Rhythmize Heartstrings

Russell Malone's second CD for Maxjazz Live at Jazz Standard, Vol. 1 has a bit of a harder edge then Playground, his first session for the label. Well accompanied by pianist Martin Bejerano, bassist Tassili Bond and drummer Jonathan Blake on this live performances at the Jazz Standard, the guitarist focuses mostly on his challenging originals. "I Saw You Do It" is a marvelous example, an intricate, boundary stretching affair that is essentially a blues intermingled with post-bop and a touch of dissonance, while the breezy "Flirt" is more easygoing, built from a call and response pair of riffs that are developed into a full-fledged work. Malone's choice of Frank Rosolino's "Blue Daniel" may turn a few heads as he slowly transforms it from a jazz waltz setting into a cooking hard bop…

Over the last 15 years Secret Garden has sold over a million albums in the U.S. and an additional 4 million outside. From their first CD Songs From a Secret Garden which featured Nocturne, through albums White Stones and Dawn of a New Century , and Once in a Red Moon , the group has had a consistent presence on the U.S. charts. Their songs have been successfully covered by Barbra Streisand ( Heartstrings / I ve Dreamed Of You), Josh Groban and II Divo ( You Raise Me Up ), among others.