Recorded at the the Montreal Jazz Festival back in Dominion Day, 1989, this previously unreleased concert finds one of the last of the original bebop alto players at the renaissance of his career. Frank Morgan (1933-2007) was one of the…
Category: Ringer of the Week
WHEN JAZZ WAS KING…Norman Granz: The Founder
During an era when jazz is on the fringe of the fringes in terms of popularity, it’s almost impossible to believe and appreciate the era from 1942-1960 that had jazz artists filling up giant concert halls with sounds of swing,…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Van Morrison: The Prophet Speaks
For his last album, the rock icon Van Morrison reached back to his R&B roots,teamed with B3er Joey DeFrancesco and tapped into his inner Hank Crawford for a swinging You’re Driving Me Crazy, which made my Top 10 release for…
THEIR BEST BLUES ALBUM? Rolling Stones: Beggars Banquet 50th Anniversary
People seem to endlessly argue which is the “best” Rolling Stones album. It’s hard to disagree that this one from 1968, and the last one with the original band including Brian Jones, is their bluesiest, if not only their most…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****IN DEEP REEDS…Paul Austerlitz: Water Prayers for Bass Clarinet
Not that I’m a big fan of the licorice stick, but my desire was to have my oldest daughter named Claire Annette. Ba ching! Some instruments are more felt than heard; Paul Austerlitz takes on the visceral contrabass clarinet which…
THE RESTLESS SPIRIT…John Coltrane: 1963: New Directions
This 3 cd set of John Coltrane’s 1963 sessions can be purchases separately, or in a 5 cd set along with the essential Both Directions at Once which came out earlier in the year. This compilation features John Coltrane in…
BLUE ROOTS FOR ROLLING STONES…Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Chuck Berry, Robert Johnson, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Reed, etc: Confessin’ the Blues
Back in the early 60s, American blues players made records that were grabbed by teenage English boys and returned to the states in the form of a thing called “Rock and Roll.” One of the most influenced and influential groups,…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****NEWLY DISCOVERED MONK!!! Thelonious Monk: Monk
Just when you start getting used to today’s sounds, a voice from the past reminds you of your first and true love. A previously unreleased recoding of a 1963 concert with Thelonious Monk and his working team of long time…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Randy Waldman: Superheroes
This is the kind of album that makes jazz fun. Pianist and arranger Randy Waldman tackles the Comic Book Song book, namely themes from shows like Mighty Mouse, Batman, Underdog and Spiderman. You get the idea; Saturday morning starts swinging!…
FOXY! The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Electric Ladyland 50th Anniversary Box Set
Yes, there was a time when music was exciting, forward thinking and still popular. The third and final album by the world shattering Jimi Hendrix experience with drummer Mitch Mitchell, bassist Noel Redding and actually produced by Hendrix (and still…