Bobby Hutcherson, David Sanborn, Joey DeFrancesco, featuring Billy Hart Enjoy The View 2014

Bobby Hucherson is a fabulous vibes player. I do love vibes. David Sanborn has been associated with some fairly lightweight jazz in the past, but that is certainly not the case here. Billy Hart is a veteran drummer with finesse and skill. Joey Defrancesco plays the organ as well as anyone, and is also a veteran of countless gigs and recordings.

Put the four together and you get a class outing by any measure. Pack it all onto two slabs of pristine vinyl, and you get great sound along with fine playing.

As I mentioned, this isn't what would classify as smooth jazz. These guys are the real deal, and we get a mix of melodic, mellow cuts and and some intense, challenging tracks as well. Everyone gets a chance to solo, but they also support each other with beauty and cohesiveness. Sanborn gets downright wiggy on several cuts. Hutcherson is on fire throughout, and DeFrancesco is my new favorite jazz organist. Hart just sits at the kit and patiently delivers a driving force or a light groove as the song requires. Hutcherson, Sanborn and DeFrancesco all get writing credits, and the material is top notch.

Got a jazz lover with a turntable on your holiday shopping list?

St. Vincent St. Vincent 2014

Last week I went to the record store with no ideas and came home with this St. Vincent record. I had heard her record with David Byrne, and I didn't like it, but I haven't really liked much of Bryne's post-Talking Heads material, so I didn't hold it against St. Vincent (Annie E. Clark). It is admittedly a pretty strange choice for me, but I'm warming up to it, and it seems so very modern. I'm generally opposed to synth bass, but with St. Vincent's interesting and challenging guitar playing, her odd yet alluring voice, and her talent for melody, well, I'm quite into it.

I don't usually go for quirky, but the more I hear this gem, the less unusual it sounds. There's a pop sensibility here that's not far below the surface. There's also an eighties-styled keyboard sheen that usually gets in the way (at least for me), that works so well with her vocals that it's hard to argue with.

Most of it rocks pretty hard. Her distorted guitar tones and almost crystalline voice carry these interesting compositions, and the strange lyrics add another layer. So what does it sound like? I guess if you crammed a more detached Kate Bush into King Crimson with just a touch of the Cars and Prince you'd get pretty close. There, that'll have you running out to get it.

Samples probably won't let you really hear the record. It's a cohesive whole, with a consistent sound throughout that rewards repeated listening. I took a chance and found a good one. I love when that happens.