Mike Marshall & Caterina Lichtenberg (Adventure Music – 2010)

It is no longer the necessity to use the term Third Stream that Gunther Schuller “invented” to describe the music created by the Modern Jazz Quartet in the 50’s, which was a confluence of the European Classical tradition streaming with cadenzas, infused with swaggering swing and syncopations of jazz idioms to describe much contemporary 21st century music, which does the same. Labels of any sort would diminish the excellence of the music played by Mike [...]

Greg Burk and Vicente Lebron – Unduality (Accurate Records – 2010)

This album, Unduality, a duet between pianist Greg Burk and the Dominican-born conguero, Vicente Lebron, is quite simply the most innovative interpretation of Johann Sebastian Bach’s “First Inventions” since the master conceived of it and a pianist’s sublime exercise. In fact it could be one of the most striking re-imaginations of a previously composed piece, ever. In themselves, the “First Inventions” are superlative creations demonstrating contrapuntal technique [...]

Fabiana Cozza – Quando O Céu Clarear (Atração Fonográfica – 2010)

Comparisons are odious, even in the most mundane circumstances, but there is a recording of a rare performance of Elis Regina Saudades Do Brasil , filmed and recorded in 1980, and directed by the great Cesar Carmago Mariano that reverberates with energy, even when it is not playing. The mere recollection of it can make the heart dance interminably. This recording Quando O Céu Clarear by the extraordinary paulista and sambanista, Fabiana Cozza [...]

Alex Brown – Pianist (Sunnyside Records – 2010)

Even for a pianist with as prodigious a talent as Alex Brown, having a heavyweight in the music pantheon such as Paquito D’Rivera produce his debut album, must have largely been a dream. However, to pull off a debut as fine as this is a feat in itself. As a pianist, Brown has remarkable technique. Although he may still be searching for his true voice and that may take time, he appears to be closer than most. He is truly expressive and has an expansive sense of [...]

The Black Butterflies -1 de Mayo (Self Produced – 2010)

A delightful whimsy surrounds the room where 1 de Mayo descends, like a diaphanous sheet of sound amid its celestial wail. So extraordinary is the musical ensemble fronted by the hypnotic sound of Mercedes Figueras’ saxophones; doubly intriguing when entwined with the ululations and caterwauling ablutions of Tony Larokko’s horns. Mercedes Figueras is one of the most exciting saxophonists today. Enormously talented and with a voice [...]

Pedro Bermudez – No Limits (Self Produced – 2010)

The energy contained in the body and soul of pianist Pedro Bermudez far exceeds that which may normally be given mere mortals. For his hands and arms are infused with a surfeit of tumbao. In his heart, the echoes of the timbales and the congas bounce excitedly against every internal surface. It is this incredible treasure of rhythm that flavours what he expends through his fingers on the ivories. More importantly, it is this that [...]

Hilario Durán Trio – Motion (Alma Records – 2010)

In his much-anticipated follow-up to the Grammy-nominated and Juno Award-winning Latin Big Band recording, From The Heart (Alma Records,2008) the piano master, Hilario Durán brings together a power trio comprising bassist, Roberto Occhipinti and drummer, Mark Kelso. In the process he has created Motion, a memorable, new canvas of sound, unveiled through a palette of vivid tonal colors throughout the album’s eight tracks [...]

Hector Martignon – Second Chance (Zoho Music – 2010)

In a literal world the music on Second Chance would simply represent “B” sides of music that pianist, Hector Martignon has played in the past. In reality they are anything but that. It is here that Martignon has provided wicked twists to all the music he has played before—he uses the term “devilish,” which in Spanish is a word fraught with meaning. The word diabólico might be infinitely more appropriate as it has fangs and breathes a fire [...]

Trio Esperança – De Bach á Jobim (Disques Dreyfus – 2010)

There is a rare and celestial beauty that pervades throughout De Bach á Jobim, the album by the legendary a capella Brasilian group, Trio Esperança who share a very special connection with the 10-voice ensemble, Grupo Vocal Desandann. Both ensembles use the oldest instrument known to human kind in intricate harmonies that have a spirit connection seemingly as old as the Psalms of David. However, from the historical perspective [...]

Federico Britos – Voyage (Sunnyside Records – 2010)

As the world continues to awake to the rising tide of undiscovered music and musicians from the South American paradigm—in an almost ironic kind of reversal of Alejo Carpentier’s voyage of musical discovery in Los Pasos Perdidos (E.D.I.A.P.S.A, 1953) or to the English-speaking world The Lost Steps (Alfred Knopf, 1956, Univ. of Minnesota, 2001)—the Cuban violinist Federico Britos celebrates five decades in the lonely and all but forgotten [...]