It’s guys like Stephane Wrembel that remind me why I gave up playing the guitar; after 4 years of practicing, I realized I’d NEVER play like Django Reinhardt. Wrembel has it down better than I could have dreamed of, with…
Month: February 2019
Andy Milne & Dapp Theory: The Seasons of Being
Pianist and composer Andy Milne mixes music with aspects of healing on this holistic album of sound and homeopathy. His Dapp Theory band of Aaron Kruziki/reeds, John Moon/voc-poetry, Christopher Tordini/b and Kenny Grohowski/dr are teamed with guests including cellists Christopher…
THINK YOU’VE HEARD EVERY FEMALE SINGER FROM THE 50s AND 60s? The Best Voices Time Forgot: Wanda Stafford & Patricia Scott, Marcy Lutes & Patty McGovern, Dori Howard & Janet Brace
If cool-toned voices in the vein of June Christy, Anita O’Day and Chris Connor are your thing, you are set for a series of discs made for your ears, as Fresh Sound Records has uncovered a cache of ladies that…
Alister Spence and the Satoko Fujii Orchestrea Kobe: Imagine Meeting You Here
Conductor Alister Spence leads the highly productive pianist/composer Satoko Fujii as she continues to celebrate her 60th year with a concert at Big Apple Jazz Club in Kobe Japan. The 15 piece orchestra is light and flexible, able to create…
Mats Eilertsen Trio: And Then Comes The Night
Soft watercolors are painted by bassist Mats Eilertsen along with his mates Harmen Fraanje/p and Thomas Stronen/dr on this latest release. Wide spaces and sparkling stars are dominant on this dreamy collection of originals, as bass and drums go bump…
Ralph Alessi: Imaginary Friends
Trumpeter and leader forms a rich post modern team of Ravi Coltrane/ss-ts, Andy Milne/p, Drew Gress/b and Mark Ferber/dr on this latest ambitious release. Alessi’s horn is wide ranging in its expressiveness, gasping in the shadows of “Pittance” sighing with…
Peter Drew: And What’s More
Peter Drew leads a hiply swinging and varied big band through a mix of his compositions as well as arrangements of jazz standards. Vocalists Wendy Gilles, Maria Maloney and Sachal Vasandani are mixed and matched with a team that includes…
BOP AND POP FROM AVID…Mundell Lowe: Five Classic Albums, Harold Land: Four Classic Albums, Marty Wilde: Three Classic Albums Plus
The three latest releases from Avid Records mix vintage and tasty bop with pop vocals from Baby Boomer England During his lifetime (1922-2017) guitarist Mundell Lowe was one of the most in-demand studio musicians in Los Angeles. His tasty tone…
IS THERE SHEET MUSIC TO THIS? Josh Sinton’s Predate Trio: Making Bones, Crux Trio + 1: Up and At ‘Em
Here are a couple of albums that are high in improvisation and light on construction… Josh Sinton plays baritone sax and bass clarinet, going deep and low into subterranean sounds with an intuitive team of Christopher Hoffman/cel and Tom Rainey/dr.…
HOW RETRO ARE YOUR ROOTS? Amelia White: Rhythm of the Rain, Charlie Faye & The Fayettes: The Whole Shebang.
Is music progressing when it looks back. Sometimes, as it reminds us where we’ve come from to help us direct our future. Here are a couple albums that mix retro and roots to take us beyond. Amelia White has a…