In four albums, Worrisome Heart (2008), My One And Only Thrill (2009), The Absence (2012) and Currency Of Man (2015), Melody Gardot has managed to sneak in between Diana Krall and Norah Jones to also find her place in the selective club of the female singers that are “a bit jazzy but not too much”, this oneiric cast that was so popular during the 50s, and in which she soon made the singularity of her very sensual voice resonate. A voice that she ceaselessly took touring to locations all over the world, and multiple times over at that. And so, there are enough recordings in the cellar to release a live album. However, live discs are rarely a must. There is often something missing, this small impalpable thing, that only those present that night will have kept inside of them… This Live In Europe from Melody Gardot is lucky to have kept, precisely, this “small thing”… The American has probably meticulously built it (apparently, she has listened to more than 300 recordings before making her decision!) by avoiding the true-false best of. “Someday, someone told me, ‘never look back, because there’s no way you’re going back’, she says. It’s nicely said, but if you don’t look back sometimes, it’s hard to see that time is on the verge of catching up to you. We all need to quickly look back into the rear-view mirror from time to time in order to adjust our trajectory. This disc is precisely that, the rear-view mirror of a 1963 Corvette, a postcard of our touring all over Europe. We spent most of our time on the road these last few years, and we’ve taken advantage of this trip to not only get around and get some fresh air but also to try, as much as possible, to get rid of the rules and create something exciting. I’ve been dreaming for years of releasing a live album like this one.” This desire can be felt in every moment of this disc comprised of titles recorded in Paris, Vienna, Bergen, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Lisbon, Zurich and London. Whether she performs her hits Baby I'm A Fool and My One And Only Thrill or covers the classic Over The Rainbow, Melody Gardot offers up a different point of view, but it’s always an open performance. To help her in her introspective trip that is constantly shifting, she is surrounded by her impeccable musicians, discreet but decisive. Drummer Charles Staab, saxophonist Irwin Hall and bass player Sami Minaie are completely in tune with her singing, like some kind of thin hand that you take and only let go of after the last note. Finally, there is this album cover which will lead to extensive press coverage… or not. © MD/Qobuz

Quickly released a few months after Genesis' reunion tour of the summer of 2007, Live Over Europe 2007 is a 21-track collection that finds Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, and Tony Banks sampling from every era of the band's career, giving equal emphasis to pop hits and extended prog pieces. In other words, it's a live album that looks good on paper, but in practice Live Over Europe 2007 is a bit of a snooze, as the sound is too pristine and the performances too well-oiled to have much of a spark. It's not that the group sounds rusty -- quite the opposite, actually. They sound like they've been playing this set list every year for ten years instead of being on hiatus for over a decade. They're too professional to be bad, but they're too predictable to be interesting, at least on record, even for the diehards who enjoyed them in concert.© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

Following two studio recordings, this impressive band hit the road and cut this session with keyboardist George Duke. Their encounter provided for an uneven, but infectious, recording. "Hip Pockets," composed by Cobham, and "Ivory Tattoo," composed by Scofield, begin the session with some intense playing. Things get a bit goofy with "Space Lady" (a song which probably worked better live), and a bit melodramatic with "Almustafa the Beloved." "Do What Cha Wanna" features Duke on vocals and, ironically, made it onto Cobham's Best of Billy Cobham. The closer, "Frankenstein Goes to the Disco," is primarily a vehicle for Cobham, while "Sweet Wine" and "Juicy" are good jam sessions. Despite some corny moments, this is a fun session that continues to be one of Cobham's most sought after recordings.© Robert Taylor /TiVo

Chick Corea's greatest trio or small ensemble very likely is this one, with bassist Miroslav Vitous and drummer Roy Haynes.Their virtuoso level of musicianship and acute listening skills are translated into stellar recordings over two nights of performances in Willisau and Reutlinger, edited and condensed on this single CD. Where any outtakes are hiding might provide a further revelation, but as it stands, this release is a high-water mark for these brilliant musicians. Corea's strengths lie not only in his witty, effervescent playing, but in his compositions that showcase his mischievous personality. "The Loop" kicks off the set, a spirited waltz chock-full of his impish flourishes. Combining Alexander Scriabin's "Prelude #2" with the original "Mock Up," Corea's solo piano transforms from soft and serene romantic to hooking up with the trio driving fast in modal motifs and his bouncy signature sound, electrified by the brilliant, harmonic infused, soaring bowed bass of Vitous, solo and with the group. It is always a treat to hear the infrequently recorded Vitous in a setting that suits him, especially playing by himself on the improvisation "Transformation" and the free to neo-bop closer "Mirovisions," where Corea's playful and diffuse piano in 4/4 time suggests 3/4 within ethnic, gypsy elements. Two standards "I Hear a Rhapsody" and "Summer Night" get extended, extensive and exhaustive treatments -- the former an utterly unique extrapolation, interpretation at its finest, the latter a deeply midnight blue hued modal and straight-ahead excursion in the favored waltz tempo that bears repeat listening over its fourteen-and-a-half minutes. Haynes also gets the solo spotlight on "Hittin' It," a self-explanatory track. Close to perfect, undeniably strong, willful, and musical beyond compare, Trio Music, Live in Europe belongs in your collection, and is simply as good as modern progressive mainstream jazz gets.© Michael G. Nastos /TiVo

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