Category: Ringer of the Week

Rare is the record label that has its own definable sound. Back in the day, you knew what you were expecting with a release by Blue Note, Concord, Riverside or even Chesky. Now, you might find C&W on one of…

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The aptly named label Jazz Detective is the child of producer Zev Feldman, who has uncovered countless musical treasures over the years. Under his watchful eye, hidden gems from Bill Evans, Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus and Wes Montgomery have been…

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I’ve seen LA-based session guitarist Grant Geissman in a variety of settings in the local jazz scene, ranging from big band work with Gordon Goodwin to a Steely Dan tribute to swinging small group jams. No one plays better, and…

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I’ll admit it-I’m a sucker for jazz duet albums, as they are so rare, and they are the epitome of conversant swing. This one is especially delightful on a variety of fronts. First, you rarely get an alto sax/guitar summit,…

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Look, I’m a happily married man of 38+ years. I’m devoted to my lovely bride and am gratefully faithful to her. But I also married, not buried, and know something about a woman’s ability to get a man’s temperature to…

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Here’s an intriguing album by a woman with a wondrous voice, mixing elements of her own cultural heritage of German, Italian and Iranian sounds. She also plays guitar and piano, mixing and matching with Harold Lopez-Nussa/p, Mayquel Gonzalez/tp, Julio Cesar…

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The comes a point in certain artists where they not only master a certain style of their art, but simply embody it. During the 1950s and 60s, Freddie Hubbard was the living image and sound of what a hard bop…

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I know that I’ve said this before, but just when you think you’ve heard every hard bopping trumpet player, Spain-based Fresh Sound Records digs into the magma to find another undiscovered gem. This time, it’s Don Sleet (1938-61), and he…

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The Chopinesque piano of Fred Hersch is the perfect dance partner for the mellifluously fluffy horn of Enrico Rava on this collection of mostly standards. Relaxed, reflective and made for a noir alley, the songs mix lyricism with bluesy improvisation…

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Back in the early days of jazz, the beats were two stepping hot, the solos were wild yet concise and the tunes were danceable. One of the most famous of the “Chicago” style of music (think of the movie Some…

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