LA bred but now East Coast based, trumpeter/composer Danny Jonokuchi released an impressive debut awhile back that featured a big band. This time around, he goes for a vocal quintet with Alexa Barchini/voc, Tim Brey-key, Dave Sanders/g, Alex Frank/b and…
Author: George W. Harris
TRE BIEN, AMIGO! Raquel Bitton: Rhythm of the Heart
This one is going to knock your socks off. Who ever thought that a French Chanteuese could put out a HOT salsa disc, but here it is! Raquel Bitton sings with that classic nasal rive gauche vocal style, yet brings…
Dervish: Thrush in the Storm
If you like your Irish music sounding like you just walked into a pub, then you’ll want to order a Guinness when you hear the band Dervish. Made up of Cathy Jordan’s breathtaking vocals and instrumental support by Liam Kelly,…
BILL FRISELL: ALL HE IS SAYING…
Rogers and Hart, The Gershwin Brothers, Burke and Van Heusen. So, why NOT add Lennon and McCarthy to the list of great composers? Guitarist and sonic experimenter Bill Frisell, in the true heart of a jazz musician, came up with…
THE BEATLES: IT WAS 50 YEARS AGO TODAY…
Where were YOU in ’62? Odds are, most of you were simple gametes and zygotes, waiting to become united parts and eventual living, independent entities. You’ve never grown up and lived in an environment that was not impacted by the…
Brad Mehldau Trio & The Bad Plus@The Lobero Theatre 05.03.13
If you’re a fan of the piano trio, you sure got a full evening of it at The Lobero Theatre on a beautiful Friday evening out of the direction of the fire a few towns away. Brad Mehldau’s team with…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Charles Lloyd/Jason Moran: Hagar’s Song
If you’ve been waiting for, oh, say half a century, for a logical follow-up to John Coltrane’s classic Ballads album, you’ve finally got your prayers answered. This collection of duos between Charles Lloyd and pianist Jason Moran is one of…
OH YEAH!! The Chicago Blues Box
Do you want to hear the blues? I mean DO YOU WANT TO HEAR THE BLUES? DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HEAR THE BLUES?!?!? Just making sure, because… Storyville Records just put out this 8 cd set of material that…
Neil Alexander: Darn That Dream-Solo Piano Vol. 1, John Medeski: A Different Time
Here are a couple of solo piano projects by gents known for playing the keys in a different manner. Nice slight of hand! I’m already excited that this session is labeled “Volume 1,” as it promises more to come. Neil…
Tony Bennett: As Time Goes By-Great American Songbook Classics
I guess with all of the hoopla over the collection of Tony Bennett’s “Duets” series’, the folks at Concord were feeling a bit left out. So, they put together some material from Bennett’s 70’s personal Improv label and teamed it…