Just received a couple of releases that are very good:

1. "Something For You" - Eliane Elias [Blue Note, 2008] Ms. Elias is in top form on this one billed as "Eliane Elias Sings & Plays Bill Evans."

2. "Cannon Re-Loaded" - Tom Scott [Concord, 2008] Tom plays alto sax throughout this one and is joined by Terrance Blanchard on trumpet, George Duke, piano & Fender Rhodes; Steve Gadd on drums, Nancy wilson on vocals; Marcus Miller and Dave Carpenter on bass.

3. "Day Trip" - Pat Metheny Trio [Nonesuch, 2008] Pat is joined by Christian McBride on bass and Antonio Sanchez, on drums. This trio did a show locally in October. Unfortunately, I was in Georgia when it played our area. But when I returned to work at the College, I was approached by a woman I've known for years who told me that she and her husband to see Pat's trio. Now she has never been a jazz fan beyond Kenny G, yet she told me that both her and her husband thought it was the most incredible concert they had ever seen. It reaffirms to me that Pat's music appeals to music lovers beyond the imaginary boundaries we erect. I would never have imagined that this woman would have enjoyed this straight-ahead concert.

I wanted to clue you guys in on an incredible vocalist out of the UK by the name of Claire Martin. I'm currently waiting for three of her CD's to arrive ["Waiting Game," "Make This City Ours," and "Offbeat: Live At Ronnie Scott's]. I was absolutely blown away by this gal. She's never really received much recognition in this country and that's a shame. She actually has put out a number of CD's and has been recording since the early 1990's on into today.

Listen to this gal and you'll be a fan for life.

Maynard Ferguson - It's My Time
Horace Silver - Paris Blues
Joyce Cooling - Keeping Cool
Jacintha Goes to Hollywood
Jeff Huddleston & Blue Boss - Cool Drink
*Jeff, last checked he was in New York, but he's the son of a longtime band director here named Roy P. Huddleston. Jeff plays saxophones and flute. This is a self-produced project.
Spyro Gyra - Access All Areas
various - Smooth Africa II: Exploring the Soul

I've been listening to:

Pat Metheny - Day Trip ... really like it!
Brad Mehldau Trio - Day Is Done
Tord Gustaveson Trio - Being There
Lee Ritenour - Alive in L.A. and Festival
Bill Evans - Starfish & The Moon
Bob James - Grand Piano Canyon
Grady Nichols - Sophistication
Chick Corea - Past, Present and Futures
Chuck Loeb - Presence

Keyboardist/pianist Mitch Forman has graciously sent me a collection of releases from Metro and his own solo efforts for our station's jazz library. Among them is a release that is so good that I can't understand how I never became aware of its existence. It's title and some others I've recently received follow:

1. "Patience" - Mitch Forman Trio [Sanctuary, 2000] Features two trio personnel makeups: Trio #1 has Mitch on piano; Dave Carpenter on acoustic bass and Joel Taylor on drums. On Trio #2 Jerry Watts Jr. on electric bass and Brad Dutz on percussion join Mitch again on piano.

2. "The Waiting Game" - Claire Martin [Linn Records, 1992]. You have to hear this gal to appreciate a truly great jazz vocalist. She's from the UK and it's hard to believe she's received virtually no exposure in this country.

3. "Make This City Ours" - Claire Martin [Linn Records, 1997] This is another excellent effort by this glorious vocalist. She is backed on this release by Gareth Williams on piano, Peter Washington on bass, Greg Hutchinson on drums, Antonio Hart on alto sax and Gerard Presencer on flugelhorn and trumpet.

Selections from Mitch Forman's "Patience" and Claire Martin's "The Waiting Game" releases will be featured on tomorrow's (Friday 6:00-8:00am EST) "Catching the Sun" broadcast. On Monday the Claire Martin release "Make This City Ours" will be featured on the show.

Claire Martin's North American distributor for Linn Records is "Honest Entertainment" in Nashville, Tennessee (info@onemusic.com).

Dave Brubeck Quartet - 25th Anniversary Edition
David Sanborn - Closer, The Best of David Sanborn
Kenny Garrett - Tri-ology
David Benoit - Every Step of the Way
Maceo Parker - Roots & Grooves
Eliane Elias - Everything I Love
Hiroshima - Hiroshima

I like your taste in music!

Two must-haves if you like a lotta rock flavor in your instrumental music:

Neil Larsen - Orbit. I am just totally in love with this project with Robben Ford and Jimmy Haslip. It was recorded live in studio and sounds like you're sitting on the front row. It covers too much territory to verbalize but it's simply amazing. Plus, for those of us who loved "Jungle Fever," "High Gear," and the Full Moon and Larsen-Feiten albums there are new takes on some favorite songs from those plus new material. Larsen has been touring with Gregg Allman a lot and its got that same driving, churning keyboard undercurrent w heavy doses of B3 and Rhodes plus lots of moments of sheer beauty when he plays acoustic piano.

And Metro-Express, which some have said is too mellow in spots (compared to the live one it is but that's a different story) but it really isn't. It's textural in parts in a Metheny-ish way.

Some I've ben enjoying lately are:

1. "Elevado" - Astral Project [Compass, 1998]
2. "Some Other Time" - Diane Schuur [Concord, 2008]
3. "Live In London" - Diane Schuur [GR2 Classics, 2006]
4. "Chatterbox" - Jeff Richman & Mitchel Forman
5. "Live At the Blue Note" - Eldar
6. "Interplay" - John Coltrane [Prestige 5-CD Set, 2008]
7. "Live At the London Palladium" - Ted Heath Big Band [London, 1953]
8. "Swing Session" - Ted Heath Big Band [London, 1954]
9. "Bags Meets Wes" - Milt Jackson & Wes Montgomery [Keepnews Collection, Concord, 2008]
10. "Only the Lonely" - Frank Sinatra [Capitol, 1958]

AA - Out of nowhere - kinda mezmerizing...

I like that!

Shifting Sands Quartet - Darkest Rose
Klobas Kesecker Ensemble - No Gravity
Maynard Ferguson - Hollywood
The Very Best of Diana Krall
various - Jazz Like You've Never Heard It Before
Philip Bailey - Dreams
Spyro Gyra - Alternating Currents
Big Bands and Classic Jazz Vol. 1
Diane Schuur - Some Other Time
Yellowjackets - Dreamland