Women with a word.. The songbook of Michel Legrand is served well on this album by vocalist Vivian Buczek, joined by Mathias Heise/harm, Peter Asplund/tp-fh, Martin Sjostedt/p-key, Jesper Bodilsen/b and Zoltan Csorsz/dr. She mixes and matches throughout, with the highlight…
Category: Reviews
Aaron Parks: Little Big III
Pianist Aaron Parks teams with Greg Touhey/g, David Ginyard/b and Jongkuk Kim/dr on this Don Was-produced album that has a modern indie/Nashville feel. There’s a folksy plaintive feel to “Ashe’” and some Cumberland gap is thrown in on the dark…
Steve Lacy: Eight Classic Albums
Possibly the most accomplished modern jazz soprano sax player, Steve Lacy neve got the popularity that he deserved, probably because for most of this career his music was considered too left of center. This is a sad and unfair label,…
DELTA BLUES…Tommy McClennan and Robert Petway: Shake ‘Em On Down-Collected Recordings 1939-42
Two representatives of Depression Era Delta Blues are represented on this two disc, 50 song anthology. 75 percent of the music is led by Tommy McClennan (1905-61), with the rest being filled by one of his regular associates Robert Petway…
Nathan Hudson and Ben Loory: Music For Falling and Flying
A wide range of ideas from composers Nathan Hudson and Ben Loory, in terms of both instrumentation and composition, are presented on this digital release of modern musings. Clarinetist Andy Hudson joins with Annie Jeng for a duet entitled “Brace…
Christian Sands: Embracing Dawn
Pianist Christian Sands stretches out on this most recent release, adding a string section of Andrew Joslyn/vi-va, Ross Gilliland/b and Eli Weinberger/cel along with guests waren Wolf/vib and Gregoire Maret/harm to his core team of Yasushi Nakamura/b, Ryan Sands/dr and…
WHEN GIANTS ROAMED THE EARTH…Jazz At The Philharmonic: Carnegie Hall Concert, September 13, 1952/Jazz At The Philharmonic: Hamburg, Germany, February 29, 1956
In a day when most jazz artists play in clubs seating 40-150, it’s hard to believe that at one time hard bopping players performed before packed auditoriums without sacrificing any style or substance. Thanks to the vision of producer Norman…
Mike Stern: Echoes and Other Songs
This latest album by guitar virtuoso Mike Stern feels like a reunion of sorts, bringing together artists he’s been associated with through the years in mix and match fashioned. Saxists Christ Potter and bob Franceschini, drummers Antonio Sanchez-Dennis Chambers, bassists…
Joel Frahm Trio: Illumination
Possessor of one of the warmest tones on the tenor sax, Joel Frahm displays his wares on a classy trio album with Dan Loomis/b and Ernesto Cervini/dr on ten post bop originals. Frahm hovers like the Goodyear Blimp on the…
Robin Simone Hollywood Orchestra
Singer/songwriter Robin Simone comes up with the clever concept album of creating her own film project on a single album. Backed by her orchestra, she opens up with an “Overture” and takes us through a variety of standards before “Intermission”…