Recorded in concert at the June 2013 Berklee Performance Center, this album by fusion founder John McLaughlin shows once again who the reigning champ of chops was, is and will be. He’s with the hard hitting team of Etienne M’Bappe/b,…
Author: George W. Harris
Diana Krall Glad Rag World Tour@CSUN 04-04-14
When she first stepped out in the early 90s, Diana Krall shifted the paradigm by bringing a younger audience back to the Great American Songbook and has influenced countless female vocalists in her wake. At this stage in her career,…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Shawn Maxwell: Shawn Maxwell’s Alliance
Here’s an exciting release out of The Windy City. Shawn Maxwell plays reeds and woodwinds while leading a creative non-ette that mixes intricate jazz with baroque fugue elements to end up with a unique-sounding force of nature. Besides the rhythm…
Lena Bloch: Feathery
The title of this disc is a perfect description of the tone from this tenor player. Russian born and Brooklyn residing Lena Bloch sounds like something out of the 50s cool school a la Warne Marsh, early Getz and Lee…
Tord Gustavsen Quartet: Extended Circle
I’ve seen pianist/composer Tord Gustavsen twice, once in the trio format, and also last year in a quartet promoting his album The Well. Here, he’s using the sax of Tore Brunborg along with the team of Mats Eilertsen/b and Jarle…
Arlid Anderson: Mira
Bassist Arlid Anderson brings together Paolo Vinaccia/dr and Tommy Smith/ts for some stripped down trio work. There is a duo between Smith and Vinaccia on some free improvisation on third world instruments on “Raijin’” but for the rest of the…
Mighty Mystic: Concrete World
Here’s a reggae artist you might not have heard before, but he’s got a strong bite. Mighty Mystic has a strong and rich voice, and on this collection of 14 tunes is aggressive and filled with rich production, incessant grooves…
Offiong Bassey: Offiong Bassey
Offiong Bassey is a double threat, as not only does she posses an attractively rich voice on this R&B meets jazz session, but she shows gobs of talent as a songwriter as well. Sounds from the church, Peru, West Africa…
ORIGIN-ALL…Marc Seals: American Songs, Vol 2: Blues and Jazz, Scenes:…But Not Heard
The small Washington state label Origin Records is creating an impressive catalogue of post bop material. Here are the two latest arrivals to check out. Pianist/keyboardist Marc Seals mixes jazz with its blues root on this cookin’ session with Fred…
Krakauer: The Big Picture
Clarinetist David Krakauer gives a creative and imaginative tribute to songs from the silver screen along stars Jenny Scheinman/vio, Adam Rogers/g, Rob Burger/key, Jim Black/dr-perc and an assortment of cameo appearances. If you’re expecting John Barry or John Williams orchestrations,…