Category: Ringer of the Week

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…

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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,…

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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.…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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Guitarists Dewa Budjana and Tohpati meld acoustic guitars with a dash of electric as they team up with a core rhythm section of drummer Demas Narawangsa and bassist Adhitya Pratama and then mix and match with either the Czech Symphon…

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Alto saxist has carved out an impressive career since his early days with the formidable Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band back in the 80s. He’s always been a solid post bopper, but this album takes him to an impressive new…

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It’s albums like this that break my heart. Back in 2010 when it was recorded, The Jazz Bakery was the place in LA to hear jazz. I have a box full of their calendars, and just to torture myself, I…

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