Category: Ringer of the Week

Back in the 1970s, the Allman Brothers band, boasting the mix of twin lead guitars and smoky Hammond organ, became not only one of the most popular bands with “hit” songs like “Melissa” and “Revival,” but they also created a…

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Drummer and composer Zan Tetickovic, aka “Jean John”  assembles a classical and jazz team to create a musical experience of a journey that involves the thoughts and moods of “an immigrant on an unforgiving emotional path of acculturation.” While it…

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Petros Klampanis brings his bass to create rich pastels of color on this richly textured album of originals. He teams up with Gilad Hekselman/g, Shai Maestro/p, John Hadfield/dr, Keita Ogawa/perc and a string section to create sweeping sonic panoramas. Hints…

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One of THE most influential bands of the 20th Century, the Ventures created, perfected and personified the “ rock instrumental” that inspired legions of guitarists, with Neil Young being one of the most vocal supporters these days. Initially formed by…

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For the first time released as a single unit, this 3 disc set has long unavailable broadcasts of Charles Mingus when he was at the apotheosis of his talents. To put the collection into discographic perspective, Mingus had recently released…

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The last time I was this excited about a male jazz vocalist was when Gregory Porter had his debut album. Here, you’ve got this guy Sidney Jacobs who sings, writes and arranges his own stuff and displays an amazing wide…

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Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel continues to follow a sui generis path. Each album is an intriguing step in his musical journey. This most recent one is his most sonically ambitious one since 2003’s Heartcore, as Rosenwinkel veers away from “mere” guitar…

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Here’s a lady that you’ll want to get to know. Joan Shaw (aka Salena Jones b. 1930) sang and toured with such notables as King Curtis, Cab Calloway, Big Maybelle and Louis Armstrong. She had a career as an R&B…

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This album has “Historical Album of the Year” written all over it, and for good reason. Recorded in concert during a Madison, Wisconsin gig on November 15, 1976, this 8 song collection from Bill Evans’ trio with Eddie Gomez/b and…

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One of the classic male vocal duet albums has been reissued by Omnivore Recordings, and it serves to show how style, class and swing transcend generations and genres. Back in 1961, the ultra hip Bobby Darin (who was reputed to…

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