Wanna try an artist that you’re not familiar with, but don’t want to shell out major bucks? Step right up! Doris Day’s one of the most underappreciated vocalists around. She did some great pieces during the end of the Swing…
Author: George W. Harris
Mindi Abair: Wild Heart
I think saxist Mindi Abair has been doing some working out at the gym, as she shows a tone of muscle on the rocking and rollicking session that includes Memphis horn sounding sections and 50s-60s rhythms. Guests on this hot…
OU: Pisces Crisis
Here’s a fun one! An Italian sextet lead by Ersilia Prosperi who composes, sings and plays the trumpet and ukulele he in artsy and quirky tunes that are sung in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and even Sardinian. He brings together…
BEST MODERN JAZZ COMPOSER? Joni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and Mind/Painting With Words and Music
Herbie Hancock’s Grammy winning album of Joni Mitchell music merely solidified the rumor that the 60s-80s folk singer/songwriter just might end up being the most important jazz composer of the Baby Boomer generation. Here, we’ve got a Blue Ray dvd…
Iain Matthews: The Art Of Obscurity
Singer/songwriter Iain Matthews claims that this album, his first in 15 years, will be his last solo venture. Maybe someone can talk him out of it-he’s got a great style and delivery that is missing in this age of attitude…
Eric Alexander: Chicago Fire
Tenor saxist Eric Alexander has one of the best beefy sounds around these days. He surrounds himself with some kindred spirits in Harold Mabern/p, John Webber/b and Joe Farnsweorth/dr with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt joining in for a few tracks as…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Tim Hegarty: Tribute
This album is supposed to be a tribute by tenor/soprano saxist Tim Hegarty to the likes of John Coltrane and Dexter Gordon, but for my money, as soon as you hear this guy’s bluesy/gospel sound, you’re going to flash right…
Tyrone Birkett/Emancipation: Postmodern Spirituals-The Promised Land
Saxophonist/keyboardist Tyrone Birkett puts together an ambitious project here with Paula Ralph Birkett/voc, Gregory Royals/key, Reggie Young/g andJason Patterson/dr. He’s composed and arranged a collection of modern and traditional spirituals, put them into a jazz/funk context and threw in some…
GUITAR MAN! Terrence Brewer: Mosaic, Historia
Looking for a new guitarist to discover? Here’s a guy from the Bay Area that might be your find. Terrence Brewster’s got a tensile tone, doesn’t waste a note, and has a healthy sense of swing and timing on these…
Alfredo Rodriguez: The Invasion Parade
Pianist Alfredo Rodriguez continues his path of combining together Cuban sounds and rhythms within the jazz idiom. This time around he takes a couple steps forward by going deep into the traditional folk sounds, and thereby including vocals by Esperanza…