Overlooked on this side of the pond, UK cornetist Digby Fairweather, still playing at 76, is one of the swingingest and most uncompromising horn players of our generation. Making his fame on the usually ignored cornet, he’s being anthologized by…
Month: December 2022
Joakim Berghall Dark Roast 006: Edellleen Jonossa
Thick and palpably rich reeds are in the forefront of this album with Max Zenger/bs-bcl-bss-cbcl, Linda Fredriksson/bars-bcl, Joakim Berghall/bars-bcl along with a rhythm section of Jere Haakana/g, Jori Huhtala/b and Tuomas Timonen/dr. The plethora of lower end of the reed…
Walkin’ Cliché’ Sextet: Micro-Nap
The team of Erez Dessel-Jacob/p, Seajun Kwon/b, Avery Logan-Charles Weller/dr, Aaron Dutton/ts, Jacob Shulman/ts and Michael Prentky/tb-tub create a series of textures and rhythmic collisions on this album of originals. There is a piano/drum/bass/ “Suite Transient” that focuses on dark…
COZY CHRISTMAS…Richard Williams: Hollywood Christmas, Jane Monheit: The Merriest
Roasting chestnuts… Richard Williams comes across as a 21st Century take of Perry Como on this album of Christmas standards and originals. The album comes across almost like a musical play, with various re-iterations of pics such as “The Holiday…
Nicole Zuraitis-Thana Alexa-Julia Adamy: Sonica
The formidable female front line of vocalists Than Alexa/key, Nicole Zuraitis/key and Julia Adamy/b mix passionate harmonies that trade off with leads on a wide ranging collection of originals and interpretations. Drummers Ross Pederson, Dan Pugach and Antonio Sanchez (who…
SATCHMO SANTA…Louis Armstrong: Wishes You A Cool Yule
While it includes a reissue of the famous and popular 1957 Armstrong As Santa Claus, this album is one you never get tired of, just like Vince Guaraldi’s Charlie Brown collection. Also included is Armstrong reciting in his home back…
ALEX ACUNA: SPIRITUAL GIFTS
“But to each of us gifts have been given, as God apportioned it” Ephesians 4:7 In the Bible, the word “grace” literally translates into the word “gift”, as everything we have is part of God’s grace to us; it is…
MONTY ALEXANDER: LOVE NOTES TO AMERICA, GOD AND MILES
ONE OF THE OVERLOOKED STRENGHTS OF AMERICA IS THE RICHNESS OF ITS HERITAGE. SURE, SOME OF US LIKE TEARING DOWN OUR HISTORY. BUT THOSE PEOPLE HAVE NEVER LIVED ANYWHERE ELSE. MUSICIANS AND PEOPLE LIKE PIANIST MONTY ALEXANDER EMBODY ALL THAT…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****So Long Seven: Only Elephants Know Her Name
The team of Neil Hendry on various guitars, banjo man Tim Posgate, exotic percussionist Ravi Naimpally and William Lamoureux on violin, viola, bass and guitar create a sumptuous mix of American gumbo and Asian masala on this tasty treat of…
GUILTY PLEASURES…Buck Owens and the Buckaroos: Bakersfield Gold-Top 10 Hits 1959-1974
There are just some styles of music that you fall in love with and you don’t care who knows. For me, it’s Doo Wop and unabashed tear in your beer Country. Buck Owens and the Buckaroos created a style of…