Terry Smith

No one could ever accuse Clark Terry of solemnity or detachment; his penchant for humor, especially his scat singing and "mumbles" routine, often triggered accusations of silliness. But Terry was an excellent modern trumpeter who perfected – among many other things – "dialogues" with himself, sometimes playing different instruments and other times alternating between mute and unmuted passages. His tone, range, and solo technique were superb, and he was equally proficient at swing or bebop. Terry worked in local groups around the St. Louis area, then was in a Navy band during World War II with Willie Smith.

Terry Gibbs Plays Jewish Melodies In Jazztime is a 1963 album by vibraphonist Terry Gibbs. The album has a theme which goes through different world musics, all done with a constant string of jazz. The album features Sol Sage on drums & marimba; Herman Wright on bass; Ray Musiker on clarinet; Sam Kutcher on trombone; Alan Logan on piano; and Bobby Pike on drums, but it is notable for featuring Alice McLeod on piano, who would later marry saxophonist John Coltrane. Originally released on Mercury, this CD was released in 2002 by Verve Music Group.

The Bell features dynamic chamber music compositions written for masterful improvisers. The best thing I caught all weekend, said critic Peter Margasak of the 2014 New York Winter Jazzfest, was a superb trio led by drummer Ches Smith with pianist Craig Taborn and violist Mat Maneri, which expertly infused seductively narcotic writing with a mixture of brooding melody and rich texture.

Smith’s new album, Laugh Ash, is perhaps his most startling and remarkable to date, a breathtakingly original set of music whose touchstones are myriad but ultimately meaningless in the face of an inventive and stunningly unfamiliar expression. Due out February 2, 2024 via Pyroclastic Records, the album makes thrilling use of disorientation and juxtaposition: starkly beautiful chamber melodies coexist with synthetic rhythms, explosive bursts of improvisation with elusive song forms, austere ambience with thundering complexity. Eclectic, undoubtedly, but in a paradoxical way that is defiantly cohesive while never losing sight of the fact that none of it should be.

2CD, 41 track set. The Blues Songbook presents some of the most exciting blues Alan Lomax ever recorded. Famous and obscure artists roll out a remarkable array of blues from the country, from the city and from prison in this first-of-its-kind compilation overseen by the Lomax estate. Taken from five decades of Alan's best field recordings in the genre, the Songbook includes previously unreleased tracks and features digital transfers using DSD technology. Here is blues at its source: original, impassioned and utterly real. Featured artists include Mississippi Fred McDowell, Howlin' Wolf, Hubert Sumlin, Memphis Slim, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Bill Broonzy, Muddy Waters, Leadbelly, Son House, Skip James, Jelly Roll Morton, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee…the list goes on and on. All this with a 40 page illustrated booklet including a scholarly essay and song notes by John Cowley and a preface by Martin Scorsese.