Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
Duchess—the tri
o of rising-star New York singers Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner & Melissa Stylianou—has won hearts far and wide with its insouciant swing, sweet-tone harmonies and charming stage presence. Dubbed by DownBeat as “a beacon of jovial esprit,” the group channels the inspiration of vintage vocal trios into a package that’s utterly up to date. Having beguiled audiences from New York to New Orleans prior to its first album, the trio has since won fans from coast to coast, across Canada and even in Israel. Now Duchess presents its second disc, “Laughing at Life.” The recording includes beloved songs by Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Duke Ellington and Ray Charles, as well as lesser-known numbers given the infectious Duchess spin. Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, clarinetist Anat Cohen and saxophonist Jeff Lederer are among the guests.
Veteran jazz pianist Brian Dickinson has been a mainstay on the Toronto jazz scene for over thirty years. As well as leading his own various ensembles, he has also worked and recorded with Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz, Jerry Bergonzi and Tom Harrell among many others. “The Rhythm Method” is his engaging and swinging new album, the eleventh as a leader. It includes 10 original and incredibly creative tracks and features Kelly Jefferson on tenor sax, Neil Swainson on bass, Ted Warren on drums and Luis Deniz on alto.
Also this we
ek, the Organic Trio’s latest disc, “Saturn’s Spell,” takes the classic Hammond B3/guitar/drums format to orbits of musical exploration not often traversed in this setting.
Former Tower of Power reedman Norbert Stachel u
nveils his newest disc, “Shades of the Bay”.
Pianist Emmet Cohen
presents the inaugural installment in a series of records with the prime living sources of jazz world inspiration on “Masters Legacy Series, Volume 1 Featuring Jimmy Cobb