Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
Richie Cole is an internationally recognized jazz legend who began his career as the lead altoist for the Buddy Rich Big Band. He later formed his own quintet and toured worldwide popularizing bebop and his own Alto Madness style. He has recorded over fifty albums, and spends much of his time now working with the Pittsburgh Alto Madness Orchestra. For his new CD, “Latin Lover,” Cole works with a small group out of the Orchestra on a number of Richie’s originals, surprise takes on established classics and classic takes on some surprising choices.
Drummer Ernesto Cervini’s Turboprop burst onto the North American jazz scene in 2015 with the release of their eponymous debut. With their new disc, “Rev,” Cervini continues to prove that he is one of the most talented drummer/composer/bandleader’s in the jazz scene today, and Turboprop is one of the most joyous and creative outlets. As Cervini states, “although I am the band-leader, Turboprop truly feels like a collective due to the passion, commitment and love everybody brings to each performance.”
Also this week, Gregory Porter has Vince Mendoza arranging and conducting an orchestra for the homage disc, “Nat ‘King’ Cole & Me”.
Keyboardist-arranger-composer Pete Levin captures the ‘no-boundaries’ spirit of Gil Evans with “Mobius,” exploring textural grooves ranging from straight-ahead bop to funk, world-beat, and the experimental.
Saxophonist Eric Wyatt offers up his
sixth recording as a leader, “Look to the Sky.”