LeeAnn Ledgerwood – Simple Truth (SCCD 31705)

A long-waited album by pianist/composer Ledgerwood finds her in her most creative music making.

“ The native of a very small town in Ohio, pianist Lee Ann Ledgerwood is part of an ever growing contingency of extremely talented jazz musicians of the female persuasion… first crack at a piano trio record. Ultimately, it proves to be one of the best of its kind in recent memory. …” (Andrew Hovan – AAJ-NY on SCCD 31468 ”Transition”)

1. Ryan's Gifts (LeeAnn Ledgerwood)
2. Pinocchio (Wayne Shorter)
3. Chelsea Bridge (Billy Strayhorn)
4. Ballade For Bill Evans (LeeAnn Ledgerwood)
5. Mumma's Beautiful Heart (LeeAnn Ledgerwood)
6. Simple Truth (LeeAnn Ledgerwood)
7. Nardis (Miles Davis)
8. Betrayal Of Daylight (LeeAnn Ledgerwood)
9. All Blues (Miles Davis)
10. Invitation (Bronislav Kaper)
11. Dolphin Dance (Herbie Hancock)

UPC/EAN: 716043170524

Stanley Cowell – Prayer For Peace (SCCD 31704)

One of the greatest American jazz pianists Stanley Cowell has been more active as a

dedicated educator than a recording artist in the last 10 years. Cowell now makes his recording comeback to delight us with his finest works.

“ After more than a decade away from the recording studios, that fine and highly-regarded pianist/composer Stanley Cowell returns, and at the same time unveils a shining bright talent in his 20-year-old daughter Sunny, a fresh-sounding vocalist and accomplished viola player ….” (Mark Gardner – from the liner notes)

1. When Lights Are Low (Benny Carter)
2. Blues For Rama (Stanley Cowell)
3. Time Can Only Tell (Sunny Cowell)
4. Japanese Tea House (Stanley Cowell)
5. Today What A Beautiful Day (Stanley Cowell/Aisha Rahman/Bill Duke)
6. I'll Never Be The Same (Frank Signorelli/Matt Mecklin)
7. For James Williams (Stanley Cowell)
8. Stealing Gold (Stanley Cowell)
9. Chirality (Stanley Cowell)
10. Prayer For Peace (Stanley Cowell)

UPC/EAN: 716043170425

Michael Pinto – Little Green Men (SCCD 31703)

As the title of this SteepleChase debut album” Little Green Men” suggests,

vibraphonist Michael Pinto presents us a unique jazz universe hugely inspired by his love of science fiction movie themes. A graduate of Berklee College of Music

Michael Pinto, now 29 is a “ vital newcomer ” (allaboutjazz) on New York scene.

“… Many jazz listeners may not be familiar with the works of Brad Fiedel, Bear McCreary and Wendy Carlos, but their compositions, outside the galactic space they were written for, stand up well beyond their usual comfort zone, and Michael has skilfully adapted these themes to a jazz setting, showing they can serve as a good basis for improvisation

1. Firefly Theme (Sonny Rhodes/Greg Edmonson)
2. Terminatior Movie Theme (Brad Fiedel)
3. Terminator The Sarah Conner Chronicles, Sarah Connor's Theme (Bear McCreary)
4. What's New (Bob Haggart)
5. Love Theme From Superman (John Williams)
6. Solo Tk2 (Michael Pinto )
7. How Insensitive (Antonio Carlos Jobim)
8. Tunnel Chase (Brad Fiedel)
9. Tron Scherzo (Wendy Carlos)
10. Tron Anthem (Wendy Carlos)

UPC/EAN: 716043170326

Dave Stryker – Keystone (SCCD 31702)

Dave Stryker expands his organ trio of SCCD 31679 “One For Reedus” with the addition of Stephen Riley on tenorsax (and Quincy Davis -drums replacing Steve Williams) here on his latest album. Stryker turned this time-tested traditional swinging formation into a cooking 21 st century version.

On Stryker’s 2008 release “Strike Up The Band” (SCCD 31637), Owen Cordle of JazzTimes commented, “…. A fine album, it catches Stryker building long, cliché-free solos. ….The title track sets a high artistic standard for the album, with everyone in a thoughtful frame of mind .”

1. Keystone (Dave Stryker)
2. Can't Buy Me Love (John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
3. Sentinelese (Dave Stryker)
4. Lady Sings The Blues (Billie Holiday / Nichols)
5. The Rose (For Mike Rosinsky) (Dave Stryker)
6. First Strike (Dave Stryker)
7. Tenderly (Walter Lloyd Gross)
8. Watch What Happens (Michel Legrand)

UPC/EAN: 716043170227

Pierre Dørge, New Jungle Orchestra – Presents (SCCD 31701)

Guitarist/composer/bandleader Pierre Dørge introduced his New Jungle Orchestra for the first time in Music Café in Copenhagen on September 24, 1980. Since then Dørge has been in the pursuit of “sometimes outlandish adventures” (The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD – sixth edition) for his vibrant, creative almost big band. To celebrate the 30 th anniversary of successful, truly global musical group Pierre Dørge presents NJO with each member with a new piece to perform.

“ So after 30 years, 21 albums, scores of scores (actually upward of 800), hundreds of concerts, countries galore, tens of thousands of miles, Pierre Dørge and New Jungle Orchestra are still going strong; even stronger than ever. A generation of music-making continues to expand for the pleasure of a truly global audience .” (Mark Gardner – from the linernotes)

1. Balada Para El Trompetista (Pierre Dørge)
2. Für Kontrabas (Pierre Dørge)
3. Peer Gynt’s Last Dream (Pierre Dørge)
4. Igor Abedungola (Pierre Dørge)
5. Sankt Jakob (Pierre Dørge)
6. Ratatata Lang Ra (Pierre Dørge)
7. Blessing Bones (Pierre Dørge)
8. Little Claus And Big Claus (Pierre Dørge)
9. In A Mystery Mist (Pierre Dørge)
10. Waltz Für Basklarinette (Pierre Dørge)
11. Xongly (Pierre Dørge)
12. Mirjam’s dadadance (Pierre Dørge)

UPC/EAN: 716043170128

Don Braden, Stephen Riley, Jimmy Greene, Wayne Escoffery – Jam Session Vol. 30 (SCCD 31700)

Vol. 30 marks the last and completion of SteepleChase Jam Session series which started 12 years ago featuring many of the talented instrumentalists of younger (and old, too) generation on the New York scene.

Derek Taylor of AAJ-NY sums up the significance of this series, “ As long as there is jazz, jam sessions will continue to be the glue that holds the art form together. It’s a dyed-in-the-wool tradition in the music and a primary means by which it evolves. These conclaves of like-minded players draw enthusiastically on the best traits of the practice. The days when giants like Bean, Bags, Jaws and Jug frequented after hours haunts, blowing just for the fun of it and honing their craft into a distinctly American art form are past, but the vernaculars they shaped live on in these men and show that the handed down torch is definitely still burning bright.”

1. Back Up (Larry Young)
2. Twin Towers (Andy LaVerne)
3. Darn That Dream (Jimmy Van Heusen)
4. I Have A Dream (Herbie Hancock)
5. Boston Bernie (Dexter Gordon)

UPC/EAN: 716043170029

Jason Palmer – Nothing To Hide (SCCD 31699)

First prize of 2009 Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition.

Jason makes his SteepleChase debut with his quintet, which has been serving as the house band at Boston’s historical Wally’s Jazz Café since 2001.

“… Jason Palmer reveals a singular originality that surely places him among the foremost brass players of his generation .” (Mark Gardner – from the liner notes)

1. Fly Little Bird Fly (Donald Byrd)
2. Nothing To Hide (Jason Palmer)
3. LaRue (Clifford Brown)
4. The Gigolo (Lee Morgan)
5. Strength And Sanity (Booker Little)
6. Here And Now (Jason Palmer)
7. Luana (Freddie Hubbard)
8. Half Nelson (Miles Davis)

UPC/EAN: 716043169924

Gregory Tardy – The Strongest Love (SCCD 31698)

Gregory Tardy comes back to the recording scene with this strong performance after three-year hiatus.

On Tardy’s earlier release “Truth” (SCCD 31583), AAJ-NY’s Matthew Miller commented, “ Of the many stars to have emerged on the jazz horizon during the '90s, one of the most disciplined, emotive and perhaps underrated is the multifaceted Gregory Tardy. … With this release, his first on SteepleChase, Tardy takes another step toward establishing himself as one of the most important saxophonists of his generation.

1. Cure (Gregory Tardy)
2. How Great Thou Art (Joel Weiskopf)
3. Amazing Grace (Traditional)
4. No Shame In His Name (Gregory Tardy)
5. The Strongest Love (Joel Weiskopf)
6. Thorns (Jaimeo Brown)
7. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing (Billy Strayhorn)
8. Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Traditional)

UPC/EAN: 716043169825

Rich Perry – At The Kitano 3 (SCCD 31697)

The final set of the dazzling live recording of Rich Perry Quartet at New York’s famous jazz lounge at the Kitano Hotel puts slightly more weight on jazz originals.

“…. a quartet of talented musicians playing well-worn standards can still come up with renditions startling in their freshness and artistic relevance.” ( Matthew Miller of allaboutjazz )

1. Night Market (Rich Perry)
2. Blue In Green (Bill Evans)
3. There Is No Greater Love (Isham Jones)
4. I Love You (Cole Porter)
5. Stablemates (Benny Golson)
6. Giant Steps (John Coltrane)

UPC/EAN: 716043169726

Vic Juris – Omega Is The Alpha (SCCD 31696)

After 5 years’ absence since his 2004 output While My Guitar Gently Weeps (SCCD 31553) guitarist Vic Juris comes back here with a strong trio album, his trademark unpredictability intact to surprise us again.

His earlier release Remembering Eric Dolphy (SCCD 31453) prompted JazzTimes’ Duck Baker to write, “ Vic Juris is a versatile and impressively accomplished guitarist. His playing exudes warmth, intelligence and respect for the tradition.

AAJ-NY’s Andrew Hoven also commented, “ As a significant statement of its own by guitarist Vic Juris and his sympathetic ensemble, Remembering Eric Dolphy is an undeniable success. As the tribute affair its title suggests it proves to be far more illusive….. Juris’ writing is exceptionally strong throughout, touching on many moods. “

1. Folksong (Vic Juris)
2. Hallucinations (Bud Powell)
3. For Shirley (Vic Juris)
4. Omega In The Alpha (Albert Ayler)
5. Subway (Vic Juris)
6. Romulan Ale (Vic Juris)
7. Lonely Woman (Ornette Coleman)
8. Sweet Sixteen (Vic Juris)
9. Rosario (Vic Juris)
10. Alone Together (Arthur Schwartz)

UPC/EAN: 716043169627