Hundred-word Reviews, August 2026 #3: Jazz

For this installment of my Hundred-word Reviews, I take a quick look at five archival jazz releases. Four of them are sourced from newly-discovered private tapes documenting performances at Chicago’s Jazz Showcase. The venue’s tag line is “Where Jazz Lives in Chicago,” and since 1947 this intimate club has been a go-to choice for esteemed musicians and listeners alike. All come to us through the ongoing indefatigable work of “jazz detective” (and friend of Musoscribe) Zev Feldman. The remaining set is a collection of previous-unheard tracks from the personal archives of acclaimed multi-instrumentalist (and collaborator to the stars) Gary Husband.

Ahmad Jamal – At the Jazz Showcase: Live in Chicago
This two-disc set showcases esteemed pianist Jamal in performance with his trio (John Heard on bass with drummer Frank Gant). Drawn from two consecutive nights in 1976 (March 20 and 21) the crystalline recording captures the iridescent beauty of Jamal’s playing; his technique on the piano is so deeply textured that it often feels like two musicians on the ivories. An isolated recording of his left-hand work alone would be a fine listen; combined with his right hand and his musical associates, it’s nothing short of glorious. Lots of well-known tunes her including his inimitable take on “Theme from M*A*S*H.”

Yusef Lateef – Alight Upon the Lake: Live at the Jazz Showcase
This thrilling set documents assorted performances from June 1975 by multi-instrumentalist Lateef (on tenor sax, flute and oboe(!)) with drummer Kenny Barron, bassist Bob Cunningham and drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath. The first disc opens with a nearly 30-minute work, “The Untitled,” featuring Lateef opening by wailing superbly on sax; the piece journeys through an Eastern-flavored midsection. It goes a lot of places, in fact, and sets the tone for the rest of the collection. The shortest number here runs just under nine minutes; the quartet is exploratory yet tightly focused, and not a moment is wasted or given to overindulgence.

Joe Henderson – Consonance: Live at the Jazz Showcase
Tenor saxophonist Henderson leads a hard bop quartet of Joanne Bracken (piano), basist Steve Rodby and drummer Danny Spencer on this two-disc set drawn from February ‘78 tapes at the Jazz Showcase. Twenty-three minutes of Coltrane’s “Mr. P.C.” opens the set with instrumental fury., and things never let up. Henderson originals are presented alongside works by Charlie Parker (“Relaxin’ at Camarillo”) and Monk’s immortal “’Round Midnight.” Wildly kinetic performances are the order of the day. It would have been to see these cats blow, but having this superb you-are-there quality recording is the next best thing to having been there.

Mal Waldron – Stardust & Starlight: At the Jazz Showcase
Waldron is well-known among jazz aficionados; as a relative novitiate, this set represents my introduction to the pianist and his work. A single-disc set, Stardust & Starlight is a recording from August 1979. Waldron is joined here by bassist Steve Rodby (see above), drummer Wilbur Campbell and – on two tracks – also saxophonist legend Sonny Stitt. The program opens with a nearly-solo piece, the aptly-titled “All Alone.” It highlights Waldron’s subtle and sublime piano work. The material ranges from contemplative to bouncy (“All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm”) to lyrical (“Fire Waltz”) to romantic (“I Thought About You”), and it’s all lovely.

Gary Husband – Postcards from the Past
Husband is an artist of immense creativity, and his music explores many different textures. This set is a sonic travelogue through his world. “Reykjavik Dream” starts out sounding like an orchestra, but it’s all Husband on keys and samples. The music here is based in fusion but not limited by that style. Fans of any of the work Husband has done on his own or with others (Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin et. al.) can’t go wrong digging into this lush, expansive set. None of the tracks here sound like any of the others, and that’s a testament to Husband’s versatility.