Author: George W. Harris

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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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.…

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Music has inherently been used to convey a message. Since people sang along with Moses after crossing the Red Sea to thank God for deliverance, music has reflected the religious and political scene. Here are two albums with messages that…

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German label Jazz Haus has been uncovering some remarkably rare treasures from well known artists as well as impressive things from under-heard musicians that deserve a second listen. Here are two of the latest gifts from above. The Modern Jazz…

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Tom Harrell just never keeps still. He’s always looking for new directions and permutations, and this time around he’s done an intriguing release that includes Esparanza Spalding’s vocals (as well as her bass playing) along with his working band of…

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Clarinetist Dave Bennett has performed with music ranging from the Count Basie Orchestra as well as the Hot Club of Detroit; now he works as a solo artist tipping the hat to the sounds of Herman, Goodman and Shaw. On…

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Well, there’s “mellow,” and then there’s “James Taylor Mellow.”A completely different category in itself.  I’ve never personally understood it, but almost every woman I know thinks that James Taylor is the embodiment of the “M” word the same way that…

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