After a long overdue absence, legendary tenor saxist David Murray finally returned to LA, not with vocalists or small groups from his latest recordings, but in a duet setting with multi-percussionist Kahil El’Zabar that had sparks fly in a myriad…
Month: June 2019
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Brandon Goldberg: Let’s Play
It’s both inspiring and intimidating to hear about adolescent childhood jazz prodigies. I’ve seen Joey Alexander, Emily Bear and Eldar Djangarov before they learned how to drive, and was impressed by their techniques and style. Here is a guy barely…
DJANGO DJAMS…Simba Baumbartner: Les Yeux Noirs
You would think that after hearing so many tributes to Django Reinhardt that my ears would get tired of them. You’d think so, but it’s like saying that you’ve heard enough Mozart; just keep it coming! Guitarist Simba Baumgartner, great…
Harpdog Brown: For Love and Money
“Come along with me…down the Mississippi” Harpdog Brown sings like he was weaned by Tom Waits and plays the harp with a wonderful wail on this stomping album along with Dave Webb/p-B3, Robert Vail Grant/dr, Steve Dawson/g, Jeremy Holmes/b and…
Richard Ford: Basso Profondissimo
Richard Ford uses a panoply of basses on this (mostly) solo album of songs and soundscapes. Using a wide range of tones and instruments , he can create rich images and deep shadow’d atmospheres as on “Dusty Theatre” as well…
Martial Solal: Martial Solal and His Orchestra 1956-1962
Still alive and well at 91, pianist Martial Solal is still one of the most harmonically sophisticated pianists to come out of the hard bop era. Usually associated in a trio setting, this album from Fresh Sound Records has him…
CAN YOU DIG IT?…Isaac Hayes: Shaft (Deluxe Edition)
AH! The early 70s when there was a surfeit of hip “Blaxploitation” films like Shaft and Superfly, and soulful soundtracks that pushed the musical envelope forward. Isaac Hayes’ 1971 soundtrack to the movie Shaft was a Afro-sheened, floppy hatted gauntlet…
Philippe Saisse Trio: The Body and Soul Sessions
Best known for his long time association with guitar fusion giant Al Di Meola, keyboardist Philippe Saisse creates a soulful trio with bassist David Finck and drummer Scooter Warner on this strong dozen selections. The team is a communicative unit,…
Sean Pinchin: Bad Things
Thick and murky moods are created by Sean Pinchin, as he sings along with a various styles of guitars along with Rob Szabo/b-g-key, Mary-Jane Luvite/dr and Jamie Grey/voc. He mixes some vintage blues along with originals, dark and ominous with…
SPACE IS THE PLACE…Hoia: Scavenger, Shumaun: One Day Closer To Yesterday, Darwin: Origin of Species
Space journeys and or spacey sounds are served up on these three releases. Prateek Rajagopal plays guitar, sings and writes the music here along with drummer Wojtek Deregowski and bassist Colin Edwin. The fives songs on this ep mix thick…