Back in the 70s, hard rocking glitter bands were the vanguard of pop music. The New York Dolls, Mott The Hoople…the list could go on. So what good does it do that a group lead by Queen V (and supported…
Month: August 2013
A PAIR OF TRIOS…Christian McBride Trio: Out Here, Chip Stephens Trio: Relevancy
Done right, the jazz trio is the marrow of the music. These two groups do it right… Does Christian McBride ever take a day off? What’s he got? Two mortgages or 3 kids college that he’s saving for? He’s ALWAYS…
ECHOES OF AN ERA…Orchester Kurt Edelhagen (featuring Mary Lou Williams): Big Bands Live
The Jazz House label keeps bringing out vintage live and studio recordings from bands famous and obscure. I’m sure few have ever heard of the 1954 jazz band from Germany, fresh from defeat in WWII. Kurt Edelhagen put together a…
VOCALISTS IN TWO HUES! Laura Ainsworth: Necessary Evil, Annie Kozuch: Mostly Jobim
Here are a couple female singers that are carrying on two different jazz traditions Laura Ainsworth is a warm toned vocalist in the Cheryl Bentyne school of delivery. Husky in voice, she teams up with a big band on a…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****YEAR?***Frank Wess: Magic 101
Here’s a guy that over 3 score years has been involved in some of the most fantastic music in jazz. As this disc proves, the truly great ones get better and better like a fine wine. About 6 years ago,…
Django Festival Allstars: Live at Birdland 2012
Possibly the most exciting thing about this collection of concert material from the 14th annual Django Reinhardt New York Festival (and there’s LOTS to be excited about here) is that very few of the songs presented here were actually performed,…
The Rosenthals: Fly Away
Here’s a collaboration between two throwback styles of music that cut to the heart of the American temperament; bluegrass and jazz. Father and banjo/guitarist Phil Rosenthal is best known for his bluegrass and folk group The Seldom Scene. Son and…
Ivan Lins & SWR Big Band: Cornucopia
One of the greatest living Brazilian composers, Ivan Lins, has his material presented in an intriguing and creative fashion on this exciting new disc. Together with the SWR Big Band conducted by Ralf Schmid, Lins and a plethora of guests…
BOW WOW! Slobber Pup: Black Aces
Consisting of Jamie Saft/org-key, Joe Morris/g, Trevor Dunn/b and Balazs pandi, Slobber Pup delivers 5 tracks of musical anarchy disguised as progressive jazz. If you’re not completely assaulted by the 26 minute “Accuser” that mixes thrashing guitars, organs and drums…
THE RETURN OF REAL SOUL MUSIC? Denise King & Olivier Hutman: Give Me The High Sign
Just when you think that the real deal in soul music will never comes back, God brings a prophet (or in this case, a prophetess) on to the scene and your hope is restored. Vocalist Denise King and keyboardist/arranger Olivier…