CD Reviews on projects by Jazz artists
Dr. John “The Atco/Atlantic Singles 1968-1974” www.OmnivoreRecordings.com Despite remaining extensively productive at recording albums, Dr. John’s 1968-1974 stretch at Atlantic Record’s subsidiary label Atco was his largest selling and most commercially successful era of making music. Along the way, he’s won six Grammy Awards, and in 2011 he was also was inducted into the Rock […]
Vince Guaraldi Trio “Peanuts Greatest Hits” www.ConcordMusicGroup.com Even though Vince Guaraldi has passed on some forty years ago he left behind volumes of (in-print and readily available) recorded music. His most popular are the Peanuts television tracks, bringing us to this 2015 compilation “Peanuts Greatest Hits.” Charles Schulz created Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and Snoopy […]
Cannonball Adderley’s “Big Man: The Legend of John Henry” www.RealGoneMusic.com 1975’s “Big Man: The Legend of John Henry” was the last album Cannonball Adderley recorded, and was released near the time of his stroke and death at just forty-six years of age. It’s also his most unique musical project composed by the great altoist and […]
Les McCann “Invitation to Openness” www.OmnivoreRecordings.com Les McCann’s “Invitation to Openness” made its first appearance on vinyl in 1972 on the powerhouse Atlantic Records label, it also reached number eight on Billboards Jazz chart. The original session was produced by the late great Joel Dorn, and Dorn reissued it on CD via his Label M […]
“The Complete Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Recordings” 4 vinyl LP’s, 40th Anniversary Edition Fantasy – Concord Forty years ago Tony Bennett and pianist Bill Evans recorded their first of two duo albums: 1975’s “The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album,” followed by their ’76 “Together Again.” These albums have been distributed on various formats in the past, but […]
Dave Stryker Messin With Mister T Strikezone Records In 1980 guitarist Dave Stryker left Nebraska and moved to New York City. He joined Jack McDuff’s band and toured with him from 1984 to 1985. From 1986 thru 1995 and again from 1998 thru 2000 Stryker toured with tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine. Today bandleader Stryker leads […]
– www.RaphaelWressnig.com The young Wressnig’s previous recording “Soul Gift” was successful, and if you enjoyed that disc you should definitely appreciate his latest “Soul Gumbo.” Veteran players (many from around The Big Easy) are featured: Walter “Wolfman” Washington, George Porter Jr., Larry Garner, Stanton Moore, with longtime Crescent City pianist Jon Cleary. Added to the […]
John Tropea “Gotcha Rhythm Right Here” STP Records www.JohnTropea.com If you are not already familiar with his name, you’ve probably heard John Tropea’s guitar on famous recordings by Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, Paul Simon, Laura Nyro, Van Morrison, Phoebe Snow, Lyle Lovett, James Brown, David Ruffin, Chaka Kahn, Roberta Flack, Donny […]
Through The Streets of the City New Orleans Brass Bands Smithsonian Folkways Recordings This is the newest album from Smithsonian Folkways’ African-American Legacy series. Included is a 34 page booklet authored by Dr. Michael White. He is a jazz music historian but also a clarinetist, composer, bandleader, producer and educator. He has six albums under his […]
Three New Releases from Hendrik Meurkens German born Hendrik Muerkens now lives in upstate New York. Originally a vibraphonist in the tradition of Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson Meurkens was inspired by the sound of Toots Thieleman’s harmonica. Today the self taught Meurkens is considered the most important jazz harmonica player since Thielemans. Meurkens was […]
Cyrille Aimee It’s A Good Day Mack Avenue Records This is the major label debut of jazz vocalist Cyrille Aimee. Vocally Aimee is a bit like Madeleine Peyroux but Aimee’s music is rooted in the gypsy guitar of Django Reinhardt. She also has affection for Brazilian guitar, and thus an understanding of bossa nova and […]
Phil Bowler & Pocket Jungle Phil Bowler & Pocket Jungle Zoho Music Phil Bowler is a Grammy winning bassist and sideman who played in the bands of Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Horace Silver, Hilton Ruiz, and Wynton Marsalis, among many others. Twenty years ago Bowler also had his own jazz ensemble called “Pocket Jungle”. Now they […]
A 2014 Musical Grab Bag of Jazz, Blues and Rocking Christmas Holiday Stocking Stuffers: Marilyn Scott “Get Christmas Started!” Prana Entertainment www.MarilynScott.com Scott digs deep for several well performed and way-back Christmas covers. For example not one but two Leon Russell Christmas covers that were actually released as A and B sides on a seven-inch […]
Alex Belhaj’s Crescent City Quartet Sugar Blues Alex Belhaj Music I first went to New Orleans in 1995. I thought it would be great if I got to see Joe Krown playing piano at The Maple Leaf. I didn’t think I was really into Jazz except where it crossed with the Blues. After going to […]
The City Boys Allstars Blinded By The Night City Boys Mike Productions LLC The City Boys Allstars’ first album “Look Out Here We Come” was recorded in 1994 but not released until 2011. “When You Needed Me” their follow up studio recording was released in 2012. After a seventeen year hiatus the band had re-united […]
Rob Paparozzi & The Ed Palermo Big Band Electric Butter/Play the Music of Butterfield & The Electric Flag Independent Rob Paparozzi, vocals and harmonica, is a New Jersey based session musician who has toured with “The Original Blues Brothers Band” and also as lead vocalist in the reformed “Blood, Sweat and Tears”. He has played […]
Jaco Pastorius “Modern American Music … Period! The Criteria Sessions” Omnivore Recordings Jaco Pastorius’ major solo debut appeared in 1976 on Epic Records, many of the tracks had their beginning two years earlier when a twenty-two year-old Pastorius booked time at Criteria Studios to work out songs and jam. Eventually six of those session tracks […]
Catherine Russell Bring It Back Jazz Village Catherine Russell is a Jazz singer who will appeal to Blues aficionados. It has been a long time since Jazz has had a singer like Russell. Russell is the daughter of Luis Russell the former musical director for Louis Armstrong. Her father died when she was very young […]
Cannonball Adderley “The Black Messiah” Live at the Troubador – 1972 – 2 CD’s www.RealGoneMusic.com The year was 1972 when Cannonball Adderley’s quintet (there were more than five musicians) took the stage with Cannonball’s alto and soprano saxes, brother Nat’s cornet, a rhythm section of Roy McCurdy’s drums, Walter Booker’s bass, and direct from a […]
Mack Avenue Superband Live From The Detroit Jazz Festival 2013 Mack Avenue Records The Mack Avenue Superband is an ensemble of jazz artists from the Mack Avenue roster. Each of these participants is a seasoned leader in their own right. This album documents a live concert at Detroit’s Hart Plaza. Virbraphonist Warren Wolf composed “Soul […]
Davina & the Vagabonds Sunshine Roustabout Records I first heard Davina & The Vagabonds at Boston’s On The Beach in Delray Beach, Florida. Originally from Key West Davina Sowers spent her formidable years in and around Minnesota’s twin cities where she studied to be a classically trained pianist. Sowers is a prolific songwriter and her pop […]
The Vince Guaraldi Trio “A Boy Named Charlie Brown” Fantasy – www.ConcordMusicGroup.com The background storyline here is almost as fascinating as the music contained. “A Boy Named Charlie Brown” was written for a 1964 TV program, but it never saw the light and never aired on television. Equally fascinating that very same year of 1964 […]
