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Melissa Aldana & Crash TrioMelissa Aldana & Crash TrioCONCORD JAZZ 35281Remember the thrill of hearing saxophonist JamesCarter for the first time, tearing it up on the openingtrack of his breakout album JC On The Set? Asrisky as it is to compare musicians, it is difficult notto flashback to Carter’s entrance when first encounteringMelissa Aldana’s breathy, rippling solo thatopens her first major label recording—part of herreward for winning the 2013 Thelonious MonkInternational Jazz Competition. While her Concorddebut is not her first recording, Melissa Aldana &Crash Trio’s self-titled release sounds like both anDavid WeissWhen Words FailMOTÉMA 144Even if you didn’t read the liner notes—or happenedto ignore one of the titles, “Loss”—youwould know that something is amiss on trumpeter-composerDavid Weiss’ new sextet album.Harmonies shift in unsettled patterns; the pieces,beautiful as they are, work through their troublesin long, ruminative phrases; and the soloists likewisepitch their virtuosity in search of an elusiveplace they can call home.It turns out that none of this is coincidence.Weiss, founder of hard-bop revival band TheCookers, as well as of the New Jazz ComposersOctet, said he was inspired to write the pieces on thealbum following a tough year of loss, professionallyand personally. One piece, “Passage Into Eternity,” isin memory of saxophonist Jimmy Greene’s daughterAna Márquez-Greene, who was killed in the SandyHook Elementary School shooting. In a final cruelirony, the bassist on the set, Dwayne Burno, died justweeks after completing the recording.Which isn’t to say the music is a downer. If nothingelse, the record is thematically about perseverance.The tunes are lovely, and the tempos varied. On“When Words Fail,” the background figures rise likea question—why? The soloists play questing lines asif in search of an answer. On “Wayward,” alto saxophonistMyron Walden wanders down several pathsbefore rising to a frenetic pitch of testifying, at whichaudacious calling card and an invitation to followher blossoming career.There is nowhere to hide in a saxophone-bass-drumstrio, and Aldana has no intentionof playing shy. With the exception of Pablo Menares’lengthy bass introduction to “Tirapie” and FranciscoMela’s opening statement on “Peace, Love & Music,”she fills every inch with hurtling phrases, exuberantvertical runs and register-spanning accents. SonnyRollins is an obvious reference point, but so are morecontemporary players like Mark Turner—in conception,if not sound—and Chris Potter. The freestylephrasing and loose rhythm of “Peace, Love &Music” and the witty coda of “M&M” sound thoroughlymodern, a balance to the timeless groove andsure-handed hard-bop of “Bring Him Home.”Aldana’s playing affirms the decision of theMonk competition judges—who included WayneShorter, Jane Ira Bloom and Branford Marsalis. Shehas imagination, technical facility and power leavenedwith the ability to play softly. What is less clearis her conception as a bandleader. While “Turning”displays true group interaction, elsewhere the threesound like they’re playing in parallel, with no questionof who the star is. But given the purpose andtiming of this recording, that seems beside the point.This is a showcase, an opportunity to stun an audiencethat only comes once, and Aldana more thanfulfills what’s expected of her. She’ll have plenty oftime to play a more nuanced role. —James HaleMelissa Aldana & Crash Trio: M&M; Turning; You’re MyEverything; Bring Him Home; Tirapie; Peace, Love & Music; Perdon;New Points; Dear Joe; Ask Me Now. (52:38)Personnel: Melissa Aldana, tenor saxophone; Pablo Menares,bass; Francisco Mela, drums.Ordering info: concordmusicgroup.compoint a background chorus of trumpet and tenorcome in to attempt consolation.There are also the kind of brash, uptemposwingers one associates with the hard-bop school.On “The Intrepid Hub,” in which Weiss pays tributeto Freddie Hubbard (with whom he worked inthe NJCO), and “White Magic” (British pianist JohnTaylor’s take on Herbie Hancock’s “Riot”), each soloistin turn comes flying out of the gate, yet anotherkind of affirmation.—Jon GarelickWhen Words Fail: The Intrepid Hub; When Words Fail; MJ;Wayward; White Magic; Loss; Lullaby For A Lonely Child; PassageInto Eternity. (61:10)Personnel: David Weiss, trumpet; Myron Walden, alto saxophone;Marcus Strickland, tenor saxophone; Xavier Davis, piano;Dwayne Burno, bass; E.J. Strickland, drums; Ben Eunsen, guitar(3, 8).Ordering info: motema.comKavita ShahVisionsINNER CIRCLE MUSIC 0404Kindred spirits and fellow sonic globetrotters—singerKavita Shah, the native New Yorker of Indiandescent, and Benin-born guitarist and co-producerLionel Loueke—join forces in this breathtakinglybeautiful collaboration that brings a wealth of musicalinfluences to bear. With Loueke’s distinctive percussiveguitar work weaving in and out of the mix,Shah soars with understated majesty while alternatelysinging in Portuguese, Spanish and English.Visions opens with the enchanting “Sodade,”a tune made famous by the late Cape Verdeansinger Cesaria Evora. Sung in Portuguese, it featuresthe glistening strings of master Malian koraplayer Yacouba Sissoko and the subtle presenceof a string quartet conducted by Miho Hazama.Shah’s ambitious arrangement of Stevie Wonder’s“Visions” has her creating a glorious overdubbedvocal choir on top of a surging pulse of tablas interactingwith drum ’n’ bass beats while her uniquereading of Joni Mitchell’s “Little Green” incorporatesSissoko’s kora, Steve Newcomb’s delicate piano,drummer Guilhem Flouzat’s sensitive brushwork,Linda Oh’s sparse bass and Michael Valeanu’s gentlechord swells into an affecting blend.Shah and her flexible world music crew turn in atabla-fueled rendition of British rapper M.I.A.’s hit“Paper Planes,” which features guest Steve Wilsonwailing on soprano sax à la Wayne Shorter to JoniMitchell. Valeanu’s fleet-fingered solo here will makeguitar enthusiasts sit up and take notice. Other highlightson this auspicious debut include Shah’s spiritedduet with Loueke on the entrancing Bahiangroover “Oju Oba” and her intimate encounterwith piano, kora and talking drum on “My Time IsWhen.” Shah’s intriguing musical self-portrait concludesby exploring her Indian classical roots onthree mesmerizing ragas. —Bill MilkowskiVisions: Sodade; Visions; Little Green; Tabla Interlude; PaperPlanes; Triste; Moray; Deluge; Oju Oba; My Time Is When; RagDesh: Alaap; Rag Desh: Teentaal Gat; Rag Desh: Meltdown; SodadePostlude. (62:00)Personnel: Kavita Shah, vocals; Lionel Loueke, guitar, vocals (1,9, 14); Steve Wilson, saxophone, flute (5, 6, 8); Yacouba Sissoko,kora; Stephen Cellucci, tabla; Steve Newcomb, Fender Rhodes,piano; Michael Valeanu, guitar; Linda Oh, bass; Guilhem Flouzat,drums; Rogério Boccato, percussion; Miho Hazama, conductor;Curtis Stewart, violin; Tomoko Omura, violin; Nick Revel, viola; WillMartina, cello.Ordering info: kavitashahmusic.com78 DOWNBEAT AUGUST 2014