Only a few harpists have been able to fit the classically-associated harp into the jazz round hole. Dorothy Ashby started the ball rolling back in the 50s with some hip albums with Frank Wess on flute, and Carol Robbins does…
Month: October 2014
NYLON BEAUTY…Brian Katz: Leaves Will Speak
Tackling the demands of jazz with a classical guitar has been attempted by very few this side of Ralph Towner. Here, Brian Katz delivers an impressive mix of jazz and beyond with a collection of compositions and free range improvisations…
Jazzhole: Blue 72
Lead by Warren Rosenstein/org, John Pondel/g and Marlon Saunders/voc, Jazzhole made a name during the “acid jazz” wave in the 90s. Here the foundational trio and a surfeit of guests take on hits from the Nixon Administration years, ranging from…
SWINGING TRIOS…Laura Dubin Trio: Introducing…, Bob Mamet: London House Blues
Here are a pair of swinging piano trios that will put a smile on your face Someone brought up the young lady Laura Dubin right. Her musical instincts on this debut album with Sam Weber/b and Antonio H. Gurrero/dr is…
Chicago Jazz Philharmonic: Sketches of Spain
Obviously, the first question you have to ask is: do we really need another jazz version of Sketches of Spain? Besides Miles Davis’ classic from the 50s, there have been 2-3 other ones in the past year alone. What gives?…
Anthony Branker & Wordplay: The Forward (Towards Equality) Suite
This session lead by composer and music director Anthony Branker can be approached one of two ways. Musically, it boasts of a horn section of David Binney/as, Ralph Bowen/ts-ss-fl and Conrad Herwig/tb that is second to none, with Bowers delivering…
Todd Bishop Group: Travelogue
Here’s a well centered post bop jazz quartet for you. Todd Bishop handles the drums here, and leads from behind much more effectively than Barack Obama with a team of Chris Hhiggins/b, Richard Cole/sax-cl-fl and Jasnam daya Sing (Weber Iago)/key.…
Land Observations: The Grand Tour
The only notes in the booklet that accompany this recording by guitarist James Brooks is the statement that the music is to “Create an imaginary travelogue through western, central and southern Europe with reference to the historic grand tour. This…
DEM ‘BONES…Vlatko: Subjective Experience in a Commercial Free Zone, Here & Here & Here: Here & Here and Here
A couple discs with trombones. Slide on in! Michael Vlatkovich lets his trombone lead a team of Tom McNalley/eg, Dominic Genova/eg and John “Vatos” Hernandez/dr through a collection of exciting and fresh originals. A hip bass line grooves on “Strodaad”…
The Acid: Liminal
There are no credits as to who actually makes up this “group” called The Acid. Were the names withheld to protect the innocent? What you’ve got here is a vocalist who sounds either very tired, very listless, very dreary or…