What is the most common advice given to aspiring musicians? It’s got to be the easier said than done, “Get your own voice.” While we all have our favorite musicians, and dream of playing just like them, the fact is…
Author: George W. Harris
STANLEY CLARKE: NO MYSTERY
If you look at the creative trajectory of most artists and non-steroidal athletes , it tends to slowly rise to a creative peak in the mid to late twenties, and then slowly descend or level off. The eternal struggle with…
Lee Ritenour & Mike Stern@Catalinas12.13.12
You know you’re in for a serious night of axe wielding when bassist Melvin Davis brings his 7 string behemoth to keep up with the six string theorists like Lee Ritenour and Mike Stern who, along with drummer Sonny Emory,…
***ROTW***Andrea Brachfeld: Lady of the Island
Here’s a real impressive disc by a lady I’ve never heard before. Andrea Brachfeld plays an assortment of flutes here, sings on one of the tracks, and composes a few others. Meanwhile with a foundational team of Bill O’Connell-Bob Quaranta/p,…
Marc Johnson & Eliane Elias: Swept Away
Bassist Marc Johnson is best known for his work with Bill Evans’ last trio. His work here with Eliane Elias on the mix of trio sessions (with Drummer Joey Baron) gives audio reminiscences throughout. Elias’ touch has that romantic classicism…
Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb: In Session
I hate to admit it, but one of my guilty pleasures is REAL country music. I don’t mean Garth, Alan or any of those posers with cowboy hats that wouldn’t know a fetlock from apple butter. I’m talking Hank Snow,…
Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics: It’s About Time
I had to do a double and triple take on this one, and check the dates of the recording as well. Ruby Velle fronts a 6 piece band that sounds like something Dinah Washington or Ruth Brown might have put…
Louis Armstrong: Satchmo at Symphony Hall 65th Anniversary, The Complete Performances
As Satchmo himself would say, “Now, you gots jazz!” That just about summarizes the attitude here on this legendary 1947 performances with some of the guys who actually invented this stuff. Along with Armstrong, you’ve got Barney Bigard/cl, Jack Teagarden/tb-v,…
SOUTH AMERICAN SOUNDS: Weber Iago: Piano Master Series Vol 3 (Brazil), Ricardo Silveira: Storyteller, Gustavo Casenave: Tango Casenave
Here are some sounds that reflect what’s happening south of the border. Adventure Music Records is sort of like what Blue Note Records would be if they were stationed in Brazil. They have a coterie of musicians that show up…
HEAD BANGING FOR ARMENIA! Ian Gillan & Tony Iommi: Who Cares?
I have absolutely know idea why heavy metal heroes Ian Gillan and Tony Iommi are putting out cds of obscure hard rocking tracks to raise money for a music school in Armenia, but it’s a great cause. Are these guys…