Back in March of 2021, the debut album of vocalist/songwriter Alex Bird and his band The Mavericks came out and punched me like a right cross. Unlike most vocal albums, it was original, it was hip, it was completely underived…
Category: Ringer of the Week
THE SOUL OF AMERICAN MUSIC…The King of Gospel Music: The Life and Music of Reverend James Cleveland
Be it jazz, blues, soul, R&B, rock or even country, the spiritual taproot of American music is found in the church, particularly in the pews of the black church. This four disc, 100 page anthology collects the works of the…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****THE GREAT PROTESTANT SONGBOOK…Earl MacDonald: Consecrated
There are Standards, and there are Standards. We’ve got the Great American Songbook for jazzers, but rarely are the songs of the spiritual side of Americas music ever explored by jazz artists. Pianist and arranger Earl MacDonald makes an excellent…
BIRTH OF THE MODERN…Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, etc: Bebop Pioneers and Classic Performances 1941-1949
Guy, I can’t really believe how FRESH this music sounds, even 80 years after it first hit America like a heat seeking missile. This three disc, 70 song collection chronicles the tectonic shift that happened when the Swing Era graduated…
****HISTORICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR?****SUPREME LOVE…John Coltrane: A Love Supreme-Live In Seattle
Jazz fans are always searching out for “lost” recordings of their favorite groups. We have a few of them, such as a poorly recorded concert of Clifford Brown with Max Roach, Miles Davis’ off balanced recording with John Coltrane, Bill…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****BRAZILIAN BEAUTY…Kristen Mather De Andrade: Clarao
Did Brazilian music save jazz? It at least gave it a second wind, with samba and bossa nova being the carrot juice that revived its blood supply. Here, warm toned clarinetist and oozing vocalist Kristen Mather de Andrade melds jazz…
DOES HE EVER RUN OUT OF IDEAS? Pat Metheny: Side Eye V1.IV
Even during the COVID lockdown, Pat Metheny keeps creating new music with new ideas and new combinations of musicians. His collection of classical guitarists was simply a stroke of genius, as is this recent idea that was interrupted by the…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Jonathan Bauer: Sings & Plays
It’s guys like trumpeter/singer Jonathan Bauer that make you love jazz. First of all, he’s got a horn that sounds like a testosteroned Chet Baker. Ditto his voice, that has a sublime swing but also a dash of vintage Louie…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****THE NEXT METHENY? Dewa Budjana: Naurora
Particularly with guitarists, the questions always seems to be “Who is the “next big thing?”. Well, my vote goes to Dewa Budjana, who is slowly building up an impressive and creative catalogue. Obviously, today’s artists are in agreement, as the…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trios: Songs From My Father
Drummer Gerry Gibbs has never built his career under the shadow of his famous vibes playing father Terry, and it’s to his credit. Here, the younger Gibbs finally gives a musical tribute to the bopping big band father and sideman…