“What’s Up, Doc?” Be vewwy qwuite…I’m going to tell you about a place and musical event you need to know about. There’s a new venue that just opened in the Valley, called The Write-Off Room. Not only do they have…
Month: September 2023
Bob Holz: Holz-Stathis Collabrative
Classic fusion sounds from the 1970s sound fresher than the morning’s crescent in the hands of drummer Bob Holz (teamed with producer Rob Stathis)( , with a core team of Dean Brown/g, Billy Steinway/key, Darryl Jones-Ralph Armstrong-Ric Fierabracci/b and a…
Johnny Rawls: Walking Heart Attack
Earthy soul sounds akin to STAX records is delivered by vocalist Johnny Rawls, backed by a Memphis BBQ tam of Dan Ferguson/key, Richy Puga/dr, Johnny McGhee/g, Bob Trenchard/b, Jon Olaazabal/perc a handful of backing singers and a horn section of…
CarbonWorks: Nocturne
The latest release by CarbonWorks’ Vanishing Act, is a mind-provoking animation musical that emphasizes the conflict between man’s dominion of nature versus domination of it. The accompanying music more than stands up on its own, with the dramatic strings supplied by…
Stacey Kent: Under Paris Skies
The album is due out in October, but the first single release from Stacey Kent’s USummer Me, Winter Me has a rich swinging bohemian feel. Her voice is a mix of Annie Ross and Blossom Dearie, flexible yet expressive, gliding…
Javier Rosario Trio V2: Yes!
I first heard guitarist Javier Rosario a couple of years ago on his first trio album, and was impressed by his unique mix of metal and concise swing. This latest album of his, in a trio setting (co-produced with drummer…
Robert Edwards: Upswing
NYC based-trombonist Robert Edwards brags in brass with trumpeter Joe Magnarelli and a rhythm team of Mike Karn/b, Aaron Kimmel/dr and Adam Birnbaum/dr for a bopping collection of originals and covers. Edwards has an alluringly optimistic tone that boasts a…
Paulo Almeida: Oferenda
Brazilian drummer Paulo Almeida mixes worlds and styles in this richly textured album with a heartfelt melding of sounds and voices. He brings together a core team of Lorenzo Vitolo/p-synth, Devin Daniels/as, Oscar Latorre/tp, Thiago Alves/b as well as guests…
Catalina’s 37th Anniversary New Sign Reveal 09.12.23
As Master of Ceremonies, Dave Damiani told stories of various jazz greats he’d seen through the decades, peppered between crooning standards and interviewing the likes of producer Chris Isaacson and Catalina herself. “This is my family,” Catalina confessed as she…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK**** Quartet San Francisco-Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band & Take 6: Raymond Scott Reimagined
If you’ve ever watched Saturday mornings cartoons as a kid, you must be familiar with the sounds and music of Raymond Scott (1908-1994) who composed tons of wild and zany music for Looney Tunes, Merry Melodies, and even things like…