John Pizzarelli sticks to his strengths of show tunes, swing and cozy humor on this album of Tin Pan Alley classics teamed wit Isaiah J. Thompson/p and Michael Karn/b. Showing he still has chops to spare, he waltzes and stretches…
Author: George W. Harris
DUETS…Sylvie Courvoisier & Cory Smyth: The Rite Of Spring-Spectre d’un Songe
Pianists Sylvie Courvoisier and Cory Smythe converse for 176 keys worth on an interpretation of Stravinsky’s “Rite Of Spring” as well as a 29 minute opus original, “Spectre d’un Songe”. Part 1, entitle “The Adoration of the Earth” has many…
Cecilia Smith: The Mary Lou Williams Resurgence Project Volume One
Vibist Celia Smith teams up with pianist B3er Lagayette Haris Junior and a cast of Carlton Holmes/p-B3, Kenny Davis/b Ron Savage and Carla Cook-Sheila Anderson/voc for a swinging tribute to one of the overlooked giants of jazz, Mary Lou Williams.…
CLASSY PIANO; Paul Smith: The Complete Liquid Sounds Sessions 1954-1958, Rare and Obscure Jazz Albums: The Cass Harrison Trio
This is a great time to be a jazz fan looking for new “old” sounds that got missed the first time around. Here are a couple tidbits to treasure… Pianist Paul Smith is best remembered for being Ella Fitzgerald’s accompanist…
Jonathan Butler: Ubuntu
Some of the most lovely soul jazz you’ll take in this year is delivered by guitarist/vocalist Jonathan Butler, as he joins together with Marcus Miller/b and special guests ranging from Stevie Wonder to Russel Ferrante on this latest release. Wonder’s…
TENOR TITAN…Richard Pavlidis: Iconography
One of the lost arts in modern jazz sax playing is the bold, big and bodacious sounds in the line of Sonny Rollins, Gato Barbieri and Michael Brecker. You know what I mean: a 3 inch steak of meat, lots…
PREACH IT! The Pilgrim Travelers: The Best of the Speciality Years 1948-56
If you don’t know anything about black gospel music of the 1940s-50s, starting with The Pilgrim Travelers would not be a bad decision to get “baptized”. Along with The Soul Stirrers, The Dixie Hummingbirds and The Golden Gate Quartet, they…
THIS IS A HARD BOP DRUMMER…Philly Joe Jones: Eight Classic Albums On 4 CDs-Riverside & Atlantic
Possibly THE sound of hard bop was produced by Philly Joe Jones, who was arguably on more jazz album sessions than any other drummer. This collection of eight albums (not all are on the Riverside and Atlantic labels) in various…
SMOOTH IN THE GOOD SENSE…Randy Bernsen: Heart Mind and Soul
Florida-based guitarist Randy Bernsen plays “smooth” guitar in the good way, meaning clean, clear and clever, and with muscles flexed in the process. He’s honed his chops with the likes of Jaco Pastorius, Herbie Hancock, Peter Erskine and Bob James,…
Denin Slage-Koch: It Comes In Waves
Guitarist Denin Slage-Koch sounds like he has imbibed from the Kenny Burrell waters on this classy swinging session with Shane Endsley/tp-fh, Ryan Keberle/tb-mel, Gavin Allen-Dunn/p-org, Seth Lewis/b, Bobby Wiens/dr and guest Jared Cathey/cl. In the format with horns, there is…