This disc is like a tropical storm that clears out all of the rubbish in the streets. Unlike almost all pianists under 60, Benny Green has avoided the pitfalls of modal, electronic and atonal free and has stayed loyal to…
Month: August 2015
Sal Salvador: And His Colors in Sound Orchestra Complete Recordings 1958-1964
Best known for his work with Stan Kenton’s orchestra, guitarist Sal Salvador is one of the overlooked guitarists these days. He had a style and delivery similar to Herb Ellis; clean, clear and inherently swinging. This 2 disc set has…
END OF THE SUMMERTIME BLUES…Joe Bonamassa@The Greek Theatre 08.29.15
Well, it’s been a great summer for blues fans, with the likes of Robert Cray, John Mayall, Robin Trower and Albert Lee coming to town with songs of six stringed joy. Closing up the summer of blues at the Greek…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Mathias Eick: Midwest
Leave it to Europeans to capture the sound of America. Trumpeter Mathias Eick brings together Gjermund Larsen/vio, Jon Balke/p, Mats Eilertsen/b and Heige Norbakken/perc for a collection of originals that takes you through The Badlands and Custer National Park all…
Joan Chamorro & Andrea Motis: Feeling Good
While she is based in Barcelona, Spain, vocalist Andrea Motis has an alluring lilt that sounds like homespun American Midwestern on this joyful gypsy swing collection with Scott Robinson/bs, Ignasi Terraza/p, Esteve Pi/dr, Josep Traver/g-banjo and co-leader Joan Chamorro/b. Motis’…
Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet: Intercambio
As Art Blakey once said, “All jazz is dance music.” Wayne Wallace takes that admonition to heart, as every song on this scintillating session has the type of dance to accompany the piece. Along with Wallace’s trombone, David Belove/b, Colin…
MASTERS AT PLAY…Heads of State: Search For Peace
These guys make it sound so easy. Lemme tell you-It AIN’T! Gary Bartz/as, Larry Willis/p, Buster Williams/b and Al Foster/dr probably have close to 200 collective years between them playing advanced and modal bop, and this collection shows what happens…
Chico Trujillo: Reina de Todas Las Fiestas
The Chilean group Chico Trujillo is a hard hitting band that mixes Cumbia and Afro Cuban grooves with infectious percussion and punctuated brass. Comprised of Macha/voc, Tuto/b, Michael/g, Juanito/dr, Tio Rodi/perc, Joselo/teclas, Zorrita/tp, Felita/sax and Tagilo/tb, the band makes you…
57 VARIETIES… IVO PERELMAN…Ivo Perelman/Whit Dickey: Tenorhood, Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp: Callas, Ivo Perelman/Joe Morris/Mat Maneri: Counterpoint
With these latest three releases, free form tenor saxist Ivo Perelman has reached the Heinz Ketchup Award for reaching 57 releases. These latest three show why he is a standout among the adventurous horns. Perelman teams up with drummer Whit…
Actis Dato Quartet: Earth is the Place
Italian reed master Carlo Actis Dato does a playful answer to Sun Ra’s Space is the Place here with Beppe Di Filippo/as-ss, Matteo Ravizza/b and Daniele Bertone/dr-perc on a collection of originals. The pieces are free in spirit, but they…