It’s records like this that make you realize not only how much you miss a trumpeter like Woody Shaw, but how much you miss the attitude that he represented in jazz. Keeping with tradition, but taking it to its next…
Category: Reviews
Manu Katche’: Manu Katche’
Better known for his work with the likes of Sting, Peter Gabriel and Joni Mitchell, drummer Manu Katche’ has also released a handful of impressive solo sessions on his own. This one has him behind the reins with a team…
Simon Townshend: Looking Out Looking In
It’s harder to be older school in rock and roll than having a brother that’s a founding member of the Who, and a dad who was a musician in the Big Band era, but that’s what you get here with…
THREE NEWER SOUNDING SINGERS: Marcus Goldhaber: Almost Love, Letizia Gambi: Introducing…, Joy Mover: Joy Mover
Here are a pair of vocalists that aren’t trying to sound like anyone except themselves. Even better, they veer off the heavily trodden path of standards and either do the writing themselves, or use modern (or classical) composers for creating…
****ROTW****Fred Hersch Trio: Alive at the Vanguard
I know everyone talks about Brad Mehldau or Keith Jarrett being the top two honchos on jazz piano, but lemme tell ya, my money is on Fred Hersch. Like Tony Bennett, he may not put out hits, but twenty years…
The Who: Live in Texas ‘75
Come, grandson, and sit on my knee, and I’m going to tell you a story of a world gone by. When I was a child there was a thing called “rock and roll.” Now, I know that you and your…
Wahid: Road Poem
I missed oud player Dimitris Wahid when he toured the West Coast last year with percussionist Chrish Wabich. This collection of concert material shows that I, as well as probably you, missed a good night of sounds. The music here…
RJ and the Assignment: Deceiving Eyes
I’m not sure what the “RJ” stands for in his name, maybe “Really Judicious,” as this album by the pianist/keyboardist displays an impressive width and depth of modern jazz. Mostly in the context of a piano trio with a rotating…
Kelly McCarty3: Roux Steady
Bassist Kelly McCarty leads a tenor sax trio with John A. Diaz-Cortes/ts and A.J. Hall/dr through a collection of well thought out originals. Usually, a tenor-bass-drum trio can be a foreboding concept, as many a team has fallen into the…
Uptown Vocal Jazz Ensemble: Hustlin’ for a Gig
Consisting of Ginny Carr, Robert McBride, Andre Enceneat and Holly Shockey, the Uptown Vocal Jazz Ensemble comes off as a poor man’s Manhattan Transfer, which is not a bad idea, actually. Fronting a swinging ensemble that includes horns and rhythm,…