Mack Avenue Records

Christian McBride's latest big band session travels back to an incredible moment in 1966 when organist Jimmy Smith, guitarist Wes Montgomery and arranger Oliver Nelson gathered at Rudy Van Gelder's studio for a hard-swinging and ever-so-slightly unconventional big band summit meeting; all were operating at peak creativity. It was the first-ever collaboration between Smith and Montgomery, and the resulting albums (The Dynamic Duo and The Further Adventures Of…) were bursting with feats of highwire soloistic daredevilry. Nelson was the stealth MVP of the date. His arrangements—particularly "Down By The Riverside" and "Milestones"—discovered a lane equidistant between the hard swing of Basie and the floral voicings of Ellington, with intricate full-ensemble taunts giving way to plush pads designed to provoke the soloists. McBride's update uses those and other original Nelson charts, which, after all these decades, exude a freshness that eludes many large-ensemble projects. And it relies on a similarly sparky showdown between strong minded soloists—the organist Joey DeFrancesco and guitarist Mark Whitfield. Both clearly know they're working in the towering shadows of giants; neither seems daunted by that as they explore the hairpin turns of the big-band "Milestones" or the easygoing saunter of Montgomery's "Road Song." There are a few astonishing small-group moments, too, that offer a quick gauge on how far these soloists have evolved— check Whitfield on "Road Song," DeFrancesco's gentle and dramatic reading of the ballad "I Want To Talk About You" and McBride's capricious twenty-fingered trip through "Up Jumped Spring"). One elusive element McBride managed to transfer from the original source: The swing feel. From the opening solo, a twisty-road Whitfield foray on "Night Train," it's clear that the soloists thrive in the McBride sweet spot—everything they do, all the flashy blowing, flows directly from the crisp, uncomplicated grooves established by the bassist and his rhythm section. Big band music would be easier to love if it all felt this good. © Tom Moon/Qobuz

Part of Mack Avenue’s wonderful Octave Remastered series, Gemini allows us to rediscover Erroll Garner in the last years of his life. Originally released in 1972, this groovy album was created along with double bassist Ernest McCarty Jr., conga player Jose Mangual and drummer Jimmie Smith. Supported by the omnipresent rhythm section, Garner plays not only piano but harpsichord too, revisiting standards such as How High the Moon, Tea for Two and These Foolish Things. The pianist also tackles more contemporary compositions, such as The Beatles’ Something. Like always, his unstoppable swing (one of the most recognizable in the history of jazz) radiates through this brilliant, multifaceted re-release. © Max Dembo/Qobuz

The Erroll Garner Octave Remastered series from Mack Avenue continues its insanely dedicated remastering project with Up in Erroll’s Room, created from intense sessions in November 1967 and that were published the following year. This eighth volume is particular as you can hear Garner’s entourage – Ike Isaacs on double bass, Jimmie Smith on drums and José Mangual on the congas – with a brass section conducted by Don Sebesky, using arrangements improvised by the master. Richard Spencer is also present conducting The Brass Bed, a great group of brass instrumentalists that includes saxophonist Pepper Adams, trumpeter Bernie Glow and tuba player Don Butterfield. These collaborations amplify the musicality of the themes that are played, resounding like dynamic punctuation that is often welcome. As always, Erroll Garner reappropriates classics like Herbie Hancock’s Watermelon Man, Antonio Carlos Jobim’s The Girl from Ipanema and Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm, imprinting his own playing techniques and unbeatable swing upon some of the most recognisable jazz pieces in the world. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz