Kenny Werner has to be one of the unheralded giants of jazz. His compositions are always very interesting, he’s got the heart of a lion, and he plays the piano/keyboards like an open minded bopper. Here, he brings up some…
Month: November 2014
Ken Berman: Sound Poetry
Here’s an intuitive and lyrical collection of music by a trio lead by pianist Ken Berman. He uses his solo sounds on Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life” and George Gershwin’s “Someone to Watch Over Me” as atmospheric bookends to frame his…
GUITAR FREAK HEAVEN! Eric Johnson & Mike Stern: Eclectic
My buddy Kevin has a theory that all modern jazz and rock guitarists are all climbing up to the same mountain peak; they’re just taking a different trail to get there. This summit meeting by the leaning towards rocker Eric…
Patrick Bradley: Can You Hear Me
It’s hard to resist such a cheerful and upbeat session as this one by adult contemporary/smooth jazz keyboardist Patrick Bradley. He teams up with stalwarts Jeff Lorber/g-key, Jimmy Hasslip/b, gary Novak/dr, Dave Koz/ss, Eric Marienthal/ss and others on this accessible…
Jim Pembroke: If The Rain Comes
If you thought sardonic singer/songwriters like Warren Zevon and Randy Newman have left the arena, here’s a guy that might raise an eyebrow. Jim Pembroke plays piano and keyboards whil he leads a team of Pedro Hietanen/B3-key, Jukka Orma/g, Ulf…
Ricardo Silveira: Organ tRio
Yes, this session was recorded in Rio de Janeiro, and the team of Ricardo Silveria/g, Vanessa Rodrigues/B3 and Rafael Barata/dr are all from Brazil, but if you just listen to the sounds of this smoking 2 cd set, you might…
Maria Jacobs: Here Comes Winter
Here’s a collection of songs that reveal a highly sensitive spirit. Maria Jacobs mixes her own introspective compositions with material by kindred souls Brian Wilson and Joni Mitchell for an album that is a reminder of the days when folk…
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN…Wadada Leo Smith: The Great Lakes Suites, Kalle Kalima & K-18: Bunuel De Jour
Experimentation and free thought is still alive and well in jazz, as shown by a pair of new releases. A little bit of geographic as well as musical education is provided by trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, as he gives us…
Sophisticated Lady: Jazz Quartet
If you miss the sounds of vintage 50s Miles Davis recordings, here’s a treat for you. The team of JJ Kirkpatrick/tp-fh, Misha Adair Bigos/p, Gary Wicks/b and Andrew Boyle/dr mix standards and originals that have the feel of a Miles…
Christophe Rousset: Lully-Amadis
The songbook of French baroque composer Jean –Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) is not the first thing you think about in terms of classical music, or music in general. For that reason alone I was intrigued by this release that was composed…