Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
As the title of his second collaboration with the WDR Big Band implies, forward-thinking trombonist/composer/arranger Marshall Gilkes is committed to pushing ahead with his music. Following the success of his Grammy nominated 2015 recording with the band, Gilkes has come up with another adventurous bit of modernism that showcases his vivid ensemble writing and peerless chops on “Always Forward.” A former member of Germany’s premiere large ensemble, Gilkes has joined the impressive roster of artists who have guested with the esteemed big band, including Joe Lovano, Abdulah Ibrahim, Ron Carter, Joe Zawinul, the Brecker Brothers and others. The resident jazz branch of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk radio and television station, the second largest public broadcasting organization in Europe after the BBC, the WDR Big Band is easily the swingingest band in Germany.
A first call player around town, powerhouse drummer and composer Chris Beck is one of the most respected and in-demand working drummers in New York City. Known for his unique blend of strength, movement and orchestral approach to modern drumming, the Philly native has honed his craft working with the likes of McCoy Tyner, Mulgrew Miller, Oliver Lake, Nicholas Payton, Terell Stafford, Cyrus Chestnut and David Murray, among others. With the release of his debut album, “The Journey,” Beck showcases the nuanced composer and leader he is today, paying homage to the classic straight-ahead style of jazz while infusing it with elements of his African roots and Gospel upbringing.
Also this week, vibraphonist/composer Stefon Harris unveils “Sonic Creed,” the first release with his band Blackout since 2009.
The Los Angeles-based Yellowjackets are joined by vocalist extraordinaire Luciana Souza on “Raising Our Voice”.
Chicago-based saxophonist and composer Matt Shevitz presents a program of his originals on “Forward Motion.”