Album Notes

Baltimore Jazzscapes

Demonstrating the richness and variety of the contemporary Baltimore jazz scene, Baltimore Jazzscapes features artists performing in formats ranging from solo piano to large ensembles, and in styles running the gamut from standards to original contemporary jazz. Each artist on the album is a member of the Baltimore Jazz Alliance, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the jazz community and building new jazz audiences in the Baltimore region.

This album is all about variety. Al Maniscalco’s “Al’s the Things You Are,” Anthony Villa Group’s “Words Unspoken,” and Joel Holmes’s driving “Holyspirit”(reminiscent of McCoy Tyner), will appeal to fans of contemporary post-bop. Latin jazz lovers will enjoy Cold Spring Jazz Quartet’s samba “Imagine That” and the Phil Ravita Trio’s “AHAMAY.” Vocal aficionados will go for “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To,” by Sounds Good!, and the Unified Jazz Ensemble’s hard swinging version of “Makin’ Whoopee,” featuring Felicia Carter’s piquant vocals. Dig fusion? You’ll dig Derivative’s “Abesroof.” Other cuts include “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way,” a violin-clarinet feature by The Alexandria Kleztet; “Pompeii,” a powerful composition from the nine-piece Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra that recalls the work of Charles Mingus; Richard Walton Group’s “Rio Le,” a smooth, melodic flute-and-guitar number.

Baltimore Jazzscapes has something for everyone!