Previoiously unreleased works of jazz legends; a rock icon’s first jazz endeavor; a live recording…
Chrissie Hynde with the Valve Bone Woe Ensemble, Valve Bone Woe (BMG)
Release date: September 6
Having etched her name in the history of rock and roll, Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde makes a volte-face on her stunning jazz debut, Valve Bone Woe. Recorded at London’s famed Air Studios, the new album was produced by Marius De Vries and Eldad Guetta and recorded with the Valve Bone Woe Ensemble. It finds her interpreting works of a wide range of great songwriters and innovators, from Charles Mingus to Brian Wilson and from Ray Davies to Frank Sinatra, among others. “Jazz is something I grew up around, thanks to my bro,” she explains via a statement, “and I’ve always had a soft spot for it.”
Enrico Rava and Joe Lovano, Roma (ECM)
Release date: September 6
Italian jazz trumpet maestro Enrico Rava and acclaimed U.S. saxophonist of Italian descent Joe Lovano are releasing their new album, Roma. Out just a couple of weeks after the former's 80th birthday, the record captures their live performance at the Italian capital's Auditorium Parco della Musica from last November, during which they co-led a quintet and performed some of their favorite songs, ending the program with a medley that feels like an exploration of the history of modern jazz. Roma also features pianist Giovanni Guidi, drummer Gerald Cleaver and bassist Dezron Douglas - the latter making here his ECM debut.
Miles Davis, Rubberband (Rhino)
Release date: September 6
Rhino is releasing Miles Davis' never-before-heard 1985 album, Rubberband. The album marked a radical shift in direction for the trumpet legend, who enlisted musicians from the soul and funk spectrum and was to feature vocalists Chaka Khan and Al Jarreau. The record was finally completed by its original producers Randy Hall and Zane Giles with Davis' nephew and collaborator Vince Wilburn Jr. The new edition also features new vocals recorded by Lalah Hathaway and Ledisi.
Ahmad Jamal, Ballades (Jazz Village)
Release date: September 13
Ballades is a new and rare full-length solo release by iconic jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, now aged 89. The new album presents a stunning, intimate set from his stellar, seven-decade career, supplemented by three dialogues with his longtime bassist and collaborator James Cammack. Alongside new takes of three of his own compositions, including the opening title track from his 2017 album Marseille, Ballades also features versions of Bill Evans’ “Your Story,” Johnny Mandel and Johnny Mercer’s “Emily” and more.
Guillermo Klein y Los Guachos, Cristal (Sunnyside)
Release date: September 20
For almost 25 years, Los Guachos has been Guillermo Klein's favored vehicle for bringing his unique compositional and arranging style to life. The group's roster has remained unchanged over the years, representing an astounding aggregation of some of today's best musicians. Klein's latest recording with the ensemble, Cristal, is akin to a suite. Each track feels like a rhythmic puzzle of a suite that features both new, original sounds and versions of songs the Argentine pianist grew up with. These include a reinvention of Gardel and La Pera's "Melodía De Arraba," which opens the LP.
Herb Alpert, Over the Rainbow (Herb Alpert Presents)
Release date: September 20
The incomparable trumpeter Herb Alpert of the Tijuana Brass fame returns with a new album. Over the Rainbow is a collection of one new original composition plus nine interpretations of classic songs. These include a take on the beloved title Judy Garland signature song, a tribute to Gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and Louis Armstrong's much-loved "What a Wonderful World," among others. "I am always looking for good melodies to play and if it is a familiar song that I am working on, I'll try to do it in a way that it's never been heard before," says Alpert.
Poncho Sanchez, Trane's Delight (Concord Picante)
Release date: September 20
Great conguero Poncho Sanchez honors the life and music of John Coltrane on his first new album in seven years. Trane's Delight reimagines some of the saxophone legend's compositions and features Sanchez's longtime band, including trombonist and musical director Francisco Torres. "I've always loved John Coltrane," explains the conguero via a press release, "ever since I was a kid and first learned about jazz. I've recorded tributes to a lot of my heroes in life ... so I thought it was definitely time to do a tribute to the great John Coltrane."
George Coleman, The Quartet (Smoke Sessions)
Release date: September 27
Tenor saxophone legend George Coleman leads his longstanding group into the studio on his new, aptly titled album, The Quartet. Here, the NEA Jazz Master is joined by pianist Harold Mabern, bassist John Webber and drummer Joe Farnsworth. Whether introducing new songs (including "Paul's Call" dedicated to Smoke Jazz Club owner), performing versions of such standards as "When I Fall in Love" or stretching out on a 12-minute version of "East 9th Street Blues," The Quartet finds these veteran players at their best, bringing together their wealth of experience with a never-ending desire to explore the possibilities of in-the-moment discovery.
Louis Armstrong, Amstrong in Europe (Dot Time)
Release date: September 27
Armstrong in Europe is a collection of never before commercially released live recorded tracks by the incomparable Louis Armstrong. Nine tracks on the LP are from a 1948 performance from Armstrong and His All Stars' run at the Nice Opera House in Paris, France - his first-ever performance at the Nice International Jazz Festival. The remaining seven were captured in 1952 at the Titania Palast, Berlin. The latter performance initially broadcast on RIAS (Radio In the American Sector) is also released on the same day as a vinyl package titled Armstrong in Germany. Amstrong in Europe is released via Dot Time Records as part of its Legacy Series.
John Coltrane, Blue World (Impulse!/UMe)
Release date: September 27
Blue World is a never-before-heard 1964 album by John Coltrane and his all-star classic quartet, with Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrison and McCoy Tyner. Originally recorded for a little-known Canadian film and recorded between the sessions for Crescent and A Love Supreme, Blue World documents a rare studio date on which the saxophone legend revisited works he had previously recorded, including “Traneing In” and the classic ballad “Naima.” Remastered from the original tape, this album follows last year’s highly successful archival release, Both Directions at Once.
Like this article? Get more when you subscribe.
