At 73, Van Morrison is going through a musical renaissance, and like the original Renaissance, he is accomplishing it by returning to the foundations and “first love” of his musical civilization, the jump blues of the 50s. With a swinging…
Author: George W. Harris
RICH BARITONE…John Minnock: Right Around the Corner
Baritone vocalist John Minnock takes songs we’re all familiar with, but puts them through a Waring Blender to create completely different moods than originally intended. With Enrique Haneine/p-key, Carlos Mena-Will Woodard/b and Pablo Eulchans-Diego Voglino/dr, Minnock delivers a nourish mood…
WHEN ‘SOUL’ HAD SOUL…James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, The Drifters, etc: The 1961 R&B Collection
Before The Beatles and the British invasion, before Motown and disco, both black and white audiences were united by a love of rhythm and blues. Sounds from Memphis and New Orleans dominated the airwaves, with artists and “name” groups mixed…
Bobby BlackHat: Put On Your Red Shoes
Snarling at both vocals and harmonica, Bobby BlackHat leads a calloused hand team of Brian Eubanks/b, Tom Euler/g, Michael Behlmar/dr, Lucy Lawrence Kilpatric/key, Cal Hamlin/org, Larry Berwald/g-sg and Lucius Bennett KK?voc on a mix of foot stomping blues and boogie.…
Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo: Kikoeru
Satoko Fujii’s latest album in celebration of 3 score years on earth is a big band tribute to Japanese cross-country skier Masaya Kimura. The six piece salute features a four member sax section, trumpet section and trombones, along with Toshiki…
Jentsch Group Nonet: Topics In American History
Electric guitarist Chris Jentsch leads a left of center band of Michel Gentile/fl, Michael McGinnis/cl, Jason Rigby/sa, David Smith/tp-fh, Brian Drye/tb, Jacob Sacks/p, Jim Whitney/b and Eric Halvorson/dr through a series of themes associated with various parts of this country’s…
Salif Keita: Un Autre Blanc
The legendary Salif Keita mixes and melds a wide range of sounds on this collection of world music songs and messages. At times, the mix of his earthy voice and the traditional sway of the strings actually gives hints of…
Joey Calderazzo: Live From the Cotton Club Tokyo Volume 1
Taking some time away from his regular gig with Branford Marsalis, pianist Joey Calderazzo comes to Tokyo with his own team of Orlando Le Fleming/b and Donald Edwards/dr for a wide ranging collection of mostly self-penned tunes. The soul cover,…
BEN SIDRAN: MIDDLE CLASS HIP
DURING AN ERA WHEN JAZZ ARTISTS ARE KEPT IN THE CORNER OF MUSIC, IT’S DIFFICULT TO REMEMBER A TIME WHEN THE AIRWAVES WERE FILLED WITH SWING AND BOP. BEN SIDRAN, JAZZ WRITER, COMPOSER, PIANIST AND PRODUCER, IS A MAN WHO…
LUCIANA SOUZA: LONGING AND RAISING HER VOICE
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A VOCALIST? FOR SOME, IT’S TO INTERPRET A SONG; FOR OTHERS, TO DELIVER ONE’S OWN SONG. FOR LUCIANA SOUZA, HER SINGING AND WRITING IS A WAY OF GROWING AS A PERSON, A MOTHER AND A…