Brandon Sanders: Lasting Impression
Brandon Sanders spent many hours as a child visiting his grandmother’s jazz club in Kansas City where she hosted the likes of Stanley Turrentine, Lou Donaldson and Grant Green. Although raised to the sound of live music, Sanders didn’t take up drums until he was 25. Now based in New York and another 25 years further on, he’s released his third album, Lasting Impression. It follows his debut outing, Compton’s Finest in 2023 and The Tables Will Turn in 2024.
His top-notch band has Warren Wolf on vibes, Stacy Dillard tenor sax, Eric Scott Reed piano and Eric Wheeler on bass. Jazzmeia Horn sings on George and Ira Gershwin’s Our Love Is Here To Stay and a stirring version of Stevie Wonder’s Until You Come Back To Me, giving Aretha Franklin a run for her money. Sanders and Wolf are joined here by pianist Tyler Bullock and bassist Ameen Saleem.
The other numbers in this spirited set are an arrangement of Bobby Hutcherson’s 8/4 Beat, two originals penned by Reed (Shadoboxing and No BS for B.S.), a soulful rendition of Mal Waldron’s Soul Eyes with Dillard expressing his inner Coltrane, and two compositions from the drummer – Tales Of Mississippi and the upbeat title track, Lasting Impression.
Sanders says modestly, “I may not be the next Tony Williams but I know how to make the music feel good. I come from the party vibe so I try to make sure that people are snapping their fingers and bobbing their heads.”
Discography
(1) 8/4 Beat; Lasting Impression; (2) Our Love Is Here To Stay; (1) Shadoboxing; Tales Of Mississippi; Soul Eyes; No BS for B.S.; (3) Until You Come Back to Me (45.28)
(1) Sanders (d); Stacy Dillard (ts); Warren Wolf (vib); Eric Scott Reed; (p); Eric Wheeler (b). Brooklyn, NY, 30 March & 22 May 2025.
(2) as (1) but add Jazzmeia Horn (v).
(3) Sanders; Wolf; Horn; Tyler Bullock (p); Ameen Saleem (b). Same place, date.
Savant Records SCD 2228
Nigel Price Organ Trio: It’s On!
Nigel Price is considered to be one of the most hard-working jazz guitarists in the UK. When he’s not touring and performing across Britain, he’s based in Surrey. Price turned professional in his 20s and played with assorted reggae, acid-jazz and funk outfits before turning to jazz. His musical influences include Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Kenny Burrell and Jim Mullen. He’s played guitar on more than 60 albums with 16 as band leader. On 10 of these he’s with his organ trio – nowadays comprising Ross Stanley on Hammond and Joel Barford on drums.
It’s On! was recorded in just two days – the impromptu character of the music making it feel like a live performance. The album’s nine tracks comprise six Price originals and three covers – Jule Styne’s Make Someone Happy nods to Kenny Burrell’s version from his 1972 album ’Round Midnight; Wes Montgomery’s take on Joe Zawinul’s Midnight Mood is rendered in brisk double time and Art Pepper’s Red Car is adapted by the trio to a 1960s boogaloo.
Price’s vibrant compositions are pleasingly varied, with swing, funk and blues in the mix and in one case a wisp of nostalgia. All three artists are at the top of their game, with nimble guitar from Price and splendid interplay from each. Try this studio video clip of Backatcha for a taste. Price himself thinks this is the best album recorded by the trio to date. Indeed, it’s a cracker.
Discography
Make Someone Happy; Backatcha; Chonky; It’s On!; Straight Talk; ’76; Splash The Cash; Midnight Mood; Red Car (68.04)
Price (g); Ross Stanley (org); Joel Barford (d). Woking, 7 & 8 July 2025.
Nervy Nigel Records CD006
Yusef Lateef: Golden Flower – Live In Sweden
Tennessee-born William Huddleston converted to Islam and changed his name to Yusef Lateef when he was 30. In his teens he became proficient on tenor sax. After studying oboe, bassoon and flute, he added non-western instruments such as shehnai, arghul and koto to his armoury and began to incorporate Eastern music into straight-ahead and post-bop jazz. Over the years, Lateef performed and recorded with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Cannonball Adderley and Donald Byrd as well as with several groups of his own. He died in 2013 aged 93.
On Golden Flower we hear two concerts recorded for Swedish radio in 1967 and 1972. The music, transferred from the original tapes, has been released for the first time on CD and vinyl. In the first concert Lateef is accompanied by Lars Sjosten on piano, Palle Danielsson bass and Albert “Tootie” Heath on drums. Five years later he’s with Kenny Barron on piano, Bob Cunningham bass and Heath again. Lateef plays tenor and flute in both concerts – no other instruments.
Numbers across the two sets range from lilting flute-led melodies to punchy saxophone sorties. The ’67 concert is largely straight-ahead while the ’72 at Ahus is a more eclectic affair, closing with the R&B flavoured Yusef’s Mood, the longest track at 20 minutes.
The limited-edition 2CD digipak includes an informative 20-page booklet with photos of band members and notes by music journalist Herb Boyd, producer Zev Feldman, Lateef sideman Charlie Apicella and saxophonists Chico Freeman & Jeff Coffin.
Discography
CD1: (1) The Golden Flute; Blind Willie; One Little Indian; Straighten Up And Fly Right; The Poor Fisherman; (2) Inside Atlantis (44.52)
CD2: (2) Eboness; Lowland Lullaby; A Flower; Yusef’s Mood (42.58)
Lateef (ts, f); Albert “Tootie” Heath (d) on all tracks with:
(1) Lars Sjosten (p); Palle Danielsson (b). Mosebacke, Stockholm, 13 September 1967.
(2) Kenny Barron (p); Bob Cunningham (b). Ahus Jazz Festival, 1 August 1972.
Elemental Music 5990453
