Renee Rosnes: Crossing Paths (Smoke Session Records SSR-2408)
Canadian-born composer and pianist Renee Rosnes is widely respected for a series of small-group albums she made for Blue Note in the 1990s, including Ancestors, As We Are Now and Art & Soul. Her talented cohorts have included Nicholas Payton (t), Jack DeJohnette (d) and Christian McBride (b). She contributed to the 2015 pianistic tribute to Oscar Peterson (Oscar With Love) produced by his widow Kelly, performing Sushi (with spouse Bill Charlap), and Love Ballade. She has also been the pianist for the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, and toured and recorded with Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson and J.J. Johnson.
Long a devotee of Brazilian music (“Every time I listen to Brazilian music, my creative juices start flowing”), she melds it with jazz inflexions and characteristics to produce a distinctive and often moving amalgam. In this ambitious venture she is complemented by three Brazilian singers, Maucha Adnet, Edu Lobo and Joyce Moreno. Trombonist Steve Davis and Chris Potter on tenor and soprano sax, together with drummer Adam Cruz and classical flautist Shelley Brown, provide immaculate and imaginative contributions to the ensembles. As for the nine compositions, there is little if anything to choose between their respective merits. Note that all the songs are given their Brazilian titles but English translations appear in the valuable liner notes by American jazz critic and entrepreneur Marc Myers.
The opening track, Frevo (a Portuguese word meaning fever or to boil) maintains a gently rhythmic tempo throughout, followed by Pra Dizer Adeus (To Say Goodbye) by Lobo, previously recorded by Cannonball Adderley, Stan Getz, Paul Desmond and Sarah Vaughan. Rosnes plays a moving passage, while singing in unison with her improvised piano solo. The title and final track Caminhos Cruzados, a mid-tempo bossa nova, has a haunting vocal by Adnet. Renee comments that “It’s easy to hear that she is a gifted story teller. The poignant lyrics are about rebuilding love with someone and being willing to leave sadness behind.”
Despite (or possibly because of) the short playing time (only 39.15) this exceptional album repays repeated listening. The final verdict belongs to its creator, who relates ”This project has been in my thoughts for nearly three decades. I’ve always been passionate about the music, and with this incredible band I also knew that together, we could make these songs come alive the way I imagined.” They do. All the lyrics are in Portuguese, but that only enhances their appeal. Extraordinary.
Doug MacDonald: Santa Monica Session (Dmac Music DM27)
Prolific recording guitarist Doug MacDonald, originally from Philadelphia, has performed with such stellar jazz persons as Joe Williams, Trummy Young, Carl Fontana, Rosemary Clooney, Ray Brown, Buddy Rich and Ray Charles. Critic Scott Yanow judged him “a fine bop-based guitarist in the tradition of Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, and Joe Pass”. On his 29 albums since 1979 he appears as a soloist, as well as with duos, trios, octets and big bands. MacDonald himself has affirmed “I’ve simply never lost my love affair for warm notes, a good standard and striving for the best performance.”
This, his most recent album, places him in the empathetic company of Bill Cantos (piano and organ), Hussain Jiffry (bass) and Kevin Winard (drums and percussion). The eight tracks include three of MacDonald’s compositions – Minor Makeup, Tele Time, and Dmac. Jazz standards are represented by Walkin’ (made famous by Miles Davis) Juan Tizol’s Perdido, Sonny Rollins’ Pent-Up House, and Tadd Dameron’s Lady Bird.
In what is mainly a bossa-nova flavoured outing, MacDonald delivers some extended and fleet-fingered solos, but leaves room for his sidemen. In the sleeve notes he also offers sage comments on all the tracks. He says of Walkin’ “I re-harmonized the chords to this blues by Miles and gave it a boogaloo-type funky Latin rhythm.” Of Prisoner Of Love, “I discovered this obscure ballad… and decided to interpret it as a bolero. With changes similar to Body And Soul at the A section, the bridge and chord changes are very similar to the song Talk Of The Town.” He playfully (no pun intended) calls Dmac “the only swinging tune on the recording”. He expands ”The melody is followed with solos over blues changes. For contrast, I added a harmonic modulation and an interlude section.” Veteran Doug MacDonald tells (and still plays) it like it is. His album is warmly recommended.
Mon David DNA: Continuum (DHR 1031)
Vocalist, arranger, composer (and linguist) Mon David began his career in the Philippines as a pop singer, but was converted to jazz after hearing a Mark Murphy record. He subsequently won the London International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2006, beating 107 contestants from 27 countries.
David came to the US with his wife and family in 2007. They settled in Los Angeles, where he became a popular performer on the LA jazz scene, when audiences responded to his unusually resonant and low-pitched voice. He joined with pianist Josh Nelson who had performed with such luminaries as Benny Golson, Jeff Hamilton, George Mraz and vocalist Natalie Cole. Nelson appeared with David on their first album DNA (2020), and on this, its successor (2024), where they are joined on some tracks by accomplished guitarist Larry Koonse. David is quoted as saying “I really admire Larry – his approach is always tasteful and elegant. He and Josh often work together and you can hear their simpatico approach with their accompaniments and beautiful solos.” Koonse asserts that Mon David “sings from deep inside the earth”. He says he is a “totally effortless and natural talent”.
A refreshing variety of original compositions include tributes to Bob Dylan (Blowin’ In The Wind, Ellington and Strayhorn (Duke And Billy), Murky! (in praise of Mark Murphy) and Antonio Carlos Jobim (Luiza). There are also enjoyably upbeat renditions of the Miles Davis/Jon Hendricks gem Four and the Bill Evans/Carol Hall original The Two Lonely People. Less appealing to these ears are recitations by Mon David of fragments from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, (I’m not making this up), a poem by a Filipino poet, and a soulful – but equally incomprehensible Pampango, which David sings in his native language.
Despite the critical plaudits which this (and its predecessor) record have received, I remain coldly agnostic about Mon David’s uneven jazz and vocal credentials.
