Redwood Jazz Alliance

1. Narratives – Steven Lugerner Septet (self-released) —  The other half of the double-album debut by this talented young multi-reedist, These Are the Words, features some stellar sidemen (Darren Johnston, Myra Melford, Matt Wilson) playing knotty compositions that draw from the Torah. We like this half even better. With his working septet of Brooklyn-based up-and-comers, Lugerner […]

Deluxe — Chris Lightcap’s Bigmouth — Clean Feed. Bassist Lightcap and his band make rippling, surging, ebullient music that borrows from pop, indie, Latin, funk, gospel and African music and sounds like none of them. It just sounds great. The breakout jazz album of the year. Across the Sky — GeggieTrio + Donny McCaslin — […]

Spirit Moves — Dave Douglas (Greenleaf Music) A sublime homage to the all-embracing, pop-inspired spirit of Lester Bowie. This is brass band jazz that inherits and ennobles several different traditions at once. Infernal Machines — Darcy James Argue (New Amsterdam) With his "steampunk" big band Secret Society, Darcy James Argue seamlessly blends post-rock guitar, electronica-inspired […]

Taking The Soul For A Walk. Dafnis Prieto Sextet (Dafnison Music). Prieto’s October RJA appearance was like Miguel Zenón’s in April: a brilliant showcase of the fresh jazz springing from Afro-Latin and Caribbean roots. The album sparkles even more with the addition of Yosvany Terry’s sax and Avishai Cohen’s trumpet. Awake. Miguel Zenón (Marsalis Music). […]