Noam Weinstein sings, plays guitar, vibes and piano and even composes the material here on an album that mixes adventure with modern pop. The foundational team of Tyler Wood/key, Derek Nievergelt-Lou Alrich/b and Steven Nistor/dr are accompanied by a cavalcade…
Month: April 2016
Avery Sharpe: Sharpe Meets Tharpe
First, a disclaimer: every morning for the past 25 years, as I get ready for church, I put on a cd of gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe in order to get me into the mood for worshiping God. There isn’t…
Jean-Luc Oboman Fillon: Echoes of Freedom
Here’s an album that takes the ideas created by Yusef Lateef to a new level. Jean-Luc Oboman Fillon plays the oboe and the cor anglais (which is simply an oboe with a lower pitch)and creates some rich and exotic moods…
SFJAZZ Collective: Live SFJazzCenter 2015-The Music of Michael Jackson & Original Compositions
The rotating team of the SF Jazz Collective has released some creative “tribute” albums, focusing on artists such as Joe Henderson. This time around the all star group focuses on Michael Jackson, and present his music along some originals to…
THE AVANT GARDE IN SCANDINAVIA…Cadentia Nova Danica: August 1966, Finn Von Eyben Workshop & Radiojazzgruppen: 1966-1967
Back when there was excitement and adventure in music, free and avant garde jazz was a way of showing that the times were a-changing in the late 60s, and it wasn’t only happening in the US. These two cds show…
Rhythm Future Quartet: Travels
One of the first sounds that got me hooked on jazz was the buoyant gypsy swing of Django Reinhardt. The Rhythm Future Quartet takes that initial inspiration to the next plane, mixing the joy of bohemia with the drive of…
NYSQ: Power of 10
The team of Tim Armacost/sax, David Barkman/p, Michael Janisch/b and Gene Jackson/dr mix standards, originals and vignettes on this enjoyable release. The team gels and swings on pieces like “Deep High Wide” and show post-bop harmonies on “Hidden Fondness.” Between…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Roswell Rudd & Heather Masse: August Love Song
This disc caught me completely by surprise. Vocalist Heather Masse comes across like a classic swing era canary, mixing clarity and style like a Helen Forrest or Francis Wayne. Roswell Rudd comes from the left side of things, mixing growls,…
Carlos Vega: Bird’s Ticket
Tenor saxist Carlos Vega leads a heavy hitting post bop team of Victor Garcia/tp, Stu Mindeman/p-key, Josh Ramos/b and Xavier Breaker/dr through ten rich originals. Vega’s tone is Coltrane-esque thick with a hint of fuzz attached and he’s quite adept…
Jemal Ramirez: Pomponio
Drummer Jemal Ramirez displays a devotion to the vision of Miles Davis on this album of tunes that, while not including compositions by the legendary artist, are filled with a surfeit of material by either alumni artists ones that have…