Trumpeter Itamar Borchov plays with soft sighs teamed up with Rob Clearfield/p-key, Rick Rosato/b and Jay Sawyer/dr for a collection of long-shadowed originals. His tone is tender and meditative throughout, fragile on pieces lilke “Abraham” and the delicate “Dirge” while…
Author: George W. Harris
Buddy Rich: Buddy Rich Trios
While best known for his big band, Buddy Rich also served up a number of impressive small group recordings, most famously with Art Tatum and Lionel Hampton back in the 1950s. This single disc has Buddy in piano/bass/drum settings, recorded…
TEA FOR TWO: FAMOUS PARTNERS
Yes, there are hundreds of famous stars, but even some of them are best known for certain partnerships. Here is a TOP TEN list of famous pairs Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers/Rita Hayworth: Yes, Ginger got the fame, but Fred…
LES MCCANN & JOE ALTERMAN: THE SOUL OF THE PIANO
WITH THE RECENT DEATH OF AHMAD JAMAL, IT SUDDENLY COMES TO ONE’S ATTENTION THAT A CERTAIN STYLE OF PIANO PLAYING IS SLOWLY BEING LOST THROUGH ATTRITION. MANY ARE THE PIANISTS WHO TRY TO IMPRESS BY A MYRIAD OF NOTES, A…
RICK AND JENDA DERRINGER: STANDING ON THE ROCK, AND NAME ON THE ROLL
IF THERE IS ANYONE READING THIS ARTICLE THAT HAS NEVER HEARD THE ICONIC SONG “HANG ON SLOOPY”, THEN YOU’RE EITHER A) FROM ANOTHER PLANET, OR B) ACCIDENTALLY ON THE WRONG WEB SITE WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING FOR MACRAME’ IDEAS. NOT…
FORGOTTEN BRILLIANCE…The Kinks: The Journey-Part 2
While it seems these days everyone talks about the great music the Beatles created, people forget that one of the brilliant musical minds at the time belonged to Ray Davies, and his band, The Kinks. The core of Davies with…
Soft Machine: Other Doors
One of the last of the 70s fusion bands, Soft Machine is still alive and well, even though this release will be the last one featuring the venerable drummer John Marshall, goes out in style here. With guest bassist Roy…
Jennifer Wharton’s Bonegasm: Grit & Grace
Bass trombonist/composer Jennifer Wharton creates a four team ‘bone structure with Nate Mayland/dt, Alan Ferber/tb and John Fedchock/tb fronting a rhythm section of Michael Eckroth/p, Evan Gregor/b, Don Peretz/dr and Samule Torres/perc on this latest release. The big brass section…
Adolfo Mendonca: Brazilian Childhood
Pianist and composer Adolfo Mendonca puts together and album that proves that although Brazilian jazz may have begun with Antonio Jobim, it did not end there. He brings together elements of the bossa nova giant with many ideas and works…
Dominik Schurmann Ensemble: The Seagull’s Serenade
Bassist and composer Dominik Schurmann put together a small big band with Marc Ullrich/tp-fh, Claudio Bergmin/tp, Daniel Blanc/as-fl, Domenic Landolf/ts-ss-fl, Patrick Joray/ts-fl, Lukas Briggen/tb, Kira Linn/bs, George Riccibs-bcl-cl, Tilman Gunther/p and Janis Jaunalksnis/dr. Except for a single trio tune, a…