Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
Though she originally studied and performed in the classical field, the past few years have found bass trombonist Jennifer Wharton in many more diverse situations, especially in the world of jazz. She is a regular in the Broadway pit orchestras of New York City and is also a regular in two of the best large ensembles in jazz, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society and the Alan Ferber Big Band. Playing in these ensembles, Wharton discovered how brilliantly her favorite composers could write for bass trombone. These developments led to her decision to create a project, “Bonegasm,” that would commission composers to write and arrange music for the often-overlooked trombone. It’s the first ensemble that she had ever led and includes fellow trombonists John Fedchock, Nate Mayland and Mr. Ferber.
Pianist/composer Carlos Franzetti has made a career of approaching jazz from his own perspective, creatively adding music elements from his Argentine heritage, most notably tango, and classical music for his own unique sound. His interest and work in scoring films has also led to a cinematic quality in his work overall. Franzetti’s new recording, “Ricordare,” takes all of these elements, namely his original compositions, film music and jazz standards, and throws them together with the aid of a new trio. The music made with bassist David Finck and drummer Eliot Zigmund is fresh and inspired, and marks the first time the trio has played together.
Also this week, guitarist Julian Lage has put together a new trio featuring drummer Dave King of the Bad Plus and bassist Jorge Roeder for his new release, “Love Hurts”;
Austrian singer Simone Kopmajer performs a mix of vintage standards and colorful originals with “Spotlight on Jazz”;
and Colorado-born New York-based pianist Walter Gorra offers up his debut disc as a leader, “In Due Time.”