Celebrating the release of his 108th album, entitled The Road to Love, legendary guitarist Kenny Burrell delivered a 2 hour set that served as a tempting invitation to purchase the cd in the back of the club as well as…
Month: October 2015
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Electric Squeezebox Orchestra: Cheap Rent
Here’s a band that avoids the pitfalls of most big band recordings. Modern stuff either sounds like a Gil Evans wanna-be or a musical version of a Jackson Pollock painting. Here, you’ve got a nice sized big band lead by…
Jose’ Gurria’s Gurrisonic Orchestra: Three Kids Music
Here’s a highly ambitious and mostly successful debut album by Jose Gurria, who wrote and arranged the material as well as sat in on drums for this wide ranging collection. His 22-piece “chamber ensemble” includes brass, woodwinds, rhythm, strings and…
Gaetano Letizia: Froggy & The Toads
Here’s a fun disc that is a must for guitar fans. Gaetano Letizia teams up with bassist Wilbur Krebs and legendary drummer Mike Clark for a swinging and whimsical collection of reptilian originals. One finger snapping starts on the exciting…
WHO IS THIS GUY?!?!? Glenn Zottolla: Miles Davis Remembered, Come Fly With Me, Getting Sentimental, Classic Arrangements, Too Marvelous For Words
One of the real joys of music is when you discover an artist who is a kindred spirit. Glenn Zottolla is one of those guys you’re gonna love. He’s been around since Moby Dick was an anchovy, playing the tenor,…
Buzz Cason: Record Machine
Here’s an old timer that plays timeless music. Nashville by origin, Buzz Cason was one of the first early rockers, backing up the likes of Elvis and Kenny Rogers as well as having his own band The Casuals. Now in…
THE RADICAL SOUNDS OF TRAD! The Jim Cullum Happy Jazz Band: The Music of Jelly Roll Morton; Bob Wilbur, Dave McKenna & ‘Pug’ Horton Quintet: Live From London
Nothing shows that wild side of jazz like the traditional and swing sounds of the early years ranging from The Golden Age to The Depression. Has jazz ever been as influential since? What does that tell you about the music…
Harris Einsenstadt: Canada Day IV
Here’s a cool and subtle collection of originals by a quintet lead by drummer/composer Harris Eisenstadt and his team of Nate Wooley/tp, Matt Buder/ts, Chris Dingman/vibe and Pascal Niggen Kemper/b. The moods get shadowy on “After Several Snowstorms” and the…
De’Anza: Despertar
Vocalist De”anza Paaredes hails from LA, and by her vocals and musical environs here, sounds more like she’s more from the East LA side of things. She teams up with an electric/synth band of Andre de Santanna/b, Danilo Arroyo/dr, Santiago…
Anton Fig: Figments
Anton Fig takes control with a plethora of instruments by himself as he does drums, programming, guitar and bass along with a rotating guest of artists that include randy Brecker/fh, Richard Bona/b, Chris Spedding/g and Ronnie Cuber/bs. The moods and…