Category: Reviews

You want  percussion? You got it here, in bucketloads, lead by Luis Cone, who plays (take a deep breath) congas, timbales, shakers, guiro, cowbell, claves, shekere, quinto, cajon, African water pots, bottle caps, darbuka, finger cymbals, qraqab, cymbal pans, cymbals,…

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Here’s what post bop sounds like in the hands of a term I’ve made up, called “neo-vets.” A “Neo-vet” is someone who’s not an old timer, but has been around too long to be considered a newcomer. Not overly conservative…

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You probably have never heard of this lady, but she’s released some of the most impressive jazz/latin vocal discs I’ve ever heard. Each time I play her stuff for a Blindfold Test, the listener begs to know when she’s coming…

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Because Concord Music Group swallowed up a ton of small labels, they are able to put out nice little samplers like these for the uninitiated. Let’s face it; if you know nothing about Adderley, Monk, etc, choosing a starting disc…

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Here’s an idea that could have been an absolute disaster, but ends up smelling like a rose. Percussionist Arturo Stable, who plays on this disc everything from Cajon, Conga’s and Djembe to a myriad of other things that go bump…

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Tenor saxist/composer/arranger Frank Macchia has been one of my favorite jazz artists. Throughout the years, he’s put out material that is fresh, creative, orginal and, most importantly, enjoyable on a plethora of levels. His humor is exem plified by his…

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So, did the 70s sound as good or as bad as you remember? Here are three sets of cd/dvd compilations of artists from that era who gave some intimate concerts to appreciative audiences. Some of those there grew up to…

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All three of these releases are by artists that have been, or are, on the forefront of jazz. What do their most recent products reveal?   1)      The conglomerate The Cookers is comprised of some of the best of the…

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