Shadowed Lover

Alto saxophonist/composer McPherson has been playing masterful bop and its extensions for several decades. He shows no signs of slowing down with this extraordinary set of eight compositions, half that he wrote, split into two bop or bop-informed standards, two low-key numbers, two in the mid-rhythmic range, and two modal ostinato-based figures as vehicles for improvising. All are spiced by the bubbling conga playing of Bobby Sanabria and solidly reinforced by the battleship dense musings of pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Ray Drummond, and drummer Victor Lewis, an undeniably brilliant backing ensemble. Listen to the fluidity of McPherson's on any of these cuts, and you'll know why he remains the eminent extension of Charlie Parker.

'Daa Dee’ is the new 13-song studio album from Ethiopian siren Minyeshu Kifle Tedla, aka Minyeshu; a hypnotic and modern hybrid of Ethiopian grooves and melodies, delicately mixed with western instruments and styles. Minyeshu’s talent for composing exciting music and vocal arrangements while respecting traditional rhythms has resulted in this refreshing new album of Ethiopian world music.'