Ron Asmus

German synthesist Frank Klare has been recording electronic music for many years, as a solo artist and with bands like Synco and Traumklang. Klare is joined on this release by Ron Boots, who lends his EM expertise to three of the album's seven tracks. Generous atmospherics fill a cold sky with mounting warmth. Layered sequences descend from the beyond, adding strong definition and appealing melodies to this harmonic flow. A feeling of sedate calm is laced with strident chords that elevate the tranquillity to more dynamic territory, generating a lavish disposition of sonic majesty and meticulous intention. Long intros melt into involved compositions that bristle with verve and passion. This slow-building fashion allows each melody to evolve and flourish in an unhurried manner, resulting in tunes that flaunt earnest creativity with abundance…

Ron Carter's offering here is a solid program that has two Spanish-flavored numbers and two traditional jazz compositions that feature five top-caliber musicians at their best. "El Noche Sol" is influenced by Anadalucian folk music, as is the slower, soulful "Sabado Sombrero". Hubert Laws on flute is prominent on all four tracks and a highlight on the CD is the nifty solo work by drummer Billy Cobham on "So What". The final track, "Arkansas", so named for a child's homework project, closes out the album. The CD would have benefitted from the inclusion of a few more numbers but the music is enjoyable and illustrates the group's versatility in interpreting music forms different from what they were accustomed to playing.

Legendary trombonist and shell master Steve Turre’s SANYAS is amazingly his first live recording as a leader in landmark in a career spanning more than 50 years. Recorded over an electrifying weekend at Smoke Jazz Club, SANYAS boasts a dream all-star band that continues the mission of Turre’s previous Smoke Sessions release, GENERATIONS, in bringing together stellar artists from multiple generations. Turre is joined by elders in the form of the iconic rhythm section of bassist Buster Williams and drummer Lenny White; modern masters trumpeter Nicholas Payton and tenor saxophonist Ron Blake; and the rapidly rising star Isaiah J. Thompson on piano.

For this set, the two young trombonists Wycliffe Gordon and Ron Westray provide plenty of fireworks both in their individual solos (which are consistently colorful) and in the ensembles. Teamed up with pianist Marcus Roberts, bassist Reginald Veal and drummer Herlin Riley, Gordon and Westray perform 11 originals that they wrote or co-wrote. The music sometimes looks toward the swing tradition but also has some post bop and fairly free selections. The extroverted personalities (and occasional humor) of the co-leaders make this often-rambunctious set of strong interest.

Pastels is an album by bassist Ron Carter recorded at Fantasy Studios in California in 1976 and released on the Milestone label. Some tremendous playing by Carter, Kenny Barron (piano), and Hugh McCracken (guitarrs), though the strings get intrusive.

In his Musick’s Monument of 1676, Thomas Mace described in great detail numerous aspects of contemporary musical life in London. This volume evokes all the characteristics of English music, going back to the most glorious years of the Renaissance, with a particular emphasis on the repertory written for consort of viols. While his writings describe the performing practices of the time, they also provide invaluable information on instrument making, which has enabled L’Achéron to build a ‘set’ of six viols following Mace’s indications. For this new project of English music, the ensemble inaugurates a new virginal and an organ made in accordance with the famous theorist’s specifications.

A mysterious opera, an historical piano, two singers, and four instrumentalists. Ensemble Hexameron presents a rich variety of instrumental and vocal music, thus painting a musical portrait of Paris at the dawn of the nineteenth century; a time when different cultures and genres were at crossroads, and when Mozart was yet to be truly discovered as a composer in France.

An album led by guitarist Rick Laird, but a set that's probably equally noteworthy for the presence of tenorist Joe Henderson on a few tracks – who really shines here in an overlooked late 70s session! The core group is great enough – as Laird has these round, classic jazz guitar tones that slide in with soulful beauty next to the piano and Fender Rhodes of Tom Grant – and when Henderson's not around, Grant's solos are especially great – and really have this lyrical power that grabs us right away, and almost makes us forget the presence of Joe! But then Henderson comes back with that subtle edge of his – similar to his playing on the Mirror Mirror record – a raspy tone that really deepens the whole proceedings. Henderson produced the record, and plays on the tracks "Outer Serge" and "Tranquility".