Under the stars, with guitars, guitars guitars… Acoustic or electric; six or twelve strings, nylon or wire, strummed or picked, the Greek had it for you Saturday night. Opening up the evening was Canadian guitarist Galen Weston delivering material from…
Month: August 2016
Jazz Bakery’s Movable Feast Presents: Paquito D’Rivera’s “Next Cuban Revolution” @ Zipper Hall 08.20.16
“There are three things Cubans can’t hide: coffee, money and jazz.” That was just a sample of the wise sayings that Paquito D’Rivera had to bestow on the audience during this night of musical education via lecture and sounds. A…
Chick Corea’s Elektric Band@Catalina’s 08.17.16
“Welcome to our first rehearsal!” So joked Chick Corea as he brought his all star Elektric Band to LA for only the second time. The week long gig is in celebration of the leader’s 75th birthday, and there was enough…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Kenny Garrett: Do Your Dance!
I don’t know where he’s been the last few years, but I’m glad alto saxist Kenny Garrett is back. No one mixes searching ideas with fun and funky grooves like the Miles Davis alumnus. Here, he emphasizes the latter with…
LEO RISING…Burning Flame: Murmuration, Pindio: HC, Ganelin-Kruglov-Yudanov: US, Studer-Frey: Zurich Concerts
Always looking for new worlds to conquer, UK based Leo Records delivers four recent productions to excite and invite. Buring Flame includes the voices of Steve Day and Julie Tippetts along with Keith Tippett/p, Aaron Standon/as, Peter Evans/vi, Julian Dale/b-cel,…
Cyrus Chestnut: Natural Essence
All star pianist and church worship leader Cyrus Chestnut brings the soul back into jazz with his trio of Buster Willis/b and Lenny White/dr on this tasty mix of tunes. He displays his patented ability to lay down a deep…
Bernie Mora & Tangent: Transformation
Guitarist Bernie Mora forms a 6 member team to deliver some highly rhythmic originals. The sextet of Mora with Doc Anthony/dr, Robert Vance/b, Doug Webb/sax, Corey Allen/key, Lee Thornburg/br and Charles Godfrey/perc create upbeat moods as Webbs’ tenor sears through…
Harvey Valdes: Point-Counterpoint
Guitarist Harvey Valdes forms a rock-styled power trio with Sana Nagano/violin and Joe Hertenstein/dr on this 7 song collection. The hard hitting drums make the album more akin to a mix of heavy metal as on “Coil” and “Blackjack” while…
WAYNE’S WORLD…Wayne Bergeron: Full Circle
Trumpeter Wayne Bergeron has made a respectable career teaming up in big bands ranging form Maynard Ferguson to present day Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band. He likes the strong testosterone sounds with lots of brass, and it shows on this…
SO, EIGHT BEATS GO INTO A BAR…Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne: Jumpin’ & Boppin’
You’re in good company if the boogie and jump material by Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne is your cup of tea. It’s the style that got Sonny Rollins hooked on jazz, and the jump blues a la Louis Jordan is in…