Here are two more of the “first impression” reviews as I reduce the “must listen” pile, with new releases from Fred Hersch’s trio and from the quartet of Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter, Larry Grenadier, and Eric Harland—the first as beautifully restrained as the second is beautifully unbound—along with a single that offers a philanthropic opportunity.
Markus Gottschlich’s keen mind, lively imagination, and positive energy helped rejuvenate the New Mexico Jazz Workshop during his all too brief residence as its executive director in 2019. Those same qualities inform his compositional skills, and his dazzling pianism gives full rein to his expressive spirit, as heard on his latest recording, Found Sounds (available November 27). With 25 Years, Edward Simon treats us to a self-curated tour through some of the high points of his two and a half decades of recorded work, reminding us that he deserves to be ranked among the foremost practitioners of his art.
Various preoccupations have slowed my listening and reviewing, so to pick up some of the slack, “Something for Everyone” features short reviews of six groups, covering a wide range of styles and sensibilities. Featured artists in part 2 include H M C, the Yes trio, and the Matt Slocum trio.
