Drummer Ray Marchica is best known for being in the Ed Palermo Big Band which focuses on Frank Zappa compositions. With chops like that, he can play anything, and he shows that here as he leads an impressive team of…
Author: George W. Harris
MUSICIANS OR INSTRUMENTALISTS? Matt Mitchell: Fiction, Platz/Demos/Delvo/McLellan: Differential Equations
As someone who plays the sax and clarinet, I have been told many times by my teacher, “Are you a musician or an instrumentalist?” What is the difference? One is using their technique on an instrument, while the other is…
Passafire: Vines
Composed of Ted Bowne/g-voc, Will Kubley/b-voc, Mike DeGuzman/key-g and Nick Kubley/dr, Passafire is an indie/rock band that has some husky vocals by Kubley and Bowne, and sounds that go from the reggae-ish “Earthquake” to modern rock such as “Black Dog.”…
Bernie Worrell Orchestra: BWO Is Landing
Keyboardist Bernie Worrell made his name working with Parlaiment-Funkadelic when an Afro was an Afro. Here, with disco behind him by a good 20 years, he leads a funky ten piece band that sounds like a modern version of rhythmic…
MORE FROM BETHLEHEM…Donald Byrd/Pepper Adams: Motor City Scene, Zoot Sims: Down Home, Bobby Troup: The Songs of Bobby Troup
Nothing like finding old obscure recordings to freshen up your day! Bethlehem Records brightens the heart with three more reissues of arcane but wonderful sounds. The front line of Donald Byrd/tp and Pepper Adams/bs leads a group of fellow Detroit…
Frank Macchia: Grease Mechanix
For a number of years, tenor saxist/composer Frank Macchia released some wonderfully lyrical material that melded strings alongside his warm tenor. He also did a couple very clever albums dedicated to animals, with each song a tribute to a specific…
NOW, WE’RE TALKING!!! Randy Weston & Billy Harper: The Roots of the Blues
I just saw Randy Weston and Billy Harper in concert performing the music from this album and had to make sure the music was as good as I thought. It was. These two legends basically get together and take you…
Various Artists: Fifteen Shades of Blue
I assume that this collection of “mood” tunes is in reference to the notorious book Fifteen Shades of Grey, which I refuse to read. As my daughter (who is a family psychologist) says, “Why do I need to read a…
Andy McKee@Smothers Theatre Pepperdine 01.10.14
As Andy McKee demonstrated during his 90 minute concert at the sonically adroit Smothers Theatre at Pepperdine, the acoustic guitar is still able to have new sounds , approaches and stylings derived from it. Like an explorer from the 16th…
****MEDITERRANEAN RINGERS OF THE WEEK****Tev Stevig: Jeni Jol, Hristo Vitchev & Liubomir Krastev: Rhodepa
I usually don’t put two separate releases together to make up my Ringer(s) of the Week, but this pair of sessions are so intertwined that to make separate articles would be redundant. You either “get it” or you don’t. Lord…