2010

Each Friday, I will post five new jazz albums that were released over the past week that are worth giving a listen to.

Here are this weeks five, released between May 2nd and May 8th, 2010.

1. Together Again by Juan Pablo Torres (Timba, 5/4/2010)

Recorded in New York, New York, Abdala Studio, Habana, Cuba and Turi’s Music Recording Studio, Miami, Florida. Personnel includes all stars like: J.P. Torres (trombone), Arturo Sandoval (trumpet, flugelhorn), Robin Eubanks, Steve Turre (trombone), John Di Martino, Chucho Valdes, and David Virelles (piano); Peter Smith (guitar); Nicolas Walker, Jorge Reyes, Andy Gonzalez (acoustic bass); Charles Flores (electric bass); Enrique Pla, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez (drums); Ariyons Vozguy, Giovanni Hidalgo, Roberto Vizcaino (congas); Michel Aldomer, Alfonso Aldomer, Barbaro Valdes (bata drums).

2. Sinatra/Jobim: The Complete Reprise Recordings by Frank Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim (Cocord, 5/4/2010)

For the first time in over three decades, the Frank Sinatra/Antonio Carlos Jobim recordings are now together in The Complete Reprise Recordings, the most comprehensive compilation of the Sinatra/Jobim sessions yet. The re-mastered classics of the two late musical legends include “Dindi,” “How Insensitive,” “Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars,” and of course, “The Girl from Ipanema,” a Jobim masterpiece covered by numerous colleagues such as pianist Vince Guaraldi. In addition to those, there are three new bonus tracks on this reprise that allow for a new compositional spark that perfectly compliment the jazz standards that Jobim arranges in his distinct Brazilian bossa nova style. The Complete Reprise Recordings are a must-have for any collector, and a new lifestyle for dedicated Sinatra/Jobim fans. Sinatra’s voice has been heard around the world, and as it is matched flawlessly with the compositional genius of Antonio Carlos Jobim, his fame will continue to grow more than a decade after his passing.

3. My Funny Valentine: The Best of Chet Baker by Chet Baker (Phantasm Imports, 5/4/2010)

4. Mess Around by Robin McKelle (E1, 5/4/2010)

On her third album, the bold, sassy and sexy youing chanteuse Robin McKelle comes into her own. “Mess Around” marks a significant stylistic change for the irrepressible Ms. McKelle as she fully embraces her love for R&B, delivering a program that brings in the influences of Etta James, Ray Charles, and early Bette Midler to shape a driving horn-driven sound that sets off Robin’s dynamic voice in a whole new way. To underscore this natural but fresh progression of direction, Robin enlists funk legend Fred Wesley as arranger of a couple of cuts: an unexpected take of the Bee Gees’ “Lonely Nights” , “I Can’t See Nobody” and Doc Pomus’ blues evergreen “Lonely Avenue”. McKelle is already well-known for her creative choices of cover tunes, bringing the contemporary songbook into jazz focus, and “Mess Around” doesn’t disappoint in this respect. In addition to Pomus and the Brothers Gibb, Leonard Cohen, Willie Dixon and Lennon/McCartney all get selected tunes transformed into the new McKelle sound. Add in a vintage standard (“Cry me A River”) and four originals of striking maturity, and you have an 11-track collection that rocks, rolls, flirts and seduces with maximum impact.