A few years ago, saxist Jimmy Greene released Beautiful Life, a heartfelt album dedicated to her 6 year old daughter who was murdered in the tragic Sandy Hook attack. Volume 2 picks up with Greene, a devout Christian, still coming…
Author: George W. Harris
Marc Copland: Better By Far
Pianist Marc Copland has been spending much time as a sideman with John Abercrombie, but he returns to his leadership role on this strong and lyrical album of originals. He’s assembled a top notch team, such as the intuitive Joey…
Common Quartet: The Hive
The Brooklyn-based Common Quartet features the sleekly swinging team of Seth Trachy/ts, Nitzan Gavrieli/p, Pablo Menares/b and Alex Wyatt/dr, and they are adept at creating some hip and suave grooves on this highly enjoyable release. Trachy has a Getz-like warmth…
Flying Horse Big Band: Big Man On Campus
Swinging charts are delivered by director and saxist Jeff Rupert as he directs a big band through a dozen pieces. Warm toned tenor Harry Allen guests on a number of tracks such as the floating “Dreamsville” and joyful waltz “June…
ARE WE NOT MEN? WE ARE IVO!!! Ivo Perelman: The Art of Perelman-Shipp, Vols 1-7
The symbiotic team of tenor saxist Ivo Perelman and pianist Matthew Shipp is captured in 7 separate recordings and with various guests. Put on your seat belts! Volume 1 (Titan) has Perelman and Shipp in a trio setting with bassist…
‘BONES COME ALIVE…David L. Harris: Blues I Felt, John Yao Quintet: Presence
Sliding or plunging, the trombone still has lots to say Here’s a guy that lives a double life on a single album. David L. Harris hails from New Orleans and p lays the trombone like he was weaned on Duke…
Jeannie Tanner: Word & Music
Composer Jeannie Tanner brings together twelve singers from Chicago and lets them interpret her rich and varied songs. The settings range from vaudevillian and saucy “Kiss Me” with Kimberly Gordon” to indie “I’m Whistling A Tune” by Andy Pratt, while…
DUETS! Billy Jones: 3’s A Crowd, Mikko Innanen & Sim Laihonen: April Fools
Duets come in various shapes and sizes. Here are two unique ways that pairs can work. Drummer Billy Jones teams up with various East and West Cast musicians ranging from voice to vibes for ten get togethers. Some are completely…
FEMMES FATAL…Sarah Partridge: Bright Lights and Promises, Julia Fordham: The Language of Love, Rozina Patkai: Paraiso Na Terra, Fay Claassen: Luck Child
Vocalist Sarah Partridge subtitles her recent album “Redefining Janis Ian” as she takes a Baker’s Dozen of the melancholy songwriter and gives the songs a new attitude and musical boost. She teams with a jazzy group of Allen Farnham/p, Bill…
FROM LA LA LAND…Ryan Svendsen: The Voiceless EP
One of the contributors to the hit film La La Land, trumpeter and composer Ryan Svendsen creates soundtracky soundscapes on this 6 song ep. Acoustic and horn create a cheerful mood on ”Out The Door” and pastoral mists float on…