CD Releases: A Handful of New and Noteworthy Albums

Jeff Harnar Sings Sammy Cahn: The Second Time Around (PS Classics), is a project in which the MAC and Bistro Award-winning concert artist revisits his 2001 Sammy Cahn recording, which has been long out-of-print; the original album has been remixed, reimagined and expanded upon, reflecting Harnar’s desire to widen his perspective on Cahn’s work. New tracks feature special guest appearances by Grammy Award-nominee Clint Holmes, the vocal trio Moipei and Grammy Award-winner Nicole Zuraitis. The Second Time Around is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

Beautiful Moons Ago (Big Modern Music) mines the jazz and American Songbook repertoire, performed by the Gabrielle Stravelli Trio—with pianist Michael Kanan and bassist Pat O’Leary, who create a swinging atmosphere on tunes such as “Did I Remember” and “You Say You Care” and a bluesy groove on “Messin’ Around.” Stravelli shines on themed medleys such as “Day Dream/You Stepped Out of a Dream” and  bounces with joy for “So Far So Good,” among the album’s other treasures.

Romantic Notions (Jazzheads/King Kozmo Music) is a diverse collection of songs on the numerous “notions” of love from Ann Kittredge. On this, her second album, Kittredge reinterprets mostly familiar songs with arrangements mainly by Christopher Denny and Barry Kleinbort, transforming many into story songs that reveal the many aspects of love. Romantic Notions moves beyond the basic stereotypes of love, delving into the different ways that love can be expressed. Using musical sensitivity and inventiveness, Kittredge crosses genres to bring fresh approaches to pop classics.

Sombras (Brontosaurus Records) is a musical exploration by Lauren Henderson of the power that heritage has to mold one’s identity and artistry in the present. As one whose roots span Panama, Montserrat and the Caribbean, and raised in North America, Henderson unravels her own history through original compositions, fashioning stories reflecting her African Diasporic background. Lyrics are set with an intentionally specific orchestration of vibraphone, piano, bass and drums, lending each song a distinctive sonic palette.

Flying High: Big Band Canaries Who Soared (Jazz at the Ballroom) is a tribute to the women who fronted big bands—Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Gene Krupa, Benny Goodman and others—such as Billie Holiday, Anita O’Day, Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Jo Stafford, Rosemary Clooney, Ella Fitzgerald and others, most of whom went on to solo careers. The album features the Champian Fulton Trio with Jane Monheit, Carmen Bradford and many others over 15 tracks of Great American Songbook standards.

Our Day (Swing Theory Entertainment) mines the world of baritone jazz vocals presented here by John Dokes, featuring The George Gee Orchestra and arrangements by David Gibson. Tracks include songs associated with Nat King Cole, such as “Almost Like Being in Love” and the Latin-vibed “L.O.V.E, ” as well as two vocalese numbers: Jon Hendricks’ take on one-time Jazz Messenger composer Bobby Timmons’ “Moanin’” and  Mark Murphy’s swinging run through Freddie Hubbard’s “Red Clay,” and more.

April ( Cellar Music) via award-winning jazz vocalist and composer April Varner is a debut album cleverly curated to reflects the singer’s name. The release is  bookended by two originals: “April Blues” and “Who Let April Back Into My Dreams?” with various “April” songs in between. April features pianist Caelan Cardello (who also is the album arranger), guitarist Russell Malone, bassist Reuben Rogers, drummer Miguel Russell, trumpeter and vocalist Benny Benack III and tenor and soprano saxophonist Dayna Stephens. Varner was the 2023 Winner of the International Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition.

Lainie Kazan (Universal Music Group’s Republic Records) Available for the first time in the nearly 60 years since they were introduced on vinyl, four 1960s vocal albums from the stage and screen star are now streaming on all digital platforms. Long sought after collector’s items never on CD or any format since they first appeared, Right Now! (1966), Lainie Kazan (1966), The Love Album (1967) and Love Is Lainie (1968) were originally released by MGM Records and have been remastered from the original tapes. A deluxe CD set is being planned for next year. For now, listeners can stream and download the albums on Spotify, Apple Music and other digital platforms.

The Colors of My Life: A Cy Coleman Songbook (Club 44 Records) by ten-time Grammy Award-winning vocalist Janis Siegel and internationally recognized pianist, arranger and composer Yaron Gershovsky is a personal and fresh musical homage that delves into the composer’s jazz sensibilities as well as the work of his lyric partners. Siegel is one of the original four vocalists of  The Manhattan Transfer and with the group’s longtime pianist and music director, Gershovsky,  has created a tribute to the late composer and pianist with whom both Siegel and Gershovsky had musical and personal experiences with:  Gershovsky was the vocal arranger for the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical City of Angels and Siegel was part of the vocal ensemble in Coleman’s last collaboration with Alan and Marilyn Bergman for The Kennedy Center.

A Different Riff: Minnock Sings Shire  (Dot Time) is the fourth and final album by the singer who passed away  before its release. Minnock delivers his final love letter to the composer David Shire and reprises his artistic partnership with soprano saxophonist Dave Liebman. Co-produced by Liebman and Shire, and featuring the former on soprano sax, A Different Riff finds the latter’s perennial works reworked in a jazz setting by the vocalist with pianist Sean Mason, bassist Mark Lewandowski and drummer Pablo Eluchans. The title track, “A Different Riff” is a debut, composed specifically for this project by Shire.

Catch & Keep (KMack Music) is Karen Mack’s debut jazz album, a collection of standards and several songs that are off-the-beaten path, including a couple of originals, arranged by Peter Eldridge, a founding member of the international vocal group, New York Voices. With her creative roots in jazz, folk and pop, Mack is adept at many styles of music. The album opens with a high-energy version of Bob Dorough’s and Fran Landesman’s “Nothing Like You,” and also includes “From Now On,” a Brazilian tune by Basia, a Polish singer-songwriter and recording artist noted for her Latin-inspired jazz-pop music. “November Day,” is an original by Mack, Eldridge and Elliot Roth.

Sooner or Later (s/r) is the debut album of Los Angeles-based jazz vocalist Natalie Jacob. The release is a collection of tunes from the Great American Songbook and three bossa nova standards by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Produced by Grammy Award-winning Scotty Barnhart, director of the Count Basie Orchestra, the album features a Who’s Who of L.A.’s top musicians. Jacob began fronting her own band in 2010, performing at many venues across Southern California, including the Argyros Plaza at Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa, The Gardenia in Hollywood and more. For this debut album, Jacob chose songs from her live shows to offer a fresh perspective to the ten timeless standards on the album. Available at nataliejacob.com (physical CDs) and all platforms on August 2, 2024.

From Here (Next Records) the fourth album from Alyssa Allgood is comprised of nearly all original compositions, which she says, “…are reflections of my journey — to understand and love myself more deeply, and to fully embrace my artistic vision as a bandleader, composer and arranger.” The album features GRAMMY winners John Patitucci and Geoffrey Keezer, drummer Kendrick Scott and saxophonist Greg Ward. Increasingly known as an educator, arranger and composer, Allgood is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Illinois Chicago, where she directs the vocal jazz ensemble.