Naoko Terai / My Song
Japanese jazz violinist Naoko Terai's latest album is a collection of standards performed with her regular quartet plus guest guitarist Hiroki Miyano. Emotional and beautiful music! (Rec. 2009 & 2010)

Hiromi Masuda / Maybe September
Japanese alto saxophonis Hiromi Masuda's debut CD showcases her great talent - assured technique and style influenced by Charlie Parker and Lee Konitz with creative energy and a sense of adventure. With Gene DiNovi (p), Neil Swainson (b) and Ernesto Cervini (ds). (Rec. 2009)

Chet Baker Trio with Duke Jordan / September Song
Chet Baker's rare trio performance with Duke Jordan (p) and Jesper Lundgaard (b), caught live on tape in Paris in 1983. A must-have item for fans of Chet Baker!

Serge Delaite Trio / Time After Time
French pianist Serge Delaite's latest release from Atelier Sawano features great bassist George Mraz and drummer Jean-Marc Lajudie. A collection of standards with a couple of classical/jazz tunes, played with lightness and sunny feeling!

John di Martino Romantic Jazz Trio / Chopin Jazz
Celebrating the 200th anniversary of Frederic Chopin's birth, pianist/arranger John di Martino and his Romantic Jazz Trio (George Mraz on bass and Richard De Rosa on drums) recorded a collection of reimagined jazz performances based on the beautiful Chopin melodies. Thrilling, gorgeious and majestic!

Nicki Parrott / Black Coffee
Swing Journal Gold Disc! Australian-born and New York-based bassist and singer Nicki Parrott's latest release from Venus Records is a tribute album to Peggy Lee and Julie London. Parrott sings and performs very effectively with a top-notch band that includes Harry Allen (ts), Lisa Parrott (bs, ss, bc) and John di Martino (p). Great sonics, too!

Makiko Hirabayashi / Hide And Seek
Winner of Jazz Critique Magazine's 2009 Best Engineered Jazz Disc Award! Japanese-born and Copenhagen-based pianist Makiko Hirabayashi's second trio album with super-drummer/percussionist Marilyn Mazur and bassist Klavs Hovman is really amazing in terms of composition, performance and the quality of the recorded sound. A masterpiece!

Renee Rosnes / Manhattan Rain
Pianist Renee Rosnes made this album for a Japanese label with a great band featuring Steve Nelson (vib), Rich Perry (ts), Peter Washington (b) and Bill Stewart (ds). This great CD highlights her formidable compositional and arranging skills in addition to her superb piano performance!

Manhattan Jazz Orchestra / Sing Sing Sing 2010 - Tribute To Benny Goodman
Swing Journal Gold Disc! To my ears, the 16th album by this big band with a 20-year history is the best so far! The leader and supremely talented arranger David Matthews reinvents Benny Goodman's classic tunes to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the jazz giant's birth. Superb arrangements, impeccable ensemble playing and great solos by star players such as Lew Soloff, Chris Hunter and Andy Snitzer! Wonderful sonics, too!

Mizuho and Tiger Okoshi / Stars And A Moon
Japanese singer Mizuho has a great mentor and believer in Tiger Okoshi, legendary trumpeter and respected professor at Berklee School of Music. Together they recorded this wonderous album in Boston with young American musicians. Mizuho's pure and soulful voice soars on well-known standards, creatively arranged by Okoshi. A strong vocal album filled with pleasant surprises!