Jazz

Harold López-Nussa
Nueva Timba
Blue Note 7834302

Now relocated in France, the dazzling Cuban pianist follows up his first Blue Note album Timba A La Americana. Tracks were captured live at the Paris jazz club Le Duc des Lombards, but with some additional studio recording. As before, the band includes López-Nussa’s brother Ruy Adrian who, like their father Ruy, plays drums, and features jazz harmonica master Grégoire Maret. As the title implies, the music further renews what’s already a many-layered genre. Benny Moré’s 1940s hit ‘Bonito y Sabroso’ gets a total transformation while ‘Gitanerias’ is a twinkling, virtuosic triple-time perpetuum mobile that hints at Mozart (López-Nussa is also a concert pianist) yet touches on the blues. He does everything. SH

Sound Quality: 90%

Ruby Rushton
Legacy!
22a label 22A046CD; LP: 22A046LP

Edward Cawthorne, better known as Tenderlonious, began as a DJ and record producer. He started on saxophone only in his early 20s but became a master of soprano and (having discarded the tenor) alto and, above all, flute. He blazes away on all three in this, the fifth album from his jazz quartet, featuring the excellent trumpet of Nick Walters and the bombastic drums of Tim Carnegie. Keyboardist and co-writer Aidan Shepherd provides the basslines as well as all the synth sounds on this album where, unlike previous studio recordings, overdubs help to fill out the sound. Yet there’s still a raw, live-in-the-studio feel as the band simply lets rip. SH

Sound Quality: 80%

Hanna Paulsberg Concept & Elin Rosseland
Himmel Over Hav
Grappa GRCD4819

Over the past 15 years saxophonist Hanna Paulsberg has worked notably with Bugge Wesseltoft, Bobo Stenson and Espen Berg, led her GURLS trio and created a Dexter Gordon tribute project. But above all, she’s always headed her Concept quartet, joined here by vocalist Elin Rosseland. Don’t worry if you can’t understand any words beyond those three that translate as ‘Sky Over Sea’. On that epic title track, one of two live recordings here, Rosseland soars in a wordless, emotive middle section, and her artistry, communication and musicality help make this a tour de force that overcomes any language barrier. SH

Sound Quality: 85%

Danny Grissett
Travelogue
Savant Recordings SCD2220

LA-born pianist Danny Grissett made his name in NY in the early 2000s and soon became a respected jazz educator, latterly teaching in Vienna. While back in the USA last year he recorded this trio album at the Van Gelder Studio, his eight originals themed on aspects of life on tour – ‘Wonder Wander’ on just enjoying new surroundings, ‘The People In The City’ conjuring a bustling plaza and ‘The After Hours’ grooving on new nightlife. Completing the set are Benny Golson’s ‘Whisper Not’ plus a pensively bittersweet ‘Here’s That Rainy Day’. And with great support from bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Bill Stewart, Grissett makes this a happy journey home. SH

Sound Quality: 85%