Just when you think you’ve heard it all, along comes a release that renews your faith in the joys of jazz. Three stars of improvisation, coming from the worlds of fusion and beyond, get together for a gypsy caravan of…
Month: March 2016
HONOR YOUR “FATHA”…Earl Hines: Piano Genius At Work
The man that freed up the piano from the rhythm of stride to the spaciousness of single solo notes is featured on this sumptuous 7cd/dvd set. Earl “Fatha” Hines was one of the few jazz artists who not only defined…
Alfredo Rodriguez: Tocororo
Pianist Alfredo Rodriguez is living up to the promise that producer/discoverer Quincy Jones initially saw in the Cuban exile a number of years ago. Each album has had its own personality and has shown growth in terms of style and…
Jordan Officer: Blue Skies
Jordan Officer gets to the tap root of the guitar along with Alain Berge-Tony Albino/dr, Sage Reynolds/b and guest Augie Meyers/b on this record that is as American as a Texaco sign. He’s got a relaxed and earthy rich voice…
Mary Foster Conklin: Photographs
Vocalist Mary Foster Conklin mixes the drama of cabaret with the swing of jazz on this rewarding album of clever covers. She teams up with John diMartino/p, Ed Howard/b, Shinnosuke takahashi/dr, Joel Frahm/ss-ts, Warren Vache/ct, Paul Meyers/g, Nanny Assis/perc ang…
WONDERFUL OBSCURITIES FROM AVID…Sonny Criss: Four Classic Albums, Walt Dickerson: Four Classic Albums, Dorothy Donegan: Four Classic Albums, Don Elliott: Four Classic Albums
This is what is great about “reissue labels” like Avid; they uncover artists that have been either forgotten about or undiscovered the first time around. Here are for artists that were under the radar, and deserved better. Alto saxist Sonny…
LEO ROARS…Aardvark Jazz Orchestra: Passages, Sarah Bernstein Quartet: Still/Free, Goat’s Notes: Cosmic Circus, Kaufman-Gratowski-De Joode: Oblenghts, Sabatov-Dresser-Mahnig: Equal Poise, Nord-Hofmann-Stahel: Tree, Wind & Flowers
UK-based Leo Records just delivered an onslaught of exciting music, with something for just about every jazz taste with an inquisitive mind and open set of ears. The venerable Aardvark Jazz Orchestra is still a powerful behemoth, boasting of a…
A FORGOTTEN TAPROOT OF JAZZ PIANO…James P. Johnson: Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943)
One of the men who bridged the gap between ragtime and jazz was stride pianist James P. Johnson, who literally wrote the book on the two fisted style of jazz. He was on some of the most important recordings…
Jeremy Pelt: #Jiveculture
Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt has made a career going back and forth on the acoustic-electric mode. For my money, and I think this recent release proves, his winning ticket is the unplugged. His tone and delivery are just too beautiful to…
Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise
One of the regrettably overlooked artists, Sun Ra, returns to planet earth here on the 60 minute documentary by Robert Mugge. From 1978-1980, Ra and his Arkestra was followed by Mugge and his crew, being filmed in Philadelphia, Baltimore and…