If you’re looking for ladies that have been flowing under the radar, both past and present, heck out Spain’s premier label, Fresh Sound Records, and hear what’s not being heard… The first collection is a pair of recordings by cabaret-voiced…
Month: August 2022
THIS IS A HARD BOP TROMBONE 101…Curtis Fuller: Eight Classic Albums
As JJ Johnson was to the bebop era, trombonist Curtis Fuller defined what a trombone should sound like during the hard bop days of the 1950s, appearing on a plethora of classic albums as a sideman for John Coltrane and…
STUDIO BANDS…West Coast Series-Jazz & Swing Orchestras: Dennis Farnon: Caution! Men Swinging/Skip Martin: 8 Brass…5 Sax…4 Rhythm
Back in the 1950s, as the Big Band Era was slowly dying, the money for musicians was to be made in the studios, with alumni from Herman, Rogers and Kenton playing for TV shows and movies in order to pay…
The Jon Cowherd Trio: Pride and Joy
It’s hard for a pianist to complain when he’s doing a trio album with drummer Brian Blade and bassist John Patitucci. He’s been a support on both of the Wayne Shorter sidemen’s own albums, and they return the favor with…
Bruce Barth Trio: Dedication
So, what, or who, is the soulful pianist Bruce Barth dedicating this trio album to? In the liner notes, Barth mentions the memory of a dear friend Montez Coleman, but truth be told, with bassist Vincente Archer and drummer Montez…
Shawn Purcell: 180
Tensile toned guitarist Shawn Purcell creates a sophisticated organ combo with Pat Bianchi/B3, Jason Tiemann/dr and a couple guests that sounds like a summit meeting between the sophisticatedly bopping Pat Martino and explorative Larry Young. The advanced harmonics and pulses…
THIS IS AN R&B TENOR SAX 101…King Curtis: Azure
As popular music was drifting from jazz to rock, the missing link between the two was Rhythm and Blues. Tenor sax players either stayed to course on jazz, going bebop or free, or taking on the shuffling blues bandwagon. Of…
Steve Turre: Generations
Bold toned trombonist Steve Turre brings together an all star band that includes Wallace Roney Jr./tp, Buster Williams/b, Lenny White/dr, James Carter/ts, Ed Cherry/g and a host of others in this collection of rhythmic joys. Turre shows his modal roots…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****WHEN “HOT” WAS COOL…Dick Hyman: George Avakian Presents One Step To Chicago-The Legacy of Frank Teschemacher and the Austin High Gang
Back in the early days of jazz, the beats were two stepping hot, the solos were wild yet concise and the tunes were danceable. One of the most famous of the “Chicago” style of music (think of the movie Some…
Bill Ortiz: Points of View
Big toned trumpeter Bill Ortiz mixes jazz and funk with a team of Matt Clark/p-key, Marcus Shelby/b, Dennis Chambers/dr, John Santos/perc and Azar Lawrence/ts along with some cameo guests for a collection of tunes that include compositions by giants like…