Bay area jazz bassist Michael Ross brings in young luminaries for fifth album ‘Giraffe’

Bassist Michael Ross , a stalwart on the Tampa Bay jazz scene since the late 1970s, released Giraffe , his fifth album as a leader, last summer.

The nine-track offering falls within the mainstream jazz idiom, with some welcome updates. For one, several tracks feature young Gibbs High alum Anthony Aldissi playing splendid Fender Rhodes, which gives tunes like “Chick’s Pick,” “Buddha” and the title track a more contemporary resonance.

Giraffe includes four Ross originals, showcasing melodies that are at once catchy and intricate, and also includes astutely chosen jazz standards by Wayne Shorter (“Oriental Folk Song”) and McCoy Tyner (“Inception”).

The bassist’s fleet fingers and elastic tone are on display throughout. Danny Jordan handles the tricky melodic lines and offers up swaggering solos on tenor saxophone and flute.

Ross regularly plays in Sarasota. See a list of the best Tampa Bay instrumental bands you can listen to right now.

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