Before I get to the heart of this month’s column, there are a few shows taking place over this long holiday weekend that I’d like to give an extra plug for. On Sunday, Nov. 30, Larry Garland and Friends will take the stage at The Press Room at 6 p.m. for an evening of jazz, while in Dover at 8 p.m., Jose Duque will debut his Pat Metheny Project band at the Barley Pub on Central Avenue. And on Friday evening, Nov. 28, check out the country stylings of Blue Train, featuring the superb pedal-steel guitar work of Dan Beller-McKenna, at the Press Room at 9 p.m.

Four new CDs worth mentioning have crossed my desk within the last few weeks. Susan Tedeschi’s “Back to The River,” on the Verve/Forecast label, is a rich and seamless blend of blues, soul and gospel that features her power-house vocals and incisive guitar work, ably supported by her working band and her husband, guitarist Derek Trucks.

Francisco Mela’s “Cirio,” on Half Note Records, finds the Cuban-born drummer leading a stellar quintet composed of pianist Jason Moran, saxophonist Mark Turner, guitarist Lionel Loueke and bassist Larry Grenadier during an explosive live set of stylistically diverse originals at the Blue Note in New York City. It’s one of the better live CDs I’ve heard in a while.

Saxophonist Donny McCaslin leads a sax/bass/drums trio to extraordinary effect on his Greenleaf Music debut “Recommended Tools.” And saxophonist Dave Pietro blends jazz, Brazilian and Indian music beautifully on his latest Challenge Records release “The Chara Suite.” Using the seven chakras, or energy points, as a source of inspiration, Pietro has created a suite that blends the three musical styles into a rich and natural blend, performed with great energy and enthusiasm by Pietro and his associates. This is Pietro’s finest effort to date and is certainly one of the best recordings I’ve heard this year. More importantly, it’s a fine example of how various styles can come together to create music without rigid barriers.

Several prominent musicians have died in the past few months, one of whom, pianist Dave McKenna, had musical ties to the local area. McKenna, who passed away on Oct. 18 at the age of 78, was one of very few jazz pianists who worked primarily as a solo performer for a good portion of his career. If you ever heard this remarkable musician play, you would quickly realize that no other accompaniment was needed. McKenna’s deft touch at the keyboard, which included one of the most powerful left hands imaginable, produced an approach on the piano that was truly orchestral. Not one to give into bombast, McKenna approached all of his solos with reverence for a tune’s melody and would build his solos from that point into rich musical tapestries that had a rhapsodic quality. While a number of his recordings are somewhat difficult to get hold of, his CD “Live at Maybeck” is currently available through Amazon.com and offers a sterling example of his capabilities.

McKenna spent the bulk of his career in New England. He appeared in this area on several occasions, playing in the UNH Traditional Jazz Series. His connection with the series was special, as McKenna was the featured performer at the first-ever concert in the series in October 1979. McKenna was also the house pianist at the Copley-Plaza Hotel in Boston for many years with many of Bean Town’s social, political and sports luminaries stopping by the piano to request a tune or talk to McKenna about the travails of the Red Sox, a team that McKenna was deeply passionate about. Former Celtics coach K.C. Jones was known to join McKenna for renditions of various standards on a regular basis.

McKenna was also an adept accompanist. Early in his career, McKenna toured with the bands of Woody Herman and Charlie Ventura, and he worked regularly with cornetist Bobby Hackett and saxophonists Bob Wilbur and Dick Johnson. McKenna performed on Johnson’s Concord Jazz recording “Dick Johnson Plays,” a duo recording that swings as hard as any full blown ensemble recording.

As for his stature in the jazz world, McKenna was usually self-deprecating. He once said of himself, “I don’t know if I qualify as bona fide jazz guy. I play saloon piano. I like to stick close to the melody.”

Other notable passings include three drum masters who each contributed to the evolution of the instrument. Earl Palmer, a New Orleans native who backed a wide range of artists from Fats Domino and The Righteous Brothers to Frank Sinatra and Bonnie Raitt, passed away in August. Palmer created the unique grooves to Domino’s “I’m Walkin’,” Little Richard’s “Long, Tall Sally” and Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me.” Yet he was equally at home with artists like Sinatra and Sarah Vaughn. After his early success, Palmer relocated to Hollywood where he became one of the busiest session musicians in the industry, playing drums on numerous TV theme songs, including “Mission: Impossible,” “Green Acres” and “The Odd Couple.” Palmer was a sensitive player who had the right groove for any occasion. In 2000, Palmer was among the first class of sidemen to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Drummer Mitch Mitchell, the sole surviving member of 1960s sensation the Jimi Hendrix Experience, passed away on Nov. 11 at age 61. A jazz drummer at heart, Mitchell brought a jazz sensibility to Hendrix’s approach to blues and rock and appeared with Hendrix at the group’s infamous 1967 Monterrey Pop Festival performance. At the time of his death, Mitchell was on the road with the Experience Hendrix Tour.

Tony Reedus, a jazz drummer of impeccable taste, passed away on Sunday Nov. 16 at the age of 49. Reedus worked and recorded with a variety of jazz greats, including trumpeters Woody Shaw and Freddie Hubbard, trombonist Steve Turre and his uncle James Williams, the late pianist. You can check out this fine musicians approach on his Criss Cross label CD “A Minor Thang.”

Two other notable deaths to mention include photographer William Claxton who passed away on Oct. 11 at the age of 80. Claxton was known for his photographs of jazz musicians that were taken outside musical settings, such as at a beach or on the street. Claxton also gained notoriety for his stunningly intimate portraits of celebrities like Steve McQueen and Frank Sinatra.
Lastly, Neal Hefti, a composer, arranger and trumpet player, also passed away on Oct. 11 at the age of 85. Though famously known as the composer of the “Batman” theme in the 1960s television series and later for the theme to the TV version of “The Odd Couple,” Hefti’s place in the jazz world will always be solidified through his writing for the bands of Woody Herman and Count Basie. In the mid-1950s, Basie released an LP commonly known as “Atomic Basie” recording on Roulette, which exclusively featuring Hefti’s music. Among these tunes were such classics as “Splanky,” “Cute,” “Little Pony” and, the most enduring tune of all, “Li’l Darlin’.”