Three greats for 2008
Submitted by Jazz Suite
With 2008 soon coming to a close, here are three recordings I picked up over the year I would recommend:
1. George Mesterhazy - One For My Baby
My wife and I were on our annual visit to Cape May, NJ, when we finally had the opportunity to follow our B&B (The Albert Stevens Inn) owner’s advice and go hear George Mesterhazy’s trio at The Merion Inn. Something else! The food was great, but Mesterhazy’s piano work made me put down the fork. Amazing. At then end of the gig I was able to snare this CD, featuring both solo work and the trio. What a treat!
2. Molly Ryan - Songbird In The Moonlight
I first heard Molly Ryan a couple of years ago at a jazz festival in Pennsylvania, and she impressed right away. In an era where so many singers have to upstage the music with over the top “showmanship,” here is a young, talented singer who lets the lyrics and music share the stage. Backed by a small group led by husband and master clarinetist Dan Levinson, this is highly recommended.
3. The Brooks Tegler Big Band - That’s It!
Brooks Tegler has been doing big band shows for a long time, including tributes to the great bandleaders. This recording does the same, featuring some of the tunes that fans don’t get to hear at the shows. Krupa, Goodman, Shaw, Ellington, Basie, Herman, Miller and Dorsey are all represented, and the personnel are the cream of the crop from the DC area. This is not some modern attempt to butcher the big band sound, this is the real deal. Available at CD Baby.
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