Lyrical folk sounds from the Old World abound with Vasko Atnasovski playing alto sax, soprano sax and flute with Simone Zanchini/acc, Michel Godard/tuba, Bodek Janke/dr-tab and Ariel Vei Atanasovski/cel on nine bohemian beauties. You feel like folk dancing in a…
Month: February 2021
GUITAR CONVERSATIONS…Larry Newcomb Quartet: Featuring Jake Newcomb, The Justin Rothberg Group: Love, Dad
Vintage and modern sounds of the six stringer in small group settings… Larry Newcomb carries a classic sound veering between Herb Ellis and Wes Montgomery on this winning session with brother Jake on bass, Thomas Royal/p and Dave Marsh/dr. He…
The Grasso-Ravita Jazz Ensemble: Jagged Spaces
Bassist Phil Ravita, co-leads a quintet with guitarist Skip Grasso along with Greg Small/p, Nuc Vega/dr and Benny Russell/ts-ss on a collection of originals. The team shows its bop chops right up front, with Russell searing on soprano on the…
Stick Men featuring Gary Husband: Owari
One of my deepest musical regrets of last year was not catching the Stick Men when they came to the Baked Potato in tour, This album, recorded at the Blue Note Nagoya, Japan, just before the world lockdown on February…
Dwiki Dharmawan: Hari Ketiga
As far as ambition in a project goes, you will struggle to find something that reaches higher than this two disc opus by Dwiki Dharmawan, who plays piano, moog, Rhodes, Harmonium and voices as he teams up with Boris Savaldell…
Yohan Giaume: Whisper of a Shadow
Subtitled “Musical Conversations with Louis Moreau Gottschalk”, this collection of compositions by Yohan Giaume is a kind of musical journey, reflecting all of the cultures and traditions of the African Americans in New Orleans. A mix of jazz and strings…
Greg Murphy: Cool Water
Greg Murphy shows his modal moods, playing keyboards and synths with a core of Eric Wheeler/b, Jeff “Tain” Watts/dr and various guests on this mix of originals and a wide range of covers. Of the latter, He brings in Ku-umba…
Billy Stritch: Billy’s Place
Pianist and vocalist Billy Stritch turns the lockdown lemons into musical lemonade as he’s started a program of solo nightclub streams that has caught on. This album collects some of the best, and it has a real late night casual…
Gayelynn McKinney and McKinney Zone: Zoot Suit Funk
What makes this album by drummer Gayelynn McKinney so interesting and alluring is that the leader never steps out in front; rather, she gives chorus like vocals with Trenita Womack, does solo but still in the background, with Womack hitting…
Griffith Hiltz Trio: Arcade
Nathan Hiltz plays guitar and bass pedals, Johnny Griffith is on synthesizers, alto and tenor saxes with the time kept by drummer Neil MacIntosh on this Baker’s Dozen originals. Half of the songs are quick segues consisting of electronic effects,…