Warm and pretty conversations take place between pianist Jan Lundgren and guitarist Yamandu Costa on this recent release. The 15 songs all range between 2-5 minutes, so there are no long excursions or indulgences; everything focuses on lyricism on this…
Author: George W. Harris
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****LATIN JULIE LONDON…Lauren Henderson: Sombras
Back in the 1950s and 60s, vocalist Julie London carved out a career by cooing out soft and seductive albums for the late night crowd. Lauren Henderson goes one better than nurse Dixie McCall, as she even composes her own…
Sean Fyfe: Stepping Stones
Pianist Sean Fyfe imbibes vintage Blue Note sounds with a post bopping collection of Dave O’Higgins/ts, Matt Fishwick/dr and Luke Fowler/b on a mix of originals and jazz standards. Of his own material, Fyfe pens a sensuously hip samba on…
Ron Miles: Old Main Chapel
Before he left earth for his heavenly reward, trumpeter Ron Miles teamed up with guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Brian Blade back in 2011 for a sublime and understated gig in Boulder, Colorado. The evening is a cozy meeting of…
Dennis Van Aarssen & Jeff Franzel: Just Call It Love
Singer Dennis Van Aarsen teams up with composer/pianist Jeff Franzel as they mix and match ideas and originals with the team of Peter Sachon/cel, Larry Saltzman/g, Adam Armstrong/b and Eric Halverson/dr. This cozy collaboration feels like something you’d hear back…
Jazz At The Ballroom: Flying High-Big Band Canaries Who Soared
Here’s a fun album that brings together some of the swingingest chicks on the vocal scene. A team of Champin Fulton/p, Mike Gurrola-Neal Minor/b and Charles Ruggiero-Fukushi Tainaka/dr mix and match some of today’s finest singers with songs from the…
Yelena Eckemoff: Romance of the Moon
Pianist/composer Yelena Eckemoff continues to create clever concept albums, with ideas ranging from food to the book of Psalms. On this latest venture, she creates music inspired by the writings of poet Federico Garcia Lorca, complete with associated words to…
Noah Haidu: Standards II
I’ve not seen pianist Noah Haidu in action yet, but this trio album with all stars Buster Williams/b and Billy Hart/dr makes me want to. He’s got a touch of Evans in his lyricism, but knows how to pop the…
Eden Har-Gil: Hearts of Palm
Drummer Eden Har-Gil leads an intuitive post bop team of Dezron Douglas/b, Caroline Davis/as and Lo Wood/bars through six originals on this ep. The album has a loose Charles Mingusy feel, with the two saxes creating a wide range of…
POST EWF…Maurice White: Manifestation
This cd is a reissue of the late Maurice White’s solo album outside of his famed Earth, Wind and Fire, recorded in 2019. There are also a handful of bonus tracks from the same period, previously unissued. I’m not sure…