Here’s a pianist that has a touch on the ivories I could listen to for weeks. Randy Ingram leads a quartet with Mike Moreno/g, Matt Clohesy/b and Jochen Rueckert/dr for eight originals that have a sound all their own. I’m…
Category: Ringer of the Week
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Frank Wess: Magic 201
Last year’s Magic 101 by the late Frank Wess was on my Top Ten list of releases for 2013, and the second part of that set, issued here, shows beyond doubt that the testimony of the departed can still speak…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Romero Lubambo: So-Brazilian Essence
This is the Romero Lubambo album you’ve been waiting for. The Brazilian guitarist is best known for his work as accompanist for Luciana Souza; she always gave him a few songs to perform on his own on stage and crack…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Taylor Haskins: Fuzzy Logic
Here is an successfully adventurous session lead by Taylor Haskins that mixes a post bop quartet of himself on trumpet, melodic and flute along with Ben Monder, Kermit Driscoll/b and Jeff Hirshfield. The genius is in his adding a string…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****The Jeremy Steig Quartet: Flute Fever
Fifty years old and as timeless as the a speech by Winston Churchill, this 1963 (from Columbia Records, no less) session lead by flute player Jeremy Steig has been hiding for decades, and undeservedly so. You probably haven’t heard of…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Pat Metheny Band: Kin ( < -- >)
Recently elected to the Downbeat Hall of fame, Pat Metheny shows that he is definitely not resting on either his laurels or his hardys, as he teams together again with Chris Potter, Antonio Sanchez/dr and Ben Williams/b with an album…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****John Stowell & Dave Liebman: Blue Rose
If you’re not a sucker for duet albums, maybe THIS one will change your mind. Acoustic guitarist John Stowell sits down by the fireplace with Dave Liebman for a collection of duets that sounds like a conversation between masters of…
****REISSUE OF THE YEAR?!?!?****The Keynote Jazz Collection 1941-1947
Well, here it is, the beginning of the year, and I’m afraid that the best reissue of 2014 has already been determined. There is just NO WAY that Mosaic, Sony Legacy or Concord are going to match the wonderfully voluminous…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Richard Bennett: Code Red Cloud Nine, For the Newly Blue
Remember that old song by Dave Frishberg, “I Want to be a Sideman”? Here, you’ve got two releases by one of the ultimates, Nashville resident Richard Bennett. He plays guitar, mandolin and just about anything that can be strummed or…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Giovanca: Satellite Love
On first glance, this release has at least two strikes against it from the start. Any singer that goes by only one name always worries me. Think “Raffi” or “Madonna”. Second, will someone please explain the outfit of afro, smoke…