Jim Hynes

In recent years around this same time, Kelly Peterson, the wife of the late, iconic pianist, Oscar Peterson, released live performances from her archives. This is the fifth. Up until now, those records featured Oscar in his prime with both hands blazing. City Lights; The Oscar Peterson Quartet – Live in Munich, 1994

Guitarist Jeff Parker built his reputation in Chicago with Tortoise, The Chicago Underground Trio, and Isotope 217 and as a member of the AACM as well as other wide ranging endeavors. Yet his home base has been Los Angeles since 2016. He and his band, the ETA IVtet, held a Monday residency at the since-shuttered club ETA, where this album, The Way Out of Easy, was recorded on January 2nd, 2023. The group had developed quite a following, holding down that residency for seven years. What began as a band playing primarily standards evolved into one known for improvised, intriguing, long-form journeys that could run as long as 45 minutes. Don’t worry. These, too, are long tracks but only half as long.

No other 100-year-old musician is leading a band, and no bandleader has remained in the same band for 67 years. NEA Jazz Master and alto saxophonist/EWI

Blue Note, in conjunction with the Jazz Detective Zev Feldman, Jack, and Lydia DeJohnette, have unearthed one of the most explosive jazz recordings heard in recent years with Forces of Nature: Live at Slugs. Four icons of jazz, tenorist Joe Henderson, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Henry Grimes, and a very young and most impressive drummer, Jack DeJohnette. performed at the long-shuttered NYC jazz shrine, Slugs’ Saloon in 1966. Joe Lovano confessed that at one point, he just had to turn it off and catch his breath because of its white-hot intensity. Several terrific archival albums are coming in the next week or so, but none match the energy of this one. (Hint: Charles Tolliver comes very close, though).

This guide is shorter than our usual article on archival releases. Still, it summarizes ten never-before-released jazz and blues recordings that will be available on Black Friday, November 29. While Sun Ra and Bill Evans have appeared either on Black Friday or Record Store Day in April, we feature Al Jarreau, Emily Remler, Charles Tolliver, and B.B. King for the first time. We’re including the Bootleg Series No. 8 of Miles Davis and Joe Henderson/McCoy Tyner, Oscar Peterson, and Keith Jarrett, released earlier this month. These sets have terrific liner notes, historic photos, and remembrances from those who played with or admired the musicians. Expect special 180-gram and colorful vinyl on these releases. This is not as comprehensive as some past reviews of this type.

In 2024, Blue Note celebrated its 85th birthday with a touring quintet of its leading contemporary musicians. At some point during the grueling tour, the members found time to enter a Hollywood studio to capture the magic of their collective sound. Remember that most anniversary celebrations delve into the past in a ‘greatest hits’ or tribute manner. That was not the case with pianist and musical director Gerald Clayton, alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibraphonist and marimba player Joel Ross, bassist Matt Brewer, and drummer Kendrick Scott. Most of you will recognize all but Brewer as band leaders on the label, a clear representation of the new generation of players. Wilkins and Ross have collaborated on so many albums that the chemistry foundation was in place from the outset for Motion I, the group’s debut.

Given the buzz about the film Complete Unknown and the many younger people turning to Dylan’s music, folk music may become more vital again. As the newbies seek out the likes of Dylan, Joan Baez, and Pete Seeger, they should realize that folk music is still being played, and there is no finer example than the prolific singer-songwriter John McCutcheon, who returns with fifteen songs and well over an hour of music on Field of Stars. Of course, folk buffs are well acquainted with McCutcheon, who delivers his 42nd album. All his original songs, some co-written, are about history, his heroes, family, memorable occasions, and whatever else his muse lands on.

On their third album, 2020’s Optimisme, we described the Songhoy Blues sound this way, ”… an activist rock & punk band, not just a “world music” act… Some have referred to them as ‘The African Clash’.” Their latest offering and fourth album, Heritage,

Trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire ’s imagination and vision transcends any concept of boundaries and structures. He seems almost ego-less. Some of his pieces have very little trumpet, almost like the basketball point guard that savors assists more than points. The end goal and vision are most important.

Following up their 2024 Grammy-winning Blood Harmony, the southern rock/blues/roots sister duo Larkin Poe brings us, Bloom, with all songs a collaboration between Megan and Rebecca Lowell and their co-producer Tyler Bryant.