The 1990’s and beyond have been dubbed the "decades of the brain," as technology and research continually allows scientists to explain how the brain functions as never b…
Ellen’s singing career began in Chicago, where she exhibited a versatile mix of acoustic styles, ranging from pop and jazz to theatrical numbers.It could be said …
This is the third installment from this talented guitarist but the first I’ve heard. I’m impressed. With a sound and style often akin to the likes of Craig Chaquico, this y…
31 Mar
The Real Thing in Performance 1964-1981 by Marvin Gaye
Friday, 31 March 2006
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Throughout the course of a year, I receive all kinds of compact discs, DVD’s and believe it or not cassette tapes to review. Although the focus of most of these recordin…
This is an interesting CD, well worth a listen and review. Letha, a native of my hometown, Washington, DC, presents 17 very original and thought-provoking tracks. There is …
Now, here’s an interesting collection of unique tunes from the folks at Hidden Beach who brilliantly birthed the Unwrapped series a series of albums with really strong and …
What is our purpose here on earth? In a world of instantaneous gratification, seldom do we stop and really ponder such a poignant and long term question. Vibraphonist an…
17 Feb
Good Bread Alley by Carl Hancock Rux
Friday, 17 February 2006
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Once upon a time, music was not only listened to for pleasure, but to find out (in the words of Saint Marvin) "what’s goin’ on." Whether you think about minstrels in med…
05 Feb
The Color Purple Original Broadway Cast Recording by The Color Purple Broadway Cast
Sunday, 05 February 2006
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The Color Purple was first a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and then it became a movie by Steven Spielberg. Two decades later, it has been reimagined…
30 Jan
30 Years Of Stony Plain by Various Artists
Monday, 30 January 2006
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Anniversaries are always special and this is no exception. Thirty years ago, Stony Plains Records issued their first record from their tiny office in Edmonton, Alberta. The…
When folks talk "trios," it usually means "piano trio" (jazz; keys/bass/drums) or "power trio" (rock; guitar/bass/drums). In the 30s & 40s, a piano trio often meant pian…
22 Oct
Songbook by Jerry Rojas and Peter A. Schmid
Saturday, 22 October 2005
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Jerry Rojas and Peter A. Schmid seem to be very competent musicians. However, this album appears to do little to truly showcase the talents of either artist. The directi…
13 Oct
Jazz@ the Pan Cafe Vol.1 (maiden voyage) by The Pan Cafe Quartet
Thursday, 13 October 2005
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I admit I do not much care for steel pan, I have respect for it as an art form, as a style of music, and for the musicians who perform it,but to me and my exposure of the p…
07 Oct
Gordon Jenkins Presents Marshall Royall by Jenkins and Marshall Royal Gordon
Friday, 07 October 2005
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Saxophonist Marshall Royal was widely regarded as a section player in the Count Basie band, with a sound influenced by Benny Carter or Johnny Hodges. Gordon Jenkins, arr…
A lot of great music has come out of Canada. This piece is no exception. OneUpOneDown is a duo that will get your attention. Their soft, sophisticated sounds cascade fro…
Here’s one whose bio states that there are hints of rock present in this CD. Hints of rock?? The CD bleeds rock.... copiously! Now, having created that gra…
Here is something interesting from an unusual artist. An Irish born flautist presently living in the Netherlands, John Devitt has studied at The Royal Irish Academy of Musi…
26 Aug
Leivonen Lumimyrskyssa - Celebrating the Music of Toivo Karki by Mika Pohjola
Friday, 26 August 2005
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Spanning the last several years Finnish modern jazz pianist/composer Mike Pohjola has been applying his multifarious crafts while residing in New York City. On this rath…
18 Aug
Phenomena of Interference by Steve Dalachinsky and Matthew Shipp
Thursday, 18 August 2005
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The physics of how unsung words and music become sensible in the act of listening lies both in the form and the content of the recording, Phenomena of Interference
17 Aug
Dido & Aeneas by Respectable Groove
Wednesday, 17 August 2005
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In recent years, it has been a common thing to see classic works modernized. Examples of this would be the remake of Romeo and Juliet, starring Leo DiCaprio and…
13 Aug
Music From Beach Boulevard by Tim Coffman
Saturday, 13 August 2005
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Music From Beach Boulevard once again highlights the musical genius of San Diego based producer/artist Tim Coffman, not to be confused with Chicago's trombonist b…
12 Aug
Passions and Prayers -- Sextet in hommage to Jerusalem by Yitzhak Yedid
Friday, 12 August 2005
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Israeli composer/pianist Yitzhak Yedid merges a chamber-jazz program into a deeply personalized spin on the strife, violence and solemn overtones relating to the Holy Ci…
If you can, stop reading this review for just a few minutes, and put Cadence’s newest release Twenty for One in your player. Don’t read the liner notes, don’t go …
When trombonist Chris Brubeck isn’t performing with The Brubeck Brothers Quartet or Triple Play, he is busy composing modern classical pieces that draw from jazz and other …
Avi Rothbard, originally from Israel, has been making his way through the New York jazz scene for the past few years and this is his second release with Midlantic Record…
When I first heard 3D’s Ritmo de Vida, I was left with a feeling of interest, so I played it again, and felt a sense of respect for the two composers, guitarist…
08 Jul
Suite For John A. Williams by Tyrone Brown
Friday, 08 July 2005
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Tyrone Brown is featured here alongside Bobby Zankel on alto sax and Adam Williams on guitar in the same string section as his other release Between Midnight and Dawn…
07 Jul
Between Midnight and Dawn by Tyrone Brown String Sextet
Thursday, 07 July 2005
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It's really hard to place what Tyrone Brown is trying to do or trying to accomplish. It's very obvious that Tyrone Brown loves swing, gypsy swing, as well as Sephardic m…
28 Jun
The Regis Philbin Christmas Album by Regis Philbin
Tuesday, 28 June 2005
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Who’d figure.... a jazz editor receiving a Christmas CD by Regis Philbin to review? Hmm.... well, maybe I’ll pop this bad boy in for a spin. After all, the jacket says t…
New Monsoon, a jam band with an impressive resume, exudes musicality with their latest release The Sound. A glissando on the organ jumpstarts the first track, "Journ…
Mitchell Froom Brings It All Back HomeA Thousand Days is a line from a Louie Pérez poem and the title of Mitchell Froom's third solo release. Froom …
07 Jun
Christmas Is For Grownups Too by Juan Oskar
Tuesday, 07 June 2005
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I am glad to know that Christmas Is For Grownups Too. I never claimed to have grown up, just out, as in a larger belly, once I got into my mid forties. That is …
On their second release, Twenty For One, a cappella group Cadence continue to explore originals as well as time honored pop classics. Variety is the key to their exi…
As autumn winds clear a path to make its presence known and you look towards the skies watching the clouds roll by in rhythmic sequence rest assured that Tom & Joy are t…
Billed as an avant-garde, chamber-rock outfit and/or avant-garde Cabaret inflected punk unit, this New York City-based group’s manifesto features a morphing of East Euro…
Guitarist/vocalist Doug Wamble is something of an enigma, unless you’ve heard Mose Allison and/or Ray Charles. Then, it all becomes clear who/what Wambl…
"Henry Cow" and "The Work" keyboardist/reedman Tim Hodgkinson performs solely on baritone sax during one track of this curiously interesting 1984 LP release, now reissue…
22 Apr
Free Hand - 35th Anniversary Edition by Gentle Giant
Friday, 22 April 2005
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Gentle Giant lead vocalist/saxophonist Derek Schulman is celebrating this phenomenal ‘70s progressive-rock band’s legacy with 35th anniversary edition CDs of the origina…
17 Apr
Suite For John A. Williams by Tyrone Brown
Sunday, 17 April 2005
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Often there is a direct exchange of concepts between black writers and jazz. Some of the novels include references to the power of the music, and the music receives inspira…
West Coast guitarist Carl Weingarten is a colorist who blends an enviable technique with gobs of emotive sentiment and subtly designed electronic effects. On this endeav…
18 Mar
The Frank & Joe Show 66 2/3 by Frank Vignola & Joe Ascione
Friday, 18 March 2005
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Ahh, the mood. The Frank & Joe Show 66 2/3 fills the heart with a musical assortment showcasing the dynamite skills and personalities of the artists involved celebra…
Parallel Mind is a Chicago based progressive rock trio whose music fits nicely into the niche of "Third Stream" jazz. All compositions are by band members Nad…
09 Mar
Sax in the City with Laura Dryer and Friends by Laura Dryer
Wednesday, 09 March 2005
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Well, I was invited to go to a concert at Birdland on 44th Street in Manhattan to a group of jazz female saxophone performers plus guitars and piano which was a celebration…
With the unseasonably cool South Texas Spring of 2005 comes, "Bloom", the long awaited Favored Nations release of legendary guitarist, Eric Johnson’s first full band album …
Van Morrison’s impact has not faltered one iota from my perspective, especially after listening to his new album Magic Time. I do not claim to be an avid fan of his cata…
Helmut Lipsky possesses a long resume describing his work as a professional composer and violinist, the result of having recorded numerous CD’s of various descriptions, com…
This album fills the air with sadness. Lois Deloatch has created a outlet for some obviously devastating things that have occurred in her life. She expresses quite eloquent…
Now that Branford Marsalis has his own record label and distribution agreement, he has moved into the signing of promising new artists that Marsalis’ immersion in the enter…
13 Feb
Drums of Death by DJ Spooky (aka That Subliminal Kid) and Dave Lombardo
Sunday, 13 February 2005
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Characteristically, DJ Spooky possesses an unquestionable sense of universalism extending from the scientific to the banal. Along with Dave Lombardo, DJ Spooky has made …
Revered French, finger-style acoustic guitarist Pierre Bensusan’s latest endeavor features collaborations with various artists performing on keyboards, bass, Djembe and …