Kim Yến chưa khẳng định được hướng đi của mình. Trong 9 ca khúc cô trình bày gồm có “Đếm giọt sầu rơi” của Vinh Sử (nghe rất Tàu), “Tình em ngọn nến” (nhạc ngoại, lời Việt của Khúc Lan, và những tình khúc của Phạm Duy, Lam Phương, và Đỗ Lễ. Chẳng những thế mà Kim Yến còn chưa bộc lộ được ca từ. Chẳng hạn như “Em đi rồi” (Lam Phương) và “Giáng Ngọc” (Nguyên Sa và Ngô Thụy Miên), cô cố gắng đặt tình cảm của mình vào nhưng vẫn thiếu cái hồn. “Hẹn hò” (Phạm Duy) và “Sang Ngang” (Đỗ Lễ) được Lê Minh Ngọc cứu vớt.

Wynton Marsalis not only mastered Pops’ New Orleans style, but he also brought his own sensibilities to the live recordings. Marsalis can play like Pops, but he can’t sing like Pops. No one can sing, improvise, and scat like Pops. I am enjoying this album immensely.

The Matt Carter Octet brings back the big band swing on Read Between the Lines. The reinvigoration from the Great American Songbook of “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” is just refreshing. From the corresponding horns to the swinging rhythm section to Carter’s exhilarating solo, the band knows the classic well. While “Fighting Talk” demonstrates their post-bop thrive, “Duke’s Mood” displays the opposite: slow-burn emotions. An impressive debut.

Kicking off my morning commute with some smooth-jazz vibes. No crime in that. In fact, Cindy Bradley’s Promise is the type of smooth-jazz album I don’t mind listening to. Whether playing a flugelhorn or a muted horn, Bradley has some of the Miles Davis qualities, such as clear, concise, and captivating. She breaks no sweat blowing with hip-hop beats (“For the Cool In You”), Latin grooves (“Cinco”), or slow soothing tempos (“Evening Zen”)—a promising album.

With Anthem of Unity, guitarist Joel Harrison invited Jack DeJohnette who played drums for Miles Davis to join him along with saxophonist Greg Tardy and keyboardist Gary Versace. Together they formed an outstanding quartet. They give Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin” a soulful, waltzing interpretation, especially Harrison’s emotional solo. They way he accompanies Tardy is just too damn beautiful. Tardy and Versace were blazing on “Today Is Tomorrow’s Yesterday” and DeJohnette’s opening improvisation on “Parvati” is captivating. The album is a beauty of unity.

On “Abracadabra” Nas rhymes, “2020 when we did the first one / Five album run, not a cursed one, it’s a blessed one / By the time y’all hear this, we be halfway through the next one.” Without a doubt, Nas is a prolific rapper, especially after he found his fruitful collaborator. Nas and Hit-Boy make more magic on this short, concise, compelling album. Only 50 Cent and 21 Savage get the guest spot on Magic 2. Nas continues to churn out dope rhymes himself. He has proven that his assets are his words. Almost 30 years after he released his classic Illmatic, he has not ran out of words. He is a wordsmith and that is how he gets to where he is today. At 49, Nas is a hip-hop living legend.

With 26 tracks clocking in almost 90 minutes, Pink Tape is hard to get through, especially with Uzi’s Auto-Tune singing in the later numbers. Even his sexual braggadocio gets boring. There are some shining moments like “Suicide Doors” and “Mama, I’m So Sorry.” Uzi’s style is not my cup of tea.

Recorded in 1961, the sound quality was poor, but the performances were top-notch. Coltrane’s quintet featured McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, Elvin Jones on drums, and special guests Eric Dolphy on alto saxophone, bass clarinet, and flute. Dolphy played an eccentric solo on “My Favorite Things” with his flute. Coltrane just blazed it. The rest of the album is filled with extended improvisations and experimentations. It is always a treat to revisit Coltrane.

I keep returning to Pendant World for its natural beauty. I was driving home from work in the scorching heat and yet Balmorhea’s music took my mind to a different space. The melodies, textures, and harmonies are soothing on the surface, yet deeply in the core. I didn’t have to pay attention to the music and yet it was there to please me. I don’t even know what I am writing. Just give it a spin.

Listening to Octava reminds me of Kind of Blue. Right off the opening “Invocation,” the vibe is laid-back, relaxed, yet commanding attention. “Green Dreams” is meditative yet uplifting. It is a soothing album to kick back to after a long, stressful day. A few glasses of wine will also help.