Best known for his work in Count Basie’s Orchestra, tenor saxist/composer/arranger Frank Foster is given a swinging tribute by trumpeter Kenyatta Beasley as he gives a swinging concert performance at Brooklyn’s Jazz 966 Club with Vincent Gardner/tb, Mark Gross/as, Keth…
Month: December 2019
JC Sanford Quartet: Keratoconus
Trombonist JC Sanford leads a modern sounding post bop team of Zacc Harris/g, Chris Bates/b and JT Bates/dr-perc through some wide ranging sounds. Even an arrangement of the standard “All The Things You Are” is stretched out almost beyond recognition,…
BLUESERS….Mark Crissinger: Believe In Love, Ghost Town Blues Band: Shine, Myles Goodwyn: Friends of the Blues 2
The blues in three hues Mark Crissinger sings and plays a bluesy guitar with Bill Hicks/dr, Jay Stevens/b, Marty Howe/harp, Darcy Phillips/key and Pierre Komen/ts on a honky tonking collection of originals. The band gives off a Stevie Wonder “Higher…
SUI GENERIS…Erroll Garner: Dream Street, Closeup In Swing, Campus Concert, One World Concert, A New Kind Of Love, A Night At The Movies
Pianist Erroll Garner, like guitarist Wes Montgomery, reflected an era and style of playing that will probably never be replicated. Self-taught, never learning to even read music, both he and Montgomery created a personal and inherently swinging style of jazz…
The Mike Duke Project:…Took A While
Mike Duke is one of those venerable side men, always in support and eschewing the limelight. He’s been associated with bands ranging from Huey Lewis to the Outlaws and the Marshal Tucker band, spending a good amount of time with…
David Rodgers: Doorways
Keyboardist David Rodgers creates a wide variety of soulful sounds on this upbeat session with a rotating band members. Saxes, choir, strings mix and match for sweet sounds as on “Negative Truth” and make room for Miguel Alvarado’s tenor sax…
BIG BAND BONUS…The Brian Lynch Big Band: The Omni-American Book Club, Michele Rosewoman’s New Yor-Uba: Hallowed
Big Bands are still alive, usually created in the studio. Here are a couple This two disc set has trumpet all star Bryan Lynch leading a big band through richly arranged originals. Among the members of the team are Mike…
IMPORTANT SMALL LABELS…Billy Vera: Rip It Up-The Specialty Records Story, Rampart Records: Land of 1000 Dances-Complete Singles Collection
Some of the most important music of the 20th Century was recorded on small independent labels. Here are a couple books/cd sets that literally set the record straight. Better known for his singing,, acting and producing Billy Vera authors the…
ANOTHER CLASSIC FROM 50 YEARS AGO…The Kinks: Arthur (Or The Rise And Fall Of The British Empire)
It seemed like 1969 was the year that everyone released their strongest album, and the Kinks were no exception. Usually considered the “Working Class” heroes of their generation, they released a series of “concept” albums that were light years ahead…
Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band: The Gordian Knot
In case you didn’t know, a Gordian Knot is related to Alexander The Great’s solving a difficult problem with a rope and therefore proving his genius. Gordon Goodwin must be referencing his charts to the title, as his arrangements and…