Randy Brecker gives a big band hint of his Brecker Brothers days with the NDR Big Band and guests David Sanborn and Ada Rovatti on this skunk funk of an album. Sanborn and Brecker team up for an irresistible take…
Month: May 2019
THE ‘IN’ CROWD…The Ramsey Lewis Trio: The Early Years 1956-59
Believe it or not, there was a time in America where modern jazz actually had “hits” on the radio. Are you revived from your fainting spell? Yes, it’s true! Pianist Ramsey Lewis jazzed up pop songs like “The ‘In’ Crowd”…
The Doug MacDonald Quartet: Organisms
Guitarist Doug MacDonald creates a peanut butter and jelly classic Hammond B3 combo with Carey Frank/B3, Bob Sheppard/ts and Ben Scholz/dr for some sublimely swinging standards and originals. MacDonald comes from the Herb Ellis school of strings-warm toned, lyrical and…
Victor Janusz Band: Café Pluvieux
Pianist, composer and vocalist Victor Janusz leads an upbeat team for some Broadway sounding upbeat swingers. His voice is clear and earnest, teamed with MD Dixon/ts, Spencer Hoveskeland/b-g, Eric Wilcont-Jacues Willis/dr, and various guests for a Latin Lover of a…
Eric Jerardi: Occupied
Bluesy rock with a swampy feel is delivered by guitarist/singer Eric Jerardi on this 7 song ep of originals. The 3 member horns section of Charles Rose/tb, Steve Herman/tp and Doug Moffet/ts give a STAXY feel to swampers like the…
David Grier: Ways of the World
Any artist endorsed by Tommy Emmanuel deserves attention, and David Grier gets both on this impressive acoustic album long on folksy bluegrass. His picking is confident and clean, rich on the hoe down rags like “Billy In The Low Ground”…
Culture: The Nighthawk Recordings
This 7 song ep contains three pieces from Culture’s 1982 Calling Rastafari as well as four previously unissued takes and remixes. Members of The Wailers, Roots Radics and Joseph Hill, Albert Walker with Lloyd Dayes on vocals make for an…
Michael Davidson & Dan Fortin: Clock Radio
Michael Davidson plays vibes and teams with bassist Dan Fortin on this collection of 14 sublime and classy duets. Davidson’s compositions mix rich melodies for a series of “Berlin” tunes, with some effects on “VII” and chimes on “V.” A…
Lone Justice: Live at the Palomino 1983
The old joke used to be was that if you went to your car after a show at The Palomino and it still had all of the hubcaps, it was a good night. The famous venue is the site for…
A MUSICAL MESSAGE FOR MOTHER’S DAY by Angela Johnson
One night, I woke up at 4 am, as one often does in their third trimester. After using the restroom for the umpteenth time that night, I realized that I was ruining my children. I had not been playing enough…