Category: Ringer of the Week

I realize that “the best” is always a subjective thing, but the fact is that I return to Fred Hersch’s music more often than any other trio around. This team of Hersch with John Hebert/b and Eric McPherson/dr have been…

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Nothing like a voice from the past to make you  realize how far you’ve strayed. This collection of previously unreleased studio recordings from the legendary Erroll Garner during the years 1967-71 reveal to us not only the artistic style of…

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There used to be a time when I winced at the news of some “new” Hendrix album. Since James Hendrix founded Experience Hendrix and put some love into the management, I now salivate. This latest release is a perfect example……

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All I know about Senri Oe is that he’s a Japanese American who lives in New York, plays piano, and is unbelievably adept at composing wonderful music.  There are only eight songs on this release, and as soon as each…

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Who says a strong family doesn’t make you a better person? The father-daughter team of Clarice and Sergio Assad, as the movies say, “make beautiful music together” on this collection of gentle Latin and Iberian originals. Dad plays guitar and sings…

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Vocalist Sara Gazarek and pianist/arranger Josh Nelson have been staples of the LA scene for years, usually performing together in small group gigs around town. For this album, they played to their strengths and deliver a definitive album for each…

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I remember watching this concert on TV and wondering to myself “Is this even possible, or am I experiencing an optical illusion?” The mix of legendary fusion guitarist John McLaughlin taking up the acoustic guitar with flamenco legend Paco DeLucia…

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Usually, when you think of Afro-Cuban music, sounds of Cuba with a bit of octane come to mind. Well, Cameroon-born bassist Richard Bona changes that thought on this album. With Osmany Paredes/p, Roberto & Luisito Quintero/perc, Rey Alejandre/tb, Dennis Hernandez/tp,…

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One of my “go to” albums for reinforcing a mood of contemplative serenades with a dash of Mediterranean flavor has been 2007’s Mare Nostrum that had Jan Lundgren’s lyrical and impressionist piano, Richard Galliano’s bohemian accordion and Paolo Fresu’s warm…

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I don’t know where he’s been the last few years, but I’m glad alto saxist Kenny Garrett is back. No one mixes searching ideas with fun and funky grooves like the Miles Davis alumnus. Here, he emphasizes the latter with…

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