Timeless sounds from two different worlds are represented by Avid’s latest releases. The gifted team of Benny Golson/ts, Art Farmer/tp and McCoy Tyner/p created a sleek core for soulful hard bop between 1959-62. Their debut with Addison Farmer/b, Curtis Fuller/tb…
Author: George W. Harris
Tina Raymond: Divinations
Drummer Tina Raymond forms a trio with guitarist Andrew Renfroe and bassist Karl McComas-Reichl through six modern sounding originals. She drives the stallions with a hard snapping whip on the exciting post boppers like “Swainson’s Hawk” and “Seven of Wands”…
*****RINGER OF THE WEEK: Ron Blake: Mistaken Identity
Before he became a professor at Julliard, saxist Ron Blake toured around with Roy Haynes and Christian McBride bands, as well as leading his own quartets. His releases has been few and far between, although he does still tour with…
BLUES IN BLACK AND WHITE: Willie J Laws Jr: Too Much Blues, Jhett Black: Babel, Ole Lonesome: Tejas Motel
Hues of blues Willie J. Laws Jr. plays guitar and sings with the style of BB King, backed by a smoky team of Dave Johnson/b, Brooks Milgate/keys, Justin Blackurn/ddr, Eric Lawrence/sax, Mark Berney trp, Mike Machaby/st and backing vocalists. There’s…
Madd For Tadd: Central Avenue Swing and Our Delight
The pen of one of bebops forgotten great composers, Tadd Dameron, is celebrated on two separate discs released by Madd for Tadd, co-led by Kent Engelhardt and Stephen Enos. The result is a fun celebration of an artist that deserves…
Roger Joseph Manning Jr & Glamping: Radio Daze
Best known for his work with Jellyfish, keyboardist/vocalist Roger Joseph Manning Jr. cretes catchy pop-rock tunes both in studio and in concert on this “solo”release.He’s backed by Joey Waonker/dr, Dan Rothchile/b,Jason Falkner/eg and a slew of cameo guests. There are…
Elmar Frey: Seven Colors
Drummer Elmar Frey shows his allegiances on this album, with a song title like “Silverish” relating to the hard bop master Horace Silver. He brings in a team of Daniel Schenker/tp-fh, Rodrigo Botter Mio/as-fl, Christoph Grab/ts-ss-fl, Stefan Schlegel/tb, Alessandro d’Episcop/p…
The Angelica Sanchez Nonet: Nightime Creatures
Pianist and composer Angelica Sanchez puts together a team of Michael Attias/sax, Ben Goldberg/cl, John Hebert/b, Thomas Heberer/tp, Sam Ospovat/dr, Chris Speed/ts, Omar Tamez/g and Kenny Warren/tp for a mix of originals and a couple covers. The sound and approach…
LADIES SING THE HUES…Yuka Mito: Love In The City, Hanna Gill: Everybody Loves A Lover
Yuka Mito sings with clarity and optimism as she takes on originals and standards deftly arranged by pianist Allen Farnham,along with Dean Johnson/b and Tim Horner/dr. Vincent Herring brings his bopping alto sax for an upbeat “I Got Rhythm”, with…
Christian Dillingham: Cascades
Bassist Christian Dillingham brings together Lenard Simpson/as-ss, Dave Miller/g and Greg Artry/dr for ten subdued moods. A rich bass intro leads into Simpson’s mystical soprano on “South State Line Road” with the two getting folksy for “Cold Switch”. Millers guitar…