Joe Lovano Nonet – '52nd Street Themes'

Tuesday 25s, an album from Y2K / 2000, a quarter-century ago.... 😊

Saxophonist Joe Lovano's 2000 release 52nd Street Themes won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, even though he only used 9 musicians.

 "....this record is a powerful reminder of the tenor giant’s debt to the tradition. Still, the music has that unmistakable Lovano edge." David Adler/AllAboutJazz. Album Allmusic ; Discogs.

Joe has released >50 albums since 1986, with this Grammy Award win and 14 more nominations. He did another nonet album, 2003s On This Day At The Vanguard. Website ; Wikipedia ; Allmusic ; Discogs.

Joe Lovano Nonet, 52nd Street Themes, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

This is on the Jazz Best Albums 2000 playlist at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

Here's 'Abstractions On...' and the title theme, in an extended number from Joe's 2006 nonet DVD New Morning: The Paris Concert.  😎

The Gil Evans Orchestra - 'Plays The Music Of Jimi Hendrix' & Gil Evans Remembered - 'Live At The Cutting Room, NYC'

Friday 50s 😁 an album from a half-century ago.... And a bonus new release also.

"Evans explored ten of Hendrix's compositions with his unique 19-piece unit, an orchestra that included two French horns, the tuba of Howard Johnson, three guitars, two basses, two percussionists and such soloists as altoist David Sanborn, Billy Harper on tenor and guitarist John Abercrombie. Evans' arrangements uplift many of Hendrix's more blues-oriented compositions and create a memorable set that is rock-oriented but retains the improvisation and personality of jazz." Scott Yanow/AllMusic. Album Discogs ; Wikipedia.

"Pianist, composer, arranger and band-leader Gil Evans is widely recognized as one of the greatest orchestrators in jazz, playing an important role in the development of cool jazz, modal jazz, free jazz, and jazz fusion" Wikipedia. Evans released >40 albums from 1957-86, most with his orchestra, with 3 Grammy Awards and 13 more nominations. Discogs ; Allmusic.

The Gil Evans Orchestra, Plays The Music Of Jimi Hendrix, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

This is on the Jazz Best Albums 1974 playlist at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

The Gil Evans Orchestra did a Monday night show at the club 'Sweet Basil' in NYC from 1982 thru Evans 1988 death and for awhile beyond as alumni. A 2014 alumni show has just been released, with what appears to be a nonet, includes 2 Hendrix tunes, and is a great tribute.  AllAboutJazz review. Leader Pete Levin's website.

Gil Evans Remembered, Live At The Cutting Room NYC, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

This is on the Jazz 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish. 😎

Miguel Zenon - 'Golden City'

San Francisco-based saxophonist Miguel Zenon's 2024 album Golden City earned a 2025 Grammy Award nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. Recorded with a nonet, Zenon now has >20 Grammy/Latin Grammy nominations. He won Best Latin Jazz Album last year for his duet release with pianist Luis Pedromo, El Arte Del Bolero, Vol. 2.

"Thematically and instrumentally challenging and complex, featuring a nonet heavy on the low-end brass (trombones, tuba, trumpet), Golden City is a triumph.... The album is Miguel Zenon at his creative peak." Dan McClenaghan/AllAboutJazz. Musicians include trumpeter Diego Urcola and trombonist Alan Ferber.

This is Zenon's ~24th album since 2001. He is a long-time member of the SF Jazz Collective. Miguel's: website ; Wikipedia ; Discogs ; Bandcamp.

Miguel Zenon, Golden City, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

This is on the Jazz 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

Enjoy the tune 'Cultural Corridor' from a 2022 performance of the album. 😎