The latest single by guitarist Ari Joshua teams him up with drummer Russ Lawton and keyboardist Ray Paczkowski. The tune “The $1000 Question” has an analogue feel to it, featuring a funky swamp guitar riff, a down and dirty back…
Month: March 2023
THIS IS BEBOP TENOR 101…Jimmy Heath: The Classic Riverside Albums
If it weren’t for his being in prison at the early part of his career, tenor saxist Jimmy Heath (who recently left us for his reward) would probably be spoken of in the same breath as Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins…
THIS IS MODERN VIBES 101…Milt Jackson: The Riverside Albums Collection 1961-1963
The trajectory of jazz vibes is a fairly straight path, with bebopper Milt Jackson taking the baton from swinger Lionel Hampton. This eight album collection finds Jackson apart his more famous role as founding member of the Modern Jazz Quartet.…
VOCE FEMME…Fella Cederbaum: Speech Acrobats, Maria Jacobs: Back at the Bop Shop, Sarah Bernadette: Sad Poems on My Phone
Ladies with a voice to share… Mixing poetry with ambient keyboards, Fella Cederbaum delivers messages of reflection, warning and wisdom like a news editor with a musical heart. There’s a tango’d synthesizer supporting messages to unite on “Truth Tango”, while…
OBSCURE JAZZ VOCALS AND THE BAKERSFIELD SOUND FROM AVID…Buck Owens: Four Classic Albums Plus, Beverly Kenney: Five Classic Albums
The latest cache from UK based Avid Records brings up some important, though under the radar releases. One of the most important of the “new” country artists, and creator of “The Bakersfield Sound”, Buck Owens hit the ground running with…
Fuat Tuac: Immigrant
It’s not often you hear a singer that you just can’t pigeon hole, and Turkish-born Furat Tuac is gratefully just that man. The best you can say is that he’s Mark Murphy-ISH, as he’s as flexible as Turkish Taffy, but…
Melvin Smith: Perseverence
Melvin Smith gives sounds from both sides of the tracks on this soulful album, playing tenor and soprano sax on an album featuring tunes from sax legends. The two moods come from the selection of keyboards, as pianist Jeb Patton…
BOPPING TRUMPETS 101: Kenny Dorham: The Complete Albums 1953-1959, Howard McGhee: The Classic 1960s Albums, Blue Mitchell: Complete Albums Collection 1958-1963
Breaking away from the swing style trumpeters of the Big Band era like Harry James and Roy Eldridge, the next generation, led by Dizzy Gillespie, created a whole new modern sound, with tricky and rapid lines, sophisticated harmonies and bright,…
Peter Smith Trio: Dollar Dreams
Pianist Peter Smith brings his compositions to the fore with Mike Gurrola/b and Reggie Quinerly, mixing them with classy standards. He’s full fisted for a swinging “Carls’s Bag” with the team doubling down on the double timed “Dollar Dreams”.Gurrola is…
ESSENTIAL WESTERN CIVILIZATION…Duke Ellington: All The Hits and More 1927-54
If no one has told you this yet, please remember that you heard it hear first: you don’t understand 20th Century music until you’ve heard Duke Ellington, who is inarguably the most important musical artist of his century (and yes,…