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…
Category: Ringer of the Week
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****SURF’S UP!!! The Ventures: The Collection 1960-62
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…
HISTORICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR? Charles Mingus & The Jazz Workshop All Stars: The Complete 1961-1962 Birdland Broadcasts
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…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK***Sidney Jacobs: First Man
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…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****OUR MOST IMPORTANT GUITARIST? Kurt Rosenwinkel: Caipi
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…
WHO LET HER OUT OF THE CAGE?!? Joan Shaw: A Retrospective 1947-1964
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…
THE CHOPIN OF JAZZ… The Bill Evans Trio: On A Monday Evening
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…
WHEN IT WAS HEP TO BE HIP…Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer: Two of a Kind
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…
****RINGERS OF THE WEEK****ELECTRONIC GUITAR IDEAS…Wingfield-Reuter-Stavi-Sirkis: The Stone House, Tohpati Ethnomission: Mata Hati
There are still plenty of ideas to explore through the electric guitar, as these recent releases from Moon June Records testify. Two better known axe players, Markus Reuter from Stick Men and Mark Wingfield team up with Yaron Stavi/b and…
FOXY! Curtis Knight (Featuring Jimi Hendrix): Live At George’s Club 20
If you’re a Jimi Hendrix fan, all you need to know is that this is the band that Chas Chandler heard when he “discovered” Hendrix (then known as “Jimmy James”)back in 1966. These “amateur live” recordings from December 1965 and…