The self-produced CD mixes old style be-bop with modern forms of jazz in the tradition of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane. In addition to Lofton on trumpet, the CD also includes Roland Haynes on piano, Reggie Sullivan on bass and Kenneth Salters on drums.

Not so long ago, jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger Duane Carter decided he wanted to put together “a true representation” of his experiences. The result is Never Say Never, a fusion of contemporary jazz, Latin, funk, samba, salsa, rhythm and blues, rap, and ambient styles. The album features backing from Austin’s own urban poet and musician Darin Carter (known on the scene by many as Solaris Musici), vocalist Lauren Kahn, and Earth, Wind & Fire saxophonist Gary Bias. Never Say Never is the perfect résumé of this award-winning L.A. native who has studied with such jazz greats as Bobby Bryant, Sr. and Oscar Brashear, received an M.A. for his craft, and written for musical theater From start to finish, this latest CD is a smooth ride that takes you on a no-worries musical journey. Thoughtful songs like “Afternoon in Laguna” float you into modern thought-pieces like the rap and piano feature “Southern Cali Summer.” A shiny and pleasant adventure, each track is refreshingly crisp and upbeat. By the time “Just Take My Hand” arrives to complete the effect of the full project, it’s official— Duane Carter can transform any hour into “real” time through his melodically organic musicianship.
- hillary r. skaff

David Chenu might be best known around town for his work with gypsy jazz stylists, Paris 49. But Chenu the composer and bandleader steers dramatically clear from the Django sphere. Rather than filling every nanosecond with notes, Chenu evokes instrumental passages that are far more expressive in nature. On his aptly titled second disc, Two, the melodies take their time developing and linger in the air like wisps of smoke, dissipating but never disappearing. If Chenu is so fortunate to have future jazz collectors dissecting his career, they will identify "Chorale Number One" as a masterpiece of this, his early phase. The minute-plus prelude is itself a three-act play (methinks it's a tragedy) resolving into the smoothest of bass lines before Chenu introduces the thematic melody, a less bawdy Hank Crawford insight to the misgivings of a nighthawk. In all, Two consists of twelve original compositions. Most are more readily identified by a mood or aura than a hummable refrain. The entire disc was recorded live to analog reel over two winter days, ending (literally) when the tape ran out. If there's a metaphor here, it is that Chenu's album titles will reach well into the double digits.
- dante dominick