This past week we’ve had two examples of how Latin music essentially saved jazz and modern music. At a time when today’s sounds seemingly desire to self destruct by inaccessible cacophony or cerebral naval gazing, last week’s show of Eliane…
Author: George W. Harris
Pascal Bokar: I Can Tell
The subtitle of this album is truth in advertising, as it states, “A New Sound With The Pascal Bokar AfroBlueGrazz Band”. I’m sure your first question is ‘What is “Afro Blue Grazz” music? Glad you asked! Just to give a…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin: Brasil
They’ve made a career of creating beautiful music both apart and together. Guitarist Lee Ritenour reunites with pianist-keyboardist Dave Grusin for another gorgeous collection of Brazilia. This time, they employ Ebu Ribeiro/dr, Bruno Migotto/b, Marcelo Costa/perc and some guests for…
Hollaway: Jazz-ish
Since the passing of Kevin Mahogany, jazz has been lacking in a leading male bass voice. Vocalist Hollaway may just be the right candidate, with a tone a bit heavier than Mahogany’s, but lighter than a Prysock or an Eckstine.…
Little North: While You Wait
Teamed with trumpeter Oscar Andreas Naug, the Little North band of Benjamin Norholm Jacobsen/p, Martin Brunbjerg Rasmussen/b and Lasse Jacobsen/dr sound like 60s era Herbie Hancock with Freddie Hubbard a la Empyrean Isles. Haug sighs on the soft piano reflections…
Arnaud Dolmen & Leonardo Montana: Le N o
Arnaud Dolmen plays drums and glockenspiel with pianist Leonardo Montana on this collection of communicative duets. The two dig in with each other on “Les Invisibles” and include some tribal chanting on “Hey Cousin”. There’s a funky feel to the…
Mute: After You’ve Gone
The team of Kevin Sun/sax-cl-sunoa, Christian Li/p, Jeonglim Yang/b and Dayeon Seok/dr mix early swing tunes played with today’s sound teamed with some originals. Sun plays the rarely used C melody sax to add to the traditional feel, slinky on…
MODERN POST BOP…Mike Monford: The Cloth I’m Cut From, Dave Douglas: Gifts, Nicola Caminiti: Vivid Tales of a Blurry Self-Portrait, Willy Rodriguez: Seeing Sounds
Taking the tradition to the next level, or did someone miss the offramp? Alto saxist Mike Monford performs in concert with Pam Wise/p-key, William Hill III/key, Jaribu Shahid/b, Tapiz Gardner/drd, Kevin Jones/perc, Allen Dennard/p, Calvin Taylor/ts, Bebe Sewell/vi, Xavier Gillium/vi…
Chris Standring: As We Think
Playing guitars, keyboards, bass synth and programming, Chris Standring mixes smooth sounds a la vintage George Benson on this rhythmic session with a hip horn section of Dino Soldo/ts, Aaron Janik/tp, Brandon Fields/as, Katisse Buckingham/ts and Ido Meshulam/tb and a…
Chuck Owen & Resurgence: Magic Light
Playing keyboard, piano, accordion and hammered dulcimer, Chuck Owen creates rural Cumberland Gap tones with a team of Sara Caswell/vi Jack Wilkins/sax, Corey Christiansen/g, Mark Neuenschwander/dr, Danny Gottlieb-Matt Wilson/dr, guest vocalist Kate McGarry/voc and a cameo horn section. The feel…