I just finished reviewing a bunch of ECM albums, so I was ready for something a bit more lined up with the reason I got into jazz in the first place. Popped this puppy in and WOW-I’m in love again!…
Month: May 2014
Ark Ovrutski: 44:33
Titled after the length of the album, this latest release by bassist Ark Ovrutski delivers just under ¾ of an hour’s worth of toe tapping post bop. Along with Michael Dease/tb, Michael Thomas/as-ss, David Berkman/p an dUllysses Owens/dr, Ovrutski sizzles…
PREACH IT!!! The Jones Family Singers: The Spirit Speaks
Bishop Jones has been overseeing the congregation at Mount Zion church in Markham, Texas for over 30 years, and this album of spirituals will make you feel like you’re in the front row. And this music isn’t any of that…
The Clare Fischer Orchestra: After the Rain, Music For Strings, Percussion and the Rest
Composer, arranger and keyboardist Clare Fischer, who passed away in 2012, had a career which crossed many styles of music from classical to bebop with Dizzy Gillespie. These two albums lean more towards his classical side, but still reflect his…
Jim Olsen Ensemble: We See Stars
Composer and arranger Jim Olsen brings together a richly textured and snazzily swinging big band which includes top notch soloists such as Bobby Shew/tp, Dick Oatts/sax and John Harmon/key. The eight originals mix toe tapping swing such as on “Illogical…
FUN TIME! Chris Parker: Full Circle, ES2: AlgoRhythms
Forget getting serious. It’s time to have some good times with jazz, and these two releases get the job done. We need SOMETHING to cheer us up! Pianist Chris Parker writes and arranges this Decalogue of swinging and danceable ditties…
Noah Baerman: Ripples
Band leader Noah Baerman patches and pastes a variety of bands, sounds and settings on this recording that includes strings, vocals, winds, vibes and Kenny Barron’s piano. Ambitious chamber pieces such as “The Outer Circle” combine strings with a jazz…
Matt Newton: Within Reach
Keyboardist Matt Newton leads a lithe trio with Dan Fortin/b and Ethan Ardelli/dr through some well crafted originals. He includes Felicity Williams’ voice and Harley Card’s guitar on “Our Own World” to break the color code, but otherwise pieces such…
Dan Weiss: Fourteen
Drummer Dan Weiss puts together a highly ambitious album here in terms of conception, musicality and instrumentation. The pieces come together in almost kaleidoscopic fashion, mixing modern classical piano and progressive rock as in “Part One” to acoustic/classical guitar with…
Joseph Klein: Improbable Encounters
This cd/dvd consists of compositions by Joseph Klein, in the style of post modern classical, or avant garde jazz, depending on which circles you care to associate with. The cd and dvd include completely different material, ranging from solos for…