Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
An incredible experience of freedom—June 6, 2024 will mark the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings aka D-Day. It is also the day Monty Alexander turns 80. A highly symbolic historical concordance which the great musician naturally embraces, since the name he was given pays homage to General Bernard Montgomery, the famous liberator. The repertoire on the Jamaican pianist’s new album “D-Day” contains a number of iconic compositions written during wartime along with originals inspired by the conflict and its extraordinary ending.
“Tomorrow’s Another Day” may be trumpeter and composer Jeremy Pelt’s most experimental recording to date, notable for its variety and bold auricular explorations. With greater emphasis on the dynamic aspects of sound, it’s a thought-provoking record that gets a huge lift from the participation of drummer/technologist Deantoni Parks, who previously has lent his remarkable talents to such visionary artists as Meshell Ndegeocello and Andre 3000. Pelt’s newest band also features vibraphonist Jalen Baker, guitarist Alex Wintz, bassist Leighton McKinley Harrell and drummer Allan Mednard.
Also this week, the Jazz Defenders, a group out of the U.K. born from a deep love of Blue Note jazz, deliver their new release, “Memory in Motion”; Tierney Sutton and San Gabriel 7 present a musical survey of a few events in America’s history as well as its present reality on “Good People,” mostly featuring original songs by Ms. Sutton; and rising star tenor saxophonist Willie Morris embarks on an immersive sonic journey exploring the concepts of “Attentive Listening.”