Once upon a time, “rock and roll” was not a ubiquitous lifestyle used in truck commercials, but a fledgling genre that was geared towards Baby Boomers looking for something musical beyond “How Much is That Doggy in the Window?” This…
Month: January 2019
VINTAGE BIG BANDS…West Coast Series: Rey DeMichel, East Coast Series: George Romanis
The late 50s and early 60s were tough times for touring jazz orchestras. What people forget is that the studios which were used for TV and radio were fertile grounds for some exciting big band sounds. These two sets show…
Thomas Marriott: Romance Language
Rich ballads and romantic moods are produced by Thomas Marriott, who plays tender trumpet and fluid flugelhorn as he’s supported by the orchestrations and programming by keyboardist Ryan Cohen, vibe master Joe Lock, bassist Jeff Johnson and deft drummer John…
Dan Adler: Friends on the Moon
Guitarist Dan Adler leads a cooly swinging quartet with Arnon Palty/b, Donald Vega/p and Byron Landham/dr through a decalogue of uptown originals. Adler’s got a Herb Ellis cleanliness to his town, with a similar pulse as he lithely bops in…
Ethan Ardelli: The Island of Form
Drummer Ethan Ardelli brings together a fluid team of Luiz Deniz/as, Chris Donnelly/p and Devon Henderson/b for a rich collection of originals. The overall sound is rich and spacious, leaving lots of room for Deniz’s warm Paul Desmond-toned horn, and…
Iro Haarla, Ulf Krokfors & Barry Altschul: Around Again
The compositions of the recently departed genius Carla Bley are interpreted by the trio of Iro Haarla/p, Ulf Krokfors/b and Barry Altschul/dr on this celebratory release. The trio gives a bit of a Thelonious Monk puree on a number of…
Danny Lynn Wilson: Peace of Mind
Danny Lynn Wilson plays guitar and sings like a minstrel on these troubadour’d tracks with a core support of Dave Gross/g-banjo-p-org, Matt Raymond/b, Ray Hangen/dr and a rotating team of guests. He writes all of the material, and it comes…
Christopher Hollyday: Telepathy
Alto saxist Christopher Hollyday leads a swinging post bop quintet with Gilbert Castellanos/tp, Joshua White/p, Rob Thorsen/b and Tyler Kreutel/dr through a collection of standards. Hollyday’s tone and attack are similar to the bright approach of a Jackie McLean, on…
Cats and Dinosaurs: The Shape of Swing to Come
Retro moods and attitudes are in abundance by the team of Johan Axelsson/cl-bs, Sofia Hogstabius/vi, Julia Schabbauer/dr, Tove Casen Nylander/b, Filip Bagewitz/voc-g, Christopher Ali Thoren/ts-ss, David Lopberg/key, Johan Benetjjon/banj and Fia Forslund/vib. The atmosphere is vintage 30s-40s swing, but the…
Don Byron and Aruan Ortiz: Random Dances and (A)tonalities
Once projected to be the darling new voice of the clarinet, Don Byron has been doing a “Where’s Waldo” the past decade. He comes back with pianist Aruan Ortiz playing both rich clarinet and warm tenor on this intimate collection…