This album is supposed to be a tribute by tenor/soprano saxist Tim Hegarty to the likes of John Coltrane and Dexter Gordon, but for my money, as soon as you hear this guy’s bluesy/gospel sound, you’re going to flash right…
Category: Ringer of the Week
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Alejandro Almenares: Casa De Trova Cuba 50’s
If you’re a fan of the Buena Vista Social Club, this guy’s gonna make them seem like a bunch of posers. Composer, vocalist and tres guitarist, Alejandro Almenares delivers the real thing from Cuba here on this two cd set.…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Rufus Reid: Quiet Pride-The Elizabeth Catlett Project
It’s a pretty good bet that somewhere you’ve got an album with bassist Rufus Reid on it. Not only has he done tons of sessions and gigs for artists such as Freddie Hubbard and Dexter Gordon and has been the…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Shawn Maxwell: Shawn Maxwell’s Alliance
Here’s an exciting release out of The Windy City. Shawn Maxwell plays reeds and woodwinds while leading a creative non-ette that mixes intricate jazz with baroque fugue elements to end up with a unique-sounding force of nature. Besides the rhythm…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Randy Ingram: Sky Lift
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…
****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…