Pianist Simona P remazzi has a modern and gracious touch as she leads a modern team of Dayna Stephens/ts-ss, Joe Martin/b, Nasheet Waits/dr and guests Jeremy Pelt/tp-prod and Sara Serpa/voc through a mix of originals and covers. Stephens uses his…
Month: March 2018
MIKE STERN’S TRIP
“It was good that I was afflicted, so that I may know your decrees.” King David Psalm 119:71 THERE ARE MANY WAYS PEOPLE RESPOND TO ADVERSITY. SOME GIVE UP AND DESCEND INTO LIVES OF BITTERNESS. OTHERS RETREAT INTO ISOLATION AND…
Taylor Haskins & Green Empire: The Point
The Steiner/Crumar analog EVI is a type of mood synthesizer, and Taylor Haskins uses it to intriguing effects as he teams up with a rewarding but unorthodox team of Brett Lanier/pedal steel, Michael Chorney/ag, Robinson Morse/b and Geza Carr/dr for…
Frank Perowsky Jazz Orchestra: An Afternoon In Gowanus
Frank Perowsky plays clarinet and tenor sax while leading a swinging big band that includes all stars Jerry Dodgion/ts and Sam Burtis/tb with charts that get the toes tapping. The team flexes the biceps on a bopping “Bouncin’ With Bud”…
Andrew Distel: It Only Takes Time
Andrew Distel is going to get comparisons to either Chet Baker or John Proulx; all three have that soft and swinging sub-toned vocal delivery, getting attention more with a whisper than a shout. Distel also plays trumpet here and there…
Chet Doxas: Rich in Symbols
Leading a quartet of Matthew Stevens/g, Zack Lober/b, Liam O’Neil/synth and Eric Doob/dr along with a handful of guests, Chet Doxas brings woodwinds and synths for seven dreamy and moody originals. He creates sonic landscapes with some clever electric bass…
Gogo Penguin: I Humdrum Star
The trio Gogo Penguin consists of Nick Blacka/b, Chris Illingworth/p and Rob Turner/dr. Together, they adeptly mix classical, jazz, electronics, and with engineer Joe Reiser, create some rich textures. Ellingwoth’s Beethoven touch teams with galloping drums on an intriguing “Window”…
James Weidman: Spiritual Impressions
There’s spiritual, and there’s “Spiritual.” This album by James Weidman is not the Dalai Lama ordering a pizza “one with everything” type of spiritual, but more the “let’s do some church” type of spiritual, and that’s fine with me. Weidman…