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…
Author: George W. Harris
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…
WARM BLOODED! Paula Santoro: Mar Do Meu Mundo, Rebeca Vallejo: Azucar Canela
Here are a couple lyrical latin lovers. One is sweet, the other caliente. Brazilian vocalist Paula Santoro has a gentle and nasal sounding sound to her delivery with jazzy team of Zeca Assumpcao/b, Kiko Freitas/dr, Marco Lobo/perc and Rafael Vernet/p.…
ARRANGERS’ DELIGHT…Justin Morell Dectet: Subjects and Complements, Joe Fielder’s Big Sackbut: Sackbut Stomp, Dan Willis and Velvet Gentlemen: The Satie Project II
Is the pen actually mightier than the sword? Here are three new releases that show how the pen is at least mightier than the horn, as it guides into (pun intended) uncharted waters. Composer/arranger Justin Morell puts together a ten…
BASS DESIRES…Charnett Moffett: Spirit Of Sound, Aaron Germain: Change
Upright, fretted, unfretted, four to six stringed, or piccolo, the bass is shown what it can do here when, literally, it is in the right hands on these two sessions. Charnett Moffett goes solo with the upright (“Bassland”), trio with…
HERE COMES THE SAX MAN! Jon Hamar: Idyl Wild, Clarence Johnson III: Watch Him Work
OK, so technically, one of these albums isn’t lead by a sax player, but there are two on the quartet date, so give me a break! Bassist Jon Hamar leads an unorthodox quartet with drummer Julian MacDonough and a front…