New Music Monday-First Spring Blossoms

Before you know it, the umpire will be yelling Play Ball ! at Coors Fields, a Spring ritual.  Here’s the first crop of musical flowers for New Music Monday. The pianist-vocalist Eliane Elias releases Made in Brazil for the Concord label. As always Ms. Elias includes songs of her favorite composer, Antonio Carlos Jobim and a few other composers brasileiros along side her original music. The veteran trumpeter Jack Walrath is back with a powerful CD, Unsafe At Any Speed with 2 Burtons, tenor saxophonist Abraham and pianist George, no relation, The quintet is rounded out by Boris Kozlov on the bass and Donald Edwards at drums. The rapidly rising vocalist with his own distinctive style, José James issues what will be the first of several tributes recordings by vocalists in memory of Lady Day-Billie Holiday because 2015 is the centennial of her birth. James’ newest is titled: Yesterday I Had the Blues-The Music of Billie Holiday and it’s on Blue Note. José is backed up by Jason Moran-oiano, John Patitucci-bass and Eric Harland playing drums.

Also on the first Spring slate is guitarist Larry Coryell’s Heavy Feel for Wide Hive, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen joins forces with keyboardist Jason Miles and a log list of guess for Kind of New on the Whaling City Sound label. Aussie alto saxophonist Angela Davis returns on,  Lady Luck that features her quartet +strings. Also, from New Orleans we’ll debut guitarist  Jack Allen, Nawlins Boy. 

Tune in or log on Monday beginning at Noon, Denver time.