Jaime Mancera, hailing from Colombia, South America, puts together a team of Jeff Berlin/b, Sean Wayland/key, Nick Moroch/g, Nate Wood/dr and Memo Acevedo/perc as he plays smooth jazz with his sax collection. The mix of tunes are upbeat and lyrical…
Month: May 2016
Lafayette Harris: Hangin’ With The Big Boys
Pianist Lafayette Harris Jr delivers a good time of mainstream jazz with various friends and guests. His core trio with George DeLancey/b and Will Terrill/dr is flexible and crisp, and serves the various soloists with aplomb. Houston Person brings his…
Cha Wa: Funk ‘N’ Feathers
Here’s a band that takes you to the streets of New Orleans. The band Cha Wa includes vocalists/percussionists Irving Banister & Spyboy J’Wan Boudreaux who are supported by a percussive and light on feet team of Joe Gelini/dr, John Fohl/g,…
Steve Grover: Variations
Drummer and composer Steve Grover brings his band of Frank Carlberg/p, Sean Farias/b, Anderw Rathbun/ts, George Garzone/ts, Duncan Hardy/as Chris Klaxton/tp and Christine Correa/voc to interpret the poetry of Anthony Wilson. Sandwiched between the prose are a pair of instrumentals,…
Peter Horvath: Absolute Reality
Pianist Peter Horvath mixes straight-ahead with smooth R&B here with an impressive rotating cast that includes Victor Bailey/b, Ricky Lawson/dr, Bob Mintzer/ts, Lenny White/dr, Peter Michael Escovedo/perc and Randy Brecker/tp. Horvath composes all of the material, and it’s all strong…
Jeff Plankenhorn: SoulSlide
Jeff Plankenhorn takes you to the back roads of Texas and the south with his collection of bluesy guitars. He teams up with Miles Zuniga/g-p, Yoggie/b, brannen Temple/dr Dave Scher/key, Rami Jaffe/key, Peter Adams/key and various other guests to create…
CLEVER USE OF VOICES…Ryan Keberle & Catharsis: Azul Infinito, Gabriela Martina: No White Shoes
Jazz vocals can be used beyond singing the standards. Here are a couple intriguing examples Trombonist Ryan Keberle leads a flexible and rhythmic team of Mike Rodriguez/tp, Jorge Roeder/b and Eric Doob/dr along with the lithe vocals of Camila Meza.…
QUINCY JONES: Q & A WITH “Q”
IF THERE IS ONE PERSON WHO PERSONIFIES WHAT IS GOOD AND RIGHT ABOUT MUSIC, IT HAS TO BE QUINCY JONES. HE IS ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHO HAS BEEN FAITHFUL TO PRESERVING AND PUSHING JAZZ FORWARD HIS ENTIRE CAREER.…
STEPHEN DUROS: GUITAR CONCEPTS
IN THIS DAY OF IPHONES AND IPODS, SONGS ARE STREAMED AND ABSORBED IN BITE SIZED PIECES FOR EASY CONSUMPTION. CHALLENGING THAT TREND IS GUITARIST STEPHEN DUROS. HIS LATEST ALBUM, AEAEA, IS A SWEEPING AND PANORAMIC TWELVE PIECE OPUS THAT THROWS…
LARRY KLEIN: PRODUCTIVE AT JAZZ
YOU COULD SQUEEZE INTO A SMART CAR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WALKING AROUND THAT HAVE MADE JAZZ POPULAR. LARRY KLEIN IS A MEMBER OF THAT ELITE GROUP (ALONG WITH QUINCY JONES, DIANA KRALL, WYNTON MARSALIS AND….?)WHO HAVE TAKE AMERICA’S GREATEST…