Farnell Newton, jazz, making a Scene
Farnell Newton Rippin’ & Runnin’ Posi-Tone This is likely the first review on these pages from the niche jazz label, Posi-Tone, which issues a select number of albums annually, generally just one or two per month on average. Owner and man of many hats, Marc Free, produces, records, markets and more than anything, has discerning […]
jazz, Jocelyn Gould, making a Scene
Jocelyn Gould Elegant Traveler Posi -Tone Elegant Traveler is the debut for the well-traveled Canadian jazz guitarist/composer/arranger and now bandleader Jocelyn Gould. Gould works with a core quarter augmented by one, two, or three horns on five of the ten selections, mostly originals with a few standards. While earning her master’s degree at Michigan State, […]
cd review, jazz, making a Scene, Sissy Castrogiovanni
Sissy Castrogiovanni Terra MANU There is always a fascination for this writer when world music meets jazz, and to a good back story as well. It also doesn’t hurt to have eye catching album art, On Sissy Castrogiovanni’s self-produced Terra, most stateside listeners, except those who speak the Sicilian dialect, will not identify with the […]
americana, blues roots, indie Blues, making a Scene
Grant Dermody My Dony Self-released Just listen to the opening title track and it’s immensely clear that this is a deep blues album. Tread in a little further and learn that multi-Grammy award winning musician and producer Dirk Powell partnered with Dermody in the production, songwriting, and, as per usual, brought an arsenal of instruments, […]
bassist, Fred Randolph, jazz, making a Scene
Fred Randolph Mood Walk Creative Spirit The picturesque jaguar prowling down a path lined with upright basses could connote many things – beauty, power, ferocity, and boundless energy, to name just a few. Unfortunately, though, most will likely access bassist/composer/bandleader Fred Randolph’s fourth album, Mood Walk digitally, and will totally miss the provocative image which […]
cd review, jazz, making a Scene, Wayne Shorter
Dave Askren Jeff Benedict Paraphernalia – Music of Wayne Shorter Tapestry Now that Wayne Shorter is no longer performing, this is the second album to feature his music this year although Shorter did play on the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s Music of Wayne Shorter while this quartet effort, Paraphernalia, from guitarist Dave Askren and […]
americana, cd review, Gabrielle Louise, making a Scene
Gabrielle Louise The Unending Alteration of the Human Heart Self-released The Unending Alteration of the Human Heart is the studio follow-up to singer-songwriter Gabrielle Louise’s 2016 When the Static Clears, my introduction to the Colorado-based artist. She did also release Live at ETown Hall in 2017. This is her ninth album overall. Gabrielle is a […]
cd review, indie, jazz, Joan Watson Jones, making a Scene
Joan Watson-Jones Choices EOS 4 Joan Watson-Jones is a vocalist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and host of producer of The Jazz Room, an online radio program of jazz music and interviews. Choices is her fourth albums, comprised of her originals and two standards. Watson-Jones is a mainstay in the New England jazz scene, and she brings aboard […]
afro jazz, cd review, jazz, making a Scene
Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra The Four Questions ZOHO Grammy Award-winning pianist/composer Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra’s Four Questions marks O’Farrill’s first album in his famed catalog to exclusively include all originally written compositions. Special guest Dr. Cornel West is featured as soloist, conductor, and percussionist on the title […]
americana, cd review, Indie Rock, making a Scene, pokey lafarge
Pokey LaFarge Rock Bottom Rhapsody New West Yes, this writer may be a little late to Pokey LaFarge but am attracted to his old school 1950s R&B as done by white artists from the period, mixed in with some bluesy and rockabilly riffs here and there. Echoes of the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, and others […]
Kathleen Grace with Larry Goldings Tie Me to You Monsoon The last time this writer heard the superb and sultry vocalist Kathleen Grace was on her last recording, 2013’s No Place to Fall, which was essentially an Americana recording imbued by the likes of Greg Leisz’s pedal steel, Dave Raven’s drums, and plenty of electric […]
americana, Casey Van Beek, making a Scene, Tulsa Groove
Casey Van Beek and the Tulsa Groove Heaven Forever Little Village Foundation Little Village Foundation has made another discovery, this time not unearthing a new star but a hardened music veteran of six decades. His band, the Tulsa Groove, will inevitably bring back memories of the great J.J. Cale. In fact, play Heaven Forever for […]
jazz, Lauren Henderson, making a Scene
Lauren Henderson The Songbook Session Brontosaurus Vocalist, arranger, and multi-lingual Lauren Henderson is back with her sixth musical alliance with pianist Sullivan Fortner – The Songbook Session. Fortner, considered one of today’s top pianists, has been visible lately on a few online performances with Cecile McLorin Salvant. Truth is, though, that he has worked longer, over a decade, with Henderson. […]
cd review, jazz, making a Scene
Leslie Beukelman Golden Daffodil Woolgathering Golden Daffodil is the first vocal release for bassist/composer Matt Ulery’s Woolgathering Records. We covered Ulery’s most recent release as a leader, Delicate Charms, (a chamber jazz outing which in no way resembles this one) last October on these pages. This is Chicago-based vocalist Leslie Beukelman’s second full-length jazz release […]
dylan hayes, indie, jazz, making a Scene
Dylan Hayes Electric Band Songs for Rooms and People Blujazz There is no photo of Dylan Hayes on the CD jacket, but a quick search reveals a 20-something. Indeed, this is his debut album and it has tons of youthful energy flowing through the keyboards, whether acoustic or electric, that Dylan Hayes plays on Songs […]
Dana Sandler, Holocaust, jazz, making a Scene
Dana Sandler I Never Saw Another Butterfly Self-released I Never Saw Another Butterfly is jazz vocalist Dana Sandler’s debut, based on a book of the same name, setting poems from children of the Holocaust to music. The album is being released today, April 21, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Originally published in 1959, the book is a […]
blues, blues-rock, indie Blues, making a Scene, roots, tom Gilberts
Tom Gilberts Old School Polymerase You know this will be a different kind of blues record as it opens with the slow blues “Lady Luck,’ suggesting a confidence that few blues guitarists have as not many would dare to open with a simmering slow one. Tom Gilberts is a master of tone and nuance and […]
americana, indie, making a Scene, roots, sarah siskind, singer-songwriter
Sarah Siskind Modern Appalachia Red Request Sarah Siskind’s Modern Appalachia is long overdue as it’s her first album in nine years. This is an important project as evidenced by the gleaming list of guests including Bill Frisell, Justin Vernon, Jeff Sipe, Mike Seal, Daniel Kimbro, Rose Cousins, Julie Lee, and Elizabeth Foster. Don’t let the […]
americana, andrew alli, blues, indie Blues, making a Scene, roots
Andrew Alli Hard Workin’ Man EllerSoul Emerging harmonica sensation Andrew Alli hails from Richmond, VA, the same area of his mentor, the Piedmont harp master, Phil Wiggins. Alli not only blows his blues harp in an intense, county rooted style, he can sing with passion too. He’s a young cat with an old soul. Allie […]
Andy Milne, jazz, making a Scene
makAndy Milne and Unison The reMISSION Sunnyside Pianist, bandleader and educator Andy Milne brings us The reMISSION, with his new trio UNISON. Stepping into piano trio performance for the first time, the album is a stunning shift in direction for the artist. In late 2017, a life-changing cancer diagnosis forced Milne into a period of reflection over his fruitful career, a […]
Bobby Selvaggio, jazz, live jazz, making a Scene
Bobby Selvaggio Live from the Bop Stop Dot Time We didn’t want to leave this one behind. This is alto saxophonist Bobby Selvaggio’s eleventh album and first live recording, Live from the Bop Stop. Specifically the site is the Bop Stop at the Music Settlement in Cleveland, OH, a place where the bandleader has performed […]
Ali holder, americana, Austin, making a Scene, roots
Ali Holder Uncomfortable Truths Self-released The title alone provides intrigue as Texas singer-songwriter Ali Holder doesn’t just confess but instead urges us to stand tall, defiantly in the face of stereotypes while acknowledging difficult circumstances. Ultimately, rather than dwelling on the negative, she pushes toward the optimistic higher road, chronicling some of the pain on […]
bloomerangs, cd review, indie, jazz, making a Scene
#Bloomerangs Moments and Fragments Instru Dash Mental It’s unusual to begin your band name with the pound sign but in this age of text messaging and digital communication perhaps, it’s not odd. (and, for those who file CDs alphabetically like this writer, how do you deal with a #? Suggest you just go to ‘b’). […]
americana, Brian Dunne, cd review, making a Scene
Brian Dunne Selling Things Self-produced Selling Things is a cathartic project for Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Brian Dunne, drawing on a difficult year spent wrestling with mental health and an existential crisis. Yet, you can right away hear the unbridled passion in Dunne’s expressive voice. He’s got plenty to let go of and he’s determined to make […]
2020, americana, Eliza Gilkyson, making a Scene
Eliza Gilkyson 2020 Red House This is a difficult one to hear in the context of its original inspiration – that being an election year where there is potential of a return to common sense, decency, and forward-looking thinking from the President. This health pandemic leaves us with such an uncertain future that the importance […]
Enrique Haneine, jazz, making a Scene, ny jazz
Enrique Haneine Unlayered Elegant Walk Enrique Haneine is a jazz-world musician, composer, pianist, drummer, improviser, and educator that is currently living in New York City and was born in Mexico City from Lebanese descent. Haneine was raised in Mexico, immersed in Latin music interwoven with classical and jazz studies, and obviously has lineage tracing its way […]
Shunzo Ohno Runner Pulsebeats Renowned trumpeter and composer Shunzo Ohno has released his 18th album as leader. This relatively short, (very short for a jazz) album clocks in at just over 30 minutes but offers a wide span of music within that condensed amount of time. Runner is comprised of three compositions; the first of […]
guitar, indie, jazz, jazz guitar, lou volpe, making a Scene
Lou Volpe Before & After Jazz Guitar Let’s acknowledge that moat of the artists you read about on these pages are blues musicians. Even though the record label above and perhaps some of guitarist Lou Volpe’s previous work my steer toward jazz, this writer finds plenty of blues in Volpe’s style. Think back to Larry […]
cd review, jazz, making a Scene, Sam Jones, TNEK Jazz
The TNEK Jazz Quintet Plays the Music of Sam Jones TNEK Jazz If you’re familiar with the music of Cannonball and Nat Adderley and their soul-jazz albums from the ‘60s and ‘70s, chances are that you know the bassist/composer Sam Jones. Jazz fans in general are likely familiar with the name as he was a […]
cd review, indie, Laila bailai, making a Scene, out of dust, pop
Laila Biali Out of Dust Self-released (in U.S.) labels elsewhere We are reminded constantly that some of the best music comes from across our northern border. Just this week we heard again from Canadian genre-defying Basia Bulat, a three-time Polaris Music Prize finalist and three-time Juno Award nominee, who released Are You in Love? This […]
jazz, kind of blue, making a Scene, miles davis
Schapiro17 New Shoes: Kind of Blue at 60 Summit As you all know, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue remains the top selling jazz album of all time and people are still buying it more than 60 years later. In that time, we’ve heard tributes, arrangements of many of the tunes, especially “So What” and “All […]
blues, indie Blues, jazz, jc hopkins, making a Scene
J.C. Hopkins Biggish Band New York Moment Twee-Jazz As the name implies, this band is a ‘tweener” somewhere between a large ensemble or a larger band. Additionally, most units of this type would have one main vocalist while this one has five, each with a distinctly different style. The J.C. Hopkins Biggish Band is a […]
blues, indie Blues, jim gustin, making a Scene, truth jones
Jim Gustin & Truth Jones Lessons Learned Self-released Jim Gustin’s force-of-nature voice evokes Long John Baldry and perhaps Canadians Big Doug McLean and Jim Byrnes. There’s some Joe Cocker in there too. He has a natural smoky rasp in his baritone that’s simply perfect for the funky blues he and his band lay down. So, […]
cd review, chicago yestet, jazz, making a Scene
Chicago Yestet Not There Yet Tiddlywinks Music You’ve heard of quartets, quintets, septets and others but this may be the first time you’ve encountered a yestet. This is Chicago’s own acclaimed ensemble, the Chicago Yestet, releasing its third album, Not There Yet. Under the direction of Joel Adams, the 13-piece band presents an engaging, diverse release which addresses […]
americana, blindsided, making a Scene, mark erelli, songwriter
Mark Erelli Blindsided Self-released Singer-songwriter Mark Erelli has done all his solo work in the past two decades in his home state of Massachusetts but has managed to make plenty of friends along the way as a sideman for Nashville-based artists. His last year’s “By Degrees” had Sheryl Crow and Rosanne Cash joining him and […]
jazz, Jenny Davis, making a Scene
Jenny Davis Rearranged Three Penny Just seeing the name Jenny Davis, not to mention her half smiling face in the promo materials, may lead one to believe that this is your basic jazz vocal album. Yet, while it has some of that character, it’s much broader with some very imaginative instrumental configurations and performances. That’s […]
bob baldwin, henna, jazz, making a Scene
Bob Baldwin Henna City Sketches Bob Baldwin leads this sizeable project with no fewer than 21 musicians and/or singers in the credits with a repertoire that’s as justifiably wide. This is the 31st album for the New York state born contemporary jazz pianist, composer, author and producer. His dad was also a jazz pianist, having […]
americana, chris moyse, Country, making a Scene
Chris Moyse Bitter Ballads & Cynical Prayers Self-released Bitter Ballads & Cynical Prayers is the debut from Nashville-based singer-songwriter Chris Moyse. Before you quickly dismiss this out of hand because you’re not inclined to listen to a depressing singer-songwriter in this period of self-quarantine, go ahead and proceed because, despite the tone of title, there […]
Indie Rock, making a Scene, Mojo manifesto, Mojo nixion
Mojo Nixon The Mojo Manifesto 10-CD/DVD Box Set Manifesto Count on the unconventional Mojo Nixon to do the outlandish. The now Sirius/XM radio host of “Outlaw Country” and NASCAR decides to essentially cap his recording career with not just a single or double alum set but instead package all ten of his albums plus a […]
blues, indie Blues, leroy ellington, making a Scene
Leroy Ellington’s Sacred Hearts Live and Kickin’ It Infiniti Group Records This is a live record with no overdubs of a gritty, potent band. At times unpolished, and with a sound quality that isn’t always the best, this is raw live music from one of Cincinnati’s best bands. Leroy Ellington does all lead vocals and […]
anemone, jazz, making a Scene, status sphere, vito dieterle
Vito Dieterle Anemone and Status Sphere with Joel Forrester Ride Symbol Yes, you read the title correctly. We are covering two separate albums from NYC-based saxophonist Vito Dieterle that he is choosing to release at the same time. Anemone has the classic organ quartet sound of the ‘60s while Status Sphere with Joel Forrester is […]
americana, carla olson, duets, indie, making a Scene
Carla Olson Have Harmony Will Travel 2 Sunset Blvd. Have Harmony Will Travel 2 is Carla Olson’s successor to her acclaimed 2013’s Have Harmony, Will Travel which featured two-part vocals with Peter Case, Richie Furay, John York, Scott Kempner and Juice Newton. This one includes comparably renowned names such as Timothy B. Schmidt (The Eagles), […]
gospel, Legendary Ingramettes, making a Scene, Take a look at the book
The Legendary Ingramettes Take a Look at the Book Virginia Folklife Program Some of us first heard of the gospel group The Legendary Ingramettes when they appeared on Sherman Holmes’ 2017 The Richmond Sessions. Yet this group has been with us for more than six decades now, held together through generations of determined African – […]
funk shui nyc, indie, jazz, making a Scene, shark nato on a plane
Funk Shui NYC Shark NATO on a Plane ZOHO Funk Shui NYC is a 15-piece ensemble led by co-leaders trombonist Rob Susman and bari sax/flutist Dave Morgan. They are ostensibly a jazz unit but it’s their wide-ranging repertoire that sets them apart. The five tunes composed by band members here ring with funk, classic rock […]
clairdee, jazz, Leana, making a Scene
Clairdee A Love Letter to Lena Declare Music San Francisco jazz vocalist mainstay Clairdee bursts forth with an expansive project honoring Lena Horne, with a supporting cast of no fewer than 20 musicians or singers, including some stirring narration from actress/director/playwright Margo Hall. Clairdee spent three years shaping the project, originally envisioned back in 2009, […]
dressed in a song, jazz, jd walter, making a Scene
J D Walter Dressed in a Song Self-released This is a comeback for jazz vocalist JD Walter, the unexpected kind. With a reputation for being somewhat eccentric, adventurous, and the so-called “progressive electronic vocalist,” Walter returns from a life-threatening heart condition and surgeries on his heart and vocal cords to deliver an intimate album of […]
americana, blues, indie Blues, making a Scene, mike mattison
Mike Mattison Afterglow Landslide One of the clear highlights of the Tedeschi-Trucks Band’s great live shows is when vocalist and songwriter Mike Mattison takes his turn on a lead vocal. Through most of the set he backs Susan Tedeschi with harmonies and percussion. Most will also recall Mattison’s days as the lead vocalist for the […]
americana, indie music, making a Scene, Maya De Vitry, singer-songwriter
Maya De Vitry How to Break a Fall Self-released Two years ago, the gifted Americana band The Stray Birds left us with the parting Let It Pass, the last of their great albums. A central figure in making those was co-founder and often frontwoman, multi-instrumentalist and superb vocalist/songwriter Maya De Vitry. Last year De Vitry delivered […]
americana, anybody out there., Indie Rock, making a Scene, sadler Vaden
Sadler Vaden Anybody Out There? Dirty Mag/Thirty Tigers Guitarist/singer-songwriter Sadler Vaden is best known as the lead guitarist for Jason Isbell’s 400 Unit, but fans will also recognize him for his time with Drivin’ N Cryin prior to joining Isbell’s band. Anybody Out There? Is his second full-length album, a follow-up to his 2016 self-titled […]
blues, indie Blues, making a Scene, Richard Ray Farrell, three pints of gin
Richard Ray Farrell Three Pints of Gin Blue Beet Life in Spain seems to be treating American bluesman Richard Ray Farrell well. You could almost say he is back where he belongs. Farrell was born to travel, having started as a street musician or “busker” in Paris, France in 1975. Totally fascinated with the music […]
