Hundred-word Reviews, September 2026 #3

Here are four more quick reviews. Solid stuff all.

Young Rell – Young Rell
The team at the Little Village foundation have long distinguished themselves by their curated approach to selecting artists. That trend continues unbroken with this, the self-titled full-length debut from Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport. Still shy of his 20^th birthday, the Mississippi native leads a crack ensemble (featuring Kid Anderson, Jim Pugh, June Core and other reliably first-rate players) through a bouncy set that suggests the work of a seasoned bluesman three times his age. Davenport can play like mad, but he never overplays, focusing instead on crafting fully-formed tunes and then layering his excellent fretwork atop them. Rock-solid blues here.

Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band – Arsenio and Beyond: Live at the Bronx Music Hall
Arsenio Rodriguez was a major figure in Cuban music and a master of the tres (a sort of mandolin-meets-guitar instrument). On Bobby Sanabria’s latest with his Multiverse Big Band, he dives into the Rodriguez songbook for eight songs (plus one other). The results are steeped in that brassy, polyrhythmic and irresistible vibe unique to Cuban music. The horns squawk with abandon. The massed lead vocals are in tight formation yet display a fun, loose feel. Non-Spanish speakers won’t understand a word of those vocals, but that shouldn’t diminish enjoyment; the emotions – mostly jubilant and carefree – come through loud and proud.

Doug MacDonald – Tribute to South Central
Tasty jazz guitar in spirited interplay with soulful electric piano is at the center of the arrangement on this instro jazz set. The title refers (I understand) to the live jazz scene of the 1940s in Los Angeles. MacDonald’s musical pedigree is connected to that scene by dint of his past work with Ernie Andrews, Mack McDuff and others. Five of the tracks are guitarist MacDonald originals; the others include a spirited take on Wes Montgomery’s “Mr. Walker,” Jobim’s “Captain Bacardi” and Ellington’s “Self Portrait of the Bean.” It’s sometimes a bit close to Weather Channel™ jazz, but still enjoyable.

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra – Ellington Masterworks
Edward “Duke” Ellington was among the most important and prolific composers of the 20^th century. The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra is the orchestra-in-residence at Washington D.C.’s National Museum of American History. So it stands to reason that the SJMO wold tackle Ellington’s works. But this set –recorded live in 2024 in Pittsburgh – focuses on lesser-known material. Presented in state-of-the-art fidelity, the 15-person orchestra led by conductor Charlie Young presents a varied set that swings hard (“Tattooed Bride”), engages in sublime, near-classical grandeur (“The Flaming Sword”), serves up sultry, contemplative works (“Race”) and much more. Enjoyable from start to finish.