Pianist Danny Fox fronts a trio along with Chris Van Voorst Van Beest/b (how do you put THAT name on the back of a basketball jersey?) and Max Goldman/dr through a collection of original compositions. What ‘s striking about Fox…
Author: George W. Harris
Brad Whiteley Trio: Pathless Land
Brad Whiteley sets two distinct moods on this album with Andrew Lim/g, Daniel Foose/g and Kenneth Slaters/dr. One has him in a grooving B3 Hammond atmosphere, shuffling a beat on”Winsome Excursion,” boogalooing to “Bass Instincts” or bluesing the mood on…
Douglas Detrick’s Anywhen Ensemble: The Bright And Rushing World
Trumpeter Douglas Detrick takes a step forward in the tricky genre of chamber jazz. He assembles Hashem Assadullahi/as-ss, Shirley Hunt/cello, Steve Vacchi/bassoon and Ryan Giesack/dr together for a collection of originals that mix thick and rich ensemble passages with some…
Jackiem Joyner: Evolve
Saxist/composer Jackiem Joyner takes the accessibility of smooth jazz and adds a bit of kick in the pants on this latest collection of tunes. He brings together some impressive compatriots including Keiko Matsui/p, Gerald Albright/ts and multi instrumentalist Matt hamel,…
MIX AND MATCH…The Young Presidents: Coalition, Ahmed: Dhaalu Raa
Here are a pair of releases that mix sounds from various traditions with some vintage pop vibes. I’m not sure of the concept behind naming a band The Young Presidents. Are they that enamored with the “hope and change” of…
Harvey Mason’s Chameleon Jam@The Blue Whale 06.03.04
This is going to take some faith, but at one time, jazz was actually so popular that albums would be multi-million sellers and bands could fill arenas like the Bowl. Here, let me pick you up from fainting… Don’t believe…
THIS IS BEBOP 101…Chubby Jackson Big Band: Ooh, What An Outfit! NYC 1949
There are certain times in your life when you think everything is the way it’s supposed to be, and then something comes to shake you up to realize how far you’ve strayed from your path. Sometimes I get that way-I…
THE BLUESBREAKER…John Mayall: A Special Life, Stories-Road Dogs-In the Palace of the King
If you have any blues album recorded after 1960, odds are they guitarist has either a) played with or b) been influenced by the Father of the Modern Blues, John Mayall. Back in 1962, Mayall was part of the London…
Holly Hofmann: Low Life
Subtitled “The Alto Flute Project,” this release by Ms. Hofmann has her in the symbiotic company of Mike Wofford/p, John Clayton/b, Jeff Hamilton/dr and Anthony Wilson/g for some rich and enriching originals and covers. Wilson appearance of four of the…
THE STANDARD BEARER…Mark Murphy: Sings
Few people realize how influential Mark Murphy has been to today’s most popular singers such as Kurt Elling. His sense of freedom within the groove has been a paradigm shifter for male vocalists since these early classic sessions first came…