For years a sideman or teammate with the likes of Gerald Clayton, Taylor Eigsti and Kenny Barron, saxist Dayna Stephens has quietly released a handful of albums under his own leadership. This one, a double disc-er with Aaron Parks/p, Ben…
Month: February 2021
Manteca: The Twelfth Of Never
A wide range of colors moods and beats are produced by this eclectic octet, which includes the woodwinds of Colleen Allen, the percussion of Art Avalos, drummer Charlie Cooley, mark Ferguson/s trombones and vibes, bass work from Will Jarvis, trumpeer…
Cat Toren’s Human Kind: Scintillating Beauty
Besides piano, leader and composer Cat Toren brings chimes, tuning forks, singing bowls, rattles and bells into the mix with his team of saxist Xavier Del Castillo, Yoshie Fruchter on the oud, bassist Jake Leckie and drummer Matt Honor for…
JAZZ LIVES MATTER…Gregg August: Dialogues On Race, Benjamin Boone: The Poets Are Gathering
Here are two albums that are focused on the recent social unrest, with more questions asked than answered. Composer and bassist Gregg August brings together a large ensemble that includes tenor saxist JD Allen amongst the 4 member reed section,…
The Yellowjackets + WDR Big Band: Jackets XL
Though they’ve gone through various personnel changes, the Yellowjackets have been together through 40 plus years, with founding member Russell Ferrante and longtime compatriot Bob Mintzer still sounding fresh, along with drummer William Kennedy and bassist dane Alderson. Their last…
Emi Makabe: Anniversary
A rich sauce of various flavors are produced by Emi Makabe, who sings and plays the Japanese stringed instrument the sahamisen along with a team of Vitor Goncalves/p-acc, Thomas Morgan/b and Kenny Wollesen/dr-vib. The eleven original compositions have her sing…
Darwin 2: A Frozen War
1970s hard rock similar to vintage Blue Oyster Cult is produced by the team of Simon Phillips/dr, Matt Bissonette/b, Billy Sheehan/b, Guthrie Govan/g, Greg Howe/g, Derek Sherinian/keys on this hard hitting collection of five tunes. Dramatic prog rock akin brings…
KURT ROSENWINKEL’S BETTER ANGELS
I DON’T THINK THERE WAS A SINGLE PERSON THAT WASN’T SURPRISED AND AMAZED BY THE “NEW” SOUNDS THAT GUITARIST KURT ROSENWINKEL DELIVERED ON THE GROUNDBREAKING ALBUM HEARTCORE BACK IN 2003. THE MIX OF ELECTRONIC PULSES WITH A UNIQUE MIX OF…
The McKee Brothers: A Time Like This
There’s only one McKee on this album, Denis, who sings, plays bass, keyboards and percussion while teamed up with vocalist Maxayn Lewis, keyboardist Bobby West, bassist Bobby Watson and drummer Steve Stephens along with a horn section of Lee Thronburg-Doug…
WOLFGANG MUTHSPIEL: VIENNA’S ANGULAR BLUES
WHEN YOU THINK OF THE BLUES, VIENNA, THE LAND OF MOZART AND BRAHMS, IS NOT WHAT FIRST COMES TO YOUR MIND. BUT AUSTRIAN GUITARIST WOLFGANG MUTHSPIEL’S LAST COUPLE OF ALBUMS HAVE HAD HIM THE HEAVY COMPANY OF BRAD MEHLDAU, AMBROSE…