One of the key rules in music is to “tell your story”. Sometimes it’s during a solo, or maybe in the entire song. The team of guitarist Jan Esbra and vocalist/pianist Catey Esler make up the foundation of the Jade…
Month: December 2020
Tobin Mueller: What Survives- Radio Edits
Well, you won’t get musically cheated on this one-you get 20, count ‘em, 20 songs by keyboardist/composer Tobin Mueller and his regular team of Woody Mankowski/voc-ss, Doug Schneider/ts, Tom Washatka/ts, Bob Levy/tp, Ken Schaphorst/fh, Dane Richeson/dr, Jeff Cox/b, Chris Mueller/p…
RURAL BLUES…Kokomo Arnold: The Kokomo Arnold Collection
One of the truly unique blues artists of the 20th Century was left handed slide guitarist James “Kokomo” Arnold (1896 or 1901-1968). This 49 song set collection over two discs captures just about everything he did for Decca, as well…
Charlie Parker: The Savoy 10-Inch LP Collection
The celebration of Charlie Parker’s 100th birthday was cut short due to the COVID lockdown, as tons of concert tributes were cancelled. Still, record labels did a yeoman’s job of keeping the festivities going, with Craft Records releasing a vinyl…
LEGENDARY BASSIST…Gary Peacock: The Beginnings-West Coast Years 1959-1962
The first thing that is going to shock you about this collection of material by legendary bassist Gary Peacock during his early years is that at one time HE ACTUALLY LOOKED YOUNG! Together with Charlie Haden, Steve Swallow and Chuck…
ARTSY TRIOS…Geof Bradfield-Ben Goldberg-Dana Hall Trio: General Semantics, Michaela Steinhaur-Alexey Kruglov-Roman Stolyar: Change & Choices
THREESOMES OF EXPORATIONS… The trio of Geof Bradfield on saxes and bass clarinet, Ben Goldberg on the clarinet and drummer Dana Hall create cool toned chamber bop on a collection of mostly originals. One of the ringers is a gurgling…
THE SWINGING WEST COAST…West Coast Series: Jazz & Swing Orchestras-Gene Estes: Westful, Dick Grove: Big, Bad & Beautiful
The LA studios of the 60s and 70s were filled with swing and mainstream jazz musicians earning some nice dough, but also looking for either hip venues like Donte’s or Concert By The Sea for some gigs, or maybe getting…
Dave Young Quartet: Ides Of March
Bassist Dave Young delivers a tribute to the Blue Note period of (mostly) Herbie Hancock on this richly delivered album tamed with trumpeter Kevin Turcotte, guitarist Reg Schwager and drummer Terry Clarke. Young is wise not to include a pianist,…
SHA3K: Winning Isn’t Everything, It’s The Only Thing!
The front line of drummer Djamel Baroudi, harpist Stina Hellberg Agback and bassist Tove Brandt mix it up on the musical gridiron for six fusiony 80 yard drives to score. Agback’s harp sometimes sounds plugged in, other times acoustic as…
Eric Lilley Trio: Follow Up
Pianist Eric Lilley has bop emanating from his fingertips as he leads a nifty trio with bassist Mark Diamond and drummer Dru Heller. The interplay between the three is joyful on the slinky blues of “The Weston Walk” , with…