Lynn Seaton

YOU LOVED ME THEN, David Harris’ first album of originals in over 30 years, reflects his eclectic musical journey. It began when his father played him the works of Romantic composers like Chopin and Schuman, continued to his grade school encounters with the Beatles and The Doors, and was crowned by his teenage discovery of John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, and most importantly, Thelonious Monk. Harris estimates that he has written somewhere around 3,000 jazz, pop, and classical compositions. With the help of renowned pianist Paul English and a cadre of exceptional jazz talents, Harris brings some of his favorites to life on this Big Round Records release.

This is one of Kenny Drew, Jr.'s finest recordings. Teamed in a trio with bassist Lynn Seaton (whose bowed solos are a constant highlight) and drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Drew performs five Thelonious Monk songs and five from Charles Mingus. Other than "Ruby, My Dear," none of the tunes are played all that often, so it is a particular pleasure hearing Drew dig into such songs as "Work," "Trinkle-Tinkle," "Skippy," "Nobody Knows," and "Farewell Farwell." The Mingus tunes, in particular, sound fresh, new, and transformed in the piano trio setting. Drew Jr. displays both the technique and the imagination to make this often-difficult music sound effortless and logical. Highly recommended. ~ AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow

Ernestine Anderson (November 11, 1928 – March 10, 2016) was an American jazz and blues singer. In a career spanning more than six decades, she recorded over 30 albums. She was nominated four times for a Grammy Award. She sang at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Monterey Jazz Festival (six times over a 33-year span), as well as at jazz festivals all over the world. In the early 1990s she joined Qwest Records, the label of fellow Garfield High School grad Quincy Jones.

Noodle Peach is a band that plays something that is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike jazz. The legend of the Noodle Peach is one as old as time. Now, the mythical creature has returned to exact revenge on its oldest foe: JAZZ. Released August 29, 2017.

One thing Concord Jazz cannot be accused of is failing to document Ernestine Anderson's live performances. When the veteran jazz singer was recording for Concord in the late '70s, '80s, and early '90s, the label put out several live albums that featured her extensively. Here's the thing: Not all of those albums were released under Anderson's own name – she was employed as a featured vocalist for pianist George Shearing, the Frank Capp/Nat Pierce Juggernaut, and a band that was billed as the Concord All Stars.

Pianist Kenny Drew, Jr. is in top form during this trio/quartet date, alternating driving pieces (including a few reharmonized standards) with more introspective interpretations. Bassist Lynn Seaton contributes a few bowed solos, drummer Tony Jefferson keeps the momentum moving, and Steve Wilson is on roughly half of the tunes, offering an additional solo voice on alto and soprano. But the focus is mostly on Drew, who plays with swing, intensity, and constant creativity during a high-quality hard bop/post-bop set. This is one of his finest recordings.

Contrastist and bass player who is active in jazz, improvised and contemporary rhythmic music in Latvia. He is currently a bassist in the Latvian Radio Bigbands principal, but he is also writing his own music, which is implemented with projects and musicians such as Equanimity Trio, Edgars Cirulis, Rudolf Dankfeld, Kristaps Vanadzins, Artjoms Sarvi and others. His music features elements such as European jazz sound, Nordic resilience, energetic compulsion and free improvisation.

Alex Smith, a pianist, organist, composer, and arranger, is most widely known for his work accompanying Lady Gaga on her much heralded performance of the Star-Spangled for Super Bowl 50 (2016). He is the keyboardist and arranger for Lady Gaga’s jazz quintet and was featured on the Grammy winning album with Tony Bennett “Cheek to Cheek” and on their PBS Special “Cheek to Cheek – Live!” which aired on October 24th, 2014. In 2015, he toured across North America and Europe with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga playing storied venues from the Hollywood Bowl to the Royal Albert Hall in London and performing at festivals such as the Montreux Jazz Festival and the New Orleans Jazz Festival.

A Reggae Tribute To The Beatles is a 1995 Beatles tribute CD that is in the genre of reggae, a form of music originating on the island of Jamaica. While called a Beatles tribute, the disc also features covers of songs by Peter & Gordon, George Harrison, and the Plastic Ono Band. Peter & Gordon's "A World Without Love" was written by Paul McCartney and covered twice because the song is a fan of reggae lovers. This disc is released by Emporio.