One of the most under-appreciated living pianists, the good doctor Denny Zeitlin puts the great American Songbook on the couch, eschews the group therapy of his regular trio and does solo analysis of nocturnal pieces such as “Las Night When…
Month: July 2012
Arild Anderson w/ The Scottish National Orchestra / Louis Sclavis-Atlas Trio / John Surman
ECM’S LATEST Arild Anderson w/ The Scottish National Orchestra: Celebration Here are 3 recent releases by the venerable and explorative ECM records, displaying visions that inspire, amuse and befuddle. Bassist Arild Anderson fronts an orchestra directed by Tommy Smith during…
Jim Snidero: Interface
Jim Snidero’s one of the few guys around nowadays that gets the sound of the alto sax right. Not too bright or whiney, he’s got a nice gutsy tone that never shrills. He’s earned his keep with the likes of…
Chris Taylor: Nocturnal
Guitarist Christ Taylor got my attention on this disc when I read in the liner notes that he dedicated the music, in part to Bela Lugosi. That sort of gives you the eclectic mindset of this guy. He teams up…
Arturo Sandoval: Dear Diz (Every Day I Think of You)
Arturo Sandoval is on a career roll. For awhile, the trumpeter was in danger of becoming a parody of himself, with blistering chops and volume that was as impressive as it was overwhelming. A few years ago, he got the…
Tom Wetmore: Desired Effect
I like a disc when I listen to the music and can’t tell who the leader is. That was the case here with electric pianist Tom Wetmore on his debut release. All nine songs here are his compositions, and he…
Melissa Errico: Legrand Affair / Sue Halloran & Ken Hitchcock: I Can Cook Too!
Here are a couple of female vocalists that are undeservedly under the radar, and add an extra texture to the book of Standards. Melissa Errico has a voice that used to be termed “legit.” In other words, she sounds like…
Jukin’ Wit De Blues: Jukin’ / Bar-B-Cue’n Blues
Various wailers and shuffling beat boogiers If you ever wanted to know what the 60s, and therefore, pop and rock music, would have sounded like if there were no British Invasion of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc, these two discs…
Gary Smulyan: Smul’s Paradise
Gary Smulyan is one of of thetop bari players around, having developed a big fat sound via his work with large ensembles like the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, Woody Herman’s Orchestra and the Mingus Big Band. He’s also carved out…
Al Di Meola: Morocco Fantasia: World Sinfonia Live with Special Guests
Guitarist Al Di Meola seems to finally have found a musical voice and home. He’s made a name for himself as an AK-47 styled electric guitar gunslinger, a devotee of New Tango music, and an amalgam of sounds on his…