Drummer Reggie Quinerly leads a simmering quartet with Manuel Valera/p, Matt Brewer/b and Samuel Torres/perc through 8 originals. Quinerly keeps the grooves flowing on the sleek and modal “She That Steps Into Bull’s Blood” and percolates with Torres on the…
Author: George W. Harris
Mark Winkler: The Rules Don’t Apply
Mark Winkler is building up a catalogue of not only impressive songs, but of equally enduring albums. This latest, produced by Barbara Brighton, mixes and matches local cats like John Beasley/p-arr, Bob Sheppard/reeds, Grant Geissman/g, Clayto Cameron-Dan Schnelle/drd, Babe Davis-Dan…
The Who: Live At Shea Stadium 1982
In what was supposed to be their “final” tour, the 1982 version of the Who leaders Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend still had bassist John Entwistle, and while drummer Kenney Jones was no Keith Moon (and who was?), who does…
Chris Rottmayer: Being
Pianist and composer Chris Rottmayer leads a classy quartet with Russ John son/tp-fh, Matt Endres/dr and legendary bassist Rufus Reid on this latest release. You can detect the passing of baton from teacher Mulgrew Miller on this release, as there…
Tony Monaco Trio: Over and Over
The humming Hammond B3 is in good hands with Tony Monaco, cruising in a trio with guitarist Zakk Jones and drummer Reggie Jackson through a series of originals. The team hums like a V8 as they shuffle through “One For…
MUSIC FROM CAMELOT…The JFK Inauguration Hot 100 January 1961
Not only was the presidency of JFK the last tie of innocence in politics, it may have been the last time of innocence in popular music, when there were still no categories in popular music. It was pre-Beatles, pre-psychedelic and…
VINYL REVIVAL…Ron Carter: Where?, Shelly Manne: Shelly Manne & His Men at The Blackhawk Vol. 1
The continued renaissance of vintage vinyl albums continues with two essentials from Craft Recordings. Ron Carter’s 1961 debut finds him in the left center company of Eric Dolphy/bcl-as-fl, Mal Waldron/p and the steady George Duvivier/b with Charles Persip/dr. Carter plays…
CARL ALLEN-THE JAZZ MESSENGER
THIS WEEKEND AT SMOKE JAZZ CLUB, DRUMMER CARL ALLEN IS GIVING TRIBUTE TO MENTOR ART BLAKEY BY BRINGING IN JAZZ MESSENGER ALUMNI LIKE BOBBY WATSON AND BRIAN LYNCE ALONG WITH GEOFF KEEZER, ROBIN EUBANKS AND PETER WASHINGTON TO PUT A…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****THE GREAT DAVIDIC SONGBOOK..Peter Jonatan and Metrople Orkset: Psalms Symphony
Why write your own lyrics when you can quote God? That is the conclusion that inspired composer Peter Jonatan as he found (literally) inspiration from the various Psalms from the Bible. Mixing a jazz trio of Jasper Soffers/p, Aram Kersbergen/b…
Antonio Gavrila: Tango Suite Buenos Aires
Romania-based pianist Antonio Gavrila creates an album of Argentina’s Nuevo Tango, mixing his own originals with interpretations of master Astor Piazzola on this thrilling album. He’s joined by Walther Castro/bandoneon, Quique Sinesi/g and Horacio Hurtado/b for a recording focusing on…