There have been many incarnations of The Allman Brothers band, and this 1991 version that gave a gig at the Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts in Mansfield, MA, is certainly one of the best. The team consisted of…
Month: May 2021
Tony Allen: There Is No End
One of the founding fathers of AfroBeat, teaming up with the legendary Fela for a number of years, drummer Tony Allen went urban R&B on this Blue Note album, obviously his last, that features a rotating team of synth players,…
Phill Fest: Café Fon Fon
Playing a wide variety of guitars, including a nifty 7 stringer, Phill Fest creates gorgeous Brazilian musical moods with his team of Robert Prester/p-k, Pablo Bil/sax-fl, Paul Shewchuck/b, Michael Brothers/dr and Tuti Rodrigues/perc. Beatriz Malnic brings in sunshine’d vocals on…
BIG BAND IDEAS…Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band: Soul Conversations
Drummer Ulysses Owens leads from behind with a sharp 17 big band that brings in guest Stefan Harris for extra good vibes. Harris glides over the cascade on the loosely swinging “London Town” and veers around the serious sax section…
Vincent Herring: Preaching To The Choir
Alto saxist Vincent Herring is a graduate of the Cannonball Adderley school of soulful bebop, and there’s nothing wrong with that on this toe tapper with him in front of Cyrus Chestnut/p, Yasushi Nakamura/b and Johnathan Blake/dr. He bares his…
Mai-Liis: Mai-Liis On Life
Vocalist and lyricist Mai-Liss delivers reflections on her experiences supported by a core of Darin Clendenin/p, Clipper Anderson/b and Mark Ivester/dr along with guests Brian Monroney/g, Charlie Portr/tp, Cory Weeds/as-ts and David Lange/acc. Mai-Liis has a world wise breathy tone…
Ben Patterson: Push The Limits
Trombonist and leader Ben Patterson slides on a variety of base paths with his team of Shawn Purcell/g, Chris Ziemba/key, Paul Henry/b and Todd Harrison/dr through a mix of originals. Dan Cortaza brings his nylon strings to the nimble gallop…
JAZZ OPERA? Angela’s Ring: An Opera Review of the European Debt Crisis
Jazz? Opera? European Debt Crisis? Who thought up this combo?!? Hey, it actually works pretty well over this two disc opus by Kabir Sehgal and Marie Incontrera. The “Cast” features Lucy Schaufer, David Gordon, Brandon Shook, Erik Bagger and Marnie…
Jon Klages: Fabulous Twilight
Singing, playing guitar and piano, Jon Klages teams up with Neil Larsen/key, Davey Faragher/b, Pete Thomas/dr and a collection of background vocalists for a mix of pop and jazzy blues reminiscent of Michael Franks, Air Supply and Ambrosia. There are…
A CLASSY SIDEMAN OUT ON HIS OWN…Junior Mance: The Albums Collection 1959-62
Recently leaving us for eternity, pianist Junior Mance (1928-2021) was known as not only being a reliable sideman for the likes of Dinah Washington, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt and Johnny Griffin, but was a highly respectable leader of his own…