A hot night of hard bopping was happening Sept 7, 2023, with trumpeter and leader Dwyane Clemons blowing heat with Amanda Sedgwick/as, Aaron Johnson/ts, JinJoo Yoo/p, Paul Gill/b and Taro Okamoto/dr mixing standards with originals. Clemons and company are bright…
Month: January 2025
Wonderly Wolves: Wonderly Wolves
The guitar/instrumental and vocal team of Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk bring 11 originals that sound like the early days of Buffalo Springfield or The Flying Burrito Brothers. There’s a dash of rock steady on “Words To Say Goodbye”, and…
Lars Danielsson, Verneri Pohjoia, John Parricelli: Trio
The trio of Verneri Pohjola/tp, Lars Daniellson/b and John Parricelli/g create ambient atmosphere on this dozen originals and covers. Pohjola’s trumpet mostly sighs and gasps, floating like a cloud on “Le Calme au Chateau”, ethereal during “Improvisado” and hovering for…
Renee Rosnes: Crossing Paths
One of today’s most important pianists, Renee Rosnes explores Brazilian territory on this festive album with Chico Pinheiro/g, John Patitucci/b, Adam Cruz/dr, Rogerio Boccato/perc, Steve Davis/tb, Shelly Brown/fl, Chris Potter/ts-ss and vocalists Edu Lobo-Joyce Moreno-Maucha Adnet. The instrumentals feature the…
City of Four: Vistas
Consisting of Mike Caudill/ts-EWI, Cat Tremblay/key, Eric Falter/b and Steve Wilkinson/dr the band City of Four create smoothish and soulful originals with a mellow groove. Caudill’s EWI adds drama to the buildup of “Resolute” while sleek on the relaxed “Ropewalk”…
ERIC MARIENTHAL: A MASTER AMONGST THE MASTERS
FEW ARTISTS CAN CLAIM A CAREER TRAJECTORY THAT GOES FROM PLAYING AT DISNEYLAND TO CHICK COREA’S ELEKTRIC BAND, BUT ALTO/SOPRANO SAXIST ERIC MARIENTHAL HAS BOTH BRAGGING RIGHTS TO BOTH. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT YOU CAN ALSO SEE HIM IN THE…
FRESH SOUND…Cody Steinmann: Confined Spaces
In this era where there is a surfeit of guitarists and a shortage of fresh ideas, Cody Steinmann has beat the odds with a personal tone on this album with Chris Bates/b and Abinnet Berhanu/dr that is both unique and…
BENNIE MAUPIN: GROUNDBREAKING WITH THE REEDS
ONE OF THE LIVING TREASURES OF JAZZ AND LOS ANGELES IS BENNIE MAUPIN. LIKE FORREST GUMP, HE SEEMS TO ALWAYS BE PRESENT ON GROUNDBREAKING RECORDINGS. HIS BASS CLARINET ADDED ESSENTIAL TEXTURE TO MILES DAVIS’ SEMINAL BITCHES BREW AND JACK JOHNSON ALBUMS. HE WAS ALSO…