In celebration of what would have been bandleader Stan Kenton’s 100th birthday, Jazzed Media has released an intriguing and educational DVD documentary on the life, music and vision of the extraordinarily visionary and controversial band leader Stan Kenton. In two…
Author: George W. Harris
Andre’ Vasconcellos: 2
I’m always impressed by a release by a leader who puts out music where you can’t tell which musician is in charge. In other words, everyone on this disc gets a chance go shine, and there are no glory hogs…
Bob Gluck Trio: Returning
Hey, if guys like Bob Gluck/p, Michael Bisio/b and Dean Sharp/dr can make avant gard jazz trio recordings, why can’t I make an avant garde review? So, here goes… the boundaries Pianist Bob up with Bisio and drummer Dean eight…
Carmen Cuesta: Mi Bossa Nova
Here’s a vocal love letter to the master of Brazilian music, Tom Jobim, that is done just right. Singer Carmen Cuesta as sung with the best: Jim Hall, Earl Klugh, Grover Washington Jr. and Gato Barbieri, to name a few.…
Cinzia Spata: Into The Moment
It takes a lot of moxie to begin a record with a wordless vocal, but singer Cinzia Spata does that very thing on this eclectic reading of modern jazz material. The opening “Questar” displays Spata’s dexterity and inherent sense of…
Cathrine Legardh/Sigurdur Flosason: Land & Sky
Here’s an intriguing release by a lady that doesn’t get much attention this side of the Atlantic. Scandinavian singer Cathrine Legardh has put out a couple other releases on the Danish label Storyville, a company better known for its mainstream/swing…
Bruce Barth Trio: Live At Smalls
Ah! The jazz piano trio! What could be more basic to the heart of soul of this great music?!? Pianist Bruce Barth, along with Vicente Archer/b and Rudy Royston/dr, deliver the goods on this disc that reflects their music from…
FOLK TALES…Vance Gilbert: Good Good Man, Amanda Addleman: Into The Light
Folk lore and minstrel moments make for a rich time with Vance Gilbert, who weaves stories and music on this intimate and unpretentious session. The songs range from solo accompaniment as on the tender and personal “Wildflower” and a cute…
Rozina Patkai: Taladim
Hungarian songstress Rozina Patkai brings her ethereal voice to a wide range of soft moods on this album with Janos Aved/ts-ss-p, Istvan Toth Jr/g, Ditta Rohmann/cel, Andras Des/perc and Marton Fenyvesi/b-arr. Intimate atmospheres abound, as she goes bohemian with percussion…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Amit Friedman: Long way To Go
Amit Friedman brings his saxophones to tours of the Middle East, Latin America and Jazz Central on this exciting album of originals. He teams up with Amos Hoffman/oud-g, Katia Toobool/p, Gilad Abro/b, Amir Bresler/dr and Rony Iwryn/perc for rhythm an…