Straight-Ahead / Classic - CD Reviews (1959)
Full disclosure. I like this one. Guitarist Michael Higgins is a teacher and first-call musician in the Los Angeles area. His mates here are the equally capable and busy…
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Associate Professor of Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media, and ECMS Collegiate Instructor in Jazz Double Bass and in Jazz Combo & Improvisation at the Eastman School of M…
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Guitarist, composer and author of two books, a third is upcoming, William C. Banfield, is the professor of Africana Studies/Music and Society at the Berklee College of M…
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All the virtues of the jazz duo are heard on Cerulean Blue. Here, we have pianist Laura Klein and vibraphonist Ted Wolfe together, creating an eminently listenable r…
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Danish born, but now living in Sweden, tenor saxophonist Christian Herluf Pedersen did his collegiate studies at the Berklee College of Music - where he studied with Fra…
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Bruce Swaim is another jazz artist who would be better known if he lived and performed in New York. An accomplished tenor saxophonist who has lived in the Washington D.C. a…
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Seattle, Washington, now Los Angeles-based pianist and composer Greg Reitan, a graduate of the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, release…
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On her latest project, "Pretty World," Anne Walsh gives her audience a treasure chest of hidden jewels as she celebrates her musical horizons as a deeply expressive sing…
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New West is a group consisting of three acoustical guitarists with similar sensibilities and considerable talent. Their newest offering, entitled Sleeping Lady, i…
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The members of The Joshua Breakstone Trio are three musicians with lots of experience in the Jazz scene. Bassist Lisle Atkinson has worked with Nina Simone, Betty Carter, S…
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The Jazz Icons box sets of DVD’s documenting some of the jazz legends’ concerts and broadcasts in Europe continue to expand, to the extent that they could almost fill an en…
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What a great idea, recoding two top-flight pianists together, in duo, solo and with a rhythm section. Thus, we have the legendary Hank Jones and Canadian star Oliver Jones …
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I suspect that you'll enjoy It's Time immediately. I did. Art Lillard's music is described as "accessible". Often that means "Easy Listening" in caps but that's not …
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David Berkman and his quartet pay fine tribute to the Manhattan Jazz Club, Smoke, on this live album, which was recorded at the storied venue. Located on 106th and Broadway…
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Italian keyboardist Beppe Crovella wears many musical hats. Longtime member of estimable progressive-rock band, Arti & Mestieri and composer for cartoons amid avant-garde p…
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History will dictate that you can count on guitarist, educator, and author Roni Ben-Hur to produce a quality product. A much-admired technician and idea-man, his seventh…
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Co-led by saxophonist Justin Flynn and pianist Jeremy Bacon, this modern mainstream jazz quartet is rounded out by first-call session aces, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and dru…
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Scott LaFaro was one of those musicians, whose number unfortunately is too large, who exerted a high degree of influence during and after a short recording career. Most fam…
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Not only does everybody have to be someplace, everything comes from someplace. Getting specific, NYC alto saxophonist Mike DiRubbo is a…
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It has been a pleasure this week to receive two recordings by jazz masters. For one by Phil Woods I wrote: "Once a performer has reached the level of jazz master . . . cons…
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