Ivo Haarla brings a mix of a jazz band of Hayden Powell/tp, Trygve Seim/ts-ss, Ulf Krokfors/b, Mika Kallio/dr-per and her switching between harp and piano with the Norrlands Operans Symfoniorkester conducted by Jukka Iisakkila. There are only four songs, all…
Month: October 2016
Bria Skonberg: Bria
Few ladies enter the jazz field fully committed to the traditional jazz field. Bria Skonberg jumps in with both feet in terms of vocals and trumpet playing. This latest album has her completely comfortable in the pre-modern era, and it…
Lefteris Kordis: Mediterrana (Goddess of Light)
Lefteris Kordis mixes sounds from various contents with his Greek background on this collection of original compositions. He plays piano and Korg keyboard, teaming up with Petros Klampanis/b and Ziv Ravitz/dr as the core foundation, but adding various exotic instruments…
Andrew Cyrille Quartet: The Declaration of Musical Independence
Legendary drummer Andrew Cyrille goes for textures with the famed tone master Bill Frisell on guitar along with Billy Hart member Ben Street on bass and Richard Teitelbaum on piano and synth. Frisell’s presence is dominant, even when Cyrille is snapping…
Ken Hatfield: 12 Preludes For Solo Guitar
This is the second collection of transcriptions I’ve heard from guitarist Ken Hatfield, and you don’t have to play the six strings to appreciate the music or learn from them. The pieces are clear, concise and melodic. Easy to read,…
***RINGER OF THE WEEK****Omar Sosa & Paolo Fresu: Eros
One of my weak spots is an album that keeps the same mood all the way through. Paolo Fresu uses his trumpet and flugelhorn to team up with Omar Sosa’s touch on the piano and keyboards to weave a glorious…
MODERN BIG BANDS: Michael Davis: Hip-Bone Big Band, Afro Bop Alliance Big Band: Revelation
Big bands may not tour like they used to during the Swing Era of 1935-45, but there are still groups that record some amazingly large and orchestral sounds. Here are a couple. Besides playing trombone, Michel Davis produces, composes and…
Charlie Hunter: Everybody Has A Plan Until They Get Punched In The Mouth
8 string guitarist Charlie Hunter gets down to the roots here with drummer Bobby Previte and a two fisted horn team of Kirk Knuffke/ct and Curtis Fowlkes/tb. The feel hear is earthy rhythm and blues, and it works out quite…
Will Calhoun: Celebrating Elvin Jones
Drummer Will Calhoun delivers an 8 song tribute to the various natures of the legendary Elvin Jones on this wide ranging album. He brings together a core team of Christian McBride/b, Antoine Roney/ts-ss, Carlos McKinney/p and Keyon Harrold to revisit…
SOUNDS FROM AFAR MIXED WITH HOME…Helsinki-Conou Ensemble: Fire, Sweat & Pastis, Money Chicha: Echo En Mexico
The great thing about today’s music is that the present generation of artists have absolutely no qualms about mixing and matching musical styles. Every country and culture has something to offer, making albums like these fun to discover. Finnish guitarist…