Somehow, bassist Brian Bromberg has been always labeled under the “smooth jazz” category. Well, if Bromberg proved anything Friday night with his Full Circle Acoustic Band, it’s that there’s a world of difference between “smooth” jazz and “jazz that’s played…
Month: May 2016
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Camille Bertault: En Vie
I gotta tell you, of all the types of albums that get me worried, none do it better than female jazz vocalists. What? Another one?!? PLEASE!!! What a relief to find a vocalist who sounds fresh, lyrical and having something…
FEMMES FATALES…Maria Damore: Moonglow, Emi Takada: I’m All Smiles
Here are a couple of ladies with intriguing voices. Gather ‘round! Maria Damore has a clear and polished Broadway sound to her delivery. Even better, her range is effortless as she swings and coos with Andy Roberts/key, Steve Meashey/b, Leon…
JAZZ, CLASSICAL OR SOMETHING ELSE? Gunter Horn & Michael Ammann: Intimate Vibra, Composers Concordance Presents: The Mozart Influence
Some day, I’m going to figure out the difference between avant garde jazz and avant garde classical. Here, with Michael Ammann’s “phonetics” and Gunter Horn’s “manipulated guitar” you get tones of electronic effects, buzzes, beeps, burps, chugs, chirps, dings, dangs,…
Lakou Mizik: Wa Di Yo
Ever hear Haitian music before? You’re in for a treat! This band of Steve Valcourt/g-voc, Jonas Attis/voc, Louis Lesly Marcelin/perc-voc, Nadine Remy/voc along with musicians Lamarre Junior/b-dr, Woulele Marcelin/perc, Peterson Joseph/ct-perc, Jamer Carrier/ct –perc, Chris Velan/g and Belony Beniste/acc put…
Rich Brown: Abeng
Bassist Rich Brown brings together a soulful and funky team of Luis Deniz/as, Chris Donnelly-Robi Botos/p, Larnell Lewis/dr Kevin Turcotte/tp, Kelly Jefferson/ts and Rosendo Chendy Leon/perc for a mix of R&B with jazz sensibilities. His electric bass lays down deep…
Nonch Harpin’: Native Sons
A mix of bluesy strings and jazzy reeds are held together by a swinging rhythm team on this album by Nonch Harpin. The band of Shawn Ellis/b, Andy Markham/g, Daniel Raynaud/p-key, Alan Spearot/dr and Chinh Tran/ss-ts make for some bluesy…
Moppa Elliott: Still, Up In The Air
Moppa Elliott is best known for his bass work for Most Other People Do the Killing, a band best known for doing a note by note reproduction of Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue. Elliott goes the completely other direction here,…
Chris Klaxton: Collage
Trumpeter and composer Chris Klaxton mixes jazz sensibilities with indie rock impulses on this recent album with Taylor O’Donnell/voc, Mark Small/ts, Kendall Moore/tb, Tim Jago/g, Mike Effenberger/key, Michael Piolet/dr and Sam Weber/b. You get some vintage jazz bopping on ‘Wampus…
The Astor Piazzolla Quintet: APQ
There have been many tributes to “Nuevo Tango” pioneer Astor Piazzolla, in terms of songs, albums and groups. This quintet of James Anderson/vio, Jonathan Geer/p, Pat Harris/b, Mike Maddux/acc-band and Tony Rogers/cel is one of the best, as it mixes…