Local Releases, World Class Talent

Although all of the following discs have local or regional ties, it would be wrong to call them "local" releases. Some of the following artists have performed with world-renowned musicians, some have traveled the world and one was actually born in Europe. It's a rich cross section of artists, all with ties to Rochester.

In The Tradition

Mike Melito

Push the proverbial "rewind" button and drummer Mike Melito takes you back to the be bop glory days of 1950's jazz. In The Tradition is his fourth disc as a leader as he mixes originals with a half dozen standards. "Junka", the opening track penned by Blue Note great Sonny Clark, spotlights the big city sound of trumpeter John Swana balanced by the swing of pianist Paul Hoffmann. "Shades of Blue," offers us insight into the alluring sax of Grant Stewart. But anchoring it all is drummer/leader Mike Melito (with help from bassist Neal Miner). Melito is brisk, supportative, focused. His drumming is spot on accurate and precise. You can catch him at a number of local venues including Strathallan and often supporting many of the greats at the Jazz Fest. Grab a disc at one of the shows, take it home and push "play".

It Is What It Is

Jimmie Highsmith Jr.

When the likes of Kenny G, Stanley Clarke, the Crusaders and others started to erase the lines between straight up jazz and an accessible, funky jazz style back in the 1970's, the term fusion surfaced to describe the sound and style. With alto saxophonist Jimmie Highsmith's title cut on It Is What It Is, he tells us straight out not to think about what "it's" called but to enjoy what "it is". From originals such as the title cut and "Lorren" to covers such as Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On" , Miles Davis' "Blue In Green" and John Coltrane's "Naima," Highsmith and company keep things light and airy yet in constant motion with a funky, fluid undercurrent. Guest trombonist Wycliffe Gordon adds new shades to several of the covers. The result is a light, romantic jazz confection that is accessible on all of the tracks.

Pianist and Composer

Beata E. Golec

What attracted me to the disc by pianist and composer Ms. Beata Golec was that is wasn't simply ANOTHER play-it-safe collection of Mozart, Beethoven, and/or Brahms pieces. Ms. Golec is willing to open the disc with three short original compositions, follow it with pieces by two contemporary composers (Judith Lang Zaimont and Arvo Part) and then anchor the disc with a Mozart Sonata, thus offering just enough of a recognizable element to attract our attention. The three originals are short pieces that dovetail nicely. The first is a dark, dissonant tone poem, the second an elusive free form piece and the third (Forests - for piano solo) seem to evoke the verdant landscape of her native Poland. Just a few miles north are Estonia and the home of Part. His Sonatina is brisk and refreshingly airy.

The Mozart selection, though not as lyrical as it is when presented by pianists such as Murray Periaha or Vladimir Horowitz, is light and offers us just enough of the "standard" classical names that will invite us in and balance the more adventurous pieces.

Oceans and Islands

Dave Spinner

Although he's best known as a reliable pianist and keyboard playerwhose performed throughout the area for many years, Dave Spinner expands his reach and plays guitar, bass, drums and percussions on Oceans and Islands , his latest CD. Paul Gasper joins in on a pair of songs, Maggie Mellon guests as a vocalist on one selection and he enlists several other players to help round out this seven-song collection.

Although Oceans and Islands is contemporary jazz first and foremost, things are kept fresh with a splash of Latin on "Lobster Montuno." The piece is brisk and upbeat and propelled forward with Spinner on a variety of instruments plus trumpet, sax, trombone and timbales. Trumpeter Gasper stays with Spinner on the next cut, "You're My Everything" as well. This time the mood and tone are reverential and pensive, creating a soothing atmosphere. The disc is rounded out by "Triste," one of two Jobim songs on the CD.