Ugetsu: Cape Town Blues (Naxos Jazz)
With a name taken from one of Art Blakey's albums, Ugetsu's inspiration is clear: they play an updated Messenger hard bop, less aggressively framed. That's partly because drummer Rick Hollander, a subtle player in his own right, lacks Blakey's uncompromising drive. The group's concerns, too, are divided between the Messenger lineage and finding their own collective voice, which somewhat dilutes the stylistic focus. But it's distinguished by an accomplished, if not markedly individual front line - Valery Ponomarev (trumpet), Adrian Mears (trombone) and Tim Armacost (tenor), supported by a highly competent rhythm section completed by Bernhard Pichl (piano) and leader Martin Zenker (bass). Hard bop fans will find it a budget-priced bargain.
Stan Kenton: Kenton Showcase (Capitol)
When the two 1950s albums comprising this absorbing reissue were made, Kenton's heavily-loaded juggernaut (10 brass, five reeds, four rhythm) was poised between the cerebral arrangements of Bill Russo, and the more swinging, contrapuntal charts of Bill Holman. It was less simple than that, but Kenton chose to underline the contrast by recording separate albums of each arranger's work. The band, nevertheless, still sounds Kentonesque. Russo's more radical scores, such as Egdon Heath and Dusk, retain the ability to impress as orchestral pieces, but Holman gave the band's great soloists, notably on four bonus tracks featuring a superb Lee Konitz, more congenial material. Incidentally, one performance of Bags here was missed by the Mosaic label's definitive Holman/Russo compilation.