Vocalist Lara Iacovini leads a unique band that includes Steve Swallows electric bass combined with the team of double acoustic bassist Paolino Dalla Porta, drummer Adam Nussbaum/dr and pianist Roberto Soggetti as well as guests Andrea Dulbecco/vib and Giovanni Mazzarino/Rhodes.…
Author: George W. Harris
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Randy Ingram: Sky Lift
Here’s a pianist that has a touch on the ivories I could listen to for weeks. Randy Ingram leads a quartet with Mike Moreno/g, Matt Clohesy/b and Jochen Rueckert/dr for eight originals that have a sound all their own. I’m…
SINGER/SONGWRITERS FROM 2 WORLDS…Lauren Kinhan: Circle in a Square, Sheela Bringi: Incantations
You think you’ve got the lowdown on female singer/songwriters? Here are a pair from two opposite parts of the world! Lauren Kinhan is going to give Lorraine Feather a run for her money for the award for clever lyricist. This…
Craig Handy: Craig Handy & 2nd Line Smith
Tenor veteran Craig Handy gets down and dirty with a smoking tribute to B3 Master Jimmy Smith on this hot session that includes cameos by Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater sousaphonist Clark Gayton and drummer Herlin Riley. The core team…
Red Mitchell: What I Am
Bassist Red Mitchell has had a long and respectable career, both in America and in Europe. This release is a true one-of-a-kind, as it finds the bassist in the intimate confines of either his apartment or a cozy club in…
TWO REED MASTERS…Russ Nolan: Relentless, Matt Renzi: Rise and Shine
Here are two guys that play the reeds within the confines of the tradition, but bring a fresh sound to the ears. Russ Nolan focuses on the soprano and tenor saxes along with Manuel Valera/key, Michael O’Brien/b and Brian Fishler/dr…
Adrian Raso and Fanfare Ciocarlia: Devil’s Tale
Here’s an album that mixes the frenetic brass of Balkan folk music with gypsy jazz guitar a la the Hot Club of France. Guitarist/banjoist/bassist Adrian Raso teams up the wildly exciting brass/horn and drum team of Fanfare Cirocarlia for what…
HELLO MISTER WILSON!!! Matt Wilson Quartet & John Medeski: Gathering Call, Pete Mills: Sweet Shadow
OK, so that greeting dates me back to the days of the Dennis The Menace TV show. I couldn’t think of any other way to link together these two albums that have multi-dimensional drummer Matt Wilson as the man behind…
Burkhard Mahler: Mahler Movie Music-Entertainment Volume 1
Burkhard Mahler has spent almost 15 years composing music for TV, infomercials and cinema. Here, he puts out his own label and brings together seventeen of his songs from various productions. Some have a pop flavor with vocals, such as…
Adam Smale: Out of the Blue
Here’s a clean sounding guitarist that knows his way around the frets. Adam Smale is in the Herb Ellis/Kenny Burrell line of guitarists, and there ain’t nothing wrong with that. These ten tunes have him in a trio of Phil…