Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
Paul McCartney had a great idea for an album. He just needed the world-renowned guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli to make it. Pizzarelli played on McCartney’s disc of a few years back, “Kisses on the Bottom,” and backed Sir Paul on a handful of prestigious live performances around that time. “I got an idea in my head,” McCartney wrote to Pizzarelli in late May 2014. “It might be interesting for you to do a few of my songs that are lesser known than some of the others…It imagine the songs would include post-Beatles melodies of mine.” Pizzarelli and pianist Larry Goldings immediately went into research mode, digging through McCartney’s albums of the last 45-plus years to find songs that could be re-harmonized and adapted for Pizzarelli’s trademark style. The result is John’s new CD, “Midnight McCartney.”
New York-based keyboardist and composer Ben Paterson is probably best known for his work as a pianist, notably as long-time sideman to Chicago saxophone legend Von Freeman, and as a leader of his own trio. That may change, however, with his newest release, “For Once in My Life.” Paterson shows why he has quickly become one of the top Hammond B3 players on the jazz scene today, combining influences from his former hometown of Chicago and from his more recent surroundings in New York City. He is joined on the disc by two phenomenal sidemen, Peter Bernstein on guitar and George Fludas on the drums, each representing a connection to these two great cities. Together they bring a unique style and sound to the classic organ trio format.
Also this week, bassist Stanley Clarke, guitarist Bireli Lagrene and violinist Jean-Luc Ponty join forces on “D-Stringz”; drummer Teri Lyne Carrington follows up her 2011 Grammy winner for Best Jazz Vocal Album with the sequel, “The Mosaic Project: Love and Soul,” i
ncluding guest vocalists like Nancy Wilson, Lizz Wright, Paula Cole and Natalie Cole; and composer/arranger/pianist Miho Hazama unveils her sophomore effort, “Time River,” continuing her work with her distinctive 13-piece m_unit, a hybrid of jazz big band and classical chamber ensemble.