UK based Leo Records is one of the few labels devoted to unabashedly in-the-moment free form improvisation. Here is a handful of some of the most recent exciting and spontaneous sounds you’re gonna hear. By far, the most accessible here…
Month: April 2015
A FORGOTTEN INFLUENCE…John Petrucelli Quintet: The Way
If you listen to any amount of modern sax players, you know that almost every one has been imbibing from the wells of John Coltrane. If not him, then a few old school guys go back to pre-Trane to Rollins,…
Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet with Richie Cole: Vocal Madness
Here’s a fresh sounding and hip vocal group consisting of Ginny Carr/alt, Robert McBride/ten, Holly Shockey/sop and Andre’ Enceneat/bas. They team up with the king of Alto Madness, Richie Cole, and his bopping band of Frank Russo/dr, Max Murray/b, Alan…
SOUNDS OF A MASTER…Charles McPherson: The Journey
Alto saxist Charles McPherson is one of the last living links to a jazz era that is sadly fading away. Born in Joplin, MO, he was weaned on the bebop of the locale, namely Charlie Parker and the swing of…
Complicated Animals: In This Game
Monica Da Silva and Chad Alger team up for this 6 song ep which mixes sounds that range from Bohemia on ”Sempre Aqui” to whimsical early 60s pop beats. Pre-Beatles moods have guitar riffs on “Bees Take To Honey” whle…
Julia Hulsmann Quartet w/ Theo Bleckmann: A Clear Midnight-Kurt Weill and America
Here’s an interpretation of the Kurt Weill Songbook that will raise a few eyebrows. Pianist Julia Hulsmann and her team of Tom Arthurs/tp-fh, Marc Muellbauer/b and Heinrich Kobberling/dr team up with vocalist Theo Bleckmann for some almost subliminal readings of…
FUN ON THE FRETS…Frank Vignola & Vinny Raniolo: Swing Zing!
They’ve been doing guitar duets like this since recorded music, with meetings between Eddie Lang, Lonnie Johnson, Dick McDonough and Carl Kress setting the tone and direction for material like this wonderful summit meeting between compatriots Frank Vignola and Vinny…
THIS IS A GUITAR 101…Russell Malone: Love Looks Good On You
He doesn’t release a lot of albums, so when Russell Malone does, you better grab it and hold on. He’s one of the best pickers around, usually touring with Ron Carter lately. This time around he’s with Rick Germanson/p, Gerald…
Live at Knebworth: The Best British Rock Concert Of All Time
Pretty good truth in advertising here. Back in 1990 a the Knebworth House was host to 120,000 fans in support of a benefit concert for the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy and Brit School of Performing Arts. The event was to present…
OH, YEAH! Jimmy Witherspoon: ‘Spoon-Hey Mrs. Jones!
Posers come and posers go (such as Michael Bubbles, but we won’t mention names) but they all pale when compared to the real thing, and the real thing is Jimmy Witherspoon. He could shout the blues, milk a ballad or…