When I get into debates with atheists, eventually the questions that come up are “Can you prove that God exists?” and “How can you not believe in Evolution?” Among arguments such as Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak and Beethoven’s…
Month: February 2016
A GHOST SINGER COMES TO LIFE…Annette Warren: Sings There’s A Man In My Life
You probably haven’t heard of Annette Warren, but you might have actually heard her voice. She was a “ghost singer” for actresses like Ava Gardner and Lucille Ball, doing the singing parts in films like “Showboat” and “Fancy Pants.” To…
Johnny Cash: Koncert v Praze (In Prague-Live)
Sony Legacy has been delivering some wonderful vintage material from The Man in Black. This latest album finds him about 8 years after the Denmark gig that was recently reviewed. Here, he’s in Prague on a 1978 show with his…
LOST TREASURE…Fred Hersch with Charlie Haden & Joey Baron: Sarabande
This re-issue of Fred Hersch’s 1986 album is a gorgeous meeting with bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Joey Baron. The pianist decided to re-release it in dedication to the memory of the deceased bassist, and it’s a testament to the…
David Wise: Till They Lay Me Down
Just when you think “they don’t make ‘em like that any more,” along comes a tenor saxist like David Wise who returns you to the sounds of breathy blowers like Ben Webster and Don Byas. He teams up with Bruce…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****THE FOG ROLLS IN…Ernie Krivda: Requiem For A Jazz Lady
I truly thought that God stopped the dispensation of making tenor sax players like Ernie Krivda. But, just like in the Bible, God keeps sending prophets of old to remind people of what the standard of righteousness is. What a…
JAZZ STRINGS…Ches Smith with Craig Taborn & Mat Maneri: The Bell, Sokratis Sinopoulos Quartet: Eight Winds
There is more to jazz strings than Stuff Smith and Stephan Grappelli. Here are a couple recent releases that offer a variant of what the bow can do. Mat Maneri’s viola teams up with Ches Smith on drums, timpani and…
Mark Minchello: Ballads with Friends
In jazz, some of the best moments are the most intimate ones, as this duet album with pianist Mark Minchello points out. He teams up with a variety of horn players for cozy interpretations of jazz standards and ballads. There…
Lucian Ban: Songs From Afar
Pianist Lucian Ban mixes Eastern European folk with 21st Century jazz along with Abraham Burton/ts, John Hebert/b, Eric McPherson/dr, Mat Maneri/vio and Savril Tarmure/voc. You gets some traditional passions that mix brooding horns and voice on “Transylvanian Sorrw Song” and…
Valery Ponomarev Jazz Big Band: Our Father Who Art Blakey
Legendary Russian trumpet master Valery Ponomarev delivers a rich tribute to Bopmeister Art Blakey with the leader arranging a number of Blakey’s famed pieces for a modern big band. Recorded in concert at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola back in 2014,…