Bassist Mark Egan continues his enthralling post-Metheny career in this latest release with Mitchel Forman/key and Danny Gottlieb/dr. A few of the pieces, such as “Sailing” and “Little Pagoda,” give reminiscences of those early days, with gently lyrical spaciousness, but…
Month: June 2014
Bibi Tanga: Now
Bassist, composer and vocalist Bibi Tanga has a pretty large following in France, and it’s easy to see why. His music has that alluring calypso thing to it, and his Mint Julep of a voice goes down sweetly. He leads…
Jamie Saft-Steve Swallow-Bobby Previte: The New Standard
The jazz trio takes various forms here with Jamie Saft/p-org, Steve Swallow/b and Bobby Previte/dr on this collection of originals. The interplay between the three is alarmingly symbiotic, with classic hard bop bluesies such as “Clarissa” and ”I See No…
Nat “King” Cole: Extraordinary DeLuxe Version
You can argue until you’re blue in the face as to who the greatest American singer was. (Hint: it’s NOT Michael Buble’)It always comes down to four: Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and Nat “King” Cole. This retrospective of…
Studio Rio Presents: The Brazil Connection
Here’s a disc you weren’t expecting. In light of the World Cup being held in Brazil this year, Sony Legacy has taken hit songs from artists ranging from Billie Holiday to Andy Williams and flew them down to Rio for…
Johnny Rivers & Jimmy Webb@The Ford Theatre 06.21.14
Yes, I know that Johnny Rivers and Jimmy Webb were both recently reviewed here when they celebrated the 50th anniversary of the legendary opening of the Whisky A Go Go. This time around,the concert was a benefit to celebrate the…
Billy Hart Quartet@The Blue Whale 06.19.14
Touring around in support of his latest release One Is The Other, veteran drummer Billy Hart filled the hip Blue Whale with his team of Ethan Iverson/p, Ben Street/b and Mark Turner/ts delivered material that mixed intriguing rhythms, melodies and…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Curtis Stigers: Hooray For Love
If you have any discs my Michael Bubbles, but not of Curtis Stigers, please do me a favor and get rid of the former, and fill up with the latter. Like, start with this one. BUBLE’ IS A POSER!! HE…
Barb Jungr: Hard Rain
Subtitled “The Songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen,” this album by evocative chanteuse Barb Jungr brings folk tunes from the 60s and on up to modern times, sounds and interpretations. Her chestnut tone works well, and she uses her…
Manhattan School of Music Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra: The Symphonic Ellington, Que Viva Harlem!
Here are a couple of releases by the Manhattan School of Music. One is from the Jazz Philharmonic, and the other from the Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra. Talking about getting an education Conducted by Justin DiCioccio, the MSMJPO delves into…