In an age of acrimony and anger, it is refreshing to hear the baritone voice of Gregory Porter bringing messages reconciliation and hope that can only come from a worldview inculcated by his church background, as both his music and…
Month: February 2020
The Jazz Bakery Presents: Jeff Denson Trio w/ Brian Blade @ Moss Theater 02.05.20
After a week of political turmoil and acrimony that included impeachments and tearing up of The State of the Union address, it was refreshing to take in some harmonious sounds and symbiotic musical interplay by bassist Jeff Denson, as his…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****THE ROOT OF MODERN JAZZ…Petrolukas Halkias & Vasilis Kostas: The Soul of Epirus
Disclaimer: As a second generation Greek, I grew up listening to the folk music of my grandparents, not realizing that the pulsating rhythms, earthy voices and passionate clarinet or strings were anything exotic. It wasn’t until I listened to music…
STILL SCHIZOID AFTER ALL THESE YEARS…King Crimson: In The Court Of The Crimson King 50 Year Edition
It’s truly bewildering to consider how many ground-breaking albums were released in 1969-70, creating an entire new style of music called either “progressive rock” or “jazz fusion”, depending on what side of the street you lived. In the retrospect of…
The DIVA Jazz Orchestra: DIVA + The Boys
The XY chromosome DIVA Jazz Orchestra brings in diversity by adding guests Ken Peplowski/cl, Claudio Roditi/tp, Jay Ashby/tb and Marty Ashby/g as guests to this swinging set of swing, bop and Brazilia. The sections are rich in tone and pump…
THE RETURN OF FUSION…Santiago Bosch: Galactic Warrior, Darren Barrett: The Evi Sessions-Mr. Steiner, Tertio: La Mince Ligne
This being a half century since fusion was started with the seminal Bitches Brew and In A Silent Way, a number of younger artists are once again p lugging in and mixing rock with today’s jazz. Here are a few…
Sirkis/Bialas IQ: Our New Earth
This two disc by leaders Asaf Sirkis and Sylwia Bialas is an ambitious affair dedicated to our planet, in two sections, a collection of rich singular tunes and a six part suite “Our New Earth”. Sirkis plays drums, various exotic…
JUST BEFORE TECTONIC SHIFTS…America’s Greatest Hits 1946, The ‘Telestar Hot 100-December 22, 1962
Only in retrospect is one able to tell the time before a revolution takes place. Here are two boxed sets from Acrobat Music that give a rich history of what took place before the changing of the guard from the…
Nicolas Meier World Group: Peaceful
Nicolas Meier plays a wide variety of acoustic guitars with a warm accompanying collection of Kevin Glasgow/b, Richard Jones/vi and Demi Garcia/perc on a travelogue of original tunes. He takes a journey to the Middle East with his oud-sounding glissentar…
Guarino Salvoldelli Quintet: Core ‘Ngrato
The Italian team of Boris Savoldelli/voc, Guido Bombardieri/as-cl, Corrado Guarino/p Tito Mangialajo/b and Stefano Bertoli/dr mix modern pop, jazz and dark hues. Savoldeilli’s voice goes from bel canto to street corner salesman raspy as on the flowing “Scalinatella” or sighes…