Terminal 1; Benny Golson, tenor saxophone.
In the current film, The Terminal, Benny Golson appears as himself in a small speaking role opposite Tom Hanks. It was a delight for Benny, and as a result, here is a brand new CD under his name. Golson, always one to surround himself with top echelon playing mates, does so here with the vastly underrated, but gifted trumpet and flugelhorn player, Eddie Henderson. His on-the-money rhythm section is made up of Mike LeDonne, piano; Buster Williams, bass and Carl Allen, drums. The title tune, Terminal 1, is supposed to echo the multiple "goings-on" at any airport in the world. Golson also chooses to revisit a few of his famous compositions in Killer Joe, Park Avenue Petite and Blues March. A few well chosen standards are also among Golson's choices, specifically Georgia On My Mind, Cherry and In Your Own Sweet Way. On these and others, we are treated to the thick and rich sound of the Benny Golson tenor; the lean brilliance of the Eddie Henderson horn and a subtle and sharp rhythm section anyone would love to have on their team. Keep on keeping on, Benny. You have much yet to give us. Concord Jazz, 2004; Playing Time: 70:15, ****1/2.

Get Outta Here; Centerpiece Jazz, vocal group.
Those of you who are age contemporaries of mine certainly remember the great jazz oriented vocal groups of yesteryear; groups like The Hilos, The Mel-Tones, The Four Freshmen, Jackie And Roy and Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. Such singing is something of a rarity these days, so it's a pleasure to welcome this initial album from Centerpiece Jazz, a Colorado-based vocal group. As did the 4 Frosh, they provide their own accompaniment, a fact which usually speaks well for a group such as this. The lead singer is Joni Janak, a standout singer with several albums to her credit. Joni is joined by Ed Stephen, guitar; Dean Ross, bass and Ron Moewes, drums and arranging. The group successfully puts to the test the melodies of several decades. Among my blue ribbon choices are Route 66, In A Mellow Tone, Once I Loved, They Can't Take That Away From Me, Day By Day, You Are So Beautiful, Moondance and Centerpiece, Sweets Edison's tune from which they chose their name. The group doesn't complicate these lovely melodies by trying a "show biiz" approach. A wise decision and part of the charm and easy going musicianship of Centerpiece Jazz. Jazz Link Enterprises, 2004; Playing Time: 59:13, ***.

Parallel Tracks, Randy Halberstadt, piano.
Hey, if you want to talk about Seattle's three or four best piano practitioners, you'd better put Randy Halberstadt on the list. Right around the top. I heard him a few years back here in PDX accompanying singer Meredith d'Ambrosio, and remember being duly impressed. Well, here's Randy with a couple more giants, Jeff Johnson, bass and Gary Hobbs, drums. This exciting trio works seamlessly together on standards like Moonray, In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning, Invitation, The Touch Of Your Lips and Everything I Love. A few particularly interesting choices round out a stunning debut (to the best of my knowledge) album. First of all, there's a version of Monk's Well You Needn't which catches the listener's attention with its briskly alternating tempo. Then there's Bill Evans' B Minor Waltz, a gentle, lilting thing typical of its composer. Halberstadt meets Fredric Chopin on Nocturne In C# Minor and I'm sure Fred would have approved of this stunning solo performance. Finally there's a piece entitled Don't Forget The Poet, an expressive piece of music by Italian jazz pianist Enrico Pieranunzi. It suggests that Halberstadt is not only a premier player but an astute listener to other pianists of note. This will surely rank among my favorite piano trio albums of 2004. Origin, 2004; Playing Time: 63:43; *****.

Autobiography; Peter Leitch, guitar.
Here is a veteran guitarist who can impress with both great warmth and bristling bop chops. To anyone familiar with Peter Leitch, it should come as no surprise that he brings both skills to this recording. This time he brings in tenor and flute man Jed Levy, who seems to travel down the middle of bebop street, but with just enough attitude to convey a contemporary perspective. Also on hand here is George Cables, a pianist who constantly displays taste and technique, and a guy that seemingly everyone loves to have on their recording dates. The quintet is completed by Dwayne Burno, bass and Steve Johns, drums. Leitch presents a nice balance between standards and originals with Levy right in the pocket on flute for Theme From Mr. Lucky; Charlie Parker's burner, Segment; a medley of Little Girl Blue and Girl Talk; and a beautiful acoustic solo treatment of East Of The Sun. Among his originals, I particularly liked the energy of the opener, For D.T.; Levy's very controlled solo at a brisk tempo on a tune named Clifford Jordan; and an attractive, quirky melody line on Allyson. Leitch's solo work throughout is straight ahead joy. His CDs are consistently satisfying adventures in bop, ballads and blues, this one included. I'm sure it nourishes him, as it does his listeners. Reservoir, 2004; Playing Time: 60:26, ****.

Armistice 1918; Bill Carrothers, piano.
This fascinating two CD set tells a story in music of a soldier in World War I and the girl waiting back home for his return. The songs are about evenly divided between originals by Carrothers with titles like Caissons, No-Man's Land, Birds On The Wire, A Rumour Of Peace and such. The old-time tunes include Hello My Baby, Let Me Call You Sweetheart, Cuddle Up A Little Closer, I'm Always Chasing Rainbows, Roses Of Picardy and many more. Carrothers keeps things fairly percussive with both Bill Stewart on drums and Jay Epstein on percussion and occasional sound effects. But this is a set about war and the additional percussion is both effective and fitting. Don't think that this is a nostalgia trip. It is more a statement of the waste and insanity of war, right to the end when we hear a woman's voice singing I Didn't Raise My Boy To Be A Soldier. The movement from an "old-timey" style to a contemporary one on some of the tunes only accentuates the horrors of war for both those who serve and their families. This is serious material to be listened to closely. It has clout, poignancy and a strong message for our country at this very moment. Cryptogramophone, 2004; Playing Time: 59:56 and 59:38, *****.

Blues For Hiroshi; Anthony Wonsey, piano.
As with any pursuit in life, some "got it" some pretend and some "don't got it." I'll clean up my grammar by stating here and now that Anthony Wonsey HAS it. He's a classy, boppy, joyous jazz piano player who is equally swinging and sizzling on great material like Waltz For Debby, Just In Time, The Peacocks, Just You Just Me, Nobody Else But Me and Relaxin' At Camarillo. What else does he do? Well, actually, the opener here is entitled Damn That Reality. At first I thought he was addressing the dreadful state of much of today's prime time television, but upon hearing the tune, I knew it was based on the changes to Darn That Dream. Get it? Wonsey's playing mates, perfectly simpatico, are Richie Goods, bass and Tony Reedus, drums. The album also includes two of the pianist's originals. Brother Hiroshi is a medium-up tribute to the owner of the Tokyo venue where Wonsey spends six months of each year. Black Fairy Tales is a stunning waltz, complete with a key change, and a tune Wonsey encores here after a previous recorded performance some years back. The album is wonderfully well balanced in tempo, feeling and choice of tunes. Indeed, this is what piano trio jazz is all about. Sharp Nine, 2004; Playing Time: 57:11, ****1/2.

Live At Stampen Stockholm 1969-1973; Ben Webster, tenor sax.
Anytime some never-before-released Ben Webster comes our way, count me in! These Storyville sides find the great tenor man in three different groups. Along with some stellar Swedish cats such as trumpet ace Rolf Ericson, Ben works here with American pals Teddy Wilson, Ed Thigpen and Red Mitchell. And Ben is his usual growly presence on swingers like CJam Blues, I Got Rhythm, Indiana, The Theme and In A Mellow Tone. As always, he's at his absolute best on the ballads, and for this set How Long Has This Been Going On is an album highlight. He also takes Don't Get Around Much Anymore and Satin Doll at moderate tempos, giving these Ellington evergreens new spirit. Since Ben usually worked with a standard piano-bass-drums rhythm section, it's a rare treat to hear him sharing the front line with Ericson on three tunes and with another impressive Swedish trumpet player, Arne Ryskog, on three others. Unlike some other players in their later years, Ben Webster's skills never declined. His many fans will make a bee-line to the record store to grab this one. Storyville, 2004; Playing Time: 66:55, ****1/2.

Flashes: A Lifetime In Words And Music; Bucky Pizzarelli, solo 7 string guitar.
Well, here's a new approach. It's guitar maven Bucky Pizzarelli weaving stories of his 60 years and going strong as a professional guitarist. I'm no guitar expert, but I imagine the use of a seventh string gives a guitarist a deeper bass line. Pizzarelli uses that advantage along with elegant harmonies and single note expertise to give us over twenty examples of great American songwriting. Bucky also relates little spoken vignettes from throughout his career -- ranging from Kate Smith and TheInk Spots through Goodman, Crosby, Mancini and Sinatra -- and even the Beatles. Just a sampling of the tunes includes This Nearly Was Mine, Willow Weep For Me, Sleepin' Bee, Why Shoudn't I, Pennies From Heaven and More Than You Know. In addition, the guitar maven includes rarities like Mockingbird, In The Dark, Down Memory Lane and Noel Coward's Sail Away. Pizzarelli even tells of a possible relationship between the song title The Shadow Of Your Smile and the bandstand demeanor of tenor hero Zoot Sims. All told, what you get here is the combination of Bucky's charming reminiscences and his masterful guitar work. Arbors Records, 2004; time not indicated, ***1/2.

Triple Play; Randy Cannon, piano; Andy Simpkins, bass; Alan Dawson, drums.
Former Portland piano hero Randy Cannon leaped at the opportunity to record with veterans Andy Simpkins and Alan Dawson at the 1996 Salishan Jazz Weekend. They had never worked together previous to this incredible one-time meeting, and producer Jim Brown saw to it that all the sparks were caught on tape. For various reasons, the recording had to wait awhile to make its appearance, but here it is, and Randy's multitude of Portland fans are going to love it. The trio begins with There Will Never Be Another You, taken slowly before moving into a swinging, invigorating delight. Among the surprises here are two Vince Guaraldi tunes from his Charlie Brown hits, Peppermint Pattie and Oh, Good Grief; and a "cover" (as they say now-a-days) of a Nat Cole chartmaker, L.O.V.E. The remainder of the program concentrates on Songbook Americana with When You Wish Upon A Star, I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face, Ain't Misbehavin' and I'm Old Fashioned. The three players swing with authority and communicate way beyond what might be assumed for a first (and only) meeting. This CD only confirms what we Portlanders knew throughout the 1990's. Randy Cannon loved to play and we loved to hear him. Maybe he'll yet return to the Rose City. For your copy, call Jim Brown at 1-503-364-0624. EZDUZIT Music, 2004; Playing Time: 53:26, ****1/2.

Taking A Chance On Love, Jane Monheit, vocals.
Jane Monheit is a curiosity. This is her fourth or fifth album, and she hasn't sold out to the pop world yet. This time, her sweet, perfectly in tune voice wraps itself around yet another dependable set of standards. Her accompaniment ranges from solo piano on Bill to a crackerjack trio on Honeysuckle Rose to orchestral settings by arrangers such as Alan Broadbent on Do I Love You. In addition to the title tune, Monheit is simply a standout on In The Still Of The Night, Too Late Now, Why Can't You Behave, Love Me Or Leave Me, Embraceable You, Dancing In The Dark and an encore performance of what may become her signature tune, Over The Rainbow. Among an impressive array of jazz musicians working with Ms. Monheit, how about Geoff Keezer, Christian McBride, Lewis Nash, Donald Harrison, and Ron Carter, among many others. Jane Monheit caresses the ballads with her unforced vocal beauty and breathes life and freshness into the upbeat tunes as well. She even welcomes singer Michael Bublé on a spirited duet on I Won't Dance. Jane Monheit has it all, and, amazing but true, she's building a career on the highest quality material. Sony, 2004; Playing Time: 51:32, *****.

Blueslike; One For All.
Criss Cross stays the course, giving deserving younger musicians a chance to be heard, and One For All qualifies as one of the finest bop ensembles playing today. With front liners Eric Alexander, tenor; Jim Rotondi, trumpet and flugelhorn; and Steve Davis, trombone, there's a world of creativity and musicianship here. Add a rhythm section of David Hazeltine, Peter Washington and Joe Farnsworth to enhance the sizzle. Davis' opener, Five Outs To Go, refers to the annual Red Sox late swoon and the bone player gets the bulk of the solo work on We'll Be Together Again. Till There Was You is taken at a faster clip than ever before and In Between The Heartaches is a rather obscure Burt Bacharach piece done here in a fresh bossa nova setting. Blueslike, the title tune, extends the standard blues structure at a quick-time shuffle beat. Yasashiku, which means "gently" in Japanese, is just that; a lovely ballad feature for Eric Alexander. The album is completed by two John Coltrane evergreens. Naima is taken a bit faster than usual and Giant Steps is played pretty much straight ahead. This group brings a standard to hard bop that other young players should aspire to. They never force a thing, but they individually and collectively standout as superb contributors to the classic jazz tradition. Criss Cross, 2004; Playing Time: 55:33, ****1/2.

Emerger; Tall Jazz.
One of Portland's most durable jazz groups, Tall Jazz adds a new dimension by combining Bill Beach's piano chops with Mike Horsfall's equally swinging vibes, making the trio a quartet on seven tunes. When Beach sits out, Horsfall alternates between piano and vibes. In any case, the group, whether three or four players, stretches a bit more than usual, and some exciting straight ahead bop is the result. Bassist Dan Presley and drummer Dave Averre complete the ensemble and Averre contributes three compositions in a lilting Waltz Of The Rainbow; a bossa-tinged selection titled Evoke and the brisk and buoyant title tune, Emerger. Horsfall contributes three of his tunes as well. Aeolian Shade is in 3/4 time with a classical feeling. The oddly titled Life On Mars is an up-tempo exercise with Beach and Horsfall working especially well together and By Then It's Too Late is a moody duo of piano and vibes. Other standards include the trio on We'll Be Together Again and You And The Night And The Music. Beach comes rolling back in on two "Charlie" tunes, Sunday At The Hillcrest, a snappy blues by Charlie Haden and Dewey Square, a bop-drenched delight by Charlie Parker. I must say that the presence of Bill Beach is terrific and timely, inspiring Tall Jazz to even greater heights! This indeed is their 'jazziest" and one of their overall best recordings to date. PHD Music, 2004; Playing Time: 66:48, ****1/2

Sunday At Iridium; Bob Dorough, piano and vocals.
Fans of Bob Dorough have reason to celebrate when a new album is issued by the hippest octogenarian on planet Earth. I'm one of those fans and Dorough's new CD finds him in front of a happy crowd at his regular Sunday gig at Iridium, a New York jazz club. Dorough charms the audience with a little patter; regales them with some of his "greatest hits" like You're The Dangerous Type, But For Now, and Comin' Home Baby; not to mention Three Is A Magic Number from his famous Schoolhouse Rock days. In addition to these, the audience is treated to standards You're Looking At Me, Sunday, St Thomas and We'll Be Together Again.But he also shines on his newer compositions like Baby Used To Be, Without Rhyme Or Reason, Ain't No Spoofin' and Electricity, Electricity. A special treat here is the guest appearance of Gotham trumpet legend Joe Wilder on Sunday and Spoofin'. In his introduction of Wilder, Dorough tells the audience, "Joe and I have known each other since about 1950 ...never mind." As for the 80+ Dorough, he doesn't change. Many years back, he collaborated with Dave Frishberg on a tune called "I'm Hip." It was true then and it's still true today. Arbors, 2004; Play Time: 71:14, *****.

Virtuoso In New York; Joe Pass, guitar. J
azz guitar freaks will scoop this one up in a heartbeat. It's the virtuoso indeed, Joe Pass, playing solo on a menu of previously unreleased tunes, all recorded in a studio (as opposed to a live performance). Pass was the real deal on melody line, rich chords, incredible bass lines and occasional Tatumesque, hair raising velocity. Listen to a sizzling version of Moritat (better known as Mack The Knife. You could fry eggs on the back of the guitar! Along with players like Wes Montgomery and Grant Green, Pass occupies a high place in the modern jazz guitar hierarchy. He provides further proof of his lofty standing on Tin Pan Alley all-timers like I Never Knew, A Ghost Of A Chance, The Way You Look Tonight, How Long Has This Been Going On and When Your Lover Has Gone. No JP album is complete without a blues, and Pass provides two takes of his own composition, Blues For Alagarn. I prefer Joe Pass' virtuosity in a trio or quartet setting, and there's plenty of that material remaining in print. Still, these guitar solos remain intimate and timeless. In the jazz vernacular of the past, Joe Pass was "something else." Pablo, 2004; Playing Time: 49:11, ****.

The Three Of Us; Mort Weiss, clarinet.
OK, let's see now...clarinet, you say? Well, there was Goodman and Shaw. Oh, don't forget DeFranco and Giuffre. And Eddie Daniels. But now, friends, there's Mort Weiss, who brings the best of all the above names right into your CD player. That is to say Weiss is totally comfortable in any style. For this meeting with in-the-pocket and ready-for-the-groove cohorts Ron Eschete on seven string guitar and Dave Carpenter on bass, Weiss and company run the gamut from bop (Billie's Bounce, Groovin' High) to ballads (You Go To My Head, I Left My Heart In San Francisco) to the standard book(Look For The Silver Lining, Time After Time, I'll Remember April, Soon, Secret Love). As the title of the CD suggests, this isn't simply clarinet and "accompaniment." All three players interweave in the magic heard here, and all three are up to the task with sparkling solos as well. So, if you have a notion to reacquaint yourself with the delights of this demanding instrument, get acquainted with Mort Weiss, clarinetist. SMS Jazz, 2004; PT: 65:39, ****1/2.

Live At Yoshi's; Jessica Williams, piano.
Seems to me that before writing this review, I heard somewhere that Jessica Williams received a Grammy nomination for this album. I'm sure you'll agree that it's well deserved once you catch the amazing Jessica in concert with Ray Drummond, bass and Victor Lewis, drums at this East Bay jazz club. She gets the proceedings underway in her Monkish manner on I'm Confessin' with a hint of Bewitched for good measure. Other standards performed with panache include Say It Over And Over Again (remember Coltrane's version?); You Say You Care, Alone Together, I Want To Talk About You, and another tip of the hat to her piano hero, Thelonious Monk, on Mysterioso. In addition to these familiar melodies, Jessica adds Tutu's Promise, a quirky, offbeat original; a 3/4 time, sadness-tinged Poem In G Minor; and a Billy Cobham ballad called Heather. Leave it to Jessica Williams to express every possible emotion and nuance that the piano is capable of producing. She's been doing just that for years, and those who care about such things, have put her deservedly in the front rank of jazz pianists. Here's hoping she wins that Grammy. MaxJazz, 2004; Playing Time: 71:04, *****.

Fine Spring Morning; Jody Sandhaus, vocals.
Jody Sandhaus approaches a menu of both familiar standards and neglected gems with style and savoir faire. Her immensely talented hubby, Pete Malinverni, heads a trio accompanying her along with Todd Coolman, bass and Leroy Williams, drums. Among the surprises were Steve Allen's Picnic; Peggy Lee's gorgeous ballad, There'll Be Another Spring; Duke Ellington's rarely heard I Like The Sunrise and Matt Dennis' obscure Relax. These are just a few of the winners on a well performed album featuring tunes that prove Ms. Sandhaus has done her homework. Consolidated Artists Productions, 2004; Playing Time: 47:26, ****.

People Behave Like Ballads; Rebecca Martin, vocals, guitars, mandolin.
On a program of all original songs, Rebecca Martin brings a pretty voice to the Max Jazz label. And that is precisely where she is out of her genre. Her voice and her songs lean clearly in the pop-folk realm. Even the accompaniment, mostly acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar, mandolin, Fender Rhodes piano and such suggest a destination other than the jazz highway. Most likely the label is hoping for another Norah Jones phenomenon, and who knows, it just may happen. And like Norah Jones, Martin is NOT a jazz singer. MaxJazz, 2004; Playing Time: 60:44, *1/2.

Live At Athenaeum Jazz; Mike Wofford, piano.
If perchance you're ever in San Diego, check the paper to see if Mike Wofford is playing someplace. If so, don't miss him. You're liable to catch a program similar to this live recording from his hometown. With Peter Washington and Victor Lewis on board, Wofford builds the intensity on My Old Flame; builds the fire on Take The Coltrane; honors his old band mate on Conte Candoli's Macedonia; delights with a medley of Lucky To Be Me and Lucky So And So; and swings with authority on The Best Thing For You (which this CD may well be!) Capri, 2004; Playing Time: 60:19, ****.

Bop For Miles; Mark Murphy, vocals.
Recorded live in Vienna way back in 1990, this CD finds Mark Murphy in the company of some riveting Eurocats on a Miles menu with titles like All Blues, Green Dolphin Street, Farmer's Market, Goodbye Porkpie Hat, Parker's Mood, Milestones, Summertime and more. Murphy, who isn't for everyone, yelps and dips, and utilizes falsetto, shadings and various other vocal acrobatics in the bop language seemingly so easy for him. The performance is presented seamlessly, with no breaks between tunes. It's an unusual but effective technique and High Note Records gets extra credit for releasing it. High Note, 2004; Playing Time: 55:39, ****.

Live At MCG with Special Guest Kurt Elling;Bob Mintzer, tenor saxophone, leader.
Sometimes both Bob Mintzer and Kurt Elling plant themselves a bit too solidly in contemporary village for my ear. And then again, there's a certain amount of their material that I rather like. This album seems to follow that theory. Elling is sometimes over the top, but catch his scat solo on Herbie Hancock's Eye Of The Hurricane for some excitement. Others of the Mintzer compositions ranged from delightfully ditzy (Who's Walkin’ Who) to the slightly mysterious (Gently) and even to the ancient Basie theme, One O'Clock Jump. Oh well, as they say, something for everybody. Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, 2004; Playing Time: 70:20, ***.

The Life Of A Song; Geri Allen, piano.
Geri Allen's first CD in quite a long time combines her dense, cerebral and often highly rhythmic original material with three well performed jazz classics. Namely Billy Strayhorn's Lush Life; Bud Powell's Dance Of The Infidels and Mal Waldron's Soul Eyes. Her trio is completed with Dave Holland on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums, a pair of musicians who fit well with Allen's very percussive style. This threesome sets off a colorful array of fireworks throughout this session. Telarc Jazz Records, 2004; Playing Time: 65:30, ***.

O'hana; Noel Okimoto, percussion.
I guess the idea here was to present a dozen originals, many of which are gift wrapped with a contemporary, near "smooth jazz" feel. If the album is rescued in any sense, it's with the presence of trumpet ace Tiger Okoshi who is totally high energy on Myochionic Jerk; and Makoto Ozone, a most noteworthy pianist. Of the more center aisle tunes, catch San Francisco Rain, Pop's Bop and Out Take. These certainly suggest that next time out Okimoto has ample chops to avoid the fusion factory. Roy Skuma Productions Inc., 2003; Playing Time: 63:12, **.

Samba de Novembro; Rick Stone, guitar.
is may not yet be a household name but Rick Stone shows he's worthy of the accolades that have come his way as he leads a quartet with Tardo Hammer, piano; Yosuke Inoue, bass and Matt Wilson, drums. His program ranges from the delicacy of My Romance and I Can't Get Started to the playfulness of Monk's Played Twice to the surprise of the set, the folksy Careless Love. Of several originals, I liked the snappy Blues Enough and the flair and airy feeling of the title tune, Samba de Novembro. Subtle swing and a complete grasp of single note playing are strong cards in Rick Stone's deck. Let's hear more from him. Jazzand, 2004; Playing Time: 73:26, ****.

Let Yourself Go; Judi Silvano, vocals.
Standards are the item of the day for Judi Silvano, a singer who knows her way around these classic tunes. She's helped out here by some top of the mountain players like Michael Abene, piano; Ingrid Jensen, trumpet and flugelhorn and Dick Oatts, saxophones. A list of composers reads like a recitation of our all-time best: Berlin, Arlen, McHugh, Warren, Rodgers and Hart, Porter, Gershwin, Victor Young and Gordon Jenkins. Truly a visit with some much admired Songbook Americana, Silvano and friends handle the chore with pizazz. Zoho Records, 2004; PlayingTime: 68:77, ***.

Back In Town; Rob Schneiderman, piano.
Perhaps Rob Schneiderman needed something to fall back on. So he was absent from the New York jazz environs for six years, a portion of which he spent obtaining a Ph.D in mathematics. He needn't use it, and his trio proves that point on a brilliant palette of standards and jazz tunes like Darn That Dream, I Concentrate On You, Giant Steps, Sonnymoon For Two and more. Call him DOCTOR Schneiderman if you wish, but, really now, which does the world need most, another mathematician or a very swinging, original and personal jazz pianist? I rest my case. Reservoir Recordings, 2004; Playing Time: 62:46, ****1/2.

On The Moon; Peter Cincotti, piano and vocals.
The long awaited second CD from Peter Cincotti strongly suggests that some record exec convinced this young talent to "go pop." And so we get St. Louis Blues, I Love Paris and even Bali Hai with a rock beat and electronic effects. Most of the remainder of the album is pop pablum of dubious merit, some of it Cincotti's own lukewarm efforts. Two good cuts, the energetic Raise The Roof and a brisk piano solo on Cherokee aren't enough to save what amounts to Cincotti's apparent attempt to please the unhuddled masses. Concord Jazz Records, 2004; Playing Time: 49:46, *1/2.

Porgy And Bess; Clark Terry, trumpet & flugelhorn.
This CD welcomes trumpet hero Clark Terry as he performs the Gershwin classic with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra. Don't try comparison to the Miles Davis-Gil Evans evergreen of many moons ago. Clark Terry's style and sound couldn't be more different than that of Miles, and that plus the presence of the stirring Chicago Jazz Orchestra makes this presentation of Gershwin's great work something to behold! Thank you, Mr. Clark Terry! Americana Music, 2004; PlayingTime: 54:11, *****.

Hip To Bop; Maurice Brown, trumpet.
Give the younger generation its due, but do it when they deserve it. Maurice Brown is a New Orleans (via Chicago) trumpet wunderkind who's keeping the hard bop tradition alive with an exciting set of originals covering all the moods and tempos. His quintet, which I assume is all young New Orleans cats, blazes away on titles like Rapture, Look Ma No Hands and a tricky and difficult thing called Conceptions. But they're equally compelling on ballads like Mi Amor and A Call For All Angels. The future of the music is safe in the hands of musicians like Maurice Brown. For more information, try www.mauricebrown.net. Brown Records, 2004; PlayingTime: 42:55, ****.

Joanne Grauer Trio; Joanne Grauer, piano.
Another of those '57 outings for the short-lived but excellent LA label, Mode, now reissued on VSOP. It's Grauer's only recording of which I'm aware and it features a fresh, clipped style, not unlike that of Pete Jolly and a little Andre Previnish as well. With Buddy Clark on bass and Mel Lewis on drums, Grauer keeps the toes tappin' on Have You Met Miss Jones, Invitation, I'll Remember April, I'm Glad There Is You and The Song Is You. Bill Holman's Dancing Nightly suggests that Joanne Grauer kept a close ear to the Los Angeles scene of the time. One can only wonder why we didn't hear more from her. VSOP Records, 2003; time not indicated, ***1/2.

Songs About You, Chistiana Drapkin, vocals.
Give this singer some credit for a widely diverse collection of tunes. A few examples: Cholesterol Blues, a song of longing for a juicy steak. Then there's Among The Living, a recitation of thoughts inspired by a walk through a cemetery. Jazzman's Serenade is a ballad with a nostalgic nod to anonymous jazz musicians. And then there's Procrastination Blues, a witty lyric to the tune of Bird's Now's The Time. Standards include Time On My Hands, Just Friends and Out Of Nowhere, but the "odd" titles say something, I'm not sure what, about Christiana Drapkin. Iana Records, 2004; Playing Time: 61:45, ***.

Que Viva Coltrane; Conrad Herwig, trombone.
This invigorating album might be called a follow-up to a previous Herwig CD which also presented Coltrane compositions in a Latin setting. As incongruous as that may sound, it works extremely well as Herwig's trombone, Brian Lynch's trumpet and Mario Rivera's tenor and flute bring new energy to Countdown, Central Park West, Straight Street and a host of additional JC material. The arrangements take advantage of a multitude of ensemble possibilities and the solo work is generous and skilled throughout. Criss Cross, 2004; Playing Time: 62:57, ****.

Jumpin' At The Border; Josh Workman, guitar.
The San Francisco area guitarist joins forces with a bevy of Bay Area musicians on no less than 16 tunes equally divided among bop classics, standards, obscurities and originals. It's an intriguing mix, showing well the versatility and skill of Josh Workman. Tetrachord Music, 2004; PlayingTime: 72:00, ***1/2.

Minor Miracle; Holly Hofmann, flute.
Holly Hofmann's flute finds good company with Mike Wofford, Peter Washington and Victor Lewis on some standards like Everything I Love, Samba do Aviao, Johnny Come Lately and Will You Still Be Mine, among others. Faithful flute fanciers will froth. Capri, 2004; PlayingTime: 54:50, ***.

The Nights Of Bradley's; Kirk Lightsey, piano.
The vastly under-rated Kirk Lightsey lights up the former New York piano bar with Rufus Reid on bass. Together they weave some magic and produce some chills on goodies like Speak No Evil, A Time For Love, Giant Steps, In Your Own Sweet Way, Oleo and more. Sunnyside, 2004; PlayingTime: 59:55, ****.

Sunburst; Jim Fox, guitar.
If you enjoy the beautiful, unamplified sound of the solo guitar, this is your album. Jim Fox is the entire orchestra on 12 familiar vehicles. A few of the best include Cry Me A River, Alone Together, All The Way and I'm Old Fashioned. More info at jimfox@adelphia.net. J. Zorro Music, 2004; PlayingTime: 45:29, ***1/2.

Reunion; Larry Vukovich, piano with guest Jon Hendricks, vocals.
Bay area jazz fans have enjoyed Larry Vukovich for many years, but this time, along comes scat genius Jon Hendricks on a half dozen cuts. The tunes, bop and swing vehicles, are meat and potatoes for these two loyal jazz cats and some of their SF pals along for the ride.Tetrachord Music, 2004; PT: 79:00, ****.

Thought Trains; Mike Holober, leader, arranger.
I'm not really sure what "cutting edge' means, but I think this may be it. Holober's New York cast of high wire musicians takes on a program of original material with sometimes rather "out" results, but always with super-charged musicianship. Sons Of Sound, 2004; PlayingTime: 69:06, ***.

My Favorite Things; Don Friedman, piano.
Maybe this CD will bring more attention to a pianist who richly deserves it. With George Mraz and Lewis Nash on board, Friedman's trio is lively and lovely on ten great tunes ranging from Ask Me Now to I'm All Smiles; from Easy To Love to Giant Steps. Great stuff! 441 Records, 2003; PlayingTime: 56:05, ****1/2.

Blues In The Alley; Richie Hart, guitar.
Those of you into the blues-guitar-organ thing will be right at home with Hart's funky approach. He balances out the blues material with a few standards like Autumn Leaves, Well You Needn't and even Clifford Brown's Sandu. For guitar buffs and fans of the genre. Zoho,2004; PlayingTime: 54:17, **1/2.

I'm All For You; Joe Lovano, tenor saxophone.
The thick, rich tenor of Joe Lovano finds great company in Hank Jones, George Mraz and Paul Motian on nine standout tunes. I'm All For You is actually Lovano's changes on Body And Soul. He and his mates also shine on Don't Blame Me, Early Autumn, Countdown and more. Blue Note, 2004; P T: 58:52, ****.