Alto saxist David Bixler puts the “beat” in “beatitude” on this album of originals with his mates Jon Cowherd/p, Ike Sturm/b and Rogerio Boccato/perc. Bixler’s tone gets warmer each album, wondrously relaxed on the hip “Balm” , palpable on “A…
Author: George W. Harris
Four + Six: Four + Six
Playing tenor and soprano saxes, leader Mark Watkins puts together a band that is reminiscent of the Charlie Parker tribute band from the 1970s Supersax, with a reed heavy team of Ray Smith/as, Sandon Mayhew/ts and Jon Gudmundson/bs joined with…
Steve Hunter: The Deacon Speaks
Known for his work with the likes of Lou Reed and Alice Cooper, Steve Hunter releases a solo album where he plays just about every instrument, supported by his dark and ominous voice. The collection of tunes and arrangements are…
John von Seggern & Dean De Benedictus: Taking Shasta Mountain By Strategy
If you were to go back to 1974 and look at all of the albums released that year, and all of the popular artists on the airwaves, who would have bet that the legacy of Brian Eno’s ambient music, and…
Veronica Swift @ The Sun Rose 05.15.24
There’s an old adage, “you either build from your twenties, or recover from your twenties” The saying is fitting for Veronica Swift, who celebrated her 30th birthday on her second of four Wednesday residencies at the acoustically adroit Sun Rose.…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Adonis Rose Trio + One: For All We Know
Drummer Adonis serves up an impressive trio of his own, and brings in a ringer for most of the album in a guest vocalist. For the instrumentals, Rose guides Ryan Hanseler/p and Lex Warshawsky/b through a sleek modal rounder of…
Shea Walsh and Hope Diamond: Desert Blues Live!
A deep dish of Chicago blues is served up guitarist Shea teaming up with vocalist Hope Diamond backed by a smoky cast of Michael Russeck/keys, Tony Moore/dr and Eric Sittner/b on this four song ep of a sizzling live session.…
MODERN LARGE ENSEMBLES…Remy Le Bouef’s Assembly Of Shadows: Heartland Radio, Jeremy Rose & The Earshift Orchestra: Discordia
Modern big band jazz sounds for today’s ears… Remy Le Boeuf puts together an orchestra conducted by Gregory Robbins for rich arrangements of originals. The moods range from a folksy “Barbara” featuring guitarist Alex Goodman” to elegiac pastoral themes on…
Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini: Guinga
I’m just a sucker for the duo combo of trombonist/vocalist Natalie Cressman and guitarist Ian Faquini! All they do is deliver short and concise Brazilian pieces in a gloriously understated manner, and it simply proves the adage that “less is…
STRINGS AND SWING…Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic: Strange Arts, Stephan Crump: Slow Water
Strings that swing… Trumpeter Ian Carey teams up with a strings section of Mia Bella d’Angelli-Alisa Rose/vi and Jessica Ivry/cel, along with Liza Mezzacappa/b, Jon Arkin/dr and Kasey Knudsen/as for some loose and abstract originals. The strings add to the…