English Brazilian vocalist Nina Miranda mixes genres, ideas and sounds on this widely varied disc. Much of the time, she lets her dna grab onto modern Brazilian sounds, mixing electronics with sensuous grooves as on the synth pieces “ “Capoeira”…
Month: July 2017
A NEW MEANING TO “PROGRESSIVE JAZZ”…Tina Raymond: Left Right Left
Drummer Tina Raymond puts together a thoughtful trio with Art Lande/p and Putter Smith/dr to create a musical discussion of political issues pertaining to American Progressive movement. Musically, the album is impressively strong, with clever arrangements by the likes of…
WHO IS THIS GUY?!? Miles Mosley: Uprising
If this is the future direction of jazz, please count me in! This debut album by singer/bassist/composer Miles Mosley is as promising as it is exciting. He’s played with artists ranging from Jeff Beck and Mos Def, while this album…
BIRD IS THE WORD…Luciana Souza, Madeleine Peyroux, Gregory Porter, Kurt Elling, etc: The Passion of Charlie Parker
Here is a great idea, with almost a perfect cast of characters. Producer Larry Klein celebrates the music and life of Charlie Parker by using the famed alto saxist’s songs for vehicles of musical narration by an A team of…
Robert Mugge: The Gospel According to Al Green
Back in the 1970s, Al Green was the king of soul singers and at the apotheosis of his musical career. As displayed in this penetrating 1984 biopic, Green went through a crisis of faith and changed career directions. Putting his…
Daniel Dickinson: A Gathering Foretold
Hailing from Florida, alto saxist Daniel Dickenson got some attention when he got a Downbeat award as an Outstanding Soloist back in 2011. Here, he shows his chops with a rotating team of Ulysses Owens Jr/dr-prod, Joshua Bowles-Christian Sands/p, Reuben…
THE LAST STANDING BEBOPPER…Terry Gibbs: 92 Years Young-Jammin’ at the Gibbs House
Of all of the musicians to come out of the bebop era, Terry Gibbs is the last one who lived to see the fledging sounds of Diz and Bird hit the airwaves. The veteran of the Second Herd shows he’s…
JD Allen: Radio Flyer
Tenor saxophonist JD Allen paints with greys and sepias on this loose-fitting wardrobe of songs with Liberty Ellman/g, Gregg August/b and Rudy Royston/dr. Allen’s tone on the horn is as dry and dusty as a drive through Albuquerque, and he…
Bill Cunliffe: BACHanalia
winning pianist and arranger Bill Cunliffe breathes fresh life into The Great Baroque Songbook as he mixes Bach with bop on this impressive big band album. The band includes some of LA’s finest, including Wayne Bergeron, Terell Stafford, Jon Daversa,…
Tal Cohen & Danielle Wertz: Intertwined
A delicate and simpatico meeting between vocalist Danielle Wertz and pianist Tal Cohen takes place on this sublime collection of songs. Wertz’s soft voice is delicate and sublime on the wordless title track, and dreamy with reflective regret on the…