Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
The world-renowned
Richie Cole began his career as lead alto in the Buddy Rich Big Band, then started his own quintet and toured worldwide, popularizing bebop and his own Alto Madness style. He spends much of his time now with the Pittsburgh Alto Madness Orchestra. During a recent recording session with the Orchestra, the horn section unexpectedly had to bow out for a session. Producer Mark Perna brought the remaining quartet into the studio anyway, for what was supposed to be a fun blowing date for the archives. Only afterward did Perna notice that the majority of the tracks were ballads. He realized Richie had never, during his extensive career, released a dedicated ballads album. He approached Cole about finishing it off and releasing it as such. The saxophonist agreed and the result is “Richie Cole Plays Ballads & Love Songs.”
Jazz has been declared “dead” numerous times since saxophonist Ken Field formed the Revolutionary Snake Ensemble in 1990. The band obviously didn’t get the memo! Over more than a quarter century, the horn-heavy sextet, inspired by the New Orleans brass band tradition, has been evolving and refining a unique sound that incorporates electric, post-bop and avant jazz influences without ever losing it allegiance to the groove and the party spirit of NOLA. Their 4th album, “I Want That Sound!,” celebrates the band’s collective experience by providing a snapshot of where and what it is today—a tight, funky, fun and heady unit that’s transgenerational in its appeal and whose music resonates with listeners on melodic, harmonic and rhythmic levels.
Also this week, Boston-based guitarist Steven Kirby unveils his third disc as a leader, “Illuminations”.
Space Orphan provides a soulful, funky sound that is heavily based on groove for their debut record, “Shut Up About the Sun”.
Trumpeter 
Wallace Roney is joined by jazz veterans Lenny White, Patrice Rushen and Gary Bartz on his latest, “A Place in Time.”