I don't know that "happy" is an adjective we're ready to apply to 2017. But some of us on the RJA board started the new year off right, anyway, with a visit to New York for Winter JazzFest. Our old friend Donny McCaslin was part of this year's lineup--as well as a recent visitor to NPR's Tiny Desk:
--and an interviewee of Dave Sumner at the Bandcamp Daily blog.
Across the pond, Phronesis have announced a forthcoming album, The Behemoth, to be released in March. The name might have something to do with the fact that the trio are backed by the Frankfurt Radio Bigband, arranged and conducted by Julian Argüelles. Here's a preview track, "Zieding":
Noah Preminger also has a new album, Meditations on Freedom--a protest album of sorts, with tunes that respond passionately to our difficult times. He talks about it on the Straight, No Chaser podcast, and you can buy the digital download or the CD at Noah's website.
It's the season for new sax albums, evidently. Miguel Zenón's Típico was recently featured on NPR's "First Listen." You can't hear it there any more, but you can listen to one track below and another on Soundcloud. Then buy the album from CD Baby (where the artist gets a much more generous cut of the purchase price than at most other digital outlets).
Finally, Linda May Han Oh is leaving Dave Douglas's Greenleaf Music label and joining Fabian Almazan's Biophilia label. Preview her forthcoming album, Walk Against the Wind, below:
