It’s easy to see why jazz legend Ahmad Jamal endorses as well as produces this album by pianist Shahin Novrasli. As he demonstrates on this trio album with veteran drummer Herlin Riley and bassist James Cammack, Novrasli goes against the…
Month: November 2019
Alex Cuba: Sublime
Rich and sublime Afro Cuban moods are produced by the folksy sounds of Alex Cuba on this bohemian collection of originals. His voice is warm and soulful, glowing over the hip dance pulsations on pieces like “Yo No Se” and…
DSC: Monktime
The songbook of Thelonious Sphere Monk is given a guitar trio treatment by six stringer Greg Skaff and his mates bassist Leon Lee Dorsey and legendary bop drummer Mike Clark. Clark is in comfort food mode here, snapping like snow…
PIANO TRIOS…Derel Monteith Trio: Quantity Of Life, Florian Hoefner Trio: First Spring, Evgeny Sivtsov: Zoo
The marrow of jazz is still producing life in the form of the piano trio. Pianist Derel Monteith teams with bassist Andy Crawford and drummer Jason Brannon for some clever and well conceived originals. His touch is able to go…
THIS IS A TENOR SAX 101…Johnny Griffin & Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis: Live At The Penthouse
There’s something almost uniquely special about two tenor summit meetings. Guitar duos come close, but after that, who REALLY wants to hear a pair of trombones, cluttery pianos, or heaven forbid, basses forming a two man front line? Nope, it’s…
Noah Preminger Group: Zigsaw: Music of Steve Lampert
Tenor saxist Noah Preminger has tackled a lot of projects, but this one, a 48 minute opus, may be his most ambitious yet. He teams up with Jason Palmer/tp, John O’Gallagher/as, Kris Davis/p, Rob Schwimmer/clav, Kim Cass/b and Rudy Royston/dr…
Steve Marriott: Humble Pie-The Life and Times of Steve Marriott
The life and music of one of the most blue-eyed soulful singers of the 60s and 70s, Steve Marriott, is displayed visually and musically on this documentary dvd/Blu-Ray and accompanying cd. The hour+ “Rockumentary” includes the early life and career…
ENCORE! John Batiste: Chronology of a Dream-Live at the Village Vanguard
This six song album by Jon Batiste is the second release to his residency last year at the famed Village Vanguard, and it’s bubbling over with excitement and enthusiasm. Batiste’s musical and life worldview is reflected in the liner notes…
Jason Harnell: Total Harnage
OK-you’ve got Jason Harnell (is there anyone hiding in the background here?) on drums and vocals, using both in a wide girth of description. The twelve “Songs” may include titles you recongnize like “ Moon River” and “When You’re Smiling,”…
MOOD CREATING LADIES…Madison Galloway: Moon & Mercury, Chloe Perrier & The French Heart Jazz Band: Petite Fleur, Svetlana: Night At The Movies, Sumitra with Brian Blade & Carlitos Del Puerto: Bittersweet
Various environs and locations are evoked by these songstresses Madison Galloway gets bohemian as she sings, plays guitars, harmonica and percussion along with Jonathan Markov on guitar, bass and trombone, drummer Jody Brumell, keyboardist Breanna Morrison and VW busload of…