Bassist and composer Roberto Occhipinti forms a trio with pianist Adream Farrugia and drummer Larnell Lewis for interpretations of his own compositions and a couple covers. He’s got an elegant tone and inherent melodicism to his playing evidenced in the…
Month: June 2022
SIX STRINGED JOYS…Randy Napoleon: Puppets-The Music of Gregg Hill, George Cotsirilos Quartet: Refuge
Yes, rock and roll changed the sound of the guitar for many a six stringer, but here are some that simply ignored the a-changing times, sticking to the timeless rather than the transient… Known as the longtime sideman of Freddie…
The Duke Robillard Band: They Called It Rhythm & Blues
One of the better contributions to Western Civilization is the shuffling R&B groove pioneered in the 40s and 50s and re-oiled and tuned up here by guitar vet Duke Robillard and his team of Chris Cote/voc, Bruce Bears/p-org, Marty Ballou/b,…
James Kitchman: First Quartet
UK based guitarist James Kitchman has a cool tone to his strings, creating soft pastels of originals withhis team of Bruno Heinen/p, Tom McCredie/b and Shaney Forbes/dr. There’s a tensile fluidity to his lines, pretty as they glide around Forbes’…
Calvin Johnson Jr: Notes of a Native Son
Hard bop with a soul is delivered by Calvin Johnson, playing soprano and tenor saxes with a crisp team of Ryan Haseler/p-key, Trenton O’Neal-Alfred Jordan-Thamas Glass/dr, Evan Washington-Peter Harris/b and various guests. On soprano he glides over the “Poinciana” inspired…
Eliza Neals: Badder To The Bone
Eliza Neals sings and plays the rocking blues on piano and B3 with her core team of Lance Lopez/g, Peter Keys/org, Jason Kott/b, Tim Grogan/dr and Michael Pulwal/g-b and a collection of guests. She rocks like Bo Diddley on the…
Chad Fowler & Matthew Shipp: Old Stories
One of today’s most successfully intuitive pianists, Matthew Shipp, links up with outside sounding alto saxist Chad Fowler for a collection of improvisations. Actually, Shipp sounds quite compositional throughout, with bopping lines on “Chapter Four”, playful melodies for ‘Chapter Nine”…
JOEL ROSS: MUSICAL PARABLES OF THE SOUL
“He who has ears, let him hear” Matthew 11:15 IF YOU EVER WENT TO SUNDAY SCHOOL, YOU WERE TAUGHT THAT “A PARABLE IS AN EARTHY DESCRIPTION OF A HEAVENLY TRUTH”. NOT EVERYONE MAY UNDERSTAND IT. IN FACT, THE BIBLE STATES…
OMAR SOSA AND THE BASICS OF LIFE
“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3 ONE OF THE IRONIES OF LIFE IS THAT YOU DON’T NOTICE HOW IMPORTANT SOMETHING IS UNTIL IT IS TAKEN AWAY. I THINK WE ALL GOT A LESSON IN…
CELEBRATE OUR FATHERS
Let’s face it, if it weren’t for fathers, most of us wouldn’t be around. We’ve all had them, some of us are them, and some of us fathers have been called a “Mother.” Having said all that, the sign of…