Brian Charette – Upside (SCCD 31678)

Organist/pianist/composer Brian Charette (b. Nov. 24, 1972 in Meriden, Connecticut, USA) is the latest addition to the SteepleChase recording artist rostar. Charette moved to New York 15 years ago and has firmly established himself on the NY jazz scene being discribed as one of “ the best of the new breed of B3 players ” by Bill Milkowski of JazzTimes. His enormous talent both as performer and as composer is evident throughout this brilliant debut album.

1. Yolk (Brian Charette)
2. Silicone Doll (Brian Charette)
3. Look Elsewhere (Brian Charette)
4. Public Transportation (Brian Charette)
5. You've Changed (Carl Fischer)
6. Furthering Adventures (Brian Charette)
7. Altered Waltz (Brian Charette)
8. Girls (Brian Charette)
9. Prelude To A Kiss (Duke Ellington)
10. Upper Manhattan Medical Group (Billy Strayhorn)
11. Upside (Andy LaVerne)
12. Wish List (Brian Charette)

UPC/EAN: 716043167821

Jesse Stacken, Kirk Knuffke – Mockingbird (SCCD 31677)

Pianist Stacken and trumpeter Knuffke are the two new faces on SteepleChase label. Both of them joined the New York jazz scene relatively recent years (Stacken 2002 and Knuffke 2005). They have rapidly established themselves both as leaders and sidemen. Here on their SteepleChase debut album the Duo succeeds in presenting an intriguing program of Monk/Ellington/Strayhorn works.

1. Light Blue (Thelonious Monk)
2. Teo (Thelonious Monk)
3. Such Sweet Thunder (Duke Ellington)
4. Reflections (Thelonious Monk)
5. Skippy (Thelonious Monk)
6. Isfahan (Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn)
7. Misterioso (Thelonious Monk)
8. Bright Missisippi (Thelonious Monk)
9. Sunset And The Mocking Bird (Duke Ellington)
10. Four In One (Thelonious Monk)

UPC/EAN: 716043167722

Ari Ambrose, Stephen Riley – Tenor Treats 2 (SCCD 31676)

The collaboration between the two dynamic tenor saxophonists Ambrose and Riley on

Tenor Treats (SCCD 31656) session, packed with stimulating performances gave us a bonus of enough material for this sequel.

“The instantaneous rapport achieved by Riley and Ambrose is indicative of the flexibility of these two accomplished players, who know the value of complementing, rather than trying to outdo, each other. There's a deep unity of thought in the way they roll out each performance….” (Mark Gardner – from the linernotes)

1. Sandu (Clifford Brown)
2. Wave (Antonio Carlos Jobim)
3. Back Home In Indiana (James F. Hanley)
4. 502 Blues (Jimmy Rowles)
5. Scrapple From The Apple (Charlie Parker)
6. Darn That Dream (Jimmy Van Heusen)
7. How High The Moon (Morgan Lewis)

UPC/EAN: 716043167623

John Tchicai – In Monk’s Mood (SCCD 31675)

1. Monk's Mood (Thelonious Monk)
2. Coming On The Hudson (Thelonious Monk)
3. Light Blue (Thelonious Monk)
4. Ugly Beauty (Thelonious Monk)
5. Round About Midnight (Thelonious Monk)
6. Cool Copy (John Tchicai)
7. Easy Street (Jones)
8. Ruby My Dear (Thelonious Monk)
9. Aks Him Now (John Tchicai)
10. Monk's Mood (Thelonious Monk)

UPC/EAN: 716043167524

Harold Danko – Escapades (SCCD 31674)

On Trilix SCCD 31551 allaboutjazz’ Donald Elfman wrote, “ When a piano trio—or any jazz group, for that matter—is at the top of its game, all of the qualities that make its individual members shine come to the fore … Harold Danko (piano), Michael Formanek (bass) and Jeff Hirshfield (drums) make a vitally engaging, intelligent and musical trio album. …”

1. Murmur Not (Harold Danko)
2. All The Things You Are (Jerome Kern)
3. Tired Trade (Andrew Hill)
4. Poinciana (Nat Simon)
5. Escapade (Kenny Dorham)
6. Serenity (Joe Henderson)
7. Yesterdays (Jerome Kern)
8. Brown's Town (Kenny Dorham)
9. What Is This Thing Called Love (Cole Porter)

UPC/EAN: 716043167425

Ron McClure – New Moon (SCCD 31673)

Bassist/composer Ron McClure’s previous release “Soft Hands” (SCCD 31615) was a unusual drum-less trio setting about which Will Smith of JazzTimes wrote, “ The quiet and easygoing togetherness of bassist Ron McClure’s Soft Hands, with tenor saxophonist Rich Perry and pianist George Colligan, will find listeners overlooking the absence of a drummer . …”. On this new recording the same group is expanded into a quartet with an addition of drummer, Billy Drummond who is met with immediate and unanimous enthusiasm (Ron McClure).

1. Half A Nice Day (Ron McClure)
2. Kalman's Dance (Ron McClure)
3. Hostile Terrain (Ron McClure)
4. Better Late Than Never (Ron McClure)
5. It's Always Now (Ron McClure)
6. New Moon (Ron McClure)
7. Lotus (Ron McClure)
8. Let's Went (Ron McClure)
9. Ulala (Ron McClure)

UPC/EAN: 716043167326

Peter Zak – Blues On The Corner (SCCD 31672)

Peter Zak has admired and studied McCoy Tyner’s music for many years.

On his fifth album he realizes his dream project of interpreting his idol.

On his previous release “My Conception” (SCCD 31641), allaboutjazz ’s

Terrell Kent Holms wrote, “ Zak plays with richness and fluidity, artfully blending the many colors on his palette to create bright landscapes. Zak plays with a confidence born of his undeniable skill. …Zak always makes the right choices, and audiences will continue to reap the benefits of hearing this wonderfully talented piano ma n.”

1. Blues On The Corner (McCoy Tyner)
2. Three Flowers (McCoy Tyner)
3. The Man From Tanganyika (McCoy Tyner)
4. Sunset (McCoy Tyner)
5. May Street (McCoy Tyner)
6. Ballad For Aisha (McCoy Tyner)
7. The Camel (Peter Zak)
8. All My Yesterdays (McCoy Tyner)
9. Peresina (McCoy Tyner)

UPC/EAN: 716043167227

Vincent Gardner – Three-Five (SCCD 31671)

The elite trombonist of the younger generation Vincent Gardner assmbles sextet for his forth album on the lable to showcase his

enoumus talent as arranger.

“… Gardner is an impressive, well-rounded trombonist, fleet and nimble in a boppish uptempo zone and blessed with vocalistlike expressivity when elegance is required .” (Josef Woodard – JazzTimes on Gardner’s debut album “Elbowroom” SCCD 31580)

“… trombonist Vincent Garner is a very likely candidate for the category of talent seeking of wider recognition. As a follow-up to his debut set Elbow Room (Steeplechase, 2006), this effort not only sheds light on his skills as a trombonist but also reminds us of the musical legacies of Frank Foster and Horace Silver . (Andrew Hovan – allaboutjazz on “The Goodbook – Chapter One” SCCD 31616)

1. Sweet 'n' Sour (Wayne Shorter)
2. Valse Hot (Sonny Rollins)
3. Dat Dere (Bobby Timmons)
4. Iris (Wayne Shorter)
5. Long As You're Living (Tommy Turrentine)
6. Dee Wee (James Black)
7. Little B's Poem (Bobby Hutcherson)
8. Morgan The Pirate (Lee Morgan)
9. I'll Never Smile Again (Ruth Lowe)

UPC/EAN: 716043167128

Rich Perry – Gone (SCCD 31670)

Following the successful 2008 album “e-motion” (SCCD 31620)Rich Perry teams up with his quintessential group of 15 years – a quartet – pianist Danko, bassist Anderson and drummer Jeff Hirshfield. “…The openness and shared mission to make great music ensures that the nine tracks are all first-rate performances…. This CD is as good as it gets. ” (Francis Lo Kee on “e-motion”, AllAboutJazz)

1. Gone With The Wind (Allie Wrubel)
2. Theme For Ernie (Fred Lacey)
3. Don't Blame Me (Jimmy McHugh)
4. Emily (Johnny Mandel)
5. You Say You Care (Jule Styne)
6. Estate (Brunos Martino)
7. Nancy With The Laughin' Face (Jimmy Van Heusen)

UPC/EAN: 716043167029

Jed Levy – One Night At The Kitano (SCCD 31669)

Saxophonist Jed Levy took his group to the Kitano Hotel bar-lounge, one of the hippest live spots on Park Avenue in New York City to make this exciting live recording in September 2008.

On Jed’s previous album “ Evans Exploration” SCCD 31648 Elliott Simon

Of Allaboutjazz wrote, “… Levy succeeds remarkably well through his own impressionistic gentle touch, …. This is a unique depiction of Evans' songbook .”

1. A Great Week (Jed Levy)
2. Fallen Eagle (Jed Levy)
3. Reversible You (Jed Levy)
4. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing (Billy Strayhorn)
5. Limited Means (Jed Levy)
6. Match Point (Jed Levy)
7. Blues Excerpt (Jed Levy)

UPC/EAN: 716043166923