Category: Ringer of the Week

Guitarist Thom Douvan served music well back when Nixon was in the White House by being a member of the famed Funk Brothers, who were the backup band for the Motown label. This disc, which includes Duncan McMillan/B3, Tony Malfatti/sax,…

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Here is some of the most sublime music you’ll come across this year. Guitarist Michel Heroux features himself in duets, trios and quartets performing his own luscious pieces on this evocative album. A few of the songs, such as “Easy”…

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If you have any discs my Michael Bubbles, but not of Curtis Stigers, please do me a favor and get rid of the former, and fill up with the latter. Like, start with this one. BUBLE’ IS A POSER!! HE…

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Forget about The Great American Songbook. You want oldies? How about Euripedes, who composed the story of Medea and Jason (of “and the Argonauts”) in 431 BC. As Mr. Portokalos famously said in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, “We were…

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Never heard of this guy before, but after taking in this album, I’ve got to find  out more about him. Where’s he from? Where’s he been? Who are his influences? No matter, as guitarist/composer Noshir Mody lets the laundry out…

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There are certain times in your life when you think everything is the way it’s supposed to be, and then something comes to shake you up to realize how far you’ve strayed from your path. Sometimes I get that way-I…

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Here’s a winner that you can take to the bank. Freddie Bryant takes four types of guitars, ranging from 12 string to arch top, to electric and nylon, and then mixes and matches with Chris Potter/bcl-ts-ss, Scott Colley/b and guests…

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Go ahead-tell me you expected a solo piano album from the founding member of George Clinton’s Parliament/Funkadelic. And tell me it was going to have jazz standards like Mingus’ “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” and Coltrane’s “Alabama” as well as Joe…

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A few months ago, I stumbled across some very cool soundtracks from 60s “Juvenile Delinquent” movies such as College Confidential and Crime in the Streets that had guys like Maynard Ferguson and Conte Condoli in the studios delivering some wonderfully…

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I just finished reviewing a bunch of ECM albums, so I was ready for something a bit more lined up with the reason I got into jazz in the first place. Popped this puppy in and WOW-I’m in love again!…

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