CD Reviews: Four CD Reviews from George Carroll
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Posted by: editoron Saturday, March 17, 2007 - 08:50 AM |
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CD Review/Lauren Hooker/Right Where I Belong/self
Formidable comes to mind when I ponder the musicianship of the backing contained therein
for jazz singer Lauren Hooker's new CD effort.
And, ''swing'' is the positive result of all that
musical interplay. Lauren & her wondrous group
of three veterans, (Tim Horner-drums, Rufus Reid-bass, & Allen Farnham on piano deliver a myriad of artistic polyphonic jewels joined to a panoply of reflection, color, & dynamics. As for Lauren, she is the embodiment of
the aesthetic, deeper, philosophical side of the vocal idiom. Her passionate delivery is imbued with candor,
structure, reflection, & lovely kaleidoscopic song patterns
that are certainly easy to listen to.
George W. Carroll/The Musicians' Ombudsman
CD Review/Janice Friedman Trio/Swingin' For The Ride/J82105
As the classic standard ''I Can't Give You Anything But Love'' suggests......Jazz pianist-jazz vocalist Janice
Friedman will ''give you everything'' including joy, jazz,
animation, & her take on what strong jazz vocalese & solid improvisational jazz piano are all about!! Friedman stands out strongly both as a jazz pianist & singer, but I must include a reference to the interpretive quality she brings to whatever she sings...A forte' for her indeed! Her sense of pianistic rhythmic brinkmanship
& the mellow content of her voice is manifest in her
performance. Kudos as well to her superb backup!
Stimulating & emotionally inspirational are words that come to mind in my attempt to dissect her wonderful talent(s).
George W. Carroll/The Musicians' Ombudsman
CD Review/John Abercrombie/The Third Quartet/ECM
What a nice experience to review jazz guitarist John Abercrombie whom I held in high regard even 40-yrs ago when I worked with him & the great jazz drummer Peter Donald....And, equal to the task as well, one
Mickey Goodrick jazz guitarist extraordinaire. John
played fender bass back then, & his bass chops were formidable to say the least! Since then, he has settled
beautifully into the jazz mystique of his chosen ax...guitar! Over the years, Abercrombie has delivered an authoritative commentary on the entire area of jazz guitar....And, distinguishes himself almost as the
ultimate, articulate, & contemporary jazz guitarist-teacher-composer. Subjectively, I feel his charge is to increase the enjoyment, insight & musical sensibilities of his audience, (us!) Might I suggest that mood, inspiration, structure, tonality, technique, expression, and phrasing, describe my reaction to his current CD project, ''The Third Quartet.'' He has created a superb corpus of music for our instruction that is both thorough & authoritative as well as important. It's all here: Modality, melody, harmony, counterpoint, romanticism...I could go on & on & on. Will you settle for: John's a national treasure for the idiom of jazz guitar.
George W. Carroll/The Musicians' Ombudsman
CD Review/John Abercrombie/The Third Quartet/ECM
What a nice experience to review jazz guitarist John Abercrombie whom I held in high regard even 40-yrs ago when I worked with him & the great jazz drummer Peter Donald....And, equal to the task as well, one
Mickey Goodrick jazz guitarist extraordinaire. John
played fender bass back then, & his bass chops were formidable to say the least! Since then, he has settled
beautifully into the jazz mystique of his chosen ax...guitar! Over the years, Abercrombie has delivered an authoritative commentary on the entire area of jazz guitar....And, distinguishes himself almost as the
ultimate, articulate, & contemporary jazz guitarist-teacher-composer. Subjectively, I feel his charge is to increase the enjoyment, insight & musical sensibilities of his audience, (us!) Might I suggest that mood, inspiration, structure, tonality, technique, expression, and phrasing, describe my reaction to his current CD project, ''The Third Quartet.'' He has created a superb corpus of music for our instruction that is both thorough & authoritative as well as important. It's all here: Modality, melody, harmony, counterpoint, romanticism...I could go on & on & on. Will you settle for: John's a national treasure for the idiom of jazz guitar.
George W. Carroll/The Musicians' Ombudsman
CD Review/John Abercrombie/The Third Quartet/ECM
What a nice experience to review jazz guitarist John Abercrombie whom I held in high regard even 40-yrs ago when I worked with him & the great jazz drummer Peter Donald....And, equal to the task as well, one
Mickey Goodrick jazz guitarist extraordinaire. John
played fender bass back then, & his bass chops were formidable to say the least! Since then, he has settled
beautifully into the jazz mystique of his chosen ax...guitar! Over the years, Abercrombie has delivered an authoritative commentary on the entire area of jazz guitar....And, distinguishes himself almost as the
ultimate, articulate, & contemporary jazz guitarist-teacher-composer. Subjectively, I feel his charge is to increase the enjoyment, insight & musical sensibilities of his audience, (us!) Might I suggest that mood, inspiration, structure, tonality, technique, expression, and phrasing, describe my reaction to his current CD project, ''The Third Quartet.'' He has created a superb corpus of music for our instruction that is both thorough & authoritative as well as important. It's all here: Modality, melody, harmony, counterpoint, romanticism...I could go on & on & on. Will you settle for: John's a national treasure for the idiom of jazz guitar.
George W. Carroll/The Musicians' Ombudsman
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