JAZZ AS LIFESTYLE SOUNDTRACK:
Reviews of some recent collections of jazz music (3 of 3)

The aforementioned Joel Dorn’s latest label, Hyena Records, aims to pick up where his previous ventures left off. One thing that Dorn has always been adept at is unearthing great live performances, which he has again succeeded in doing with releases like Radio Nights, The Man Who Cried Fire, A Tale of Two Cities, and Les Is More. Each of the performances on Great "Live" Jazz comes from Joel’s tape archive—some have been released previously, some have not. The beauty of these performances is that many of the artists did not know they were being recorded at the time, making them authentic documents of live performances in a variety of fabled jazz clubs, many now long gone. The performances released here, including Les McCann’s “Maleah,” Cannonball Adderley’s “The Work Song (featuring a Coltrane-inspired solo from tenor sax player Charles Lloyd as well as Joe Zawinul on acoustic piano),” “Night Train” by Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Sonny Stitt’s “Deuces Wild” and Eddie Harris’ “Chicago Serenade” take the listener back to the smoky night when they were recorded. You can almost taste the drinks, smell the smoke and perfume, feel the sweat rolling down your neck. Selling at a special price of $9.98, this nine track collection is, pound-for-pound, one of the best purchases on the list for the jazz instrumental fan who wants to sample some great performances by some of the best live players of the fifties and sixties.

Over at Heads Up, where they specialize in smooth sounds from around the world comes Smooth Africa II: Exploring the Soul, the follow-up to the immensely successful fusion of jazz, South African music, and high production values, Smooth Africa. Fans of the first release won’t be disappointed, as there is plenty more of the formula that made the first release such a success. The bouncy opener, “Walk of Life” features guitarist Jimmy Dludlu, comparable in his country to Charlie Christian as far as his influence on jazz guitar, as well as the Soweto String Quartet.

American musician Joe McBride helped initiate the original Smooth Africa project as the result of a visit he and Heads Up President Dave Love made to South Africa in 1998. The two were impressed by the talent of local musicians they heard and decided to record them along with some of today’s best contemporary smooth jazz stars. Smooth Africa II features the distinctively South African sounds of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, up-and-coming guitarist Allou April, and Oliver Mtukudzi together with the thoroughly contemporary sounds of artists like Shaluza Max, Andy Narrell, Moses Khumalo, and (of course) McBride himself, weighing in with the island breezy “Adderley Street” and the gospel influenced “Yebo.” Both of McBride’s songs are thoroughly American compositions, yet they are influenced by the culture and spirit of Cape Town, reminding us that this is a completely modern metropolis not so very different from our own. If you like it smooth with both feeling and some hot rhythms, you’ll enjoy Smooth Africa II.

For the hardcore jazz fan, who probably already has purchased many of the key recordings in his or her favorite sub genres of jazz, collections may seem superfluous and unnecessary, and there’s no question that many are. The releases we’ve discussed here, however, provide any jazz lover with abundant quality in a compact package, and that’s always a good thing.

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