The trio of vocalist June Tabor, pianist Huw Warren and saxist Iain Ballamy get together to create a dreamy mix of folk, moody late night jazz and rich melodic tales. Tabor’s voice is a jewel, and she can make it…
Month: June 2017
THE LAST HURRAH…Larry Coryell’s 11th House: Seven Secrets
This album of the reunited and legendary 11th House with Larry Coryell/g, John Lee/b, Randy Brecker/tp, Alphonse Mouzon/dr and Julian Coryell/g was supposed to be the impetus for a statewide tour to remind everyone of how revolutionary and relevant the…
Ambrose Akinmusire: A Rift in Decorum
Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire demonstrates that he’s arrived as one of the upper echelon of jazz artists on this double disc set. First, the fact that he’s recording at the Village Vanguard is a tell tale sign of his status. Secondly,…
FRANK AT HIS FINEST…Frank Sinatra: The Timex Shows Vol 1 and 2
Here’s the Frank Sinatra that you remember best, back in the late 50s and early 60s, when the “new thing” was Elvis and Old Blue Eyes was the spokesman for the culture. The pair of dvds has him both in…
Jason Miles: Kind of New 2-Blue Is Paris
Famed producer, composer and keyboard player, Jason Miles has graced albums ranging from Miles Davis to Marcus Miller and even Michael Jackson. This album is kind of a Groundhog Day for musicians, as Miles takes the same tune, the catchy…
Shahin Novrasli: Emanation
You can tell right after the first two bars of this album what the legendary pianist Ahamad Jamal saw in Shahin Novrasli that he’d desire to produce the young man’s album. With gentle nudging support by James Cammack/b, Andre Ceccarelli/dr…
Amy Black: Memphis
Vocalist Amy Black must have grown up visiting the STAX studio museum, as she sounds like she was weaned on material created by founder Jim Stewart on this soulful album. The rhythm section of Joe Restive-Bobby Manuel/g, Al Gamble-Charles Hodges/key,…
Orlando Le Fleming: Orlando Fleming and Romantic Funk
Here’s a thoroughly accessible and enjoyable release by bassist Orlando le Flaming, as he mixes up some swinging modern jazz with toe taping backbeats. He teams up with Frank LoCrasto/key, Greg Tuohey/g, Lenny Reece-Ari Hoenig/dr and Seamus Blake/ts-ss for most…
Swingadelic: Mercerville
Like the old photographer’s cliché’ “It’s hard to take a bad picture of a flower,” it’s also just as difficult to do damage to anything composed by Johnny Mercer; even better when you’ve got a swingfest of a bad lead…
Michael Wolff: Zenith (Solo Piano)
A solo piano album is one of the most revealing of recordings, as it is hopefully able to allow you into the heart and mind of the artist. Michael Wolff’s album is able to let you into his thought process…