Bud Shank and Bill Mays
Beyond the Red Door
(Jazz Media)
At the conclusion of a particularly aggressive, unexpectedly quirky rendition of “The Touch of Your Lips” – an old, played-out standard if ever there was one – saxophonist Bud Shank guffaws into the mike. “Take that, Ray Noble,” he heartily chides the [...]

Michael Bublé
Call Me Irresponsible
(Reprise)
It all seemed to start with Harry Connick Jr. in 1989, when he recorded the soundtrack for When Harry Met Sally. It was the comeback of the crooner – male singers who emulated Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, and even Louis Prima and Dean Martin. They performed pop [...]

Luciana Souza
The New Bossa Nova
(Verve)
For more than a decade now, Brazilian singer Luciana Souza has moved effortlessly between musical genres. In The New Bossa Nova, she addresses several of them all at once.
This is bossa nova – a style informed by jazz – re-interpreted as art song. It’s also an [...]

Jeff Lorber
Heard That
(Peak)
Jeff Lorber was a fresh young face during the initial crossover-jazz days of the ’70s. On Heard That, he revives that approach with electric piano, a punchy horn section reminiscent of the CTI sound, and melodic tunes that sound great, even if they don’t linger in the mind’s [...]

Noah Preminger
Dry Bridge Road
(Nowt)
There’s a certain sameness to most debut albums by jazz artists: a safe selection of standards along with a couple of originals that showcase the leader’s technical prowess. That’s not the case with Noah Preminger’s first offering, as the tenor saxophonist demonstrates all the qualities of a [...]

Kenny Barron
The Traveler
(Sunnyside)
Taste and superb musicianship are cornerstones of Kenny Barron’s dazzling sound. The veteran pianist takes a fresh approach on every project and raises anticipation for his next.
Songs on The Traveler – including eight Barron originals – represent a wide variety of styles and instrumental groupings. Never losing focus, [...]