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Upholding a tradition that has been part of the Yahoo! Music family ever since we started this blog back in the late 1970s, All Jazz Friday offers a taste of WasssUp! in new jazz releases. People, you know, if I could send a vinyl sample to each and every one of you I most surely would! It's "Here, My Dear." And as that mad driver who once introduced Steely Dan's "Bodhisattva" to an unknowing Santa Monica crowd once said, "If it's good to ya, it's got to be good for ya."

Trio Da Paz, Joe Locke, Nilson Matta, Duduka Da Fonseca, Romero Lubambo: Live at JazzBaltica: This Brazil-to-New York jazz supergroup features the mighty Joe Locke on vibraphone, a man known for his fast hands and crazy faces. Drummer/ bandleader Duduka Da Fonseca regularly travels between Rio and Manhattan, his playing breathing heavy sighs from both cities, infusing his drumming with a wonderful sense of air, swing, lightness, and propulsion. Guitarist Romero Lubambo and bassist Nilson Matta bring up the rear in this high flying rendition of "Dona Maria." Essentially Fonseca's Tri Da Paz with the addition of Locke, Live at JazzBaltica is a scorcher.

Trio Da Paz, Joe Locke
"Dona Maria" (mp3)
from "Live at JazzBaltica"
(MAXJAZZ)

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Russell Malone: Live at Jazz Standard Volume 2: I recently had the great pleasure to see guitarist Russell Malone at Jazz at Lincoln Center performing an all Charlie Christian/Django Reinhardt repertoire. Backed by the Lewis Nash Trio (Nash, drums; Mulgrew Miller, piano; Peter Washington, bass) it was a performance to remember.

Covering the event for Downbeat magazine I wrote: "Each guitarist presented a particular view of the great ‘40s swing innovators, individually and in guitar duo and trio settings. Malone: the total jazz guitarist performing with great warmth and technical profundity" and a bit later in the piece: "The night began with "Wholly Cats," all three guitarists taking part, Malone playing a particularly arresting chordal solo. Eubie Blake's "Memories of You," a standard Reinhardt vehicle, was performed solo by Malone with the trio. Malone set the bar for the night here, executing fluorescent harmonies, rich chords and classical styled picking.

Malone continues his combustible ways on Live at Jazz Standard Volume 2, simply smoking the joint clean with his muscular quartet.

Russell Malone
"Mugshot" (mp3)
from "Live at Jazz Standard Volume 2"
(MAXJAZZ)

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Mulgrew Miller: Live at The Kennedy Center Volume Two: A monster master in his own right, Mulgrew Miller played in Tony Williams' influential ‘80s quartet (another Blue Note joint!), proving in this night at the Kennedy Center why he continues to be a first call jazz pianist. Performing with great swing and style, Miller is a musical poet, a jazz practitioner, a standard bearer for contemporary post bop.

Mulgrew Miller
"Song For Darnell" (mp3)
from "Live at The Kennedy Center Volume Two"
(MAXJAZZ)

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Lionel Loueke: Virgin Forest: A rising jazz star now that he has released a recording on Blue Note, guitarist Lionel Loueke brings a West African sensibility to his creative jazz output. Originally released in 2006, Virgin Forest shows mastery in the making.

Lionel Loueke
"Vivi" (mp3)
from "Virgin Forest"
(ObliqSound)

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Lionel Loueke
"Kponnon Kpètè" (mp3)
from "Virgin Forest"
(ObliqSound)

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