Dave Soldier plays guitar and keyboards with a collection of artists both instrumental and vocal to celebrate musical intersections of Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths and cultures. Sounds of the Mediterranean, Middle East and beyond are treated with respect as…
Category: Ringer of the Week
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Christian McBride: The Movement Revisited-A Musical Portrait of Four Icons
It is a rare treat when the mix of music and message is balanced to please both the hearers of the music and not feel preached at by the messenger. Christian McBride perfectly walks the tightrope on this combination of…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****THE ROOT OF MODERN JAZZ…Petrolukas Halkias & Vasilis Kostas: The Soul of Epirus
Disclaimer: As a second generation Greek, I grew up listening to the folk music of my grandparents, not realizing that the pulsating rhythms, earthy voices and passionate clarinet or strings were anything exotic. It wasn’t until I listened to music…
STILL SCHIZOID AFTER ALL THESE YEARS…King Crimson: In The Court Of The Crimson King 50 Year Edition
It’s truly bewildering to consider how many ground-breaking albums were released in 1969-70, creating an entire new style of music called either “progressive rock” or “jazz fusion”, depending on what side of the street you lived. In the retrospect of…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Teymur Phell: Master Volume
While it’s not as groundbreaking as the debut album of Jaco Pastorius, this release by electric bassist Teymur Phell is a gorgeous demonstration of the breadth, width and depth of his instrument. He features it in a variety of settings,…
FOXY! Jimi Hendrix: Songs For Groovy Children-The Fillmore East Concerts
If you want a real treat, gather some friends over to your place grab disc four of this 5 disc set of Jimi Hendrix’s two day concerts at the Fillmore East, and put on “Steal Away” for a Blindfold Test.…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****THE MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMP: Hank Mobley: The Complete Hank Mobley Blue Note Sessions 1963-70
During his long and productive career, tenor saxist Hank Mobley was termed “The Middleweight Champ: of the tenor sax, due to his “round” sound being halfway between the beefy Sonny Rollins/Dexter Gordon and the airy Lester Young/Stan Getz tones. What…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Ralph Peterson’s Gen-Next Big Band: Listen Up!
Just when you thought that studio big bands were cerebral and sterile affairs, here comes this gem by Ralph Peterson. He conducts the large ensemble (FIVE TRUMPETS?!? TWO DRUMMERS?!?!?) while also p laying drums and cornet. A few of the…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Roberto Fonseca: Yesun
Here’s a festive collection of tunes with Roberto Fonseca playing a plethora of different keyboards, singing, hand clapping and hitting some percussion as he mixes and matches with a core of Yandy Martinez Rodriguez/b and Raul Herrera/dr and a rotating…
Eric Alexander: With Strings
If anyone deserves a “…with strings” album, it’s Eric Alexander, as he’s got possibly the warmest and breathiest tone alive. He’s with his working team of David Hazeltine/p, John Webber/b and Joe Farnsworth/dr, so the team of 9 violins, 2…