"DownBeat" - April 2012

COVER
Robert Glasper -- On his forthcoming album "Black Radio," the pianist leads his group the Robert Glasper Experiment through a program that draws upon jazz, hip-hop, r&b, neo-soul and rock. Special guests include Erykah Badu, Bilal, Lupe Fiasco, Lalah Hathaway, Mos Def, Musiq Soulchild and Meshell Ndegeocello.

FEATURES
Wes Montgomery -- The late guitar legend's first full album of previously unheard music in over 25 years.

Wadada Leo Smith -- 70th birthday celebration for the innovative trumpeter and composer.

Orbert Davis -- The award-winning trumpeter leads a 55-piece jazz-symphonic orchestra.

Special Section: Brass School -- Master Class by trombonist Wayne Wallace, a Wynton Marsalis trumpet solo transcribed, and more in our annual brass-themed issue.

Special Section: NAMM Report -- The authoritative account of the jazz people, products and trends from the 2012 NAMM Show.

PLAYERS
Rez Abbasi (guitar)
Daniel Rosenthal (trumpet)
Fabian Almazan (piano)
New West Guitar Group (guitar group)

BLINDFOLD TEST -- David Hazeltine

THE BEAT
* Q&A with Christian McBride
* Record label profile: Ninewinds Records
* News Story: Jazz Musician Pensions
* Soul Rebels Profile
* European Scene
* Caught: Jazz Cruise; New York Winter Jazz Festival; Chucho Valdes and the Afro-Cuban Messengers at Carnegie Hall

WOODSHED
* Master Class: by Wayne Wallace
* Pro Session: by Kirk Garrison
* Transcription: Wynton Marsalis trumpet solo

TOOLSHED
* Josh Landress trumpet
* daCarbo AG carbon fiber trumpet

JAZZ ON CAMPUS
* Blue Note Celebration at Harvard University

REVIEWS - Hot Box
Chano Dominguez, Flamenco Sketches (Blue Note)
Vijay Iyer Trio, Accelerando (ACT)
Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts, An Attitude For Gratitude (Palmetto)
Tim Berne, Snake Oil (ECM)

Reviews
Jack DeJohnette, Sound Travels (eOne)
Charlie Haden/Hank Jones, Come Sunday (Decca)
Chick Corea/Eddie Gomez/Paul Motian, Further Explorations (Concord)
Wadada Leo Smith's Mbira, Dark Lady Of The Sonnets (Tum)
Jenny Scheinman, Mischief & Mayhem (self release)
Otis Taylor, Contraband (Telarc)
Michael Pedicin, Ballads (self release)
Matthew Shipp, Elastic Aspects (Thirsty Ear)
Gregory Porter, Be Good (Motéma)
Hans Glawischnig, Jahira (Sunnyside)
Kirk Whalum, Romance Language (Rendezvous)
Harold O'Neal, Marvelous Fantasy (Smalls)
Michael Musillami Trio +4, Mettle (Playscape)
Toronzo Cannon, Leaving Home (Delmark)
Marty Ehrlich's Rites Quartet, Frog Leg Logic (Clean Feed)
Harry Allen, Rhythm On The River (Challenge); combined review with Gerry Beaudoin, The Return (Francesca)
Amy Cervini, Digging Me, Digging You (Anzic)
Chicago Trio [Ernest Dawkins/Harrison Bankhead/Hamid Drake], Velvet Songs (RogueArt)
Pat Mallinger Quartet, Home On Richmond (self release)
Gianluigi Trovesi/Gianni Coscia, Frere Jacques Round About Offenbach (ECM)
FAB Trio, History Of Jazz In Reverse (Tum)
Antonio Adolfo, Chora Baião (AAM Music)
Rob Garcia 4, The Drop And The Ocean (BJU)
Luis Conte, En Casa De Luis (BFM)
Lorraine Feather, Tales Of The Unusual (Jazzed Media)
The Wee Trio, Ashes To Ashes (Bionic)
Jimmy Owens, The Monk Project (IPO)
Noah Kaplan Quartet, Descendants (hatOLOGY)

Jazz:
Gary Smulyan, Smul's Paradise (Capri)
The Landrus Kaleidoscope, Capsule (Blueland)
The J.B.'s & Fred Wesley, The Lost Album (Hip-O Select)
Wycliffe Gordon, Hello Pops! (A Tribute To Louis Armstrong) (self release)
Jeff Kimmel Quartet, Charm Offensive (Ormolu Music)

Blues:
Howlin' Wolf: Smokestack Lightning, The Complete Chess Masters (Hip-O Select)
Otis Spann/David Maxwell, Conversations In Blue (Circumstantial)
Samba Toure, Crocodile Blues (Riverboat)
Dave Keller, Where I'm Coming From...(Tastee-Tone)
Paul Marx, Blood & Treasure (Radiation)
Mark Nomad, Torch Tones (Blue Star)
Barrence Whitfield, Savage Kings (Munster)
Little Joe Ayers, Backatchya (Devil Down)

Beyond:
CTI Reissues (issued by Sony Masterworks) including:
Esther Phillips, Performance
Johnny Hammond, Wild Horses Rock Steady
Lonnie Smith, Mama Wailer
Hank Crawford, Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing

Historical:
Various Artists, Opika Pende (Dust-To-Digital)
Various Artists, Bambara Mystic Soul: The Raw Sound Of Burkina Faso, 1974-1979 (Analog Africa)
The Lijadu Sisters, Danger (Knitting Factory)

Books:
Susan Whitall, Fever: Little Willie John, A Fast Life, Mysterious Death And The Birth of Soul (Titan)