Part of a four part series of double CDs devoted to the classic era in Cuban music, this edition focuses on the sonero (literally singer of ‘son’ which incorporates improvising on a theme) tradition and is as comprehensive a selection from the period covered, 1939-1957, as one could wish with remastering and sound quality near flawless considering the age of the recordings. Key labels such as the legendary Panart company of Havana have been judiciously selected and some of Cuba’s seminal singers, groups and instrumentalists are on display. Arguably the greatest male sonero was Benny More and we have no less than five songs to showcase his talents, with ‘Rumberos de ayer’ typifying his prowess. Cheo Marquetti is less well known outside the island, but vastly gifted and sings the praises of the musical craft on the aptly titled ‘Sonero’ while the evergreen ‘Oriente’ is given an near-definitive rendition. Of the female vocalists, Celia Cruz before prolonged exile in Mexico a and the United States was lead vocalist with Sonora Matancera and is showcased while Celina Gonzalez continues to perform in Cuba well into her seventies. Here her classic ‘Yo soy el punto cubano’ is performed with husband Reutilo. Instrumentalists are not forgotten on this compilation and the flute tradition is rooted in the son. One of its principal exponents is Fajardo and the tasty ‘Vamos a gozar’ sounds just as fresh as if it had been recorded yesterday. Pianist Alfredito Valdez and master trumpeter Felix Chappotin contibute with pieces also. This is a beautifully illustrated as well as selected compilation with extensive sleeve notes (English and French) and original album covers and artist photos that give a true flavour of the era. If the following releases are up to this standard, there are many musical treats yet to await us. Indispensable.

Tim Stenhouse

Co-founding memeber of Cuban supergroup Irakere Chucho Valdes began his career as an aspiring Afro-Cuban jazz pianist and this excellent offering chronicles both one of his earliest albums as a leader in Cuba and a later offering from the early nineteen-eighties when his compositional talent and orchestral leadership was already well established. The earlier album dates from roughly 1972 and is an outstanding example of Afro-Cuban jazz with a modal influence in Valdes’ playing inspired, perhaps, by McCoy Tyner. The percussive intro of ‘Neurosis’ leads on to freer improvisation mixed with blues inflections while ‘Laureen’ showcases the lyricism in his playing. However, the piece de resistance is unquestionably, ‘Irakere’ and possibly one of his finest compositions. In sum a highly accessible, yet challenging album in the same breath. The second album dates from a decade later and the Irakere group influence is far more discernible down to individual group members participating in the recording. Of particular interest is the inclusion of a song by nueva trova singer Sylvio Rodriguez ‘Rabo de Nube’ given the instrumental treatment and interestingly to be found on the latest Charles Lloyd album also. Here it is given a solo piano treatment plus flute accompaniment from German Velazco. One wonders whether Lloyd has been exposed to this recording. Devoted to his daughter, the ballad ‘Claudia’ is another excellent composition while the best solo is reserved for the piano vamp and ensuing excursion on ‘Son para Leyanis’. With the current economic recession, it is heartening to know that independent labels are providing such excellent valuie for money. Extended bi-lingual notes from Cuban musicologist Maria elena Mendiola accompany the CD.

Tim Stenhouse

Lou Donaldson made his reputation largely on the basis of soul jazz recordings such as this. While he would later enjoy commercial success with ‘Alligator Boogaloo’, this album from 1961 is a superior example of the organ jazz format with five extended pieces. Accompanied by Grant Green on guitar and the under-recorded Baby Face Willette on hammond organ, the quartet cooks on the gospel influenced title track with Willette excelling. Green expands upon the standard ‘Foggy Day’ and Donaldson himself has his finest hour on the Charlie Parker tune ‘Cool Blues’ with driving support from organ and drums. An album that truly puts the soul into jazz. 

Tim Stenhouse

Wayne Shorter cut some of his finest solo albums for Blue Note in the mid-1960s with ‘Speak No Evil’ being a particular high point. However, this session from the same year was inexplicably shelved for fifteen years and with repeated listens is on a par with the other recordings. The line up of Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner and Tony Williams speaks for itself. Key tracks include the driving pulse of ‘Angola’ with a delicious solo from Shorter and beautiful comping from Tyner. In contrast ‘Lady Day’ is a lovely ballad and a fitting tribute to Billie Holliday with the lyricism in Shorter’s playing and compostional prowess emphasized. The title track testifies to the intensity of the collective playing, but it is the melodic nature of the ensemble that impresses here and distinguishes this album from the freer form of say ‘The All Seeing Eye’. Shorter in his prime.

Tim Stenhouse

Here we find an interesting and unusual line up in an early manifestation of the Silver band. Clifford Jordan joins the group for this one session and works well with then band regular Art Farmer in his prime. This long overdue re-issue (formerly only available in Japan)includes a reworked version of ‘Safari’ that Silver recorded on his first Blue Note album taken at a rapid tempo, while ‘Moon Rays’ is a hypnotic mid-tempo groover that features a fine solo from Jordan. The latinisms that would become so much a part of the Silver repertoire surface on ‘Pyramid’courtesy of polyrhythms from Louis Hayes. While this was not yet the fully developed Silver sound of the mid-1960s with the likes of Junior Cook and Blue Mitchell and catchy tunes that would cluminate in the hit ‘Song for my father’, the line up on ‘Further  Explorations’ is almost there and one wonders what would have happened had this set of musicians stayed together.

Tim Stenhouse

The latest live offering from Brad Mehldau again from the legendary setting of the Village Vanguard sees him continue to mix contemporary pop tunes with reworkings of standards from the American songbook and beyond. Paring down the very essence of the melody in a song and weaving it into an individual style is Mehldau’s forte and on the Oasis tune ‘Wonderwall’ the trio take the song in a whole new direction. Chico Buarque’s ‘O que sera’ improves on the already latinised tinge with a dramatic change of tempo part way through that is an album tour de force. A lengthy solo introduces the take on Coltrane’s ‘Countdown’ before Larry Grenadier on bass and Jeff Ballard on drums enter and Mehldau thereafter sets off on an exploratory romp. Of the other material, the self-composed ‘B-Flat Waltz’ harks back to Mehldau’s earliest recordings while blues-inflected playing on the standard ‘More than you know’ accompanies the sparse phrasing with the pianist at his most soulful. The intimacy of the session at the Vanguard comes across well, and as ever the recording.

Tim Stenhouse

‘Gea’ is the seventh album from Californian, Mia Doi Todd, which, coming at the age of only 32, is pretty impressive. For those unfamiliar with her work, she is somewhat of a musical renaissance woman, a self-proclaimed singer-songwriter-guitarist-poet-painter-dancer. With her career to date representing a nomadic journey, both geographically and in terms of record labels worked with, this album was self-produced in collaboration with Carlos Nino (one half of Ammon Contact) & Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, and recorded in Todd’s native Los Angeles. The music is very much organic, one woman-and-her-guitar, story-telling Folk, accompanied only, if at all, by some ultra light bongo tapping. But the truth is that it’s really rather good and never ventures into tedious or twee territory, which is always an inherent risk. Certainly worth seeking out, particularly if you’re a fan of the likes of Juana Molina.

Tom Breslin

Unbelievably, this is the first solo long-player from Roland Appel, who has already achieved much success as one half of Fauna Flash (with Christian Prommer being the other), one third of Truby Trio, and co-producer of G-Stone’s Voom:Voom project. His 2007 single, ‘Dark Soldier’, was a slow burning hit, gaining support from just about every DJ worth their salt, and the rest of the album pretty much picks up where that left off. Electronic house of varying tempos is the order of the day, so uncompromising big room drum loops and bold, building synth chords (think Ame’s ‘Nia’) play the major part, with the occasional female vocalist in a supporting role. Granted, this isn’t really anything new, in terms of an original style, and in some places feels like a definite nod to our ‘progressive house’ past, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, if you like a tougher shade of brilliantly produced, dance floor driven house music – and let’s face it, many people do – then this is all rather good news.

Tom Breslin

Oh yes, now this is a project worth getting excited about! A collaboration between Hip-Hop’s most prolific producer and all-round beat junkie, Madlib (Otis Jackson, Jr.) and Ivan "Mamão" Conti, percussionist with much-loved Brazilian band, Azymuth. The music consists of new interpretations of classics by artists like Chico Buarque, Joao Donato, Baden and Vinicius, Marcos Valle, Dom Um Romao and Airto, as well as some original material from Madlib himself, and the fruits of this creative labour are, as could be expected, meandering, Jazz-heavy workouts, in a Yesterday’s New Quintet style, beefed-up with some seriously funky percussion. And, basically, that’s it! What more is there to say? If you like the idea, then you’ll like the results, and if you don’t like the idea, then…well, you know.

Tom Breslin

Treble O began life as a digital label back in 2006, with the intention being that it would provide a kind of general outlet for Domu’s multifarious musical projects and monikers. Things soon evolved though, and the label quickly became a home to other artists and producers, covering a broad range of styles and sounds. ‘Here Comes Treble O’ then is effectively a showcase of their output to date, with contributions coming from the likes of Simbad (with Philly’s Rich Medina), Daedelus, Probe DMS and, of course, the tireless Domu himself. The music comes in the form of some excellent Detroit House (Rondenion’s mix of DJ Marin’s ‘Love Fantasy’ is quite superb), some high quality Hip Hop, Broken Beat and Nu-Jazz, and a smattering of soul, which lets the side down a little by sounding somewhat dated.

Tom Breslin