Big Bands are still around to give big sounds… The Hammond is humming and the horns are calling as drummer David Gibson drives the rhythm teaof leader Radam Schartz, guitarist Charlie Sigler and 12 team horn section through some originals…
Month: November 2020
Aimee-Jo Benoit & Trio Velocity: Borjoner
Indie-toned vocalist Aimee-Jo Benoit leads her band of Robin Tufts/dr, Sheldon Zandboer/p and Simon Fisk/b through some personal readings of standards and modern musings. Piano and brushes create a chamber mood for Benoit on a bohemian read of Kurt Cobain’s…
ROXY COSS: ROXY’S CAUSE
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWER VOICES ON THE TENOR AND SOPRANO SAX, ROXY COSS USES HER MUSIC TO GIVE INSPIRATION TO OTHER BY ADDRESSING LIFE AND SOCIAL ISSUES. THE TITLES OF SOME OF HER ALBUMS ( RESTLESS IDEALISM AND…
THIS IS A JAZZ DRUMMER 101…Joe Farnsworth: Time To Swing
Drummer Joe Farnsworth has been the pulse for bands lead by Harold Mabern, Eric Alexander, Pharoah Sanders and Benny Golson, so he knows how to drive the big engines. Here, he leads a trio for half the time with classy…
Jeff Gold: Sittin’ In-Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s
Because of the draconian shut down laws resulting from the COVID pandemic, this wondrous book put together by Jeff Gold is most appreciated. For the past year, we have been denied the joy of hearing “live” music in jazz venues,…
Clifton Davis: Never Can Say Goodbye
It makes sense that vocalist Clifton Davis would include Take Six as guests on a track, the pretty and lyrical title track. His voice has that same soft velvety sound, with just a dash of church and a hint of…
HUES OF BLUES…New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers: Volume 1, Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters: Rise Up
Rockin’ the blues! With Charlie Musselwhite wailing on the harmonica, teamed with guitarists Alvin Youngblood Hart and Jimbo Mathus as well as a rhythm team of Jim Dickinson/p, Luther Dickinson/g-mand-b, Cody Dickinson/dr, Chris Chew/b and Paul Taylor/tb, the NMJRFR mix…
Junk Magic: Compass Confusion
Famed keyboardist Craig Taborn taps into his inner King Crimson on this fusiony album with Mat Maneri on viola, drummer David King, bassist Erik Fratzke and Chris Speed playing sax and clarinet. Taborn’s keyboards and synth work are reminiscent of…
Dolores Scozzesi: Ever Since The World Ended
So Cal vocalist Dolores Scozzesi teams up with Lauren White and delivers a timely revisit to Mose Allison’s wry observations on life with bassist Trey Henry and drummer Ray Brinker. Scozzesi sounds like a street preacher, mixing blues, gospel and…
MELISSA ALDANA: CATCHING UP WITH FRIDA
ONE OF THE FRESHEST SAX SOUNDS COMES FROM THE CHILEAN MELISSA ALDANA. DISCOVERED BY DANILO PEREZ, ALDANA HAS SINCE MOSTLY ESCHEWED THE ROLE OF SIDEMAN AND SHE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AS A LEADER. HER FIRST ALBUMS SHOWED MUCH PROMISE,…