Back in the late 60s and early 70s, the music scene was fecund with a plethora of ideas. Jazz, rock, folk and classical were all influencing each other with fascinating combinations of sounds. The term “fusion” was not used at…
Category: Ringer of the Week
****MEMPHIS DRY RUB, NO SAUCE****The STAX Songwriter Demos: Written in Their Soul
One of the more fascinating releases of the year has to be this 7 cd set that includes 146 recordings, 140 of which have never previously seen the light of day. What STAX has done is culled a collection of…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Ben Wendel: All One
Bringing together a rich collection of tones, Ben Wendel creates an elegiac album without drum and bass, mixing fanfares, declarations, impressions and standards with a mix and match team of artists. Wendel himself plays soprano and tenor saxes, along with…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK***A FORGOTTEN MASTER…James Booker: Behind The Iron Curtain plus…
When you think of New Orleans piano, the first names that pop into your mind are usually Professor Longhair, Fats Domino, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint and maybe Harry Connick. One of the underservedly forgotten holders of the Crescent City piano…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Stephen Stills: Live At Berkley 1971
With the recent passing of David Crosby, this recent release of Stephen Stills in concert back in 1971 is even more poignant. To put this album in it’s perspective, by this point Stills was a few years removed from his…
*****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Scott Petito: Many Worlds
One of the great bass players around, Scott Petito brings together an all star group that sounds like the second coming of Weather Report. Mixing and matching the likes of Steve Gadd-Peter Erskine-Simon Phillips-Omar Hakin/dr, Rachel Z Hakim-Kevin Hays/key, Bob…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Ludovica Burtone: Sparks
You want some swinging strings? Take a look at violinist Ludovica Burtone, who forms a two violin front with Fung Chern Hwei, brings in viola-ist Leonor Falcon Pasquali, cellist Mariel Roberts for a front line along with Marta Sanchez/p, Matt…
SOLI DEO GLORIA …Duke Ellington: Love You Madley/A Concert of Sacred Music
This 116 minute dvd covers two of the most important pieces of music for not only jazz, but western civilization. During the autumn years of his career, Duke Ellington in 1965 delivered the first of a series of Sacred Concerts,…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Eric Reed: Black, Brown and Blue
One of the leading elder voices of the piano, Eric Reed shows himself one of the masters of the trio on this sublime and nocturnal album with drummer Reggie Quinerly and bassist Luca Alemanno. I’ve seen him as a sideman…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Phil Woods: Bird With Strings and More!
If there was anyone born to give a tribute to alto sax legend Charlie Parker, it had to have been Phil Woods, who dedicated his career to keeping the bebopping legend’s music alive. For a concert recorded back in 2005…