Category: Ringer of the Week

Yes, even though Detroit is a disaster in so many ways, there is at least one reason to head to the Motor City-bassist Rodney Whitaker.  He’s the musical director of both of these sessions, one’s  his own studio recording and…

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I get tons of releases from female vocalists every week; it takes A LOT for one of these to stand out. This one does. What makes Dee Alexander so special, as she’s doing a bunch of standards with a team…

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Earlier this year, we did a review of the 11 cd boxed set of the Complete Keynote Jazz Collection and declared it to be the Reissue of the Year for 2014. Well, this 4 disc set on the complete 1957sessions…

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Need a little latin joy in your otherwise musically miserable life? This disc is your answer. Mandolinist Mike Marshall teams up with Andy Connell/cl-as, Colin Walker/7-strg and Brian rice/perc for 17, count ‘em, 17 bon bons of Brazilian love.  A…

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Only a few harpists have been able to fit the classically-associated harp into the jazz round hole. Dorothy Ashby started the ball rolling back in the 50s with some hip albums with Frank Wess on flute, and Carol Robbins does…

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Because I live in LA, I’ve probably seen bassist Pat Senatore more times in concert during my lifetime than any other bassist. He was the house bassist for his own club in Malibu during the 70s and 80s, and currently…

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This is one of the most fun “outside” albums I’ve heard in decades. The teams of Fo’ (Joseph Doubleday/vibes, Feliz Peikli/cl-bcl, RP/dr) and Mo’(Steve Wilson/ss, Eguie Castrillo/perc) deliver wild, frenzied and wonderfully virtuosic music at a 2013 gig that I…

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You looking for a new source of music for inspirations? How about The Great Armenian Songbook! Pianist Armen Donelian releases a 2 cd set of songs from 18th Century melodies from his native culture, and bringing them up to the…

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Not only is it a treat to hear some great modern male singers, but on this disc it’s multiplied by three as the inter-generational team of Gregory Porter, Mansur Scott and Donald Smith take both solo turns and work together on…

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Bassist Tim Ferguson obviously doesn’t like crowds. He did a nice cozy and spacious quartet date last year with guitarist Tom Dempsey, and now he’s in an unorthodox trio setting with Rob hence/tp-ah and Diane Moser/p for a collection of…

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