Founded in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon, Vanguard Records built up a catalogue of some of the most authentic collections of folk, blues, and jazz during its existence. By 1953, the label was under the direction of John…
Month: January 2025
The Bad Plus: Complex Emotions
Once the vanguard for today’s jazz piano trios, The Bad Plus has evolved in personnel and style over the years. Yes, the drum heavy sound is still there, here provided by Dave King. But along with founder Red Anderson on…
****STILL GOING STRONG AT 100****Terry Gibbs Dream Band: Volume 7-The Lost Tapes, 1959
While not playing the vibes anymore, at 100 Terry Gibbs is one of the last of the musicians from the big band and bebop eras. This 1959 collection of sessions from various Hollywood Clubs has Gibbs with the crème of…
Red 123: New Town
Guitarist Steve Bryant, better known as “Red 123” is a six string voice that begs to be heard for those inspired by the sounds of Pat Metheny. He’s got that same sense of traditional melodicism teamed with a modern and…
The Choir Boys: Surveilled
As demonstrated on this recording/video, free form jazz is best experienced in concert setting. Even if your idea of stretching the musical boundaries consists of Wynton Marsalis, Jeff Kaiser and Andrew Pask have something to garnish your attention. For this…
Brandon Sanders: The Tables Will Turn
Drummer Brandon Sanders forms a hip pot bop team with Keith Brown/p, Chris Lewis/ts-ss, Warren Wolf/vib, David Wong/b and guest Christie Dashell/voc for a mix of standards and originals. Sanders pulls a ringer wit Dashiell on a sleek read of…
Soul Piece: A Plane To Catch
If you want to know what happened to Booker T and The MGs, check out this album by Rolf Thofte/tp, Andreas Toftemark/ts, Mads Norgaard/g, Simon Eskildsen/key, Anton Langebaek/b and David Besiakov/dr. The sextet sounds like they were weaned on STAX…
Dwayne Clemons: Center Of Gravity-Live At Smalls
A hot night of hard bopping was happening Sept 7, 2023, with trumpeter and leader Dwyane Clemons blowing heat with Amanda Sedgwick/as, Aaron Johnson/ts, JinJoo Yoo/p, Paul Gill/b and Taro Okamoto/dr mixing standards with originals. Clemons and company are bright…
Wonderly Wolves: Wonderly Wolves
The guitar/instrumental and vocal team of Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk bring 11 originals that sound like the early days of Buffalo Springfield or The Flying Burrito Brothers. There’s a dash of rock steady on “Words To Say Goodbye”, and…
Lars Danielsson, Verneri Pohjoia, John Parricelli: Trio
The trio of Verneri Pohjola/tp, Lars Daniellson/b and John Parricelli/g create ambient atmosphere on this dozen originals and covers. Pohjola’s trumpet mostly sighs and gasps, floating like a cloud on “Le Calme au Chateau”, ethereal during “Improvisado” and hovering for…