This group, as well as the music they perform, is going to throw you for a loop. The individual members of the group Ventanas all come from Spain, but they mix backgrounds from Jewish Sephardism, flamenco, Macedonia, North Africa and…
Category: Ringer of the Week
*****CO-RINGERS OF THE WEEK*****: Tiffany Austin: Nothing But Soul, Charenee Wade: Offering
I usually make only one release the Ringer of the Week, but these two albums came across my desk at the same time, have similar themes and leaders, and to prefer one over the other via a coin flip would…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Mathias Eick: Midwest
Leave it to Europeans to capture the sound of America. Trumpeter Mathias Eick brings together Gjermund Larsen/vio, Jon Balke/p, Mats Eilertsen/b and Heige Norbakken/perc for a collection of originals that takes you through The Badlands and Custer National Park all…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Gillian Margot: Black Butterfly
Record albums are usually invitations to see the artist in concert, but in my case, I happened to hear vocalist Margot sing recently and was so impressed I had to check out to see if she sounded as attractive in…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****John Yao and His 17-Piece Instrument: Flip Flop
If you’re a big band fan, you’re in for a treat on this session by composer, conductor and trombone player John Yao. As heleads a pistol packing big band through ten flavorfully swinging charts. He must have grown up watching…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****FLORIAN ROSS QUINTET: Lines & Crosscurrents
Florian Ross uses his skills at composing, arranging and playing the piano and synthesizer while he leads a team through one of the most clever, original and enjoyable albums in memory. He brings together Niels Klien/cl-ts, Markus Segschneider//g-pedal, David Helm/b…
****ROTW****A 10 YEAR OLD REMEMBRANCE…Dee Dee Bridgewater & Irvin Mayfield: Dee Dee’s Feathers
Yes, it’s been ten years since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Like the defiant city itself is Dee Dee Bridgewater, who smiles throughout this tribute to the Crescent City along with Irvin Mayfield & The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. All…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Joe Alterman: Georgia Sunset
This album is subtitled “The exciting, swinging piano music of…” and with a gauntlet thrown down like that, pianist Joe Alterman has some work ahead of him. He more than lives up to the brand, as he tems up with…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK***Bill Evans: The Complete Fantasy Recordings
One of the great things about legendary pianist Bill Evans is that it’s easy to break down his career in terms of record labels. He “made his name” on Riverside, became a household name on Verve and then ended his…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Mark Weinstein: In Jerusalem
Multi-flutest Mark Weinstein has made out an impressive career by creating a large catalogue of Latin and Brazilian music. This time around, he moves to a different neighborhood by taking on the Great Jewish Songbook, a collecton of traditional Hasidic melodies…