“This is what dreams are made of” Humphrey Bogart “The Maltese Falcon” Do you want to know what is right about jazz and wrong about most of what is being confused for as jazz these days? Just pop on ANY tune on…
Category: Ringer of the Week
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Miramar: Dedication to Sylvia Rexach
Puerto Rican Sylvia Rexach (1922-1961) gained cult status as a passionate bohemian who produced some riveting boleros in both instrument and voice. Singer Reinaldo Alvarea and pianist/arranger Marlysse Simmons-Argandona have taken her songs and delivered them in an Old World…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Darren English: Imagine Nation
If you thought the tradition of the cocky and strong hard bop trumpeter was dead and gone, wait until you get a load of this guy Darren English. He leads a sizzling quartet of Kenny Banks Jr/p, Billy Thornton/b and…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Quincy Jones And His Orchestra: Live In Ludwigshafen 1961
Yes, Quincy Jones was actually a swinger before he made a gazillion dollars producing Michael Jackson’s Thriller among other pop and rap albums. Don’t forget he was the musical director for the classic Frank Sinatra at the Sands with Count…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Various Haitian Artists: Tanbou Toujou Lou
If you’re looking for something fresh and new, come on over here and check out this 20 song compilation of pop music from Haiti from the 60s to the 80s. You get a wide range of Merengue, Kompa Kreyou, Electric…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Allen Toussaint: American Tunes
Here’s the final recording by New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint. It’s an absolute beaut, and not just because it’s his adieu. The man that gave us such songs as “Yes We Can Can” and “Mother In Law” mixes originals with…
****ROTW****WELCOME BACK!! Chico Freeman 4-Tet: Spoken Into Existence
At one time, Chico Freeman (along with Arthur Blythe, David Murray and the late Lester Bowie) were the darlings of the left of center jazz cognizenti. Since the heady 80s, their patented mix of freedom and form have drifted away…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Dmitri Matheny: Jazz Noir
Next time you watch a movie with Dana Andrews, Robert Mitchum or Gloria Grahame, you may want to get into the mood by putting on this disc by fluglehhorn player Dmitri Matheny. He creates shadows inspired by Fritz Lang with a…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Jim Cullum Jazz Band: Porgy and Bess Live
Yes. Yes. YES!! I know that there is a surfeit of Porgy and Bess recordings out there. Satch and Ella, Miles, Torme’. But this one just might be the most swinging of them all. Performed back in 1992 at The…
Matt Lavelle’s 12 Houses: Solidarity
Matt Lavelle plays cornet, flugelhorn and alto clarinet as he conducts a large scale band through a half dozen originals. You get a mix of reeds, woodwinds, strings and various things like vibes, mandola and banjo ere, and the mood…