Cellist Nesrine creates bohemian mixes of France and North Africa on this richly earth toned released. She mixes and matches with a wide variety of talents, including Vincent Huma/g, Gregoire Musso/b-key, Anissa Nehari/perc, Rhani Krija/perc and Paco Soler/tb for some…
Author: George W. Harris
WHEN ROCK WAS ROLLIN’…Ike Turner: Rocks, The Rockin’ Spot Volume Six: Belinda, Hi Strung R&B Volume 5: Honey Bunch, Hi Strung R&B Volume 6: Daddy Cool
If you think modern popular and rock music is insipid, lifeless, sterile and unimaginative, you’re right! These four recent reissues of the early days of rock, from both the black and white side of the tracks, display an energy, pulse…
Christopher Cross: A Christopher Cross Christmas
This reissue of Christopher Cross’ Christmas album is a wonderfully understated affair, teamed in the support of Danny O ‘Lannerghty/b and Michael Omartian/p for some roasted chestnuts. There’s a gorgeous a cappella wordless “Silent Night” for the ages, whiel “Christmastime…
WOMEN AT THE MIC… Sarah Tolar: Something Sarah, DeeAnn: It’s My Time
Subtle swingers… Sarah Tolar is backed by a core of Angelo Versace/p, Thogar Tetens Lund/b , Bill Campbell/ddr and a mix and match of guests on this collection of originals and covers. She’s soft and icy on “Something Cool” and…
HEAVENLY HOSTS…Romero Lubambo & Pamela Driggs: Christimastime In Rio, Margaret Slovak & Chris Maresh: A Star’s Light Does Fall
Soft and tender lights like that over Bethlehem shine on these two delicate releases celebrating the birth of our Savior Guitarist extraordinaire Romero Lubambo supports the lovely and full voice of Pamela Driggs, with occasional support from Itaiguara Brandao/b, Rafael…
Rich Willey: Boptism Christmas
Trumpeter Rich Willey brings swing to Christmas on this upbeat album with Dylan Hannan/as, Ashley Pritchard/ts, Bill Reichenbach/tb-btp, Alex Taub/p-org, Andy Page/g, Zack Page/b and Justin Watt-Russ Wilson/dr. The horns are hip around a medley of “Merry Gentleman Kings” with…
Laila Biali: Wintersongs
Playing piano and singing, Laila Biali creates a Christmas Suite of sorts on this album, not rehashing classic Christmas tunes independently, but composing her own to create a stocking stuffer of songs that bring in a string quartet, chamber orchestra…
David Haney: Exotic Materials In Development-New Directions in Piano Volumes 1 & 2, David Haney with Dave Storrs Iteration: Exotic Materials, David Haney with Cheryl Pyle, Kirk Knuffke & Dave Sewelson: Exotic Materials Part One & Two
Pianist and composer David Haney releases a surfeit of albums, playing in various combinations ranging from solo to small group. The unifying factor is spontaneity and inquisitiveness, the only question is what size portions you want to ingest The two…
THE REASONS FOR THE SEASON!
Yes, it can be commercialized, but SO WHAT?!? Yes, the world sometimes seems like it’s spinning out of control. World protests, world wars, cultural wars on what even constitutes a man and a woman. But you know what? It’s ALWAYS…
IAN HUNTER: ALL AMERICAN BRITISH ROCKER
:”Some people are born rockers, some achieve rock stardom, and some have rock stardom thrust upon them” William “the rocker” Shakespeare IN HIS CLASSIC AUTOBIOGRAPHY “DIARY OF A ROCK AND ROLL STAR”, IAN HUNTER DESCRIBES HIS INITIAL TOUR OF THE…