New Jazz Adds: Maria Schneider Orchestra and Charlie Haden & Gonzalo Rubalcaba and

Maria Schneider Orchestra - The Thompson Fields: This album is some cutting edge shit. Maria Schneider leads one of the most progressive big bands playing today. It's a beautiful format for her compositions, which combine modern-classical-type composition with some of the top improvisers in the scene. ZEV

Charlie Haden & Gonzalo Rubalcaba - Tokyo Adiago: Charlie Haden (1937-2014)  was one of the most inspirational and influential bass players of the 20th century. Haden grew up playing bluegrass and country music at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville before moving out to LA in the 1950's. In LA Haden joined Free Jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman's Quartet where he made many seminal recordings including The Shape of Jazz to Come, and Change of the Century.  In 2005 he got together with Cuban piano virtuoso Gonzalo Rubalcaba to preform at the Blue Note Tokyo, and this album was released posthumously as a tribute of sorts. It is a mellow duo album, featuring beautiful tunes. I highly recommend checking out more of Charlie Haden's work as he was a master of life and music. ZEV 

 Daniel Dickinson - A Gathering Foretold: This is just a solid album of some younger east coast players. I like Daniel Dickinson's compositions and they are preformed well. Not much to say about this one...ZEV

Randy Bernsen - Grace Notes: IF YOU LIKE CHEESE OR FUNNY MUSIC LISTEN TO THIS. This is some of the best corny music you can listen to. It features a great line up of players including my teacher here at USC, Peter Erskine. DISCLAIMER: This music is not intentionally funny. I think. ZEV