Please meet alto saxophonist/composer Sarah Hanahan. She’s here to revolutionize bebop and take it into the future. Maybe that’s why she ends her mightily-impressive Among Giants debut (Blue Engine Records) with her own “We Bop.” Yet she opens with John Coltrane’s 1967 “Welcome,” covers the 1964 Dionne Warwick hit “A House Is Not A Home,” and has the temerity to tackle 1927’s “Stardust” (time to retire this tune already). She considers bebop “constant and relevant.” She talks about “the lineage and the tradition,” and the title is a dead giveaway where she sees herself. Primarily Influenced by alto legend Jackie McLean [1931-2006], she has A-List help what with pianist Marc Cary, bassist Nat Reeves, drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, and percussionist Bobby Allende doing the heavy lifting.
Last year’s Blues To Be There: A Salute To Duke Ellington was so good, that, while touring in support of it, Planet D Nonet worked up new arrangements for a second volume. This year’s Echoes Of Harlem: A Salute To Duke Ellington Volume #2 (Eastlawn Records) has 15 tracks and is a few seconds short of 80 minutes with action aplenty via two trumpets, two flugelhorns, vocals, maracas, trombone, two alto saxophones, clarinet, baritone sax, piano, bass, drums, cowbell, and congas. However, it’s not crowded. It’s perfect. And the picks are discreet; the title tune was originally known as “Cootie’s Concerto” as it was Cootie Williams [1911-1985] who made it come alive. Now it’s James O’Donnell and does he wail! From Billy Strayhorn’s “Blood Count” to overly cooked chestnuts like “Sophisticated Lady” and “Caravan,” this nonet adds wrinkles and side-trips of delicious complexity.
Two great artists, one great Blues Experience (Forty Below Records). Honolulu ukulele wizard Jake Shimabukuro, 47, who has been called “The Jimi Hendrix of the Ukulele,” has teamed up with British drummer Mick Fleetwood, 77, for the all-instrumental Blues Experience, a jam-fest of epic proportions with a few delicious left-field appetizers including Procol Harem’s 1967 classic “Whiter Shade Of Pale.” Collaboration is nothing new to Jake as he’s uked-it-out with such diametrically opposed artists as Yo-Yo Ma (classical), Bela Fleck (bluegrass), Jimmy Buffett (trop-rock), Ziggy Marley (reggae), Willie Nelson (country), Warren Haynes (Southern Rock), Jack Johnson (folk-rock), and Bette Midler (pop).
The instrumental funk on Introducing The Rare Sounds (Color Red) accents the air like a scent to provide a trippy kind of movement… kinetic, soulful, rockin’, and pleasurable. Entertaining as all hell, you could put this on and while away the hours. It’s the perfect CD as a soundtrack to life itself. Guitarist Eddie Roberts, organist Robert Walter, bassist Chris Stillwell, and drummer Zak Najor seem to have perfected the perfect balance between heady experimentalism and in-your-face jam action. The 7:03 “Pyg” is a perfect example – it skates by like a fractured fairy tale in some alternate universe. These Brits have been playing together in one form or another since 1996. They’ve got it down.
Dr. Zachary Bartholomew wrote, produced, arranged, played piano, and led his quintet on his Balancing Act debut (BeMuse Records). Complete with three other college professors on bass, drums, and sax, and featuring rising star trumpeter Benny Benack III, it’s an all-out assault on the senses. They get down right from the jump with the quirky post-bop of “Crazy Socks.” They get somber (“Time Apart”) and then get down with some scintillating Afro-Cuban sound that feels so nice, they did it twice. This is so good; his days in the classroom may be over.
