Unlike in politics, it is possible to musically lead from “behind,” as these two albums lead by drummers aptly demonstrate. Drummer and composer Gustavo Cortinas takes you on a musical journey through various philosophers and philosophies ranging from Descartes to…
Month: March 2017
WOMEN IN CHARGE…Chelsea McBride’s Socialist Night School: The Twilight Fall, Rachel Therrien: Pensamiento
Here are a pair of larger ensembles lead by a woman’s touch. Who says there’s a musical glass ceiling? Chelsea McBride leads a 19 piece jazz orchestra featuring a mix and match of old and new artists and ideas. This…
Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita: Transparent Water
Sounds, melodies and aural images are taken from lands ranging from West Africa to the Orient on this pastoral album by Omar Sosa/p-key and Seckou Keita/kora-perc. The two aren’t alone on this caravan adventure, as they bring in Far Easter…
Bill Anschell: Rumbler
Pianist, composer and arranger Bill Anschell displays some chart smarts on this album with Chris Symer/b, Jose Martinez, Brian Monroney/g, Jeff Busch/perc, Jeff Coffin/ss, Richard Cole/ts and Hans Teuber/sax-fl. His arranging skills show some creative work on the covers, taking…
VINTAGE PULSES AND SOUNDS…Chris Rogers: Voyage Home, Mark Lewis: The New York Sessions
Nothing fancy, atonal, cacophonous or shrilling. Just good sounds laid down with class, style and modern swing. What else do you want? Trumpeter Chris Rogers leads a hip post bop team of Ted Nash/as-ts, Steve Khan/g, Xavier Davis/p, Jay Anderson/b…
Glenn Zaleski: Fellowship
Pianist Glenn Zaleski leads a highly intuitive and cooperating team of Dezron Douglas/b and Craig Weinrib/dr through a mix of originals and standards. Of the covers, bass and piano do some wonderful counter conversations and opposing pulses on the tensile…
FOXY! Curtis Knight (Featuring Jimi Hendrix): Live At George’s Club 20
If you’re a Jimi Hendrix fan, all you need to know is that this is the band that Chas Chandler heard when he “discovered” Hendrix (then known as “Jimmy James”)back in 1966. These “amateur live” recordings from December 1965 and…
STRINGS THAT SWING…Akua Dixon: Akua’s Dance, Amelia Romano: New Perspectives
While the cello and harp are intermittently in jazz recordings, these two recent releases make us wonder why. In her third album, Akua Dixon composes and arranges the music to accompany her melding of swing and strings. She teams with…
THE WHAM OF SAM…Sammy Davis Jr: With The Marty Paich Dek-tette & Orchestra
If you never considered Sammy Davis Jr a serious swinger, give this hot album a listen. He was known as “Mr. Entertainment” because he did so many thing so well; let’s not forget he could SING, and he is in…
GEMS FROM AVID’S VAULT…Ray Charles: Four Classic Albums, Johnny Dankworth: Three Classic Albums Plus, Stan Getz: Four Classic Albums, Bobby Jaspar: Three Classic Albums Plus, Jerry Lee Lewis: Three Classic Albums Plus
UK-based Avid Records continues to find some of the best un-mined material from the mid 20th Century. Lately, they’ve added blues, R&B and the roots of rock to their repertoire, and we are better off for the decision. Here’s the…