How do I know you’ll like vocalist Abigail Riccards if you’re a fan of Ms Monheit? Well, she produced this disc, for one thing! Also, her own arranger and pianist Michael Kanan as well as bassist Neal Miner are the…
Author: George W. Harris
Chick Corea: The Vigil
Here’s Chick Corea’s first collection of entirely new material in quite awhile, and It shows just about every facet of the multi-hued Mad Hatter. Corea himself mixes it up with acoustic and electric here, with some wonderfully intimate fingering on…
HARD BOP HEAVEN…Blue Mitchell & Junior Cook: Quintet Sessions, The Modern Jazz Disciples: Complete Recordings
Few sounds this side of heaven are as wonderful as those delivered by what is called the “Classic Hard Bop Quintet.” Usually consisting of a front line of trumpet and tenor sax along with piano, bass and drums, this simple…
EDDIE HENDERSON: FOR ALL WE KNOW
When you see a musician play on stage, don’t you wonder to yourself, “he makes it look so easy!” How does an artist get to that level? Inherent talent? There are volumes of talented musicians who never cut the mustard.…
THREE TENORS…JD Allen: Grace, Eric Alexander: Touching, Jerry Bergonzi: By Any Other Name
Here are three representatives of the tenor sax that is approached in a modern way. Take your pick! JD Allen has released seven previous discs as a leader, and this one sounds like it’s most personal. He’s got a tone…
Harvie S with Kenny Barron: Witchcraft
Do you want to know what class sounds like? Give this session a listen. Bassist Harvie S hires the velvety hands of Kenny Barron for a sublime collection of duets. Sure, it’s Harvie’s gig, but try telling that to the…
EXOTIC STRINGS…Kayhan Kalhor/Erdal Erzincan: Kula Kulluk Yakisir Mi, Stefano Bollani, Hamilton de Holanda: O Que Sera.
Here are some string players from far away places, bringing traditional sounds melded with modern thoughts. Middle Easterners Kayhan Kalhor and Erdal Erzincan perform on this album at a concert in Turkey back in 2011. Instruments like the kamancheh (a…
****BEST VOCALIST STILL ALIVE? RINGER OF THE WEEK****Mark Murphy: The Complete Decca Recordings
Mark Murphy has to be one of the most influential if not one of the least known jazz vocalists. Just about everyone that is out there these days has been touched by the style, attitude and delivery of this guy…
FRESH CLARINET SOUNDS…Darryl Harper: The Edenfred Files
As a clarinet player (or, more accurately, one who blows air into a clarinet to emit sounds), I always keep an ear open for new ideas on the licorice stick. Darryl Harper is a guy I’ve never heard of before,…
Denny Zeitlin: Both/And; Solo Electrico-Acoustic Adventures
Dr. Denny Zeitlin has made a career of creating a catalogue of some of the most imaginatively lyrical and sublime acoustic solo and trio sessions in the line of Bill Evans. This time around, the good doctor changes the prescription…