Pino Palladino plays various types of basses with electronics, and co-leads a band with Blake Mills, who plays instruments ranging from electric guitars, exotic woodwinds, reeds, percussion and things plugged in. They mix and match small group ensembles which include…
Month: April 2021
Lorne Lofsky: This Song Is New
Guitarist Lorne Lofsky teams with Kirk MacDonald/ts, Kieran Overs/b and Barry Romberg/dr through a collection of lithe post bop originals and clever covers. Of the latter, they deliver a pulsating take of Miles Davis’ “Seven Steps” that cruises well, along…
Hennessy Six & The Colorado Springs Youth Symphony: The Road Less Traveled
The Colorado Springs Youth Symphony joins up with trumpeter Sean Schafer Hennessy and her team of Cully Joyce/ts-fl, Colin McAllister/g, Jason Crowe/bBrad Bietry/p and Chris Gaona for some mainstream joys. The Gary Nicholson-conducted orchestra adds drama and texture to pieces…
THE NEW AMBIENT…New Hermitage: Unearth, Colin Fisher: Reflections of the Invisible World
Music or musings? That is the question asked on these two releases that mix instruments with atmosphere. The unorthodox team of harp (Ellen Gibling), cello (India Gailey), guitar and “effects” (Ross Burns) and various reeds (Andrew MacKelvie) create a wide…
Sachal Vasandani with Romain Collin: Midnight Shelter
Each album by vocalist Sachal Vasandani takes a different journey. His catalogue ranges from mainstream jazz to electronica. This latest is by far his most personal, creating an album of slow and deep duets with pianist Romain Collin. Vasandani is…
The Hitman Blues Band: Not My Circus, Not My Monkey
Led by Russell “Hitman” Alexander on guitar and rough and ready vocals along with Kevin Bents/key, Mike Porter/b, Guy LaFountaine and a horn section with guests, the Hitman Blues Band serves up a swampy blue plate of bluesy rockers. Russell…
BOOKS FOR MIND, EARS AND SOUL…
Since this month we are focusing on musicians that have written books, I thought it might be time to make a list of books that have influenced me over the years. I’ve broken the lists down to three, 1) MUSIC…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Mark Winkler & David Benoit: Old Friends
This reunion of venerable buddies Mark Winkler and David Benoit is what long time kindred spirits are supposed to feel like-putting on an old pair of slippers; warm and comfortable. The West Coast Cool vocalist and smooth jazz pianist do…
STEVE LUKATHER: THE LAST OF THE OLD SCHOOL GUITARISTS
TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK, BECAUSE I WAS LIVING IN AFRICA AT THE TIME, I NEVER GOT INTO TOTO’S MUSIC, AND I’D NEVER SEEN GUITARIST STEVE LUKATHER PLAY WITH RINGO STARR’S ‘ALL STARR’ BAND. MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO LUKATHER WAS SEEING…
Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine: Mazel Tov Kocktail!
Veteran Big Band leader Ira B. Liss puts together a hard swinging album with his 23+ member team along with some fun guests. The horns sections punch with a wallop on pieces like “Gimme That” and West Wings” as well…