Fresh from North Texas, the One O’Clock Lab Band brings in some big and bold charts on a mix of standards and originals. Directed by Alan Baylock, the team is big and bold on a freshly painted take of “I…
Month: January 2020
Charles Lloyd: 8-Kindred Spirits (Live From The Lobero)
Like many of the freer tenors of the 60s, Charles Lloyd has turned his heat into a glowing and warm ember. This album captures the sax legend celebrating his 80th birthday in Santa Barbara’s famed Lobero Theatre. The concert feels…
ROCK’S MOST OMINOUS GUNSLINGER…Link Wray: The Link Wray Collection 1956-62
Once upon a time, what we call “rock and roll” had guitarists who swung hard on popular instrumentals. One of the most important of this lost genre was Link Wray (1929-2005), whose fuzzy and distorted tone teamed up with his…
Kirk Whalum: Humanite’
Saxist and New Orleans native Kirk Whalum comes across as a master of ceremonies on this celebrative session that sounds like a mix of a jam session and Wednesday Night Revival meeting. Upbeat tunes like “Move On Up” feature Brendan…
BLUES ROCKING WITH A WESTERN SWING: Marshall Tucker Band: New Year’s In New Orleans, Bywater Call: Bywater Call
Two bands from divergent parts of North America dig deep roots. The legendary and still long running Marshall Tucker band was at its zenith at the time of this NYE gig in New Orleans. They were riding the wave of…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Roberto Fonseca: Yesun
Here’s a festive collection of tunes with Roberto Fonseca playing a plethora of different keyboards, singing, hand clapping and hitting some percussion as he mixes and matches with a core of Yandy Martinez Rodriguez/b and Raul Herrera/dr and a rotating…
Eric Alexander: With Strings
If anyone deserves a “…with strings” album, it’s Eric Alexander, as he’s got possibly the warmest and breathiest tone alive. He’s with his working team of David Hazeltine/p, John Webber/b and Joe Farnsworth/dr, so the team of 9 violins, 2…
CELEBRATION OF THE HARD BOP MASTER…Valery Ponomarev Big Band Live: Our Father Who Art Blakey-The Centennial
In honor of Art Blakey’s 100th birthday, trumpeter Valery Ponomarev brings together a snappy big band to give a 17 instrument salute of some of his most famous songs. The idea of using a large ensemble to salute the small…
Lakou Mizik: HaitiaNola
Here’s an album by a group that gives a fascinating mix of sounds from New Orleans and the Caribberan. You feel like you’re taking part in the taproot of American jazz with the team of vocalists Louis Lesly Marcelin, Steeve…
Jim Robitaille Group: A View From Within
Guitarist Jim Robitaille creates a Jim Hall-inspired quartet with sax icon Dave Liebman along with Tony Marino/b and Alex Ritz/dr through a mix of cool heat. On electric guitar, Robitaille’s sleek tone is perfectly foiled by Liebman’s urgent tenor sax…