Here’s a hard hitting mix of soul, funk and Afro pop lead by Fernando Redondo/b, Gustavo Sassone/dr, Aaron Feder/g, Didier Roch/perc, Paquito de la Iguana/key, Octavio Hernandez/g, and a rollicking horn section of Alfonso Fernandez/bassoon, Lucila Ciocoletto/as, Aurora Arenare/tb, Audun…
Month: December 2014
GUILTY PLEASURES…Trigger Hippy: Trigger Hippy, The Earls of Leicester: The Earls of Leicester, Doug Seegers: Gong Down To The River
I’ve never understood the animosity between jazz and (real) country music. I’ve taken many fans of country music to jazz clubs, and they always love it, but most jazz fans are unwilling to “lower” themselves to appreciate bluegrass or country.…
Clarence Penn & Penn Station: Monk-The Lost Files
Drummer Clarence Pann shows some guts by not only tackling the Thelonious Monk Songbook, but using a tenor saxist (Chad Lefkowitz-Brown) that sounds alarmingly like Monk teammate Charles Rouse. Except for the use of a Rhodes keyboard by Gerald Clayton…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Ahmad Jamal featuring Yusef Lateef: Live At The Olympia
This 2cd/dvd capsule of pianist Ahmad Jamal with Yusef Lateef confirms my theory about jazz artists. Unlike artists from classical music or rock, jazz musicians get better and better as they age, adding soul and veritas to their sound and…
Ron Miles: Circuit Rider
Trumpeter Ron Miles has had an on and off recording relationship with Bill Frisell, and here he teams up with his buddy, as well as the formidable drummer Brian Blade, to create an open and expressive disc that mixes lyricism…
Peripheral Vision: Sheer Tyranny of Will
The Canadian quartet Peripheral Vision consists of Trevor Hogg/ts, Don Scott/g, Michael Herring/b and Nick Fraser/dr. Together, they deliver up some sophisticated post modern sounds that mix head and heart. Scott’s got a cool-toned guitar sound, and he uses it…
Roseanna Vitro: Clarity-The Music of Claire Fischer
Vocalist Roseanna Vitro does a smart call by taking the music of Claire Fischer, which is usually associated with lots of reeds, and putting it into an environment of rhythm and strings on this release. Along with Mark Soskin/p, Dean…
Marianne Solivan: Spark
The title for this disc is spot on, as vocalist Marianne Solivan creates enough sparks on this disc to start a camp fire! She’s got a husky and mature voice, strong and dynamic, and can use it with a hint…
Jerry Heldman: Revelation(s)
Jerry Heldman plays bass, piano, flute and even throws in some vocals as he leads a rhythmic team of David F risen/b-p, Sam Lipumag and Allan Pimentel/dr through a collection of sessions from the 70s. Because of the age of…
Radio Riddler: Purple Reggae
A reggae tribute to Prince’s Purple Rain? Better believe it! The team of Frank Benbini/ and Brian Fast Leiser lead a group that includes Naim Cortazzi/g, Jay Lynsay/tb, Ben Searle/tp and John Barrow/sax on tunes that were composed as well…