Nothing like the simple pleasure of hearing jazz before the influence of rock and funk ripped a good chunk of the celebratory joy from it. Here are three artists that are mostly overlooked these days, and it’s to our detriment…
Author: George W. Harris
TRUE AMERICANA…The Beach Boys: Good Vibrations Tour
I was in college back in 1976 when The Beach Boys regrouped with their brother Brian and went on tour to celebrate America’s Bicentennial. I felt their simple rhythms and attitude were beneath my recently developed jazz tastes, so I…
Matuto: The Devil and The Diamond
Consisting of Clay Ross/g-v, Rob Curto/acc-v, Rob Hecht/fid, Skip Ward/b, Richie Barshay/dr and Ze’ Mauricio/perc, the band Matuto delivers festive music that is part Mardi Gras, part Cajun and even a part South American with dashes of Brasilia. The music…
LIKE A FINE WINE…Eliane Elias: I Thought About You, Steve Tyrell: It’s Magic
This is what I love about jazz-in all other forms of music, the singers reach a peak and end their careers at the end of a slow descent. Contrariwise, in jazz, the vocalists age unbelievably well, with many of the…
LAST OF THE GREAT SINGER/SONGWRITERS? Harry Nilsson: The RCA Albums Collection
When I was just a young whippersnapper, you could throw a rock in any direction at the street corner of Main & 1st in Dodge City and it would hit a singer/songwriter. Now, they’re just about as extinct as the…
YOU CAN GET IT…Jimmy Cliff: The KCRW Session
This disc is Exhibit A on why there is hope for radio. Last year, radio station KCRW’s famed program “Morning Becomes Eclectic” had Jimmy Cliff delivering an intimate “live” that focused on the legend’s most recent album (Rebirth) and included…
Matt Parker: Worlds Put Together
You’ve got to give credit to Matt Parker for at least being creative. The tenor/soprano saxist along with Jesse Elder/p, Josh Mease/g, Alan Hampton/b, Julio Monterrey/as and Reggie Quinerly/dr delivers a restlessly inquisitive collection of originals sans a take of…
Michel Gentile/Danile Kelly/Rob Garcia: Works
A risky idea that pays dividends, the trio of Michel Gentile/fl, Daniel Kelly/p and Rob Garcia/dr show what amazing things can be done without the net of a bass player. Gentile’s tone can be sweet, soul, growling or classically clinical…
Neil Cowley Trio: Live at Montreux 2012
Caught in concert at Miles Davis Hall at the 2012 Montreux Jazz Festival, pianist Neil Cowley and his trio mates of Rex Horan/b and Evan Jenkins/dr up the ante by including a fascinating string quartet for a number of their…
John Scofield: Uberjam Deux
Well, a ten year gap between projects isn’t too bad these days! Guitarist John Scofield’s been busy with Gospel, funk, ballads and straightahead material his past few releases, so a little return to well known pastures is good for the…