Treasures of the Heart
shaun@blittzedmarketing.com June 30, 2024
O's Notes: Treasures Of The Heart is the twelfth album from vocalist, composer Jacqui Naylor. She lays deep, soulful vocals on top of the funky beats from pianist, collaborator Art Khu, bassist Richie Goods, and Josh Jones on drums and percussion. This is head-bobbing music that is easy to enjoy, especially on “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” and the title track. Others of note are “All That We Could Be” featuring trumpeter Erik Jekabson, “Lovely Day”, and “This Guys In Live With You”.
Becoming Marlene Dietrich
shaun@blittzedmarketing.com June 30, 2024
O's Notes: French-Canadian chanteuse Myriam Phiro sings swinging, gypsy jazz around the world. She’s Becoming Marlene Dietrich on her latest release. The tribute captures the feel of the time and place with the help of a fine band with musical director, arranger Hyuna Park (p, accordion), Elias Bailey (b), Linus Wyrsch (t-sax, cl), and Alex Raderman (d). “My Blue Heaven” has a New Orleans feel, “The Boys In The Back Room” has a playful spirit, and “Que Reate-t-il/I Wish You Love” is sung beautifully in both French and English to impart the spirit of Dietrich.
Live at Chatterbox
shaun@blittzedmarketing.com June 30, 2024
O's Notes: Joel Tucker plays guitar, and his brother Nick plays bass with Sean Imboden on tenor sax and Carrington Clinton on drums. Live at Chatterbox is their latest release, recorded at the popular club in Indianapolis, IN. Highlights are new arrangements of “Caravan” and “You and the Night and the Music”. We liked “Away” best in the set of seven selections.
Jubilee
shaun@blittzedmarketing.com June 30, 2024
O's Notes: Russian drummer Tima Volozh is now Brooklyn-based by way of London. He launches his debut, Jubilee in a quintet with Jerome Harris (b), Brad Shepik (g - on three selections), Timo Vollbrecht (sax), and Noah Franche-Nolan (p). We liked the mellow fusion of “Lá Lauê” featuring Shepik, “Aisha”, a warm ballad featuring Vollbrecht, and the balanced “Adoration of the Earth”.
Hittin’ It
shaun@blittzedmarketing.com June 30, 2024
O's Notes: Canadian guitarist Mike Clement now resides in New Orleans where he leads a standard organ trio with John Lee on the B3 and Herlin Riley on drums. Clement has a lot of juice and displays his prowess blazing on “Temperance” followed by “Mr. Not So PC” including a spirited exchange with Lee and Riley stepping into the mix. They play the blues on “So Bro”, and chill on “Cruisin’ High” in a very good set.