One of the most influential blues guitar pickers is represented on this 3 disc, 74 song boxed set featuring pioneer Arthur “Blind” Blake (1896-1934). His calliope like guitar picking influenced a generation of players from Rev. Gary Davis, Josh White,…
Month: March 2023
ALWAYS OVERLOOKED…Bill Henderson: Complete Recordings 1958-1961
I was able to see vocalist Bill Henderson (1926-2016) many times in the LA jazz club scene, and was always 1) impressed at how impeccable each set would be in terms of delivery and style 2) looking around and wondering…
BEFORE BARRY WHITE…Arthur Prysock: Early Years Selected Singles 1946-62
As molasses toned Barry White was to R&B in the disco 1970s, so was Arthur Prysock to jazz and blues in the post WWII years. This two cd, 50 song collection covers the years that Prysock spent with the swinging…
Steve Smith’s Vital Information@Catalina’s 03.25.23
And we haven’t even talked about the reason he’s in town this week at Catalina’s with his incarnation of Vital Information with bassist Janek Gwizdala and pianist/keyboardist Manuel Valera. Time has flown with his band, as this tour has Smith…
*****RINGER OF THE WEEK****IF THE FOUR FRESHMEN WERE BLACK…The Metronomes: And Now..The Metronomes/Something Big!
Really? A black vocal quartet in the 1950s doing jazz? You sure it’s not doo wop? I’m sure! First tenor Paul Benson, second tenor Julius Robinson, baritone John Oglesby/Conrad Moore and bass Charles “Woody” Woodford took the smooth delivery of…
HALCYON DAYS OF SAMBA…Joao Gilberto with Os Cariocas: At Club 676 October 1962
If your only association with Brazilian music is Stan Getz’s classic albums, this collection of previously unreleased music by charter member Joao Gilberto will come as a revelation. The recording (with adequate to good sound quality) has Gilberto in an…
SOUNDRACKS OF THE GOLDEN ERA: Alfred Newman: Conducts His Classic Motion Picture Scores, Henry Mancini: The Classic Soundtrack Collection 1958-1963, The Magic Of Mancini 1956-62, Dimitri Tiomkin:Legendary Hollywood, Elmer Bernstein: Original Motion Picture Soundtracks
Movie soundtracks were the last bastion of creative and accessible music. With Big Bands becoming insignificant or atonal, the silver screen became the vehicle for modern composers to create new musical ideas. Here are a handful of composers who have…
SOMEWHERE THERE’S MUSIC…Sofia Borges: Trips & Findings
For two discs, Sofia Borges brings together percussion, drums, toys, field recordings and various electronic do-dads that sound like a background for some visual art exhibit. “Trips and Findings” is a dark trudge of percussion and plugged in thoughts, “Chimeric…
Kurt Rosenwinkel: Berlin Baritone
There was a time a few years ago when Kurt Rosenwinkel was destined to become one of the most important jazz guitarists of his generation. That has changed a bit, as his last few albums, one of solo piano, one…
Dewayne Pate: On The Up Side
Once, long ago, on a planet far, far away… Jazz was able to be clever, adventurous and also accessible. Somehow it lost its way, but bassist Dewayne Pate puts out an album to remind people that America’s classical music is…