Trentacosta and Lawrence Team Up on a New Old-School Release: ‘Desert Bop’

Clockwise from top left: Doug Lawrence, Dan Trudell, John Webber, John Trentacosta

Desert Bop offers yet more evidence that the Santa Fe–Albuquerque corridor houses some of the finest musicians anywhere. Drummer John Trentacosta (Santa Fe), whose roots go back to New York City, and saxophonist Doug Lawrence (Albuquerque), longtime lead tenor in the Count Basie Orchestra, serve up some tasty bop in classic style on this new release. (See below for details on the CD release party.)

Lagniappe: Lawrence will also be appearing on July 11 at the Outpost with his new organ quartet as the opening act of the 2019 New Mexico Jazz Festival. He’ll have the inimitable Dan Trudell on organ, John Webber on guitar, and Yuriana Sobrino Garcia on drums. Go here for more info.

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New Albums from Yvonne Perea and Moody Little Sister Shed Grace on Us All (updated)

  • Yvonne Perea
  • Moody Little Sister: Naomi Sparrow and Rob Stroup

Singer/songwriters Yvonne Perea and Moody Little Sister (Naomi Sparrow and Rob Stroup) take widely divergent approaches to production on their new albums, but they deliver much the same balm: however bad your situation may appear, you most likely have the means to make it better.

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New Albums from Nick Sanders (Concise Trio) and André Carvalho (Expansive Sextet)

  • Nick Sanders
  • André Carvalho. Photo by Clara Pereira.

Economy marks the work of pianist Nick Sanders, whose new trio release, Playtime 2050, announces an original and accomplished young artist. On The Garden of Earthly Delights, André Carvalho takes Hieronymus Bosch’s iconic painting as the inspiration for an extended suite that creates a soundscape as rich, varied, and surprising as the painting’s landscape.

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Singer/Songwriter Kristina Jacobsen’s New Album Offers ‘Shelter’ from the Storm

Kristina Jacobsen. Photo by Antonio Ramón, © 2017.

Shelter, Kristina Jacobsen’s new album, touches on a wide-range of subjects, from hard-won personal epiphanies to the liberating properties of a down-home Cajun dance hall. She’ll celebrate its release with a party this weekend before heading off to Sardinia on a Fulbright grant for a year of teaching, research, and of course, songwriting.

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New Live Recordings from Love Unfold the Sun and Club d’Elf

  • Love Unfold the Sun: Dill, Hamlin, Wayne, Pearlman. Photo by Lisa Jo Goldman.
  • Club d’Elf: Shultheis, Johnston, Lebron, Rivard, Tronzo Traore

The Santa Fe/Albuquerque-based quartet Love Unfold the Sun and the Boston-based band Club d’Elf share a number of characteristics. They both blend Middle Eastern/African and Western elements, and incorporate an exotic instrument. Texture plays an important role in the musical development of their material. Flow is prized over destination. Yet, even with these similarities, the two groups make music that is quite different.

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