young Lions" is a term that jazz journalists have been using to describe the long list of straight-ahead, acoustic-oriented jazz improvisers who were born in the '60s, '70s, and '80s, and London native Wayne Escoffery is among the many Young Lions who started building his catalog in the early 2000s. Escoffery, who plays post-bop and hard bop, is a tenor saxophonist with a big, full tone; his influences on the tenor have included, among others, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, and Sonny Rollins. Escoffery plays the soprano sax as a second instrument, and his most obvious inspirations on the soprano include Coltrane and Shorter. But whether he is on the tenor or the soprano, Escoffery has maintained a decidedly straight-ahead perspective that is quite faithful to the spirit of the Young Lion movement. Although he is originally from Great Britain, he has spent most of his life in the northeastern part of the United States. Born in London on February 23, 1975, Escoffery was only 11 when he left the U.K. with his mother and moved to New Haven, CT in 1986. 

That year, he joined the New Haven Trinity Boys Choir, and it was also in 1986 that he began studying the tenor sax with saxophonist/clarinetist Malcolm Dickinson. Escoffery left the New Haven Trinity Boys Choir when he was 16, and playing jazz saxophone not singing became his primary focus. Escoffery was still in his teens when he met the famous alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, who Escoffery has described as a mentor and a major inspiration in his life; Escoffery studied with McLean (who died in 2006) extensively at the Hartt School, a performing arts school in West Hartford. After that, he attended the New England Conservatory in Boston and graduated from that institution with a Masters in 1999 before moving to New York City the following year at the age of 25. Escoffery's visibility in the jazz world continued to increase; in the 2000s, his long list of activities ranged from being a member of trumpeter Tom Harrell's quintet to playing with the Charles Mingus ghost band to touring with veteran drummer Ben Riley's Monk Legacy Septet (a Thelonious Monk tribute band). Escoffery also backed his share of jazz vocalists in the 2000s, including Laverne Butler, Mary Stallings, Carolyn Leonhart, Cynthia Scott and Nancie Banks. Escoffery's first album as a leader, Times Change, was recorded for the German Nagel-Hayer label in early 2001; a second Nagel-Heyer studio date, Intuition, was recorded in 2003. Escoffery's first live album, Veneration, was recorded in 2006 for the Savant label and was followed by a studio session for Savant, Hopes and Dreams, in 2007. ~ Alex Henderson  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/wayne-escoffery/id44804239#fullText

Personnel: Wayne Escoffery (tenor saxophone); Dave Kikoski (piano); Ralph Peterson (drums).

Live at Smalls

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Wayne Escoffery - Times Change

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:09
Size: 140.0 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[9:54] 1. Came Back Lucky
[6:51] 2. Beatrice
[6:25] 3. After You've Gone
[7:59] 4. That's All
[6:49] 5. Times Change
[6:30] 6. Dawn
[8:55] 7. Triste
[7:43] 8. Water Pistol

Wayne Escoffery's debut disc features a fine quartet, with Aaron Goldberg on piano, Joel Forbes on bass, and Carl Allen on drums. Brandishing a weighty tenor sax tone, Escoffery leads the group through three originals and five inspired cover arrangements. The laid-back but fiercely swinging "Come Back Lucky" starts off the session, followed by a relatively bright "Beatrice," a full-tilt "After You've Gone," and a touching "That's All." Back-to-back originals follow; the first, "Times Change," is a rhythmically involved swinger, while "Dawn" mellows things out and features the leader on soprano sax. Winding down, the group offers a 7/4 reading of Jobim's "Triste," with a funky modal vamp thrown in. Goldberg then sits out the finale, "Water Pistol," a satisfying mid-tempo rhythm changes tune by Yusef Lateef. Overall, the sound of the recording could be warmer, but Escoffery displays a highly impressive command of the music and the instrument. ~David R. Adler

Times Change

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