Looking retrospectively at all the CD's that came my way in 2004, a few patterns emerged. Last month I wrote about several notable jazz guitar albums from this year; today, on the eve of 2005, I'm looking at some of the outstanding live releases of the year now ending. 2004 was a great year for live music old and new, with new releases from the likes of Bob Dorough, Calvin Keys & Mike Wofford, among others, as well as some strong reissued dates from legends like Dexter Gordon and a whole host of …

The story of Porgy and Bess, or rather the story of the telling of the story of Porgy and Bess, is a long and involved tale of continual adaptation. Whether it be Leontyne Price singing the role of Bess at La Scala, Janis Joplin belting out "Summertime" with Big Brother and the Holding Company at the Fillmore, or even the memorable recitation of that tune's lyrics by the cast of Seinfeld Gershwin's dramatic creation, informed by his careful study of jazz and African American spirit …

Alison Moyet's latest CD Voice is the most successful example of a standards recording by a singer initially famous for their work in rock and pop. Everything about the album works. The arrangements and orchestrations are lush and the songs chosen are a strong and diverse bunch, including jazz standards, English folk ballads, arias from Purcell and Bizet and a couple songs by Elvis Costello. Most importantly, the title element, Moyet's voice is wonderfully expressive. An …

Roy Hargrove is more than a fine trumpeter and bandleader, he's an ambitious and versatile one as well. In a day and age when artists sometimes go years between releases, Hargrove has separate discs with two different groups out simultaneously on Verve. One is a fairly straight-ahead set with the Roy Hargrove Quintet entitled Nothing Serious, while the other is Distractions, a funky workout from his neo-soul grou …

Texas has a proud tradition of blues guitar players, from T-Bone Walker and Lightnin' Hopkins through to Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Right in the middle of that tradition, hiding in plain sight, is Billy F. Gibbons of the 'rock' band ZZ Top. And not to denigrate rock and roll; fact is, they do rock, no question. But, then, so did the Muddy Waters Blues Band. All I'm saying, don't let their broad appeal mislead you, because ZZ Top is also one of the premi …