Dave Slonaker fronts a big band in which he does almost all of the composing, arranging and conducting. No small job when you consider the band has a reed section that includes Bob Sheppard and Brian Scanlon, a trumpet section…
Author: George W. Harris
Theresa Grayson: Live 2 Love
Blame it on my lack of youth, but whenever I get a “smooth” jazz disc of a female musician better looking than 90% of the women at the jazz clubs I visit, I get a little bit suspicious of either…
TWO LABELS OUT OF DORMANCY…Phil Woods & The Festival Orchestra: New Celebration, Bryan Shaw and the Hot Shots: The Bluebird of Happiness
Two labels that have been quiet for some time have started to get the dust off their shelves and join back into the music scene. Welcome back! Chiaroscuro Records, once a mainstay of mainstream jazz, went into hibernation for about…
Amir ElSaffar: Alchemy
Iraq born trumpeter Amir ElSaffar leads a forward looking band with Ole Mathisen /ts, John Escreet/p, Francois Moutin/b and Dan Weiss/dr through an arresting collection of originals. The sound and feel is post bop, but with a bit of Middle…
Keith Jarrett: No End
When you think of the words “Keith Jarrett,” what comes to your mind? I mean, besides the non-musical controversies about concert photos and sensitivity to audience sounds. Of course, it’s a) the piano b) the piano trio and c) free…
Rolling Stones: Sweet Summer Song-Hyde Park Live
This dvd definitely gives a whole new meaning to the term “70s Rock”. Returning to the scene where in 1969 they took off to become one of the most famous blues/rock bands ever, the gentrified Rolling Stones continue to defy…
Bill O’Connell & The Latin Jazz All-Stars: Zocalo
Pianist/composer Bill O’Connell leads an excitingly percussive and assertive team of Steve Slagle/sax, Conrad Herwig/tb, Richie Flores/congas, Luques Curtis/b and Adam Cruz/dr through some exciting originals and covers. Of the latter, Slagle’s soprano hovers over the viscerally excitement between the…
WHERE DOES AVID FIND THIS STUFF?!? Terry Gibbs: Four Classic Albums, Jimmy Giuffre: Three Classic Albums Plus, Jacques Loussier: Four Classic Albums, Clark Terry: Four Classic Albums
If you listen to things like Sirius radio, you probably think the same things I do: where does the dj find all of this amazingly obscure material. I mean, I think I’ve got a pretty good collection and knowledge of…
Vijay Iyer & Mike Ladd: Holding It Down-The Veterans’ Dream Project
I haven’t heard the other two collaborations by pianist Vijay Iyer and vocalist/poet Mike Ladd, but this one makes me want to check them out. The previous ones, In What Language? and Commentator, dealt with social issues, as does this…
Pink Martini: Get Happy
Back in 1969, there was a movie that was a spoof on European tours that visited 2-3 countries a day on a jam packed two week excursion, entitled If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium. Pink Martini albums are reminiscent…