Shawn Purcell; Oblivity guirarist Shawn Purcell leads a high energy sextet through nine originals which may be on the edgy side for some listeners but always intensely creative and probing, Of particular interest is the featured tenor sax player Walt Weiskopf, a name from perhaps two decades ago. You may have to stretch a little, but as your doctor keeps telling you, exercise is a good thing.
Origin Records; 2025; appx. 70 min.
Alberto Pibiri; A New World
Pianist Alberto Pibiri displays a beautiful, serene touch on a program of several sparkling original compositions and a few favorites from the past. In the latter category, look for “In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning”, “I Wish I Knew How It Feels To Be Free”, Antonio Carlos Jobim's rarely heard charmer “Double Rainbow”, and even the pop hit from yesteryear, “What The World Needs Now”. Pibiri and his trio mates get the job done with spirit, joy, and resolve .
Alberto Pibiri Music; 2022; appx. 58 min.
Neal Miner; Invisibility
Here we encounter a piano-less trio featuring the veteran leader and bassist Neal Miner. He and his trio mates, Chris Byars on tenor sax, and Jason Tiemann on bass, communicate effortlessly as one on an impressive and versatile array of interesting, sometimes complex music.
Cellar Music Group; 2025; appx. 52 min.
Joe Elefante's Wheel Of Dharma; Return Of The Light
Leader and pianist Joe Elefante has assembled a versatile and high flying quintet of trumpet-flugelhorn, his own piano chops, alto sax, bass, and drums on a set of eleven tunes, nine of which are the leader's originals. The emphasis is on the hard bop arena, but all are also well suited for more modern tempos as well. One should notice the inclusion of “Some Other Blues”, one of John Coltrane's less famous compositions but a great choice just the same. Fans of real deal, energetic, pulsing sounds will gather around this offering.
Self produced; 2025; appx. 63 min.
Conrad Herwig; Reflections-Facing South
It's been quite a while since we last heard from trombonist Conrad Herwig on CD. But here he is again, this time it's in a trio setting with Eddie Palmieri on piano and Luques Curtis on bass. The nine sections heard here are written by either Herwig or Palmieri. Some charming, lyrical melodies are on board here with a distinctive Latin flavor.
Savant; 2025; appx. 46 min.
Albare; Eclecticity
Albare is a guitarist who introduces us to ten of his original compositions amidst the company of a very supportive group of standout colleagues. His writing is often cheerful, optimistic, and bluesy. All players get generous opportunities to strut their solo chops but this is Albare's chance to share with listeners what I believe is a strong connection with a guy named Wes Montgomery. Tempo-wise there's something for everyone here but Albare and friends lay it all out with taste and talent.
Self produced; 2025; appx. 66 min.
Randy Napoleon; Waking Dream; The Music of Gregg Hill & Randy Napoleon
Sometimes one guitar just isn't enough. Well, how about five of them! This is quite an accomplishment under the direction of lead guitarist Randy Napoleon as he and his friends (both guitar and otherwise) explore the music of Gregg Hill and Napoleon himself. There's a wealth of straight ahead guitar excellence here and I might add, much to enjoy.
OA2 Records; 2025; appx. 68 min.
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