I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Transitions, by Yaron Gershovsky and it's really nice. Opening with fast moving, Northern Lights, accomplished pianist, Gershovsky drives this train backed on a basic piano riff. Boris Koslov sets up a super bass line and Gershovsky really runs the keyboard end to end with tasty chops. Add in the tight drum riffs by Cliff Almond and you've got a great opener. Yaron, who spent the past number of decades with Mathattan Transfer as Musical Director and pianist as well as working with Pharoah Sanders and Wayne Shorter (among others) has been busy. Simon and Garfunkel's Scarborough Fair is really nicely arranged and the vocal work by Aubrey Johnson is beautiful. I really like Show Me The Way with Alex Sipiagin on trumpet, Kozlov on bass and Ross Pedersen on drums. With it's melancholy melody, Sipiagin's trumpet tone and strong reinforcement by Yaron on piano, this track really hits. Every contemporary jazz release needs a Samba and where better to look that to Jobim and So Danco Samba and again Johnson on vocal. Yaron's shows his ability to get out of classical styling and really gets this track moving with great bass lines by Kozlov and Almond on drums. Very nice. Another relaxed track, in 3/4 time is A Song For Mia. Opening with a more formal structure, Mia really starts to swing as the song develops. Yaron sets the pace, reinforced by Kozlov's dexterous bass lines and Pedersen is always spot on. I really like the interplay between Yaron and Kozlov on Kozlov's bass solo giving the piece a real nice balance. Wrapping the release is Gershwin's I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' again featuring multiple layers of Johnson' vocal harmonies. This band really swings and Johnson's voice is quite pure giving the track a real sparkle.
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