A Whitman’s sampler of songs by the likes of e.s.t, Youn Sun Nah, Wofgang Haffner, Norah Jones, Michael Wollny, Nils Landgren and others are produced on this collection of pieces from the ACT label. Jones is in a Cumberland Gap…
Month: July 2021
George Colligan: Long Term Goals
Imagine my surprise when I got this album by George Colligan and heard no piano work. Where is he?!? Well, I dug into the liner notes to discover that Colligan is also a drummer, so on this album he decided…
Frank Macchia: Songs for Tracy
Best known for his rich tenor work and clever orchestral arrangements, Frank Macchia delivers an album more in a pop MOR mode with ballads and light jazz. Featuring Tracy London on vocals and pushed along by Brock Avery’s drums, Macchia…
FEMALE PASSIONS…Jeannine Otis: Into My Heart, Amber Weekes: ‘Round Midnight Re-Imagined
Vocalists with musical emotions… Jeannine Otis delivers intimate and personal materials wit support from Saul Rubin at the instrumental helm and guest Jonathan Sherry/p, Jimmy Ponzie/g, Stanley Banks/b, Stanton Davis/tp and Sam Jacobs/cong. Otis has a breathy sensuality as she…
BIRTH OF THE MODERN…Charlie Parker: The Charlie Parker Collection 1941-54
There are certain jazz artists that you need to know a lot about-Charlie (“Bird”) Parker is one of them He didn’t do it single handedly, but he’s one of the main architects that turned jazz from a popular music that…
ALICE COLTRANE THE BEBOPPER…Terry Gibbs Quartet Plays Terry Gibbs featuring Alice McLeod
Yes, before she teamed up with her husband John Coltrane and created transcendental jazzitation, Alice McLeod was a bebopping pianist hired as a sideman for swinging vibes man Terry Gibbs. This album, which contains both sessions of the two together…
Jacqui Naylor: The Long Game
Deep toned jazz vocal veteran Jacqui Naylor mixes originals with standards on this latest release with Art Khu/p-key-g, Jon Evans/b-g and Josh Jones/dr-perc. Her muscled delivery is up beat on her own “I’ll Be Loving You” and title piece, while…
Gabriel Evan Orchestra: Global Entry
Playing alto and soprano saxophone, Gabriel Evan brings together a team of Joe Goldberg/cl-ts, John Zarsky/tp, Joe Kennedy/p, Ben Fox/b and Michael Voelker/dr-perc for a collection of songs that sound like pre-swing two steppers. Hints of early Fletcher Henderson or…
Marius Neset: A New Dawn
Tenor saxist Marius Neset goes solo on this outing of passionate originals. His tone is breathy blue on pieces like “A New Creation” while he mixes subtones and sighs as he clips with his pads on “Old Poison (XL)”. Rapid…
Tommy Ward: From This Moment On
25 year old Tommy Ward shows impressive vocal skills and chops on this introductory ep of cleverly read standards. He’s backed by some of the best, with John Patitucci-Chris Colangelo/b, Marvin “Smitty” Smith-ray Brinker/dr, Larry Koonse-Jake Langley/g and Bill Cunliffe/p…