Do you ever listen to an artist and ask yourself “Why haven’t I heard of this guy before?” That’s how I felt after just THE FIRST song on this 2 disc set that covers guitarist Bill Harris sessions with Mercury…
Author: George W. Harris
THIS IS A TENOR SAXOPHONE 101…Illinois Jacquet-Leo Parker: Toronto 1947
Unforgivably forgotten these days, Illinois Jacquet (1922-2004) was one of the first of what was then called “Texas Tenors,” and it didn’t matter or not if you were from the Lone Star State. Basically, if you had a big and…
Judy Wexler: What I See
What I’ve always liked about vocalist Judy Wexler is that she sounds like a working class lady. Picture if your waitress at the diner had pitch and rhythm. This is Wexler-no histrionics, no false seduction, or pizzazz. She takes your…
Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra: I Go Humble
You gottta admit-the idea of an orchestra being dedicated to the compositions of Bjork is a niche of it’s own. Vocalist Becca Stevens has a crystalline voice that works wonders in a variety of settings and moods, while the idea…
RANDY BRECKER LIVES…Niwa: At the End of the Day, The Matthew Finck/Jonathan Ball Project: It’s Not That Far
Here are a couple albums by artists that are putting out some impressive mainstream jazz. Thoughtful, creative and looking forward, but with feet planted on terra firma. Also, each include the trumpet or flugelhorn of Randy Brecker! Round, round, get…
John Funkhouser: Still
This is pianist/composer John Funkhouser’s fourth release, and the Boston-based artist does some interesting things with his core trio of Greg Loughman/b and Mike Connors/dr along with a couple guests. He takes some standards such as “My Romance” and “House…
Gipsy Kings: Savor Flamenco
OK, everyone out there; raise your hands if you DON’T like the Gipsy Kings. My point exactly. They just do it right every time, and after a quarter of a century, they have it down to a science. This latest…
Halie Loren: Simply Love
Here’s a vocalist with an alluring voice, taking some standards and Boomer Tunes and arranging them in intriguing manners. The backing team of Matt Treder/key-arr, Mark Schneider/b, Brian West/dr-perc, and William Seiji Marsh/g is occasionally supplemented by strings, guitars, accordions…
TWO VIEWS OF LATIN MUSIC…Antonio Loureiro: So, Vana Grieg: Making Memories
The beauty of “The Latin Tinge” (as Jelly Roll Morton originally labeled it)is that it can be used as an entire vehicle for the band, or simple as added accents. Here, you have some pop Brazilian music compared with some…
Katayoun Goudarzi & Shujaat Husain Khan: Spring
If you want to try to open your ears to “world” music, this might do it for you. Sitarist Shujaat Husain Khan teams up with Ajay Prasaana/fl, Abhiman Kaushal/table and vocalist Katayoun Gourdarzi to mix sounds of Persia and India.…