Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
“Music in Film: The Reel Deal” marks film producer and drummer Richard Baratta’s triumphant return to jazz after a thirty-plus year diversion, during which time Baratta became a celebrated film producer of Hollywood hits such as “The Irishman,” “Joker,” “and “The Wolf of Wall Street.” An impromptu gig at a New York jazz club rekindled Baratta’s interest in performing and before he knew it he had assembled the band heard on his new disc. Featuring alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, guitarist Paul Bollenback and pianist/arranger Bill O’Connell, the band churns, boils and cooks over low flame on twelve tunes from classic soundtracks composed by Nino Rota, Burt Bacharach, Henry Mancini and others.

     A valuable part of the New York jazz and Latin music community for the past 25 years, Noah Bless has played trombone with many significant and creative artists. Since moving to the Big Apple in 1990, he has appeared on over fifty albums with such notables as Paquito D’Rivera, Mario Bauza, Don Braden, Eddie Palmieri and Celia Cruz. Bless has also been part of many top groups including the Lincoln Center Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Long overdue to lead his own session, on “New York Strong-Latin Jazz!” he soars over both Latin rhythms and straight ahead swinging, excelling on warm ballads and energetic romps alike.

Also this week, Butcher Brown remains true to the group’s fusion of ’60s jazz and funk, ‘70s fusion and contemporary hip-hop on their eighth release, “#KingButch”;

trumpeter Walter White’s new release, “BBXL,” features an all-star band and new arrangements of standards and original compositions;

     and drummer Mike Melito and pianist Dino Losito unveil a new quartet session, “You’re It,” featuring reed man Larry McKenna and bassist Neal Miner.