Steve Davis – We See (Smoke Sessions)

If you wanted to pull together an all-star straight-ahead Jazz sextet, it would probably look exactly like the band that trombonist Steve Davis assembled for his latest album on Smoke Sessions Records. Rounding up Eddie Henderson (trumpet), Ralph Moore (tenor saxophone), Renee Rosnes (piano), Essiet Essiet (bass) and Lewis Nash (drums), and getting them all playing live at Smoke is a stroke of genius. All you have to do is hit record on the recording device, and let Jazz do the rest. With two songs penned by Miles Davis (“Milestones,” “All Blues”), two by Thelonious Monk (“We See” and “Ask Me Now”), plus classics by Freddie Hubbard and Larry Willis, there may be few surprises on We See, but it’s as comfortable as your favorite pair of jeans.

John Fedchock – Justifiably J.J. (Summit Records)

2024 is the J.J. Johnson centennial, and it would make sense that there would be a plethora of J.J. Johnson tributes this year, but, as it turns out, there have been shockingly few of them. Enter New York trombonist John Fedchock, and the most unusual of groups, a trombone-led quartet. Steve Allee plays some great piano throughout, bassist Jeremy Allen is grooving and drummer Sean Dobbins keeps things swinging nicely. Justifiably J.J. is the album, recorded live at The Jazz Kitchen in Johnson’s hometown of Indianapolis. Seven of the eight compositions were penned by J.J., including standouts like “Lament,” “Kenya” and “Short Cake” (Marty Albam’s “Lullaby of Jazzland” is the lone exception). Fedchock’s love for Johnson is evident throughout the album, and makes for a fitting, well-executed and well-deserved tribute to a Jazz trombone master.

Jane Monheit – Jane Monheit (Club 44 Records)

It feels like it’s been a minute since we’ve heard from Jane Monheit. Here we are, nearing the end of 2024, and we’ve got a new, self-titled Jane Monheit album, with a couple of characters that we’ve seen before (drummer Rick Mantalbano and saxophonist Joel Frahm), and a few fresher faces, too. Max Haymel is the pianist, Karl McComas Reichl is playing bass, and Kevin Winard and Tiki Pasillas are both playing percussion. On a handful of songs, the Nashville Recording Orchestra is brought in, and they’re used tastefully on Ivan Lins’ “New Beginning” and the ballad “Young and Foolish.” The clever arrangement of “Whatever Lola Wants” became an instant favorite of this morning show host, and the Stephen Sondheim penned “Green Finch and Linnet Bird” was a lovely discovery. I really enjoyed the sassy and stripped down take on “Too Close for Comfort” near the end of the album, and I think it’s a highlight.