Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify. 
Following up on their Juno-nominated debut, “Murphy” is the exciting new recording from the Toronto-based nonet, the Carn Davidson 9, an ensemble formed at the beginning of 2010. Trombonist William Carn has emerged as one of Canada’s leading jazz composers and performers. He’s performed and recorded with the likes of Rob McConnell, Randy Brecker, Kenny Wheeler, Carla Bley and Vince Mendoza. Tara Davidson is a multi-Juno Award nominated saxophonist who has performed around the world at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, the North Sea Jazz Festival, the International Jazz Festival in Lima, Peru, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. As a bandleader, Davidson has produced six recordings of her own and performed on more than thirty recordings as a side person. “Murphy” features eight new compositions by the co-leaders.
“Versatile” is positive proof that 72-year-old Van Morrison is built differently than other artists. One of the very few British recording artists to warrant the description ‘living legend,’ Van is currently working at a rate to put musicians a third of his age to shame; an ethic that harks back to his early days when he’d easily release multiple brilliant LPs within the space of a year. His latest disc sees him delve further back into recorded music’s archives to interpret some of the 20th century’s greatest vocal jazz standards. As well as songs made famous by Chet Baker, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Nat King Cole, it also features six of Morrison’s own compositions.
Also this week, pianist Michel Camilo was captured in a solo performance at the Queen Elizabeth Hall of the Southbank Centre in June of 2015 for “Live in London”.
Pianist Takaaki Otomo, who moved from Japan to New York City three years ago, unveils his latest trio recording, “New Kid in Town”.
John McNeil and trombonist Mike Fahie are joined by pianist Ethan Iverson and drummer Billy Hart on their new quintet recording, “Plainsong.”