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NUVO Dec. 22 2004

Jazz albums of 2004

Chuck Workman

It was a year of massive jazz releases in all styles, both nationally and locally. The local jazz scene was especially prolific.

Jazz harpist Jan Aldridge Clark turned out an aptly titled release Anything But Ordinary. The slick, captivating arrangements of tunes from Celtic to Coltrane are exceptionally performed with a variety of top local talent. Clark’s aggressive but sensitive playing shows she is also a gifted composer, penning 10 of the 15 tracks.

Veteran guitarist Bill Lancton cut his most straight-ahead jazz album to date in Vintage Melange. Lancton’s efforts to recreate the feel of recorded jazz from the late ’60s paid off. With sympathetic support from David Murray’s bass, Kenny Phelps’ driving drums and Jeff DeHerdt on piano, they romp through ’60s gems like “House of the Rising Sun,” “Sunshine Superman” and jazz standard versions of “Body & Soul,” “End of a Love Affair” and Wes Montgomery’s “Naptown Blues.”

Triple threat artist singer, pianist and composer Jeff DeHerdt has to rank as one of the most underrated jazz artists in town. His second release, Club Bordeaux, is a treasure. This is a deep excursion into DeHerdt’s musical mind with its sardonically hip humor. Note his fondness for Thelonius Monk on the swinging “I’m All the Friends That I Got.” There are 12 DeHerdt originals with words, music and arrangements played with fire by 10 local artists in various groupings.

Keyboardist and composer Fred Sights finally completed his album, The Fred Sights Project. Apart from the jazz classic “Take Five,” featuring Phil Hampton’s sax, there are six originals. Sights’ playing is brilliant on the catchy movie-theme sounding “Marshelle’s Sunrise.” Barbara Epps’ vocals are stunning on “Glass City.” This is jazz with an alternative approach.

Award-winning vocalist Cynthia Layne’s second release, Reality, is Layne’s personal triumph of passion. Saxophonist Rob Dixon wrote six compositions, including the album’s title cut “Reality” that Layne sings with deep conviction. “The Promise” is Layne pouring out a soulfully heated rendering of emotion. Layne has found her musical niche here.

Tim Hoover’s recorded vocal debut is auspicious to say the least. Coming from choral groups, Hoover clearly shows he has natural jazz feelings on his Street of Dreams release. He is harmonically hip and is not afraid to take a chance anchored by the tastily swinging Ken Fary Trio. Noteworthy is “In The Miller Mood” — tunes associated with Glenn Miller that Hoover stirs into a blend of swinging vocalise. Hoover is a talent deserving to be heard.