After a long overdue absence, legendary tenor saxist David Murray finally returned to LA, not with vocalists or small groups from his latest recordings, but in a duet setting with multi-percussionist Kahil El’Zabar that had sparks fly in a myriad…
Category: Review
CAN YOU DIG IT?…Isaac Hayes: Shaft (Deluxe Edition)
AH! The early 70s when there was a surfeit of hip “Blaxploitation” films like Shaft and Superfly, and soulful soundtracks that pushed the musical envelope forward. Isaac Hayes’ 1971 soundtrack to the movie Shaft was a Afro-sheened, floppy hatted gauntlet…
Joe Bonamassa’s Rock Candy Funk Party@The Baked Potato 02.01.18
If you’ve ever seen Joe Bonamassa in concert with his “regular” band in mega theatres, you’d be in for a pleasant surprise to catch him at the Baked Potato with his Rock Candy Funk Party. Gone is the shark suit,…
Errol Rackipov Group: Distant Dreams
Errol Rackipov plays vibes and marimbas as he leads a sextet through a collection of his compositions and arrangements. The team of himself with Lubomir Gospodinov/ts-ss, David Leon/as, Martin Bejerano/p, Peter Slavov/b and Ludwig Afonso/dr is highly rhythmic, and Rackpov…
John Mayall Trio@The Broad Stage 08.25.17
Halfway through the 2 hour concert, John Mayall summed up the recently played song as well as his 50+ year career as he exuded “That’s the blues, man!” The 4 score and 3 year Bluesbreaker has more energy than artists…
A FORGOTTEN MINGUS SIDEMAN…Gene Shaw: Quintet & Sextet
If you’re a Charles Mingus fan (and if you aren’t, please explain yourself), you know that trumpeter Gene Shaw (1926-73) is probably his most obscure sideman. He did essentially a one-off with him, but that one session was the classic…
THE MERCEDES 80s…Cedar Walton/Pat Senatore/Billy Higgins: The V.I.P. Trio-Standards Volume 2
“Once upon a time there was a tavern…” Mary Hopkins If you were a jazz fan, life was good in the 1980s. For just $5-10, you could go to one of a plethora of clubs and see artists ranging from…
Dominic Miller: Silent Light
Dominic Miller brings rich classical guitar strings along with his electric bass to team up with Miles Bould’s supportive drums and percussion on this elegant and elegiac album. Miller’s touch is relaxed, elegant and patient on pieces like the delicate…
Lawson Rollins: 3 Minutes to Midnight
Guitarist Lawson Rollins continues his patented mix of flamenco and world music on this charming collection of originals with Dominic Camardella/key, Dave Bryant/dr, Randy Tico/b, Charlie Bisharat/vi, Stephen Duros/drpro and Forrest Marquisee/psg. Lots of upbeat moods dominate the atmosphere with…
VOCAL PERFECTION REMASTERED…Ella Fitzgerald: Sings the Cole Porter Songbook
In the same vein that you cannot give informative opinion to movies if you have not seen Casablanca or Citizen Kane, or cannot discuss philosophy or religion if you haven’t read the Bible, it is impossible to give an opinion…