I’ve liked guitarist Rez Abassi for quite some time, as he mixes well traditional post bop jazz with a dash of Middle Eastern intrigue. This quartet session with Bill Ware/vibe, Stephan Crump/b and Eric McPherson puts him over the top…
Month: February 2015
FUN ON THE FRETS…Yuto Kanazawa: Earthworks, Albino Mbie: Mozambican Dance
Here are a couple guitarists from Interrobang Records. They each have an approach to the axe that sounds fresh and contributory to the present scene. Guitarist Yuto Kanazaw writes all of the material on this impressive outing with the post-bop…
Dan Siegel: Indigo
Gave up hope for contemporary jazz? It all doesn’t have to be “smooth” or cacaphonic. Keyboardist Dan Siegel keeps it accessible but also hard swinging on this disc with Bob Sheppard/sax, Allen Hinds/g, Brian Bromberg/b, Will Kennedy/dr, Craig Fundyga/vib and…
Anonymous 4: 1865
Want to hear something from the REAL American Songbook? Try out this collection of tunes published during the Civil War, used by both North and South. Bruce Molsky brings his fiddle and banjo along to join up with the Anonymous…
THE CELLO IN CIELO…Akua Dixon: Akua Dixon
In Italian, the word “cielo” translates into “heaven.” That’s exactly where you should send your thanks for this God given gift of an album. Akua Dixon teams up with a whole mess of violins, violas and bass players (of whom…
Joe Sample & NDR Big Band: Children of the Sun
Legendery pianist and keyboardist Joe Sample may have left this earth just a few months ago, but he did leave us a last testimony, as this album with the NDR Big band in a funky mood well states. It was…
Johnny Griffith: Dance With The Lady
Don’t confuse this tenor/alto saxist with jazz legend Johnny Griffin. Although they play the same horn, this guy has his own distinct name and can make a name for himself. He leads a smoking team of Jeremy Pelt/tp, Adrean Farrugia/p,…
Matt Lavelle & John Pietaro: Harmolodic Monk
Here’s one that’s gonna keep you awake-classic compositions by Thelonious Monk analyzed and stretched out by the duo of Matt Lavelle and John Pietaro, who mix and match cornet, flugelhorn (I defy you to discern the difference here with authority),…
CANARIES!!! Ellen LaFurn: C’est La-Furn, Julie Lyon Quintet: Julie
Here are a couple releases by women that are making a go of it with jazz standards. Ellen LaFurn teams up with a hip team of Vic Cenicola/g, Rave Tesar/p, Ron Naspo/b and Patrick Cuttitta/dr for a Baker’s Dozen of…
Phil Haynes & Free Country: Live-Something Beatles
Here’s an interesting collection of artists performing in a concert setting from 2012. Drummer Phil Haynes brings together a and of Jim Yanda/g, Hank Roberts/cello-voc and Drew Gress/b for a mix of Americana and Beatlemania. The mix of instrumentation makes…