Caught n the midst of their 2015 tour in Irvine Meadows, CA, the Lady Antebellum team of Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott highlight material from their most recent album 747 as well as filling up the evening with…
Month: February 2016
Marc Mommaas & Nikolaj Hess: Ballads & Standards
There’s something about duets that mixes the intimacy, swing and conversation of jazz in ways no other mixture is able. Here, saxist Marc Mommaas teams with pianist Nikolas Hess for an ebullient set of gentle conversations with standards. Mommaas’ tenor…
THE OTHER “PRINCE OF DARKNESS”…The Ritchie Blackmore Story
When it comes to influential modern guitarists, names like Hendrix, Clapton and Beck are on the top of the list. Inexplicably forgotten is Ritchie Blackmore, who not only practically invented “metal” rock, but created one of the most popular riffs…
Dr. Lonnie Smith: Evolution
B3 Meister Dr. Lonnie Smith stretches out a bit on this wide ranging session of originals and covers. Smith sounds fresher than ever, teaming with a clever mix of Jonathan Kreisberg/g, John Ellis/reeds, the two trumpets of Maurice Brown and…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****PROPHETIC VOICES FROM THE PAST…Don Byas, Thelonious Monk, Stuff Smith, Erroll Garner,etc: Timme’s Treasure
Some times, you just forget how far off the path you’ve gone and you need a voice from the past to remind you. That’s why I read the bible, and that’s why I listen to material like this whenever I…
GUITAR HEAVEN! Tom Collier: Across the Bridge
Why would I make that headline for an album put together by a guy who plays vibes and marimba? Well, what Tom Collier did was bring in two of today’s most important guitarists, Larry Coryell and Bill Frisell, and even…
SOFT AND SUBTLE…David Friesen & Glen Moore: Bactrian, Michael Wollny Trio: Nachtfahrten
If you want more nuance than swing, check out these two releases. Both David Friesen and Glen Moore play bass and piano on this collection of duets and solos. Friesen plays a Hemage bass and Moore a regular acoustic one,…
Webb Wilder: Mississippi Moderne
Webb Wilder is an old coot of a guy who makes the blues sound like they were meant to be played. He’s got a great snarl in his twang of a voice, and he plays guitar in his juke joint…
ROMANTIC HORNS…Shareef Clayton: North & South, Enrico Pieranunzi: Proximity
Trumpet player Shareef Clayton delivers a mood to be woo-ed album here. His core team of Chris Pattishall/key, Jameison Ledonio/g, Alex Busby Smith/b, Bendji Allonce/perc and Adam Jackson/dr keep it gentle and sweet on material such as “Softly as a…
Amos Hoffman: Back to the City
Here’s a tasty guitarist you’re going to love. Amos Hoffman teams up with Omer Avital/b, Vince Ector/dr, Duane Eubanks/tp, Asaf Yuria/ts and Itai Kriss/fl for a mix of swinging small group pieces and a handful of solo acts. Of the…