Forums

Release date May 16: It was an unforgettable week of music at the Blue Note in New York City, March 2005, celebrating the legendary saxophonist & flutist James Moody's 80th birthday. "80 Years Young" documents the grand finale of that week, now released for the first time and in celebration of the 100th anniversary of his birth. The club was buzzing that night with jazz legends, sports figures, TV personalities, and alive with love, joy, and the heartbeat of a community united in reverence for a great American cultural icon. Supporting Moody were Jon Faddis, Randy Brecker, Paquito D'Rivera, and Slide Hampton, with David Hazeltine and Cedar Walton on piano, bassist Todd Coolman, drummer Adam Nussbaum, with a brief introduction by jazz impresario George Wein. Featured in the set was "Moody's Mood for Love," over a half-century since it was a major hit for King Pleasure and Moody's signature tune over the decades. "80 Years Young" is a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of his music and exudes the deep joyful connection he created with colleagues and audiences throughout his six-decade career.

Release date May 30: Known for music which embodies a refined balance of swing, lyricism and harmonic sophistication, pianist Danny Grissett has been influenced by legends like Herbie Hancock, Mulgrew Miller and Cedar Walton. Grissett's approach is marked by a crystalline touch, fluid phrasing, and an impeccable sense of rhythm. Whether performing as a leader or alongside jazz greats like Tom Harrell, Nicholas Payton and Jackie McLean, Grissett's music exudes warmth, elegance, and integrity. On Grissett's latest recording, he offers a set list of mostly original compositions inspired by the life and reflections of a traveling jazz artist. Together with drummer Bill Stewart and bassist Vicente Archer, the trio performs the imaginative structures and lyrical melodies of these new works with compelling dedication and insight. "Travelogue" extends Grissett's impressive discography, taking listeners on a journey through a colorful musical landscape of innovative compositions. Jazz vocalist and pianist Dena DeRose is back with a stunning new recording that solidifies her place among the most communicative and sophisticated artists in jazz today. DeRose has captivated audiences with acclaimed albums like Ode to the Road (HCD 7323) and United (HCD 7279) and here she unveils her latest project, featuring her musical compadres of choice, bassist Martin Wind and drummer Matt Wilson. Also appearing on two tracks is special guest, the remarkable trombonist Ed Neumeister. This new release showcases DeRose's signature blend of swing and heartfelt balladry, underlining her reputation as "a supremely elegant pianist and singer who exudes an effortless sense of swing" (DownBeat). The album is also notable for the first recording of DeRose's own compelling composition, "Hold Fast to Your Dreams," based on the poetry of Langston Hughes. Throughout the session, she performs her music with the warmth and insight that have made her a favorite among the jazz cognoscenti.

Release date May 16: Savina Yannatou's fifth ECM album revolves around the theme of water in its many manifestations. Water as a blessing and a curse. A life-sustaining source and a mortal threat in the elemental power of the storm. Multicultural in their musical passions, and daring in their stylistic juxtapositions, Savina and friends also illuminate the connections between the traditions. Featuring Primavera en Salonico and Lamia Bedioui.        

Release date April 25: I sat very near to or next to the greats at the Village Vanguard on many occasions, says the eminent drummer-composer-bandleader Bill Stewart, by way of contextualizing his - and the Criss Cross label's - first-ever live-at-the-Vanguard recording. During his early years in New York, before he ever played the hallowed basement, Stewart, now 58, frequently arrived early to claim the behind-the-drumkit position on the red banquette that runs along the Vanguard's west wall all the way to bandstand stage right to get a bird's eye view of Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Roy Haynes, Billy Higgins, and a host of other masters whose recordings he'd played along with as an adolescent and teenage aspirant in Des Moines, Iowa. "When you sit close, you get the body language, the whole vibe of the drummer who you want to check out, " Stewart says. "That's the place." It's a sure bet that more than a few drum aspirants took pains to assess Stewart's vibe from that privileged perch between September 18 and September 23 in 2023, when he convened bassist Larry Grenadier and tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III for their third weeklong trio engagement at the Vanguard, following residencies in April 2017 and in October 2018. The latter engagement transpired around the trio's first album, Band Menu, a studio date that marked Stewart's first leader endeavor without a chordal instrument. "My first six recordings before the last one had piano, including two with Larry Goldings and Kevin Hays on keyboards, " saysStewart, who has made numerous organ trio albums with Goldings and guitarist Peter Bernstein, either led by Goldings or Bernstein or under the collective billing Goldings-Bernstein-Stewart. "I wanted to work with the open sound of the tenor trio. Not having a piano or guitar gives me the option to fill up more space with the drums or allow more space in the music. I was also thinking of the famous tenor-bass-drums recordings by Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson at the Vanguard. So I felt it was time to document the trio playing in the room." The Album was recorded September 22 / 23, 2023 Live at the Village Vanguard, NYC. Recording engineer: James Farber. Mixing by Tyler McDiarmid. Mastering by Nate Wood. Produced by Bill Stewart. Photography by William Brown. Line up: Bill Stewart (drums) - Walter Smith III (tenor saxophone) - Larry Grenadier (bass)

Yes, that is George on the cover. George told me that Groove Holmes bought the guitar that George is holding in the picture for him in NYC. That guitar (a red Gibson ES-335) remained George's favorite guitar to the end of his life.