Pianist Fergus McCreadie goes solo in format for this five song EP that has tones and ideas ranging from Claude Debussy to Keith Jarrett. He builds up richly in dynamics on “Chorale” wile restless and forward throbbing on “Eb Major”.…
Month: February 2024
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****3 Below: Live In Merida
The stringed team f Alonso Arreola/eb-eb, Trey Gunn/baruk-warg, Michael Manring/b and Emmanuel Pina/oud are captured in thrilling fashion at Palacio del La Musica de Merica, Mexico for a 2023 concert. The mix of Latin, African and Middle Eastern melodies and…
Larry Goldings: I Will
LA local and studio legend Larry Goldings takes a trip to Sam First Club near LAX for a hip night of trio work with Karl McComas-Reichl/b and Christian Euman/dr to deliver a rich and wide ranging set. Goldings is master…
John Stein: Next Gen
Guitarist John Stein produces an album to pass on to his grandkids his musical inspirations. He trios with Ed Lucie/b and Mike Connors/dr for a mix of originals and standards, and his clean, Jim Hall’d economy works well throughout. He…
David Larsen: Cohesion
Baritone saxist David Larsen forms a two reed front line with tenor sax man Darryl Yokley, backed by Zaccai Curtis/p, Alex Apollob and Wayne Smith Jr/dr for a collection of post bop originals. The textures are palpable as the two…
James Zollar: The Ways In
Playing trumpet and flugelhorn, James Zollar brings fresh and fragrant readings to material both new and known. His team of Michael Rorby/tb, Stefano Doglioni/bcl, David Hazeltine/p-key, Gerand Cannon/b and Willie Jones III/dr swings with fluidity on boppers like “The Fruit”…
SWING IS IN THE AIR…America’s Greatest ‘Your Hit Parade Hits 1936
To put things in time perspective, Benny Goodman’s 1938 Carnegie Hall concert was the “official” national acceptance of The Swing Era. This four disc, 98 song collection shows that the tsunami of swing was already swelling, with Big Bands, both…
DOO WOP SOUL AND BLUES GUITAR FROM AVID…Ben E. King & The Drifters: Five Classic Albums, Lonnie Johnson & Victoria Spivey: Four Classic Albums Plus
The latest releases from Avid Records feature timeless music from two important artists. During the 1950s, The Drifters were one of the most important Doo Wop bands, with lead singer Ben E. King eventually breaking away in 1960 to have…
Susanne Alt: Royalty For Real
Susanne Alt has a warm and rich alto sax on this soulful album with James Hurt/key-p, Gerald Cannon/b and Willie Jones III/dr. She brings in her flute to create some rich woodwind textures on the soulful pulse of “Roy Allan”…
Alon Farber Hagiga with Dave Douglas: The Magician-Live In Jerusalem
Saxist and leader Akib Farber delivers a concert at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem with special guest on trumpet Dave Douglas along with a local team of Yehonatan Cohen/ts-cl, Oded Meir/tb, Katia Toobool/p, Assaf Hakimi/b and Roy Oliel/dr. The team…