Jonny King is een Amerikaanse jazzpianist, advocaat, visser en schrijver. "Een veelbelovende jazzpianist/-componist van dit moment {1996} is Jonny King. Op "Notes from the underground" staan zes door hem zelf geschreven composities; de standard "Mean to me" werd geschreven door Turk/Ahlert en "Blow-up" door Herbie Hancock. Zoals elke goede jazzmusicus grijpt ook King terug op de traditie, maar zijn muziek is vooral te karakteriseren als 'postbop'. Nogal recht toe rechtaan, met de nodige improvisatie, is het openingsnummer "Gnosis". Lyrisch is "Soliloquy" waarin behalve King zelf nog bassist Peter Washington en drummer Billy Drummond schitteren. Saxofonist Joshua Redman krijgt alle ruimte in "Blow-up". Ook de overige nummers zijn van hoog niveau! Vibrafonist Steve Nelson bewijst ook op deze cd weer tot de hedendaagse topvibrafonisten te horen. Een jazz-cd die absoluut de moeite waard is en waarop niet slechts de platgetreden paden bewandeld worden." (Muziekweb).
"Eddie Henderson brings his working group to the British-based Sirocco label for Oasis, a rewarding straight-ahead effort. The desert theme is established on the very first track, "Dubai," an enchanting seven/four piece by Billy Drummond, the session's formidable drummer. Henderson follows this with two desert-related originals, "Oasis" and "Sandstorm," a ballad and an all-out swinger, respectively; his modal, quasi-epic "Desert Sun" concludes the program. In between are compelling versions of Wayne Shorter's fairly obscure waltz "Lost," Herbie Hancock's oft-sampled (and here, heavily reharmonized) classic "Cantaloupe Island," Lee Morgan's 1964 ballad "Melancholee," and George Cables' mellow yet funky "Why Not." Pianist Kevin Hays, one of the album's chief assets, contributes the spacious and meditative "Siddhartha," featuring Henderson's only muted performance. Vibraphonist (and producer) Joe Locke and bassist Ed Howard round out the quintet." (Allmusic)
"Sheila Jordan could have given all her albums that title - little singing is exactly what she does, and it is elusive and intriguing. The 75 year-old Detroit-born singer's languorous scat-singing, immaculate timing, care with words and ironic intelligence suggests an infectiously optimistic artist with an enduring relish for her work. This album is largely composed of Broadway standards, but is bookended by a splice of Jordan's own whoopy, native American-derived Little Song and Lennon and McCartney's Blackbird, and includes one piece by her immensely skilful pianist, Steve Kuhn. The sepia-toned flugelhornist Tom Harrell complements the atmosphere of fragile daydreaming". (John Fordam, The Guardian).
"Marty Ehrlich has long been one of the most versatile horn players in the avant-garde and post-bop jazz world. On this set, Ehrlich mostly sticks to alto sax other than a few pieces on bass clarinet. None of his eight originals are destined to become standards for they lack memorable melodies, but they are effective at setting moods and challenging the players. The interplay between Ehrlich and pianist Craig Taborn is consistently impressive, and both bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Billy Drummond constantly react to Taborn's ideas. The music is complex, but due to the close communication between the players the results are fairly accessible and often stimulating." (Scott Yanow, Allmusic)
"Jon Gordon has emerged into one of the most promising saxophonists of his generation, a solid player in the mold of Phil Woods, with whom he studied in his teens. After winning the 1996 Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition, he taped this session (his third for Criss Cross) with pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Joe Martin and drummer Billy Drummond. He captures the fire within Joe Henderson's "Inner Urge" and the playfulness of Monk's "Friday the 13th," while a pianoless version of "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise" simmers to perfection. He switches to soprano sax for his eerie "Vale," joined by the young tenor saxophonist Mark Turner. Gordon's formidable talent makes it seem odd that the major labels haven't already signed him." (Allmusic)
"One of the first volumes of SteepleChase's series of studio jam sessions, saxophonists Dick Oatts, Don Braden, and Vincent Herring, join forces for some fireworks, accompanied by the top-notch rhythm section of pianist Andy LaVerne (one of the label's most frequently recorded artists), bassist Jay Anderson, and drummer Billy Drummond. LaVerne's up-tempo blues "Jamboree" features great solos and interplay by the front line, as do his breezy "Hat Trick" (showcasing all three on tenor sax) and the loping "How High the Moon." Braden's laid-back "Private Eye," and Oatts' breezy "April" inspire some of the best solos of the session. Each saxophonist has an individual ballad feature, though on this date, unlike many CDs in this series, they are not played together in a medley. The three tenors are also together for a rousing take of Sonny Rollins' "Airegin."" (Ken Dryden, Allmusic)
Het Deense platenlabel SteepleChase organiseert regelmatig studio-jams met voornamelijk Amerikaanse hardbopmusici. Drie saxofonisten en een ritmesectie (inclusief pianist) spelen een verzameling standards. Dat klinkt saaier da het uitpakt. De thema's worden veelal fraai driestemmig gespeeld, waarna de saxofonisten elkaar in de soli flink opjagen. Gregory Tardy, Wayne Escoffery en Christian Winther blijken aan elkaar gewaagde tenoristen.
Amerikaanse tenorsaxofonist met verpletterende stijl. Zo speelt hij hoger dan de altsax van z'n nonet, heel bijzonder. Hij arrangeert geraffineerd voor oa trombone, trompet, baritonsax, altsax en fluit. (naar JazzNu)
Een enthousiasmerende pot bop op Gerry Teekens Criss Cross-label, uit 1996. De energiek, stuwend spelende drummer Drummond wist twee veelgeroemde tenoristen, Chris Potter en Walt Weiskopf, die elkaar regelmatig lekker op de hielen zitten.
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