This one is going to catch you by surprise. As far as I can tell, this is the second album by Lauren Henderson, and it makes me want to find the first one. It’s a honey! She has a Latin…
Category: Ringer of the Week
YESTERDAYS AVANT GARDE IS TODAY’S UP TO DATE…George Russell: Complete 1956-1960 Smalltet & Orchestra Recordings, George Russell: Sextet & Septet Complete 1960-1962 Decca & Riverside Album Collection
While he did play the piano, George Russell is best known as a free thinking composer and arranger who changed the direction of jazz by using various “unorthodox” chordal patterns in his songs, setting the stage for the modal revolution…
THIS IS A HARD BOP TENOR 101…JR Monterose: Live In Albany 1979
Back in the 70s, almost every jazz artist was “going electric” one way or another. Jazz/rock fusion was at its zenith, and even diehards like Stan Getz succumbed to electric keyboards to “stay with the times.” Tenor saxist JR Monterose…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****BRAVI RAGAZZI…Newpoli: Nun te Vuta’
Here’s a wonderful disc that captures the passion of the Mediterranean. Newpoli consists of Angela Rossi-Carmen Marsico/voc, Roberto Cassan/acc, Bjorn Wennas/g, Fabio Pirozzolo/perc, Daniel Meyers/perc, Karen Burciaga/vio and Sean Farias/b delivering tradision al folk sounds from southern Italy with excitement…
THIS IS A BARITONE SAX 101…Lars Gullin: Complete 1956-1960 Studio Recordings
I’m willing to bet that there aren’t enough fans out there of Swedish baritone saxist Lars Gullin (1928-1978) to fill a Volkswagen Beetle. His legacy has at least two strikes against him; 1) he spent most of his time in…
THE BEST TRIBUTE TO BILLIE’S 100TH…Billie Holiday: Banned From New York City-Live 1948-1957
I’m sure that you’ve noticed that there is not a shortage of “celebrations” of Billie Holiday’s 100th birthday. Reissues and tributes from vocalists to pianists are as ubiquitous as stories on Bruce Jenner. This 2 cd set from Uptown Records…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Hamilton De Holanda: World Of Pixinguinha
Alfred da Rocha Viana Jr., more popularly known as Pixinguinha (1897-1973), was one of the most important Brazilian composers as well as respected sax and flute player. Mandolinist Hamilton De Holanda celebrates his music in a series of intimate solos…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK***Chris Washburne & The Syotos Band: Low Ridin’
This is a fun album! Isn’t that one of the reasons you got into jazz in the first place? Chris Washburne plays both trombone and tuba here, as he leads a percussive heavy team of Vince Cherico, Oreste Abrantes, Roberto…
****ALBUM OF THE YEAR?****Maria Schneider Orchestra: The Thompson Fields
I don’t see how she does it, but everything conductor/arranger/composer/Minnesotan Maria Schneider touches feels and sounds important and creative. This latest effort, dedicated to the farm land of Minnesota, is a sonic adventure into the rural Midwest, and it’s done…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Dave Stryker: Messin’ With Mister T
Here’s a brilliant concept album delivered to sizzling perfection. Guitarist Dave Stryker “Celebrates the music of Stanley Turrentine” with ten songs associated with the wailing tenor icon. Even better, Stryker picks ten current tenor titans to show how different each…