I have been horrible about documenting my exploration in music and sharing gems.  Since my last entry Jeremy Pelt has managed to release two new recordings.  The first was The Talented Mr. Pelt (which featured one of my favorite classic, recording covers) and his latest release – Soul.

AAt a time when many musicians sound alike, Jeremy’s sound, style and phrasing are truly his own.  His technical prowess on the horn is known from live performances and recordings but the level of emotion that he displays truly sets his playing apart.  He crafts solos that are thoughtful and exciting but most importantly – lyrical.  J.D. Allen (be sure to check out his release Matador & the Bullstrong) on tenor provides the perfect musical partner to Jeremy.  With the dynamic rythmn section of Danny Grissett (piano), Dwayne Burno (bass) and Gerald Cleaver (drums) – the Jeremy Pelt Quintet shows was a working band is truly capable of.  These talented musicians have played together for a number of years and it shows.

Always considered a very strong composer, Jeremy’s pen shines bright on this
release.  His knowledge and appreciation for the great american song book have given bloom to some exceptional music.  From the hauntingly beautiful “Second Love” to the stormy “Tempest,” Jeremy creates musical playgrounds for his group to explore and they bring us along for the ride.  Each player brings their own unique flavor and interpetation to the music and that quality is probably why Jeremy has continued to work with these talented men.

At a time when many artists explore inovation for the sake of inovation, Mr. Pelt’s journey is one that honors a rich history while showing what is still possible to keep this music exciting and fresh.  Each progression feels natural and unforced.  Soul is the culmination of that effort and it makes me hopeful and excited about what is coming up next.  Highly recommended.

As a professor in the jazz department at Towson University and founder/teacher of the Jazz Band Masterclass program, Jeff Antoniuk has helped many aspiring musicians accomplish their goals.  Combine this with his work in the Maryland Summer Jazz workshops and it’s safe to say that he’s been very influential in the lives of many jazz players.  All of that knowledge, direction and inspiration shared as a teacher can be heard and felt in his latest CD releaseBrotherhood.

Jeff Antoniuk and the Jazz Update include Jeff Antoniuk on tenor/soprano sax, Tom Baldwin on bass, Wade Beach on keys and Tony Martucci on drums.  This unit is a regular working band that delivers energy and excitement from the word go.  It’s wonderful to listen to a group of musicians who are comfortable playing with each other but also very interested in stretching the boundaries that they collectively explore.  They also seem to really love playing together and that joy comes crashing through in the music.

The opening tune “Screwball” is dedicated to Jeff’s son Aidan.   The humor and energy of a six year-old is evident as Jeff weaves through the time changes effortlessly with loads of expression and humor.  The title track “Brotherhood” cranks down the intensity a notch at the band settles into a solid groove accented by a great solo by Tony Martucci.  “Meet Me at the Ponderosa” is a treat from beginning to end with Wade Beach taking a ear catching solo combining piano with electronics.  “Waltz with the Wind” was composed by Tom Baldwin and it’s melody has been jammed in my head since I first heard it at the Maryland Summer Jazz workshop last year.  Tom’s melancholy solo sets the mood leading into a great response by Jeff on soprano sax.  These are just a few of the songs you will hear on Brotherhood and none of them disappoint.

Anyone who studied with Jeff knows that he often stressed the importance of listening to good music in order to grow as a musician.  With Brotherhood I was given a lesson in playing with good tone, good time and feeling but I as a music lover I was entertained from start to finish.  I recommended this CD highly as well as seeing Jeff and his band perform in several locations around the MD/DC/VA area.

If you are fortunate enough to hear a band that works together on a regular basis, you come away with a better understanding of how important communication is. Communication not just in music but in life. While it is important to be true to yourself as an individual you must also respect the individual nature of those around you. You must speak but at the same time listen and you must contribute without trampling the ideas and beliefs of others. In Jeremy Pelt’s latest release Men of Honor you can hear that level of communication.

The band consists of five of the brightest talents in music — Jeremy Pelt on trumpet/flugelhorn; J.D. Allen on tenor saxophone; Danny Grissett on piano; Dwayne Burno on bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums. This is an ensemble that when blended together provide intensity and adventure – two critical elements to good jazz. Each musician is not only a master communicator on their instruments, they are excellent composers, each contributing compositions to the recording.

With several diverse recordings under his belt, Jeremy is a musician who is very comfortable in his own skin. The time for comparisons is over. On trumpet he is capable of bringing the heat but has no problem speaking in soft velvet tones. He and J.D. Allen make a formidable front line with the powerful rhythm section of Grissett, Burno and Cleaver not just spurring them on but joining in the conversation. Men of Honor kicks off with the energetic “Backroad” and follows that with even more energy on “Milo Hayward” – a song dedicated to Jeremy’s newly arrived son. “Brooklyn Bound” arrives just in time to allow you to catch your breath before being taken on another ride with the adventurous “Danny Mack.” A personal favorite of mine is “Illusion” — Jeremy sounds amazing on muted trumpet.

The word honor can be defined as — a good name or public esteem. It is also defined as a showing of respect. With that in mind these men have honor and it shines with this recording. If you’re longing to hear a good musical conversation – Men of Honor is highly recommended.

“I consider myself a jazz man in the world of ideas, a
blues man in the life of the mind.  Because my models were jazz musicians and
blues men, who have to find their voices, not just be echoes.  Who had to have a
vision, not just a stare.  And in the end, have to be true to themselves.
Because all imitation is suicide.  All emulation is a sign of an adolescent
mind.  Now all of us imitate.  All of us emulate.  But those who love us, like
Monk loved Coltrane?  You don’t need to imitate Johnny Hodges.  Go ahead and
find your voice brother.”  – Dr. Cornel West.

The profound quote above is taken from a track called “Jazz
Man in the World of Ideas” from Terence Blanchard’s newest recording Choices.
This latest release is an example of the perfect marriage of philosophy and
ideas woven into the fabric of good music.  After listening to this recording
several times I find myself inspired as a musician but most importantly,
inspired as a human being.

Choices was recorded at the Ogden Museum of Southern
Art in New Orleans – a first for Terence and a surprise considering it is where
he was born and raised.   The previous and Grammy Award winning recording A
Tale of God’s Will (A Requiem for Katrina). dealt with Hurricane Katrina and
it?s aftermath.  Choices deals with decisions made with regards to
religion, acceptance, politics, race and several other important subjects that
we deal with on a daily basis.  As deep as those subjects are Choices
still provides what most people look for in a recording ? good music.

The musicians on Choices include Derrick Hodge on bass,
Kendrick Scott on drums, Fabian Almazan on piano, Lionel Loueke on guitar and
Walter Smith III on tenor saxophone.  Also making a guest appearance is vocalist
Bilal who?s energy and unique delivery adds a nice change of pace.  Terence
asked each member of the band to provide new material for this recording.
?Winding Roads? by Derrick Hodge features a haunting melody layered with Bilal?s
wordless vocals.  The song has a spiral, hypnotic feel to it and is probably my
favorite cut on the recording.  ?Him or Me? and ?Hugs (Historically
Underrepresented Groups) both feature unique musical themes that transform into
a vehicle for the soloists to stretch out and express themselves.  These songs
were penned by Walter Smith III and Fabian Almazan respectively.  ?A New World
(Created Inside the Walls of Imagination)? also by Derrick Hodge, is a
great tune featuring the rhythm, feel and energy of a New Orleans 2^nd
line parade.  As with all of Terence’s recordings – group interaction is
fantastic.  The give and take between each musician is exciting to hear.

As good as the music is on this recording, I found myself
also inspired by the spoken word of Dr. Cornel West.  Dr. West speaks on the
different types of choices we make in life and how those choices affect us and
ultimately the world we live in.  I was originally concerned with how dialog would
mesh with the flow of the music but it works and it works really well.  Each
spoken segment becomes an important part of each song.

Dr. West’s thoughts on religion and spirituality leading
into “Winding Road” struck a chord deep within me.  I believe that music can do
so much more than make you dance.  History has proven that it also has the power
to reach deep within a person and cause them to evaluate their lives and
actions.  Sometimes it can inspire change.  If you’re open to that type of
experience (and I think we all are), Terence Blanchard’s Choices
accomplishes this feat while still managing to feed your entertainment ear.

Since he came on the scene, Nicholas Payton has been known for his killer technique and big sound. Listening to him you could easily hear the influences of Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan and Woody Shaw ? all cats who could make flames jump out the bell of their horns. It would be a safe statement to say that Nick can pretty much do it all when it comes to trumpet. While some may argue that this recording lacks the fire of his previous works, to me Into the Blue feels like new chapter in the musical life of its composer. I find it to be more honest and real than anything he has released to date and because of that I consider it his best thus far.

I read one comparison between Into the Blue and the Miles Davis classic recording of Kind of Blue and there is evidence to support that statement. While Nick may be known for high energy, several songs feature some of the most soulful, melodic and thoughtful playing that I’ve ever heard from him or any other trumpet player. “Drucilla” starts off melancholy and moody before gradually transforming into a swinging affair that ends far too soon.  “Let It Ride” and “The Backward Step” also feature the same fantastic playing.  When I caught Nicholas at Blues Alley a few weeks ago he had added lyrics to these tunes which makes sense when you hear them. They practically scream for words. He also lends his voice to the tune “Blue” following in a long line of trumpet players who also sang (Louis Armstrong, Chet Baker, and Clark Terry to name a few). “Triptych” and “Nida” remind me of DC’s homegrown sensation of go-go. Both are groove based and feature in the pocket percussion.

What is amazing to me is Nick?s transformation with regards to sound and style. Even his phrasing feels different. Needless to say I enjoy this album very much. Run (do not walk) to the store and pick this one up.  Feeling lazy?  Pull iTunes and download it.  You will not be disappointed.

I first got hip to Jason Palmer when I checked out some of his music on SoundClick.  One performance that I attached to immediately was a rendering of the standard “All the Things You Are.” Jason took that tune in every possible direction and I marveled at his command of the horn and his ideas. I had never really heard the song performed that freely before. After hearing that performance, I looked forward to his first CD release. That release, entitled Songbook, has arrived via Avaya records and I was right to be excited about it.

All of the songs on this album are written and arranged by Jason. I really like where he’s going with his compositions. To my ears he pays homage to the jazz tradition but he still manages to move the music/genre forward. My favorite tunes are the energetic “Checkmate,” the cleverly named “Shadowboxer” and “One for J Mac” which is dedicated to the late great Jackie McLean. When I listened to “Found It” I immediately thought of Booker
Little who I think Jason admires as well.

His writing skills are equally matched by his prowess on trumpet. Joining
Jason on Songbook are Warren Wolf on vibes (who plays a great solo on
“The Shadowboxer”), Leo Genovese on piano/Rhodes, Matt Brewer on bass
and Tommy Crane on drums. The group as a whole sounds really good and they are
joined by Greg Osby on alto and Ravi Coltrane on tenor.

Jason was listed as one of the top 25 young trumpet players on today’s jazz
scene. In the article he was described as an adventurous player within his music
but he stressed that he “doesn’t want to lose the movement, the danceability.” I agree with his approach wholeheartedly and Songbook accomplishes exactly what he aims for. The more I listen to it, the more I find to like about it. Highly recommended!

Since taking up trumpet and trying to learn jazz I’ve learned that there are a ton of extremely talented cats out here who can flat out play. Many of them leave you scratching your head trying to figure out why they are not getting the attention that they deserve. One of those cats in my opinion in Darren Barrett. His CD First One Up is a great example of why people need to know him and his music. If you don’t know him – consider this an introduction.

First One Up was produced by the legendary Donald Byrd who was Darren’s teacher. Dr. Byrd’s impact is obvious in Darren’s playing. All the things you would want — big round sound, amazing technique, energy and beautiful phrasing — are all there. Darren shows off his writing with six original tunes. My favorites include “Word! Dr. Byrd”, “Dee’s Theme” and “Conceta Elfreda” — the later has gotten HEAVY play in my car and on my iPod. The band swings for the fences with “First One Up” and Mr. Barrett displays his exquisite ballad playing on “Impossible.” This recording is a treat from start to finish.

Joining Darren on this CD are reed men Kenny Garrett (2 tracks), Jimmy Greene (6 tracks), Aaron Goldman on piano, Reuben Rogers on bass and John Lamkin on drums. If your listening experience is anything like mine you’ll probably run out and buy Darren’s other CDs – Deelingsand The Attack of the Wren – Wrenaissance Volume 1. You will not be disappointed.

I want to close this out with a quick shout out to Jason Palmer who hipped me to Darren. Jason was featured in Downbeat magazine as one of the 25 cats to watch on trumpet (along with my main man Jeremy Pelt). His debut CD is due for release soon on Ayva musica and I’m looking forward to checking it out. Thanks Jason and good luck with the new release!