Rozina Patkai Taladim Tom-Tom Rozina Patkai is a jazz singer, songwriter and visual artist based in Budapest, Hungary. This is her third release, a special one in which she sets the poems of world-famous artists to music. Herein are poems by Nathaniel Barratt (“Lorelei”), T.S. Eliot (“Song”), William Blake (“Laughing Song’), Jane Tyson Clement (“Sea […]
Santiago Bosch Galactic Warrior Self-released Fusion lives. The adage says every fifty years or so, trends reappear. There have been plenty of very good recent fusion albums from the likes of Hudson, Shijin, Gerry Gibbs, The Funky Knuckles and many, many others. What is striking about the new release from keyboard ace Santiago Bosch, among […]
Skip and Dan Wilkins Quartet Someday Deer Head Just as this recording form the Skip and Dan Wilkins Quartet is essentially an homage to the Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap, PA, my review is a kind of homage that same venue, relatively local for this writer. Yes, it’s a rather unlikely spot to […]
Alan Rosenthal Elbow Grease Street of Stars Don’t let the glasses fool you. Just like pianist Bill Evans had that professorial look, pianist Alan Rosenthal does too and just as Evans produced a distinctive piano sound, Rosenthal produces unexpected improvisations, albeit more akin to Monk. Rosenthal is also an astute and versatile composer. He composed […]
Jackie Allen A Romantic Evening With – Live at the Rococo Avant Bass This live concert from renowned jazz vocalist Jackie Allen is available as a CD or with an accompanying Blu-ray disc. You may have already seen this as it has aired on several PBS outlets across the country. There’s a bit of a […]
Hudspeth & Taylor Folie A Deux Self-released In the vein of those great acoustic blues records from the ‘60s and ‘70s on the Vanguard, Arhoolie, and Shanachie labels and such, come the Kansas City duo of guitarist Brandon Hudspeth and vocalist/percussionist Jaisson Taylor for their debut, Folie A Deux. That term, according to medical terminology […]
Matthew Snow Iridescence Self-released Matthew Snow’s Iridescence stands apart from most straight-ahead jazz albums due to that unusual instrumentation. Delivering hard bop and ballads without tenor sax, trumpet or piano is rather heady stuff but Snow’s combination proves intriguing. Joining Snow who is an emerging composer and bassist based in NYC is joined by fluent […]
Roger Kellaway The Many Open Minds of Roger Kellaway IPO The brilliant, versatile pianist Roger Kellaway may often be dismissed as “too mainstream” or generally an accompanist for vocalists singing standards or orchestrated pop material. Yet, the pianist who turns 80 this month, has a love for straight-ahead jazz from bebop to hard bop. On […]
Eric Hofbauer and Dylan Jack Remains of Echoes Creative Nation Music Guitarist Eric Hofbauer and percussionist Dylan Jack have put together an album of one of the most eclectic mix of covers ever. It’s a guitar and drum exploration into what is possible when two creative minds go to work. The goal of the Boston-area […]
Bonsai Universe Too Many Ghosts Self-released Too Many Ghosts, the latest title from renowned guitarist Woody Aplanlap, is the second project from what he’s dubbed Bonsai Universe. It’s a beautiful mess. In other words, depending on your mood his inventive psychedelic sounds can joyously transport you but if you’re looking for something more cohesive and […]
The Bad Plus Activate Infinity Edition Activate Infinity is the second album from The Bad Plus since Orrin Evans replaced co-founder Ethan Iverson in the piano chair. This widely popular jazz trio who has gathered a wide fan base drawing on pop and rock audiences, has delivered an album almost every year since their inception […]
Breezy Rodio If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It Delmark Breezy Rodio cut his teeth with Linsey Alexander and continues to prove on If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It, his fifth release, that he is a “real deal” bluesman as a bandleader.He’s got the guitar chops and the soulful vocals, with a voice quite different […]
Matt Ulery Delicate Charms Woolgathering Matt Ulery, Chicago-based bassist-composer, casts a mysterious, dense, often warm spell with his quintet called by the same name as the album, Delicate Charms. The unit is unusual in that the front line features alto saxophonist Greg Ward and violinist Zach Brock, each capable of inventive melodic lines, ensemble work, […]
John Allee Bardfly Portuguese Knees Music There have been a couple of other Shakespeare related efforts to cross this writer, a former English major no less, desk’s recently, and for reasons of those albums being a bit esoteric or somehow unconvincing, we didn’t bring ink to these pages. So yes, John Allee, veteran stage and […]
Fima Chupakhin Water Self-released The Ukraine is in the news often lately as it becomes a central focus in the impeachment proceedings but musically we can all be on the same side welcoming Ukrainian-native, Brooklyn-based pianist Fima Chupakhin who is presenting his first album as leader, Water, accompanied by a group of stellar international musicians […]
Chris Madsen Bonfire Outside in Music Saxophonist and band leader Chris Madsen leads his Chicago-based quartet on Bonfire, and album of eight originals, stretching nearly an hour. These compositions have been a long time in the making but allow for plenty of improvisation and interplay. Befitting the album title, there are plenty of moments when […]
Guillaume Muller Sketches of Sound Self-released Even before listening, one should give a wink to Guillaume Muller for the word play of the album title, playing off one of Miles Davis’ many great records. Guitarist Muller is a relative newcomer to the NYC jazz scene beginning in 2016. This is his debut as a leader […]
HeavyDrunk Holywater 4142 Records To consider that we’re reviewing an album with a tune called “Somebody’s Got to Take Them Panties Off” seems a bit crazy, at least for this writer. Yet, it tells you this band, HeavyDrunk, doesn’t take itself too seriously which is usually a good thing. Better yet, the soulful grooves, fun, […]
Karl Berger-Jason Kao Hwang Conjure True Sound Recordings We have covered the outstanding violinist and composer Jason Kao Hwang on these pages before with his Burning Bridge band and the album Blood, Delivering very edgy and highly creative sounds. Here he is paired with avant-garde vibraphonist Karl Berger, certainly a collaboration that in some ways […]
North Mississippi Allstars Up and Rolling New West This is the New West debut for the venerable North Mississippi Allstars (NMA) and it gets back to their original roots of communal inspired music in Mississippi’s North Hill Country. Joined by a slew of guests, befitting a country picnic or barbeque that’s common in the area, […]
John McAndrew Walkin’ Back Capitol Pianist/singer/songwriter John McAndrew finally let the music lead him back to the right place. For years he fought substance abuse and mental health issues that ruined his shows, caused blackout drives and masked his brilliant talents which are certainly evident as listening to Walkin’ Back for this writer leaves a […]
Makar Kashitsyn Jazz Animals Rainy Days There’s a revolution going on in Russia, a jazz revolution that is. We’ll get to the mission and some of the projects of the label, Rainy Days but first we’ll talk about the debut recording of alto saxophonist and composer Makar Kashitsyn, the 19-year-old prodigy from Moscow with Jazz […]
Randy Lewis Brown Red Crow Berkalin Randy Lewis Brown is another in the gifted group of Texas singer-songwriters full of poetic flair and engaging narratives. Red Crow is collection of 13 original songs, four of which are co-written. Brown sings in a clear, eminently listenable voice with great articulation and just the right amount of […]
Darrin Bradbury Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs Anti This is the witty Darrin Bradbury’s debut for Anti Records. His rhymes and keen observations may remind some of John Prine or Steve Goodman. Heck, at times even his voice sounds like Prine’s. Bradbury’ss collection of songs blend dark humor with observations that are so obvious when […]
Jacqui Brown Love, Love, Love Woodward Avenue At first this was puzzling. The brunette with the hat on the cover and inside jacket signaled country music but the label, Woodward Avenue, for this writer is associated with smooth jazz, real jazz, and soul. Woodward Avenue has a roster of great artists including Melba Moore. Readers […]
Big Beat Sounds Good, Feels Good Self-released Jazz education is thriving in many fine colleges and universities these days. In fact, there are so many talented players coming on the scene that supply is outrunning demand. There are just not enough venues and gigs for these youngsters to play. Nonetheless, the musical inspiration and joy […]
Alice Peacock Minnesota Self-released Alice Peacock had four highly acclaimed singer-songwriter albums beginning in 2000 and extending until her last studio album, 2009’s Love Remains. Much has changed since. She’s had three children, moved to Cincinnati, and obviously gotten 10 years older. To be exact, she did make a duo studio recording, Myrick/Peacock with Danny […]
Hiss Golden Messenger Terms of Surrender Merge Terms of Surrender is the eighth album for Hiss Golden Messenger (HGM) in their storied career, now over a decade long. HGM has long established their signature sound that fuses gospel, country, pop and rock in a way like no other band. They are hard to define and […]
The McNaMarr Project Holla & Moan Bahool For over ten years now Australian soul/blues vocalist Andrea Marr has stacked up awards and recognition as has fellow Aussie guitarist-singer/songwriter John McNamara. It seemed almost pre-destined that they would combine forces and leave their native country to record in the mecca of soul music, Memphis. The results […]
Kenyatta Beasley Septet Frank Foster Songbook Sony/The Orchard Trumpeter Kenyatta Beasley leads an explosive session with his septet, through the compositions of renowned saxophonist, the late Frank Foster, Beasley’s mentor. These burning cuts, stretched over twos discs, were recorded during a two night stand at Brooklyn’s Jazz 966 in 2013. There are only 11 compositions […]
Lisa Rich Highwire Tritone This is vocalist Lisa Rich’s third album, coming now a mere 32 years later, recently remixed and released for the first time. Yes, there’s a story here. Rich sings so purely and this recording is so pristine in sound that it deserves to be heard. Not only that, it features compositions […]
Clark Gibson Tri-Colored Eyes Self-released This is saxophonist Clark Gibson’s fourth release as leader and reunites him with one of his earliest collaborators, the in-demand B3 master, Pat Bianchi. It’s their mission on Tri-Colored Eyes, all Gibson compositions, to honor the hard bop organ trio sound of past years while con-temporizing it. When most folks […]
Fabrizio Sciacca Quartet Getting’ It There Self-released Italy-born, NYC-based bassist Fabrizio Sciacca makes his debut as a leader with Getting’ It There. Fabrizio studied under his mentor, the most prolific jazz bassist of them all, Ron Carter, and recruited the pianist from Ron Carter’s Trio, Donald Vega. Joining Vega and Sciacca are drummer Billy Drummond, […]
Mike Pachelli High Standards Full Blast World-class, versatile guitarist Mike Pachelli, who has logged considerable time in Nashville, pulled together a rather impromptu trio for this upbeat jazz album. Playing his 1993 Gibson L5 Wes Montgomery and a 1967 Fender Princeton Reverb, Pachelli called on friends – bassist Tony Levin and drummer Danny Gottlieb for […]
Nicholas Bearde I Remember You: The Music of Nat King Cole Right Groove Nicholas Bearde is a renowned jazz vocalist with a silky baritone voice that lies somewhere between Nat King Cole and Billy Eckstein. He’s the ideal one to pay tribute to Nat King Cole in celebration of Cole’s 100th birthday with I Remember […]
The Curtis Brothers Algorithm Truth Revolution You will find several common elements between The Curtis Brothers’ Algorithm and the excellent hard bop disc, the recently issued Ralph Peterson & The Messenger Legacy’s Legacy Alive Volume 6 At The Side Door. Both were recorded at the Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme, CT. Both feature […]
The Contribution Wilderness and Space LoHi The Contribution’s debut record, Which Way World (2010), had the band hailed as a “jamband supergroup.” With the band members having obligations in other bands, they do not record frequently but in 2017, The Contribution released seven tracks from this album, Wilderness and Space, with full proceeds from each single going to […]
Bill O’Connell and the Afro Caribbean Ensemble Wind Off the Hudson Savant Surely Bill O’Connell’s name would not immediately scream “Latin Jazz” to those unfamiliar with his career. Yet, for over four decades now, O’Connell has been considered one of the top pianist/composer/arranger/band leaders in NYC in both jazz and Latin jazz. Importantly, this could […]
Vaneese Thomas Down Yonder Segue Multiple BMA nominee and daughter of iconic soul man Rufus Thomas, Vaneese Thomas, delivers her eighth album, another terrific soul work, Down Yonder. Thomas splits her time between her hometown of Memphis and Broadway, as she’s lived in the New York area for some time now. Thomas is either the […]
Chase Baird A Life Between Soundsabound A Life Between, coming eight years after his debut Crosscurrents. The album follows Baird’s graduation from Julliard and a chance meeting with master pianist Brad Mehldau in New York City where Baird now resides and works, (at least when he can). Baird is one of too many young artists […]
The Session Collusion Bubble Bath Collusion, their third album, marks the return from a brief hiatus of the New Orleans-based quartet, The Session. The four members got their start with Jason Marsalis’ Vibes Quartet, but soon found synergy amongst themselves. They are bassist Jasen Weaver, trumpeter Steen Lands, pianist Andrew McGowan and drummer Darrian Douglas. […]
Mark Winkler I’m With You Mark Winkler Sings Bobby Troup Café Pacific Mark Winkler certainly counts Bobby Troup among his leading mentors. This is Winkler’s second full album in tribute to the great songwriter, known best for the iconic “Route 66.” Winkler issued Mark Winker Sings Bobby Troup in 2002, before he was as widely […]
Mark Doyle Watching the Detectives – Guitar Noir III Free Will Mark Doyle’s guitar album, Watching the Detectives – Guitar Noir III, is a unique and defyingly challenging merging of jazz, rock, and soundtrack. There cannot be many like this out there although Doyle will clearly admit to drawing from a few major influences. The […]
Ricardo Peixoto Scary Beautiful Self-released Guitarist and composer Ricardo Peixoto originally hails from Brazil but has developed a cross-pollinating music style that encompasses different cultures and genres. Scary Beautiful, his third CD as a leader, is an ambitious project involving 27 musicians in the credits, playing just about all modes of woodwinds, brass, and strings, […]
Antonio Adolfo Samba Jazz Alley AAM Music We’ve brought you plenty of Latin jazz on these pages in the past year, but Antonio Adolfo is one the founders of Brazilian jazz from the early ‘60s, taking the bossa in a slightly different direction with samba, and thus, should not go unnoticed. On Samba Jazz Alley […]
Melbreeze Amethyst MCC This is the second release for avant-garde vocalist Melbreeze, following the success of her last year’s largely Latin Animazonia. This writer is usually not interested in an album of covers, especially one that hits so many familiar tunes but Melbreeze’s approach is just so refreshingly different that it merits some commentary. First […]
Maryjo Mundy The Fourteenth Confession – Songs of Laura Nyro Bluejazz Sometimes it takes a tribute or interpretations from another artist for one to truly appreciate the beauty and power of the songs left behind by the original. Thus is the case for this live performance by Maryjo Mundy last year at the Gardenia in […]
Ben Winship Toolshed + Acorns (two complete and separate albums) Snake River Most musicians have their own kind of tool shed we suppose. Roots musician, recording engineer and in-demand sideman Ben Winship is perhaps titling one of these two albums about his backyard studio in Idaho that he calls The Henhouse. Like most studios, contrary […]
Freeloader The Path of Least Resistance Rumbar Those of you that long for the days of blaring, crunch rock n’ roll will enjoy these veteran rockers from Boston, Freeloader. Theirs is down and dirty, no frills rock, the kind that gets you shaking, sweating, and maybe even screaming. And, for whatever reason, it’s a sound […]
Lyn Stanley Favorite Takes – London With a Twist- Live at Bernie’s ATM We introduced you to jazz vocalist Lyn Stanley back in December 2017 with her double CD-set of the Great American Songbook classics., Moonlight Sessions Vol. 1 and Vol 2. You may want to reference that for her amazing back story. In 2018 […]
