Do you know how good it feels to review a straightahead jazz disc of originals and covers after listening to everything from avant garde to angst indie to cacophony to navel gazing? This is what got me excited about jazz…
Author: George W. Harris
LEFT OF CENTER MUSIC: David Kechley: Colliding Objects, Kelle Kalima & K-18: Out to Lynch, Wadada Leo Smith & Moholo-Moholo: Ancestors
Is it classical? Is it jazz? Is it audio Jackson Pollock? Here are a few recent releases that will at least get you thinking about the future of music. Composer David Kechley doesn’t perform on this disc of his compositions…
BASS DESIRES: Bill Laswell: Means of Deliverance, Jeffrey Weisner: Neomonology,
TWO SOLO BASS ALBUMS?!? Did we do something wrong? Seriously, this has got to be the most challenging genre; It takes a special talent to keep it interesting, yet have something important to say. You gotta have either a lot…
Toots Thieleman: 90 Years
Well, if nothing else, this records answers the question “when does a harmonica player lose his chops?” Judging from this collection of songs from various tours, we now know that it’s sometime AFTER 90 years old, as mega-veteran harmonica player…
Art Pepper: Unreleased Art Pepper Vol VII: Neon Art
Laurie Pepper, widow of legendary alto saxist Art Pepper, has been doing a remarkable job keeping the artists name in the jazz scene with an impressive collection of previously released live recordings. The The latest cache is quite clever; it…
Bob Belden’s Animation: Transparent Heart
Bob Belden is nothing if not ambitious. Not only is he one of jazz’s most important journalists, but each of his releases always has a feeling of importance to it, with none of them ever sounding quite alike. This one…
Luciana Souza@The Blue Whale 12.18.12
Vocalist Luciana Souza just gave Angelenos another reason for hanging around town for the Christmas holidays, as she has made a promise to continue her annual Advent tradition of ending the year with a concert at the very hip Blue…
The Wynton Kelly Collection: 20 Solo Transcriptions
If you play any kind of an instrument, odds are you’ve got at least a handful of the Play-a-long book and cd sets from Jamey Aebersold. This time around they’re doing something out of their comfort zone, which is putting…
Nik Bartsch’s Ronin: Live
A few years ago, I caught pianist/leader Nik Bartsch’s and his band at the Bakery. The concert was almost as intriguing visually as it was acoustically, as the band played their sets in subdued and dark lighting, adding to the…
Etta James: Live at Montreux 1993
If you want to hear the blues like they’re supposed to be done, Ms. Etta James, who just recently departed this mortal life for her eternal reward before a just God, is not a bad place to start indeed. This…