When push comes to shove, there are fewer things better in jazz than two tenors locking horns, whether in fast bopping swingers, or, as here, in mellow madness. Keith Oxman plays a tenor with warm embers, while veteran Houston Person…
Month: April 2020
JAZZ UKELELE…Jake Shimabukuro Trio: Jake Shimabukuro/Nolan Verner/Dave Preston
Jake Shimabukuro plays acoustic and electric kamaka ukulele, and there is no hint of gimmick or novelty to it as he teams up with Nolan Verner/b-p and Dave Preston/g with both partners playing percussion on this gorgeous and fragrant session.…
Avishai Cohen: Big Vicious
Avishai Cohen uses his rich toned horn to lead a band that sounds like it’s an indie rocker as he teams up with guitarist Ui Ramirez, bassist/guitarist Yonathan Albalak, and drummers Aviv Cohen with Ziv Ravitz, the latter also bringing…
Kurt Elling: Secrets Are The Best Stories
As with most of Kurt Elling’s albums, you can tell that he studied theology at one point, with his songs reflecting metaphysical questions such as “why are we here?” and “how did we get all messed up?”. The beauty of…
THE FUSION FUSE IS RE-LIT…David Cross and Peter Banks: Crossover
A summit meeting between founding YES keyboardist Peter Banks (who recently departed to that great gig in the sky) and famed King Crimson violinist David Cross on this album of fresh material along with fellow prog gents and alumni in …
Calle Loiza Jazz Project: There Will Never Be Another You
One of my guilty pleasures is Latinized versions of jazz standards, and the team of Calle Loize do it with extra picante’ seasoning. This album catches the band in a concert setting in Puerto Rico (where else?!?_ and the rhythm…
Sarah Elgeti Quartet: Dawn Comes Quietly
Sarah Elgeti plays a rich and beefy tenor, warm flute and sonorous bass clarinet as she mixes and matches guests with a core team of Nils Raae/keys-harm, Anders Krogh Fjeldsted/b and Henrik Holst Hansen/dr. Jazz chamber moods come in with…
Gloria Reuben & Marty Ashby: For All We Know
Intimate duets between vocalist Gloria Reuben and guitarist Marty Ashby make for a relaxed and subdued session. The two get into cozy moods on pieces like “Sing My Heart” and the tender title track> Reuben’s voice is clear and effortless…
David Haerle: Death Valley
Sounds akin to bands like America, John Denver and John Hiatt are created by guitarist, composer and vocalist David Haerle on this up beat album with a team that includes Reade Pryor/dr, Alex Ward/g, Carson Cohen and a group of…
Al Gold: Paradise
Rich and rootsy tunes by guitarist Al Gold rake you to juke joints on this selection of original blues breakers. He’s got a dark, gritty and wonderfully rasp of a voice, and his guitar ranges from a delta slider on…