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Betty Bryant is a Los Angeles treasure. The singer, pianist and composer has been a regular on the Southern California jazz scene since 1955 when she moved from her hometown of Kansas City, where she was mentored by the late, great Jay McShann. Her blues-based piano and vocal stylings have garnered her a legion of fans at numerous jazz clubs and night spots up and down the West Coast and beyond. Now, at the remarkable age of 96, Ms. Bryant is releasing “Nothin’ Better to Do,” her 15th album. It features three original tunes as well as several tracks that are off the beaten path.
Trumpeter Ella Grace came up in the Twin Cities jazz scene before relocating to Chicago in 2021 to pursue a degree in Jazz Studies at DePaul University. Immersed in the city’s vibrant music culture, she steadily built a presence as both bandleader and side-person, culminating in her selection for the 2024 Chicago Music Scene Fellowship, which funded the recording of her debut disc, “Figments.” Featuring seven original compositions, the album is brought to life by some of Chicago’s most compelling young musicians and presents Ms. Grace’s compositional voice with clarity, depth and emotional resonance.
Also this week, Marshalltown, Iowa native Dana Legg presents the second recording from his Stage Band, “Scoopin’ the Loop”; trombonist and composer John Fumasoli unveils “Not Sure,” the fourth release from his 10 piece little big band The Jones Factor; and pianist and composer Darren Litzie, who’s been performing professionally for over fifteen years, brings us his second album as a leader, “On My Own Time.”