The stirring sound of Shayna Steele

Not strictly a jazz vocal or even at all depending on how narrow or not you are but stepping into an area not unfamiliar to the terrain Lizz Wright inhabits - Wright usually plays to open minded jazz audiences - and relatable to the marlbank …

Published: 16 Mar 2023. Updated: 6 months.

Not strictly a jazz vocal or even at all depending on how narrow or not you are but stepping into an area not unfamiliar to the terrain Lizz Wright inhabits - Wright usually plays to open minded jazz audiences - and relatable to the marlbank readership we think.

Irrespective of where the song lands stylistically backs-against-the wall Shayna Steele, Kamilah Marshall, David Cook song 'The Bloodline' is a fine, highly sociopolitically conscious, introduction - couched within a humane lens - to Shayna Steele's upcoming Ropeadope album. In the percussion undertow is the great sessioneer Daniel Sadownick who for instance was with the guitar microtonal music icon David Fiuczynski aka Fuze in Screaming Headless Torsos back in the day.

And the guitars - Americana flavoured pedal in the blend that projects a deep delta rootsy bluesy chiming saltiness - add a lot of drama behind Steele's powerful voice. The Broadway singer - this is a world away from musical theatre - mixes several elements on the album itself entitled Gold Dust (out 21 April). It includes a version of Stevie Nick's Fleetwood Mac Rumours song 'Gold Dust Woman'. Sax icon Donny McCaslin (late-period Bowie) is on the album version of Cole Porter's 1940s song 'You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To.' Shayna Steele, photo: detail from the Gold Dust art

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Tristan Banks, View From Above, Ubuntu ****

Contrapuntalism studded with cross rhythms are rife on the title track here on drummer Tristan Banks' latin jazz-soaked stormer. Blessed with some fine woodwind textures and gritty sax playing from the great Paul Booth (known for his work with …

Published: 16 Mar 2023. Updated: 6 months.

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Contrapuntalism studded with cross rhythms are rife on the title track here on drummer Tristan Banks' latin jazz-soaked stormer. Blessed with some fine woodwind textures and gritty sax playing from the great Paul Booth (known for his work with Steve Winwood and The Eagles) and who Banks has worked with in Trypl, Booth is most superb when he goes into a Michael Brecker type space on 'Ex Machina'. Banks also has bassist Davide Mantovani (known for his work with Alex Wilson) and pianist John Crawford who has played in Isq on the record and the unit gels big time.

If you are a Booth fan there is a helluva lot to savour. His flute playing on 'Capelinha' is a must. As for Banks he has mega chops - think Steve Gadd probably quite a bit when it goes down to rudiments and which is no mean feat if you even get half way there and he more than does. Tunes are Banks' and mighty fine they are too - the whole thing laid down at Steve Winwood's studio Wincraft in the Cotswolds two summers ago.

The unit grooves best of all on 'Polycephaly' when Booth journeys the extra mile in terms of elasticity and fervour achieved by reaching for soprano sax. Banks on 'Cidade' even enters an Alex Acuña type space which is extremely stimulating. Tristan Banks, photo via Ubuntu. 'Dust Devil' and the title track are streaming. It's one of the best UK jazz releases of 2023 a couple of months in. View From Above is out on 31 March.

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