Usually, when someone does a tribute to an artist, the first thought is “Why should I listen to this when I can just get something by the original artist?” Very valid question. This collection of fourteen tunes that define Chicago…
Month: October 2014
ARE YOU A LATIN LOVER?…Laura Dreyer: Vida. Arte. Amor.
This disc is going to surprise you. A blond lady is on the front, and she’s not walking along the beaches of Rio in a bikini. She’s the leader of this wonderfully latin collection of salsa and samba, Laura Dreyer,…
STRING ALONG…Break of Reality: Ten, Fabian Almazan: Rhizome
Where do string sections fit in with modern music? Here are a couple of answers. Break of Realty is a team of Patrick Laird/cel, Ivan Trvino/dr, Laura Metcalf/cel, Adrian Daurov/cel , Brook Speltz/cel, Meta Weiss/cel and Marnie Laird/p who mix…
Mitch Shiner: Fly!
Mitch Shiner leads the Blooming Tones Big Band here as he supplies drums, vibes and percussion, and Wayne Wallace helps his ex-sideman out by producing the hot blooded session and bringing his trombone along for some nice solo contributions. A…
Steve Wilson-Lewis Nash: Duologue
Jazz duets can be real risky formats, especially here when there’s no chord instrument like a guitar or piano to serve as a safety net. Drummer Lewis Nash and saxist Steve Wilson make a successful go at it, however emphasizing…
Diva: A Swingin’ Life
The 15 all woman big band Diva may have a schtick, but not a gimmick. These ladies pack a punch, as these tracks from Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola in NYC and at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild in Pittsburgh attest. The…
Amanda Ruzza/Mauricio Zottarelli: Glasses, No Glasses
Drummer/percussionist Mauricio Zottarelli joins forces with electric bassist Amanda Ruzza as well as guest Leo Genovese/key-sax on a collection of fusion-fested originals. If things like Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters is your thing, this disc was made for you, as lots of…
Eric Harland’s Voyager: Vipassana
Drummer Eric Harland mixes Eastern religious practice with Western jazz on this album that literally translates into “Insight Meditation.” He’s brought along some of the best jazzers around in Walter Smith/ts, Julian Lage/g, Taylor Eigsti/p Nir Felder/g, Harish Raghavan/b and…
FREEDOM AT ITS FINEST…Charles Lloyd: Manhattan Stories
They don’t reissue a lot of material, but when Resonance Records owner George Klabin puts something out, it sure is a gem. Last year we got a cooking Wes Montgomery set as well as a vintage Bill Evans Trio set…
REISSUE OF THE YEAR? Yusef Lateef: Yusef’s Mood
Earlier this year, we did a review of the 11 cd boxed set of the Complete Keynote Jazz Collection and declared it to be the Reissue of the Year for 2014. Well, this 4 disc set on the complete 1957sessions…