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Past Articles |
| Thursday, May 06 |
| · | Satoko Fuji Ma-Do “Desert Ship” CD-2010 Not Two Records (0) |
| Wednesday, April 28 |
| · | The Bickel/Marks Group with Dave Liebman (0) |
| · | Gia Notte, “Shades” (0) |
| Friday, April 23 |
| · | Nearer Awakening: John Donaldson’s Unity play the music of Bheki Mseleku (Laughing Lettuce) (0) |
| Thursday, April 22 |
| · | Mike LeDonne “The Groover” CD-2010 Savant Records (0) |
| Saturday, April 17 |
| · | James Zollar, “Zollar Systems” (0) |
| · | Kristine Mills, “Bossanovafied” (0) |
| Tuesday, April 06 |
| · | Clifford Lamb, “One” (0) |
| · | Champian Fulton, “The Breeze and I” (0) |
| Monday, April 05 |
| · | Make Room for Me/Brigitte Zarie: Self (2010) (0) |
| | Older Articles |
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This is Category: CD Reviews
Following are the News Items published under this Category.
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CD Reviews: Suresh Singaratnam – Lost in New York (2010 Suresong)
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Posted by: editor on Monday, August 30, 2010 - 08:01 AM |
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By Mark E Hayes (www.markehayes.net)
Meet Suresh Singaratnam . Like Wynton Marsalis, to whom he will often very likely be compared, Singaratnam is trained in both the classical and jazz traditions. His first two records offered classical music -- 2009’s Two Hundred Sixty-One, Volume 1 -- and jazz -- 2010’s Lost in New York, the subject of this review. To have a career begin in impressive musical presence of Marsalis is a bit much, so let us give Singaratnam enough space to let him be his own man. He’s not lost at all. He finds his way pretty well, no matter what music he’s playing.
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CD Reviews: Bob Mamet Trio, “Impromptu”
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Posted by: editor on Sunday, August 29, 2010 - 04:57 PM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Bob Mamet is an internationally recognized pianist and composer from Chicago with several albums to his credit and with Impromptu, celebrates his very first release using a standard piano trio format. Mamet calls upon Polish-born Darek Oles, one of the most in-demand players in L.A. and once voted “Best Acoustic Bassist” in Europe, to anchor the trio with jazz luminary and drumming sensation Joe La Barbera guiding the steady beat to complete the Bob Mamet Trio.
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CD Reviews: Chris Washburne and the Syotos Band, “Fields of Moons”
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Posted by: editor on Sunday, August 29, 2010 - 04:56 PM |
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By: Edward Blanco
There are few jazz bands that have been together for long periods of time and you'll find most of them as house bands in the various jazz venues around the country. Keeping a Latin jazz band is even more challenging and quite an accomplishment for trombonist Chris Washburne who is the leader of the Syotos band founded over twenty years ago. Known as a “Latin Jazz Institution” with the longest running jazz gig in the history of New York, Fields of Moons celebrates the anniversary with music that represents the group's quieter side.
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CD Reviews: Patty Cronheim, “Days Like These”
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Posted by: editor on Sunday, August 29, 2010 - 04:56 PM |
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By Edward Blanco
When Tony Branker, conductor of Jazz Studies at Princeton University, first heard Patty Cronheim sing, he immediately included her in several concerts at the university. Branker knew she was something special and as a result Days Like These was born, produced by Branker, the album is Cronheim's professional entrance into the realm of recorded jazz. Singing since she was ten years old, Cronheim has since honed her skills doing the wedding/Bar Mitzva circuit then when on to a larger stage by opening up for the late Ray Charles and has appeared on NBC's Jane Pauley show. Except for covers like “Summertime,” Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition,” and the jazz standard “Bye Bye Blackbird,” Cronheim offers seven new and delightful original compositions on this debut release—all supported by wonderful instrumentals making this first effort a pleasure to spin often.
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CD Reviews: The Rockit 88 Band - Sweet Sugar Cane - 7 Arts 0020
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Posted by: editor on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 - 09:49 AM |
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Lenny Stoute
Cashbox Magazine
This is a great album to have on in the background when folks come over. The
sound is at once so unique and familiar that the guessing games as to whose
album it is and the provenance of the songs is bound to break out. Maybe
it's just my living room, but not a one of my pals who came by called it the
music of a local band right off.
Welcome to Sweet Sugar Cane, only the second album from T.Dot blues/roots
rock band Rockit88 and it's linked to the same pedigree as the music of The
Band and early Van Morrison. Fronted by dual singing songwriters Neil
Chapman and Bill King, Sweet Sugar Cane is the game changer for the band and
the In Door to a whole new identity as an original act.
As such, the stakes are high but on most tracks, the band raises the bar
then easily soars over it.
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CD Reviews: Harvie S, “Cocolamus Bridge”
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Posted by: editor on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 - 09:30 AM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Harvie S has long been a major force in jazz and an instrumental figure in bringing the voice of the bass from the background to the front line of the music. With “Cocolamus Bridge,” his latest release, Harvie continues his mission of educating jazz audiences on the wonders of the bass as a lead instrument. He dose so through the vibrant music of this new album of dicey contemporary jazz infused with lively Afro-Cuban rhythms. The album is a portrait of eight original compositions performed with his “Texas Band,” a collection of seasoned musicians among them, guitarist Chris Cortez, saxophonist Woody Witt, Jose Miguel Yamal on piano, Joel Fulgham on drums and percussionist James Metcalf.
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CD Reviews: Matt Garrison, “Familiar Places” featuring Claudio Roditi
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Posted by: editor on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 - 09:29 AM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Matt Garrison is a 30-year-old saxophonist from Yonkers, New York who for years—has been preparing the music, waiting for the opportunity and thinking about the players he would choose for his very first album. Familiar Places is Garrison's stunning debut recording containing seven of the many songs he's penned over the years, finally recorded and released after encouragement from friend and producer Michael Dease. The opportunity was right, the music selected and the cast of personnel, simply superb. The album features Brazilian jazz trumpet luminary Claudio Roditi as special guest as part of an eleven-man ensemble that includes among the cast, Dease on the trombone, Sharel Cassity on flute, Mark Whitfield on guitar and saxophonist Don Braden on alto flute just to name a few.
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CD Reviews: Jeff Berlin “High Standards” CD-2010 M.A.J. Records
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Posted by: editor on Friday, July 30, 2010 - 11:24 PM |
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Glenn Astarita
Pioneering electric bassist Jeff Berlin set “high standards” back in the 1970s during his arrival on the progressive-rock and jazz-fusion scenes. His work with fellow living legends, drummer Bill Bruford, guitarist Allan Holdsworth and others of note, subsequently led to clinical and educational ambitions. In the 70s and 80s, Berlin, Jaco Pastorius and Stanley Clarke set the bar by establishing new paradigms for a future generation of bassists. Here, Berlin delves into unadulterated jazz landscapes via these standards, recorded live in the studio.
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CD Reviews: Carlos Villoslada, “Tabanqueando en la Plaza Nina”
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Posted by: editor on Sunday, July 25, 2010 - 09:08 AM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Carlos Villoslada may not be well known to American jazz audiences but he is recognized as an important jazz artist in Europe. Born in Huelva, Spain, Villoslada is a master reed man playing the tenor, baritone, alto and the flute. A composer and educator, Villoslada has performed with various groups among them, the Sonora Big Band de Cadiz, The Rubem Dantas Flamenco Big Band and the Gypsy folk group Saguiba Band. He has several recordings to his credit the latest of which is “Tabanqueando en la Plaza Nina” combining traditional Flamenco with elements of jazz and a touch of classical.
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CD Reviews: Beavin Lawrence, “Infinite Possibilities”
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Posted by: editor on Sunday, July 25, 2010 - 09:07 AM |
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By: Edward Blanco
The New York area is full of aspiring young musicians eager to break out from the pack and saxophonist Beavin Lawrence is the latest to state his case with his “Infinite Possibilities” debut.
A gifted musician performing through out the tri-State area, Lawrence seems to find inspiration from his family for this recording dedicating the album to his parents and the title track to his wife. The music is post-bop contemporary and jazzy to the core with all new original material except for the humble interpretation of Thelonious Monk's “Monk's Mood.”
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CD Reviews: Julian Waterfall Pollack, “Infinite Playground”
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Posted by: editor on Tuesday, July 20, 2010 - 09:14 AM |
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By: Edward Blanco
At the young tender age of 22 years old, jazz pianist Julian Waterfall Pollack is already a veteran artist releasing his third album (his debut album was recorded while in high school) since 2006. A classically-trained pianist, this “Outstanding Soloist” at the Monterey Jazz festival from 2004-2006, takes another step towards stardom in the jazz world with a magnificent performance on “Infinite Playground.” Pollack is not only a fine pianist but a dynamic composer contributing five original tunes among the ten-piece repertoire that features exciting new renditions of some old standards.
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CD Reviews: The Stryker/Slagle Band, “Keeper”
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Posted by: editor on Tuesday, July 20, 2010 - 09:13 AM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Dave Stryker and Steve Slagle are the dynamic duo behind the unique blending of guitar and sax in today's moder jazz scene and “Keeper” is their fifth outing together proving the that the mix is working better than ever. The two co-leaders alone does not a band make and to complete the quartet, they bring back versatile bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Victor Lewis rounding out one of the finest rhythm sections in the business. The group opens the music with Stryker's title piece in a lively hard bop number featuring Slagle on the alto propelling the music with guitarist Stryker laying down supportive lines. The hard-driving stuff follows on the saxophonist's “Bailout” where the duo trade salvos showcasing the best of the guitar/sax combo.
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CD Reviews: Jacam Manricks Trigonometry CD-2010 Posi-Tone Records
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Posted by: editor on Monday, July 19, 2010 - 07:00 PM |
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Glenn Astarita
Saxophonist/composer Jacam Manricks’ 2009 release “Labyrinth,” looms as a captivating artistic statement. Composed for jazz quintet and chamber orchestra, Manricks conveyed great depth and enveloped quite a few jazz-tinged frameworks into the grand schema. Similar attributes emerge on this 2010 follow-up, featuring some modern-day jazz titans amid an aggregation of cunning developments that reveal additional insights on repeated listens.
Manricks has taught at estimable music institutions while honing his crafty with other notables, including the late Ray Charles.
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CD Reviews: Nobu Stowe “Confusion Bleue” CD-2010 Soul Note
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Posted by: editor on Sunday, July 18, 2010 - 11:59 AM |
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Glenn Astarita
The gap between free-form or semi-structured song forms and the art of melody making are generally two distinct entities, drawing upon numerous contrasts. Many artists merely hint at harmonically appealing theme-building motifs while incorporating dissonance, expansion and expressionism as vehicles for improvisation. Consequently, saxophonist Albert Ayler came up with a nouveau spin on free-jazz by morphing John Phillip Sousa like marching band motifs into a cloud of hot and heavy festivities. Yet, the avant-garde often signifies a region that is brimming with elusive implications. However, Baltimore, MD., based keyboardist Nobu Stowe sets himself apart from most of his peers within the avant strata by using melody as an adjunct or underlying premise for his compositional and improvisational ideology.
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CD Reviews: James Blood Ulmer In And Out CD-2010 In + Out Records
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Posted by: editor on Monday, July 12, 2010 - 09:10 PM |
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Glenn Astarita
This is guitarist/vocalist James Blood Ulmer’s third outing for Germany-based In + Out Records, and emerges as one of the artist’s strongest record dates in years. Here, Ulmer fuses Hendrix-like guitar breakouts with fractured choruses and harmolodic voicings. More importantly, his compositions sustain gobs of interest to complement a highly-entertaining aura amid the hearty group-centric vibe. Ulmer can swing hard, yet purveys a capacious mindset, where he affords the listener time to digest underlying themes, while reworking primary melodies into improvisational forums. And acoustic and electric bassist Mark Peterson and drummer Aubrey Dale provide sympathetic support during the varied track mix, featuring blues-rock, progressive-jazz and tender frameworks.
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CD Reviews: Dana Lauren, “It's You Or No One”
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Posted by: editor on Wednesday, July 07, 2010 - 09:12 AM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Young and beautiful jazz vocalist Dana Lauren takes her turn at voicing a collection of standards from the Great American Songbook and dose so in impressive style on her new release “It's You Or No One.” At 21 years old and finishing her degree at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, this is the singer's second album and follow up to her 2007 debut “Stairway To The Stars,” featuring and produced by the great Arturo Sandoval. Building on that foundation, Lauren brings an all-star cast of players together creating a solid instrumental background which of course, enhances her lush vocals on each song.
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CD Reviews: Eric Felten, “Seize The Night”
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Posted by: editor on Wednesday, July 07, 2010 - 09:11 AM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Trombonist and vocalist Eric Felten unveils his latest album of old fashioned love songs with the very tender “Seize The Night” containing six original compositions and a handful of standards from the likes of Duke Ellington, Howard Dietz and Irving Berlin to name a few. Originally recorded in 2007 with a quintet comprised of piano master Kenny Barron, drummer Jimmy Cobb, tenor man Don Braden and bassist Dennis Irwin, Seize The Night packs quite a punch with ballads and elements of swing throughout. Felten not only sings, but is heard playing the trombone with gusto.
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CD Reviews: Ellen Honert, “Hummingville”
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Posted by: editor on Saturday, June 19, 2010 - 03:28 PM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Several years ago a young lady with a natural talent for singing burst on to the jazz scene with a brilliant debut titled “Breath of the Soul.” Originally from the Netherlands but now a true California girl, Ellen Honert follows up that critically acclaimed first album with another equally impressive musical project cementing her reputation as one of the finest songbirds in jazz today. As with her first disc, Honert collaborates once again with pianist Frank Martin who not only performs on the recording but is also producer and arranges the music. A light breezy session of jazz, the personnel for “Hummingville” include guitarist Jose Neto, flautist Pedro Eustache, John Pena on bass and the great Alex Acuna on drums and percussion.
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CD Reviews: Jim Altamore, “License To Swing”
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Posted by: editor on Saturday, June 19, 2010 - 03:28 PM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Vocalist Jim Altamore grew up listening to Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Bobby Darin among others and was introduced to the music of Count Basie at the age of ten. Well, it's no surprise that he fashioned his singing style to reflect the swing of that golden era of jazz. Possessing fine deep baritone vocals, Altamore's singing style has earned him the nickname “Mr. Smooth”and on this first effort, proceeds to affirm that title with a strong easy laid back approach to the lyrics. With his debut album “License To Swing,” Altamore sings up a storm lending his own interpretation to a host of standards from the Great American Songbook. Borrowing music from Cole Porter, Bob Troup, Johnny Hodges, Duke Ellington, Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn among others, the music is light traditional vocal jazz that will appeal to anyone who likes the music of Sinatra, Bennett and the like.
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CD Reviews: Luciano Troja, “At Home with Zindars”
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Posted by: editor on Saturday, June 19, 2010 - 03:27 PM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Luciano Troja is a jazz pianist from Messina, Italy who spent five years researching the life of legendary composer Earl Zindars and now presents a unique solo piano project with “At Home with Zindars”containing 14 of the composer's songs, some (“Z Waltz,” “Nice Place” and “Joy”) of which have never been released until now. Adding to the unique aspect of this album is the accompanying 40-page booklet developed with information and pictures provided by Zindars' wife Anne after Troja's personal visit with the Zindars family in San Francisco. Known as a composer of classical and jazz music, Earl Zindars is also associated with the legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans with whom Zindars collaborated on various musical productions for Evans and others.
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CD Reviews: Stanton Moore “Groove Alchemy” CD 2010 Telarc Records
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Posted by: editor on Thursday, June 17, 2010 - 10:38 PM |
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Glenn Astarita
New Orleans-reared drummer Stanton Moore made a splash back in the 1990s with his super-funk unit, Galactic. Since then he has emerged as one of the premier groove drummers, along the lines of Zigaboo Modeliste (The Meters) and other regional legends. Again, Moore delves into the historical aspects of New Orleans’ shaded funk, integrated with jazz, soul and the overall aura that accentuates the Big Easy’s carefree and good-timey disposition. Here, the drummer surges forward with longtime band-mates, guitarist Will Bernard and organist/pianist Robert Walker.
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CD Reviews: Alex Machacek featuring Marco Minnemann “24 Tales” CD-2010 Abstract Logix
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Posted by: editor on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 09:07 AM |
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Glenn Astarita
Amazingly enough, guitar hero Alex Machacek based these 24 tracks on drummer Marco Minnemann’s fifty-one minute drum solo. Here, two spiraling superstars of jazz-rock, fusion and prog-rock forge an alliance that is a whirlwind of sonic splendor, coupled with the exactitude of a symphonic orchestra. On this release, Machacek doubles on keys and everything else to coincide with guest vocalist Sumitra, appearing on one piece and trombonist Martin Ptak who augments the program on three tracks.
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CD Reviews: Stephen Guerra Big Band, “Namesake”
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Posted by: editor on Tuesday, June 01, 2010 - 08:34 AM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Saxophonist Stephen James Guerra, Jr. has shared the stage with the likes of Clark Terry, Phil Woods, Jim McNeely and Branford Marsalis to name a few, however it's not his skills as a performer that leads him to release his first album in “Namesake,” but rather his talents as a composer and arranger that makes this debut so impressive. Hailing from Londonderry, NH, Guerra is currently Director of the University of Miami's Studio Jazz band and is well on his way to a Doctorate in jazz composition at the university's Frost School of Music. This album, dedicated to his dad and grandfather, is essentially a compilation of Guerra's finest compositions and arrangements produces over the last ten years.
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CD Reviews: Trisha O'Brien, “Out of a Dream”
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Posted by: editor on Tuesday, June 01, 2010 - 08:33 AM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Vocalist Trisha O'Brien takes a page from the Great American Songbook and provides refreshing new reads on oft recorded classics from musical giants like Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Frank Loesser, Johny Burk and Jimmy Van Heusen to name a few. “Out of a Dream” is a collection of fourteen love songs arranged by pianist and educator Shelly Berg who anchors a core quartet of jazz luminaries in support of O'Brien. The crew consist of bassist Peter Washington, Lewis Nash on the drums and Ken Peplowski on tenor. O'Brien is a gifted singer possessing cool crisp vocals and a natural at interpreting light love songs designed to to tug at your heart strings and “Out of a Dream is a perfect example.
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CD Reviews: Kat Walker' Jazz Skat Gumbo'
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Posted by: editor on Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 02:55 PM |
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By Geannine Reid
Jazz Skat Gumbo is heaping with generous portions of the jazz tradition from the mother city of New Orleans. Vocalist Kat Walker is the extraordinary spice within this spicy gumbo. Kat Walker’s new CD, Jazz Skat Gumbo, is a collection of 14 traditional standards performed with some of the best New Orleans jazz musicians on the jazz scene today.
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CD Reviews: Sunny Jain 'Taboo' CD-2010 Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records
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Posted by: editor on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 02:50 PM |
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Glenn Astarita
Drummer Sunny Jain imparts a festive Indo-jazz-world music endeavor on his new release titled “Taboo,” which shines as yet another fascinating East Indian hued jazz gala to complement his budding discography. On this studio set, Jain derives inspiration from East Indian “ghazals,” which is an ancient poetic form of tackling social justice matters. Here, Jain incorporates buoyant and linear Eastern dance mechanisms. Although one of the many redeeming factors of this album, pertains to the sparkling alignment of electric guitarist Nir Felder and acoustic pianist Marc Cary. In effect, the lead instruments render a delightful electro-organic aura.
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CD Reviews: Glafkos Kontemeniotis, “Progress”
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Posted by: editor on Monday, May 17, 2010 - 09:29 AM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Glafkos Kontemeniotis is a classically-trained pianist and composer—originally from Cyprus but living and playing professionally in the New York area since 1988—makes his recording debut as leader with a command performance on the new finely crafted “Progress” album. This starter disc features eleven creative originals and fresh interpretations of four standards employing Greek bassist Apostolos Sideris and the versatile New York drummer and educator Scott Neumann in a standard piano trio format. The pianist opens the program in a technically assertive fashion on “Anthrozyte” playing hard yet stylish and sharing the piece with Neumann's solo.
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CD Reviews: Brian Landrus “Forward” CD 2010 Cadence Jazz Records
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Posted by: editor on Friday, May 14, 2010 - 08:58 AM |
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Glenn Astarita
Multi-reedman Brian Landrus launched this session while finishing music school, and in the album liners, cites his studies with various members of the band. With legendary jazz heavyweights, saxophonist George Garzone and drummer Bob Moses augmenting the support structure, Landrus seamlessly fuses modern mainstream with subtle nods to the outside. It equates to an entertaining session, brimming with numerous contrasts and the band-members’ cunning injection of counterpoint amid the often-flourishing thematic buildups. Landrus enjoys the support of a modern all-star aggregation, and the dividends pay off, since the respective musicians’ distinctive voices help separate this engagement from an autopilot or safe-mode gala.
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CD Reviews: Joe De Rose and Amici, “Sounds for the Soul”
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Posted by: editor on Sunday, May 09, 2010 - 02:02 PM |
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By: Edward Blanco
The late great drumming icon Louie Bellson was obviously so taken with the skill level of young San Jose drummer Joe De Rose that he did not hesitate to provide an unquestionable endorsement when he once stated that De Rose was “A wonderful talent...” One spin of “Sounds for the Soul,” is all it takes to convince any discerning jazz listener that Joe De Rose is indeed a “wonderful talent” and exceptional drummer. With his own band of “friends”(amici), De Rose ventures out for the very first time as leader with a remarkably good album of modern jazz-fusion. A regular member of The Hristo Vitchev Quartet, De Rose borrows its members for this effort enlisting guitarist Hristo Vitchev, pianist Weber Lago and bassist Dan Robbins for this debut augmenting the group by adding veteran Bay Area saxophonist Dann Zinn.
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CD Reviews: and you linger…/Sonya Perkins (Good Time City Records 2008)
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Posted by: editor on Thursday, May 06, 2010 - 08:04 AM |
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The Flip Side
-Karl Stober
Dreams become reality when the artistic passion is at its highest degree of desire. The dream exhumes itself from the soul and saturates the artists’ act of implementation. Thus creativity is given birth; reality then exists, thus the craft is complete. This could be the very story of vocalist Sonya Perkins. Years of desire, mental preparation, and churning possibilities has come to head with completion of a goal. and you linger… is her dream and the spin …her reality!
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