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…
Category: Ringer of the Week
****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…
****ALBUM OF THE YEAR?****Charlie Haden & Brad Mehldau: Long Ago and Far Away
This is about the 3rd time Impulse! has released a posthumous album with Charlie Haden, this time with pianist Brad Mehldau from a 2007 concert in Mannheim Germany. Judging by the high quality of all of these albums, it causes…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****THE TREASURY OF DAVID…Yelena Eckemoff: Better Than Gold and Silver
Pianist and composer Yelena Eckemoff has built up an impressive and wide ranging catalogue, and this is not the first time one of her albums has gotten my ROTW award. This two disc set is particularly ambitious, as it has…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****HEART FULL OF SOUL…Joey Morant: Forever Sanctified
Joey Morant is the kind of artist that embodies the soul of jazz. He sings, plays trumpet and gives commentary on life during this wonderful collection of songs, mostly self penned, by a meat and potatoes team of Mike LeDonne/B3-p,…