Electric bassist Christian Fabian gets funky with his team of Matt King/key and Jason Marsalis/dr as the three give Soul Train reads of jazz standards and some originals. There’s a Return to Foreverish feel to the fusioned title tune original,…
Author: George W. Harris
Doug MacDonald: Sextet Session
Guitarist Doug MacDonald trades in his usual hollow body guitar for a Fender Telecaster on this recent session, and while he considers it a major change direction in his playing, the session is a typical swinging affair that one is…
TWO SIDES OF GORDON GRDINA…Gordon Grdina:The Marrow with Fathieh Honari, Grdina/Lillinger: Duo Work
Vancouver-based guitarist GordonGrdina continues to create a wide palate of colors both in plugged in and acoustic fashion. Here are his two latest portraits. Grdina focuses on the Middle Eastern oud with like minded members Mark Helias/b, Hank Roberts/cel, Hamin…
Joe Melnicove: This Is You
Israeli-bred flutist Joe Melnicove delivers some free thinking post bop with tenor sax legend George Garzone along with the swinging team of Ben Street/b and Billy Hart/dr on a collection of sophisticated originals. Pianist Jerry Bergonai sits in for the…
Kelly Green: Seems
Pianist/vocalist Kelly Green teams up with Luca Soul Rosenfeld/b, Evan Hyde/dr, Elijah Thomas/fl-pic and Rich Perry/ts for a mix of mostly originals. Her voice works well with they mystical flute on “Lonely One” and is artsy for “World Of My…
Dave Brubeck Quartet: The Classic 1950’s Albums
One of the all time great and important jazz quartets was the one led by pianist Dave Brubeck. Oh, he’s best known for the classic tune “Take Five”, but that song only epitomizes the leader’s genius and vision. Every one…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Mike LeDonne- Groover Quartet + Gospel Choir: Wonderful
Hammond B3er Mike LeDonne goes to church with the baptized team of Eric Alexander/ts, Peter Bernstein/g, Joe Farnsworth/dr, Daniel Sadownick/perc, guest Vincent Herring/as and the addition of a Sunday morning mooded choir. The entire ensemble boogaloos and the swaying “Put…
John Surman: Words Unspoken
Best known for his work on the baritone sax, jazz vet John Surman brings in both soprano sax and bass clarinet on this mellow album with Rob Luft/g, Rob Warng/vib and Thomas Stronen/dr. His baritone is balmy with Waring on…
Hillary Gardner: On The Trail with the Lonesome Pines
Vocalist Hilary Gardner looks comfortable in Country and Western clothes on this tumbling tumbleweeds of an album with Justin Poindexter/g-mand-org-voc, Noah Garabedoan/b, Aaron Thurston/dr and Sasha Papernik/acc. She’s got the right voice and timing for the Opry genre, cozy with…
Charles Lloyd: The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow
Halfway through his eighth decade on this planet, Charles Lloyd has turned into literally the “voice” of jazz, as his tone on either sax or flute captures the spirit of modern music. On this double album, the only major surprise…