Woodwind specialist John Mills does us all a favor by bringing vocalist Carmen Bradford back into the spotlight into this disc. There’s a core ream of Spencer Starnes/b and David Sierra/dr that delivers old school soul while Bradford is in…
Month: April 2015
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Eddie Henderson: Collective Portrait****
Trumpeter Eddie Henderson has been around for decades, first making a name for himself with Herbie Hancocks Mwandishi band before putting out some hip albums of his own. Here, he makes a good case for proving the point that he’s…
Brad Absher & Swamp Royale: Lucky Dog
Ah! Nice and earthy blues rock that sounds like it was grilled at The Rendevous in Memphis. Fender Stat picker and gritty vocalist Brad Absher takes you back (or is it forward) to the Stax sound, where the Hammond is…
George Kahn: Jazz & Blues Revue
Pianist George Kahn is one of the few guys around who makes jazz both swinging and musical enough for the cognicenti and yet entertaining enough for their dates. The Angeleno does this balancing act by bringing together some of the best…
Aziz Sahmaoui & University of Ghawa: Mazal
Moroccan singer/songwriter Aziz Sahmaoui got his jazz chops performing with Joe Zawinul a number of years ago, and on this disc he mixes elements of Middle East grooves, jazz and even a tad of folk/rock on a festive session. Some…
Antonio Zambujo: Rua Da Emenda
Not all music in sung Portuguese is Brazilian! Remember, there is also a country called Portugal, and they have their own local style, which is not only “fado” (an equivalent to our blues) but a sense of other Mediterranean moods…
Don Aliquo/Clay Jenkins Quintet: New Ties and Binds
Tenor saxist Don Aliquo teams up with trumpet Clay Jenkins to front a band including Harold Danko/p, Rufus Reid/b and Jim White/dr. The all stars talents are used well here, creating a band that gives homage to the post bop…
VINTAGE! Aaron Comess: Aaron Comess Quintet
Drummer Aaron Comess throws down the gauntlet for the best “classic” jazz album of the year with this disc of originals and modal standards with Keith Loftis/ts-ss, Barney McAll/p, Richard Hammond/b and Teddy Kumpel/g. The band has a hip coherent…
Tesla Manaf: Tesla Manaf
Indonesian guitarist Tesla Manaf displays a wide variety of talents and directions on this diverse release that combines his latest (2014) album A Man’s relationship With His Fragile Area with his earlier (2011) release It’s All Yours. The recent disc…
Mark Wade Trio: Event Horizon
Ah! This is why I love the jazz trio! Bassist Mark Wade brings together Tim Harrison/p and Scott Neumann/dr for a lyrical set of (mostly) originals that focus on interplay, lyricism and symbiosis. Harrison’s fingers are buoyant on pieces like…