When I first heard about this project, my initial reaction was "does Miles need lyrics grafted to his instrumental masterpieces"? I usually despise lyrics being added to instrumentals and singers wanting to add their vocal take on songs that don’t need lyrics. Having said that, I thought that if any singer could pull this project off with any sort of musicality and respect for the songs and composer, it would be either Joni Mitchell or Cassandra Wilson. Both of these women are musicians that happen to use their voices as their instruments as opposed to singers who just sing words.

"Traveling Miles" is a really good recording and sounds like an honest interpretation of the music of Miles Davis. Ms Wilson’s instrument is full of emotion and her phrasing and dark toned voice makes for the perfect storyteller. The recording covers quite a full range of Miles’ ever-changing career and serves each song to it’s fullest potential. There are four original songs penned or co-penned by Ms Wilson and fit in very well with the programme. The lyrics also written by Ms Wilson, are really imaginative and fit in well with Miles’ style of "less is more". The folksy, bluesy treatment of the music ties the songs together well. Wayne Shorter'’ "ESP", the funky "Tutu", the pop hit "Time after Time", "Seven Steps to Heaven", "Blue in Green" (with a beautiful nylon string guitar solo by guest Pat Metheny), "Run the Voodoo Down", and "Someday My Prince Will Come" all jell because of the strong, original way in which Cassandra Wilson interprets a song. She also surrounds herself with musicians of incredible depth and stylistic elasticity such as guitarists Kevin Breit, Marvin Sewell, and Doug Wamble, bassists Lonnie Plaxico and Dave Holland, who played with Miles, and guests such as Metheny, violinist Regina Carter, and vocalist Angelique Kidjo. I highly recommend this recording, and it certainly surprised me, I am quite surprised that Cassandra Wilson is so popular with the mainstream jazz fan because of the retro crazed world we live in. Ms Wilson is not only an original voice but is extremely modern and hip. A breath of fresh air. (S.B.)

Time Warp features four of Canada’s finest jazz musicians, Barry Elmes – drums, Al Henderson – bass, Mike Murley – saxophones, and Kevin Turcotte – trumpet/flugelhorn, plus special guest pianist Mark Eisenman on five of the ten songs.

"Such Sweet Thunder" opens and immediately sets you into the Ellington mood, which swings like thunder throughout this recording. "Jubilee Stomp" is absolute joy. "Hot and Bothered" features blistering solos by Turcotte and Murley (on soprano sax). "Rockin’ in Rhythm", "Daydream", "Freedom (No.5)" and "Praise God and Dance" are all nuggets from the 1930’s and 40’s. Superb sound. (D.W.)

D.E.W. East consists of Alex Dean – saxophones, bass clarinet, flute, Barry Elmes – drums, and Steve Wallace – bass. Mainstream jazz trios just don’t get better than this. "Mr.B.C." features Alex on bass clarinet with a strong Eric Dolphy influence and Steve Wallace, who, to my ears, sounds like he is playing the world’s largest bass. From originals, the aforementioned "Mr.B.C." (Dean), "Give Every Man his D.E.W.", (Wallace), "Waltz New" (Dean), "The Thruster"/"Don’t Get Lost" (Elmes), "Soul-Ammons-Dean (Dean/Elmes/Wallace) through standards "It’s Easy to Remember" (Hart/Rodgers) and "These Foolish Things" (Marvell/Strackey/Link) the trio offers some memorable music worthy of repeated playing. (D.W.)

Vertu is a quintet consisting of two former "Return to Forever" members, Stanley Clarke – bass, and Lenny White – drums, plus Karen Briggs – violin, Rachel A – keyboards and Richie Kozen – guitar.

Exciting jazz-rock fusion in the style of Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, and Weather Report. Vertu delivers challenging, creative music with sudden time changes and tempo shifts. Cutting edge fusion pushing into the twenty first centuries. Ten original tracks including "V-Wave", "The Call" (producing searing guitar/violin riffs trading back and forth), "Dance of the Harlequin" (beginning with a symphonic structure, then shifting into a jazz/rock opera), "Start it Again" (features Richie singing in an R&B ballad mood, with a tight funky bass bottom line), "Marakesh" (has funk-driven middle eastern tones, pushing and stretching the listener to the edge). Highly recommended for all fusion fans. (D.W.)

Hank Crawford opens the set by singing through his alto sax on his own composition "Bow Legs", a funky blues, reminiscent of Bill Doggett’s "Honky Tonk". Cornell Dupree solos on guitar before McGriff joins in on B3 Hammond supported by Bernard ‘Back Beat’ Purdie on drums. Chuck Willis’ blues ballad "Don’t Deceive Me" features Melvin Sparks on guitar, who shares half of the tracks on this CD with Cornell Dupree. Blues ("It’s All Good"), BeBop ("Sandu"), Funk ("The Preacher"), they are all well represented here by a team that works well together. (D.W.)

In a meld of two studio sessions (Montreal – 1998/NYC – 1999), vocalist Jeri Brown presents an eclectic mix of standards and originals, the latter including David Murray’s sinuous tenor on Gerry Niewood’s "Joy", Leon Thomas’ recognizable throat warble on his own "Echoes", and a scat duet with train-like propulsion through "As Long As You’re Living". Though Jeri Brown showcases the full dynamic range of her voice on uptempo numbers, I find her balladic selections more expressively compelling, notably the fluid, whimsical tenor of Murray with Lionel Hampton’s "Midnight Sun", the bilingual rendition of

Michel Legrand’s "You Must Believe in Spring" with its subtle mood shifts, or the tender coalescence of her '‘honeyed voice' and John Hicks’ piano on "The Nearness of You". Her approach defies comparison (though one wants to suggest Norma Winstone or Cleo Laine), and the qualities of versatility, sophistication and clarity of delivery mark her uniqueness. (J.S.)

"…….I trust the music….I try to remain a vessel for it…." States Malinverni (a review). Drawing upon inspirational sources, the pianist retains the lyrical fidelity of selected standards on this 1998 CD, swinging with ease through "It Was a Very Good Year" and "Lucky To Be Me", unhurried and melodically explorative with "Imagination", while Latinized modifications give a novel inflection and colouration to Ellington’s "Angelica", and his strong church background provides us with an intimately moving offering of two traditional pieces, ""Steal Away"/"My Lord, What a Mourning". Both originals "Courtin’ the Muse"/"Projection" are uptempo, jaunty numbers with playful chordal sequences. "Blue in Green", attributed to Miles Davis, employs a Bill Evans version with a gentle waltz pattern allowing all three instruments to interact more independently. The rapport of the players bears fruit in the polished, tightly knit integration of piano, bass (Dennis Irwin) and drums (Leroy Williams) throughout. This is a genuine restorative for those who prefer their jazz fluent, uncomplicated, yet imaginative. (J.S.)