Like the tittle suggests this album is full of Jazz standards wonderfully interpreted by singer Lisa Maxell. Standards like the swinging versions of Cole Porter You'd be so nice to come home to, Rodgers and Hart My Romance and Ray Noble I hedn't anyone till you with extraordinaire piano solos by Lisa husband George Newall, who also did all the arrangements and produced the album.This is an album full of romance also and like t
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Two hands to do the deed. Eight note in a search of a scale. Nine songs in 45 minutes, and 88 keys at his command. So, what is a solo pianist to do now?Well, for Jim Hegarty, the options presented above form an aural playground where five originals and four standards receive random reorganizations as infinite melodic possibilities are stretched this way, that way, and – oh, hell, why not?! – that way, too.Hegarty’s Cut it/out (Noise Reduction Society) is best described as a soundtrack for a free
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Sunday afternoons could not be more alluring than with an assured vocal intimacy that captures the inner soul of an ageless lover's romantic sway. Enter vocalist Ms. Annie Kozuch. Actress and singer, her gift to sensually embrace one's “purr” with the feel of her tones is an intriguing gift for a debut spin. This enchanting artist, in her multi-gifted journey, has stylistically evoked the jazz audience with Here with You – a self released 2010 virgin project that takes her to another level, once
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Big bands haven't been mainstream for decades, but they're still with us. Alex Stewart's Making the Scene, a fascinating discussion of contemporary big-band music, lists 86 groups based in New York City alone--and Stewart says the list is incomplete. Managing a big band is difficult, and they rarely earn their members a living wage. So why are there so many? Well, jazz musicians often dig the sound—and the challenge of sitting alongside knowledgeable peers while reading new charts. Composer/arra
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Classical and jazz saxophonist and composer Ryan Kauffman, plays and teaches in central and eastern Pennsylvania. Among the places he teaches include the Pennsylvania Academy of Music, the Darlington Arts Center and Westtown School. Among the artists he has performed with include David Liebman, Steve Giordano, Tim Warfield, Steve Wilson and the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra. He holds degrees from Mennonite University and West Chester University. Three Little Words is his self-produced and rel
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Among the wealth of archival material released during present times, this combo CD+DVD product looms as a rather scintillating entry into the band’s storied discography. The live session denotes never before released material, culled from Germany’s "NDR Jazz Workshop,” recorded in 1973. And as the press release cites, the album marks one of the earliest shows by this incarnation of the band, supplemented by guitarist Gary Boyle (Isotope) and saxophonist Art Themen. Moreover, the accompanying
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Let's Touch the Sky is Fourplay's 12th CD since they made their jazz debut in 1991, and it is one of their finest to date. A remarkably smooth collection, this is straight-ahead/classic jazz at its very best.If you enjoy Fourplay, you will enjoy this lovely collection of fresh material. The jazz is alive, and the performances are filled with verve and intimacy.There are eleven songs in the collection. "Let's Touch the Sky," "3rd Degree," "More Than a Dream," "Pineapple Getaway," "I'll Still Be L
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Eclecticism – Drawing from a plethora of grooves/styles from around the world.The above definition of the title of the first release from fo/mo/deep is provided on the back cover of the group’s new CD. Also included on the CD cover is a self-characterization by fo/mo/deep that reads “An Eclectic Groove Oriented – Funky Jazz Collective.” That assessment is concise and sums up their mission astutely. fo/mo/deep is a vibrant jazz collective which utilizes their dynamic rhythm section to keep th
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Grammy award winning keyboardist, singer, composer and producer George Duke takes a jazz funk glance back into his musical past with Deja vu. Deja vu is the experience of feeling that one has witnessed or experience a new situation previously. That's the mode you're in when you listen to the funk-driven energy of Duke's new CD. The sound has characterized some of Duke's most memorable recordings from the golden age of funk and soul and has made Duke a platinum selling artist. Produced by Duke,
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4Ever Jia is the debut cd from the John Blackwell Project (JBP) and what a fantastic debut it is. Those familiar with the Blackwell name will know that John is a world class drummer and groove master having played with the likes of Prince, Cameo and Patti Labelle to name but a few, but you would be mistaken in thinking that this is purely a drummers cd, (no bad thing in itself considering Blackwell’s skills) but it really is so much more. In 2008 and after the Buddy Rich memorial concert the Joh
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Point A to Point A is a classic jazz style collaboration between trumpet player Reggie Pittman and pianist Loren Daniels. The album starts with "On the B.T.," a bebop piece dedicated to composer Bobby Timmons. "Clarion Call" is an odd, but interesting composition with the always powerful trumpet playing of Reggie Pittman, and a superb swinging groove by the rhythm section, Loren Daniels, bassist Bill Moringand Tim Horner on drums.The beautiful melodies of the ballad "Fall," bring images of the c
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Though he is relatively new to the New York jazz scene, Memphis-born bassist Stephan Crump already has an impressively broad-minded musical resumé, having worked with (among others) blue-eyed soul crooner Michael McDonald, ex-Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, singer-songwriter (and wife) Jen Chapin, saxophonist Greg Osby, and Gregg Bendian's Mahavishnu Project. His current primary gig is with the avant-jazz piano genius Vijay Iyer. Crump's own Rosetta Trio with acoustic g
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Unsung is a music collaboration between vocalist Vanessa Fernandez and guitarist Steve Wright. Wright sound have influences of smooth jazz guitar players like George Benson. Vanessa’s voice sounds at time like singer Sade especially on songs like Thinkin it lately, an interesting composition with African percussive rhythms of Steve Wright on guitar and If Only with Bossa influences. In the first track I’ve been there too there is definitely an influence of the rock group The Police and his legen
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Even though the members of San Juan Collective are young musicians, they play with the maturity and music knowledge of veteran Jazz players. One can tell their jazz vocabulary comes from years of listening and studying all the legends of jazz and other music styles. They also have the experience of playing and recording with Puerto Rican master trumpet player, Charlie Sepulveda on both of his grammy nominated albums. All that music knowledge and experience are fused perfectly to create the sound
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Since arriving in the US a couple of decades ago, the Netherlands born-and-bred VW (van Wageningen) Brothers, drummer Paul and bassist Marc, have become two of the Bay Area's most respected and prolific session musicians. Their work can be heard on recordings by bands and artists such as Tower of Power, Henry Kaiser, George Duke, Jan Akkerman, Paul Winter, Sheila E. and Stan Getz, to name a few. For "Muziek," their debut CD, the VW Brothers have wisely chosen to work with a cohesive and stable b
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Danish guitarist Torben Waldorff's American Rock Beauty extends and embellishes the music he presented on his previous artistShare release Afterburn. Leading a well-established, highly simpatico and cohesive backing band that, with the exception of new keyboardist Jon Cowherd, is the same as the one featured on Afterburn, Waldorff seems to take some more risks and ventures into somewhat heavier musical environments than he did on his previous release. That said, an appealing, friendly and bucoli
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After listening repeatedly and closely to “Forty Fort,” I decided that the music of the wonderfully creative quartet Mostly Other People Do The Killing (MOPDTK for short) is more 'cutting edge' than 'avant garde.' This distinction is important. Avant garde – while a completely appropriate term for many musical forms and styles - carries the connotation that one must be in a special state of mind, or have a certain sort of intellectual qualification, to truly appreciate the music. But the music o
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Prana Trio is actually the duo of vocalist Sunny Kim and multi-percussionist Brian Adler. Their stunningly original CD, “The Singing Image of Fire,” is one of the best things I've heard in the music + poetry realm in many years. I was going to call this a 'spoken word' CD, but that would be really misleading as Kim truly sings the texts – mostly very ancient, and from a variety of sources including Rumi, Hafiz ( a 14th Century Iranian poet), Kabir (a 13th Century north Indian poet and saint), an
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Recordings like Jeff Antoniuk's Brotherhood invariably make me think hard about what I mean when I use the term 'modern mainstream jazz.' In one sense, it's an okay (not great) term to use when describing jazz that isn't fusion (but could have some fusion-y leanings), isn't really avant garde (but often has some 'out' harmonies and ideas), is influenced largely by the classic bop and post-bop jazz of the 50s and 60s, and consists largely of the players' original compositions. Somehow, these sort
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One of the preeminent soprano saxophonists in modern jazz, Jane Ira Bloom possesses more than just technique. Few jazz artists are able to project a distinct or personalized sound. For example, most ardent jazz aficionados would be able to identify her in a Downbeat magazine style blindfold test. Once again, Bloom imparts memorable compositions, underscored with sinuous developments and a prevalent sense of intrigue.
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Adventurous expressionism is a key factor within semi-structured or avant jazz-based endeavors. With their second quartet outing for Intakt Records, pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and violinist Mark Feldman cover a gamut of articulately designed modes of interaction. Introspective, sublime and occasionally foreboding, the quartet engineers a potpourri of delicacies, all executed with a deterministic modality.
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Even by modern-day standards, jazz piano trios are not customarily designed with sheer firepower and a gargantuan rhythmic presence. On this album set for USA release in June 2011, Japanese pianist Hiromi fuses her energized musical persona with revered artists, bassist Anthony Jackson and drummer Simon Phillips.
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The album title may not intimate that there are quite a few intricacies going on under-the-hood. Essentially, venerable jazz guitarist Bruce Arnold reformulates and reengineers customary time signatures with manipulations of standard blues forms. However, from a sky-view, it's an album that is nestled within progressive-jazz stylizations. But Arnold's numerous slants and acute rhythmic permutations generate an irrefutable contrast to the norm.
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"Multiple Grammy-Award winning guitarist, singer and producer Paul Brown has the Midas tough. With over 50 #1 smooth jazz radio hits credit, the innovative guitar God has engineered and produced for virtually every top contemporary jazz artist during the past two decades. Brown's talents have been summoned by such luminaries as George Benson, Patti Austin, Al Jarreau, Boney James, Luther Vandross and Kirk Whalum among countless others. Featuring Paul's soulful vocal smash, 'Love You Found Me,' 'Toast and Jam,' 'Sugarfish' and more!! Paul Brown is the most prolific hit maker in the history of Smooth Jazz. -Shanachie "I'm particularly proud of this CD. I feel that it expresses my true musical self. My best yet. It is a real reflection of my musical influences. Folk, rock, blues and jazz all mixed together.
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A serious sculpture of musical superiority molded from the pulse of Dave Grusin's intellect as well as crafted by exceptional precision, opens the music sheets of this new Heads Up project An Evening with Dave Grusin. One of the world's top ivory manipulators in iconic fashion unravels genius into entertainment this one sunset. An Evening with Dave Grusin is a renaissance of unique temperament, from keys to vibraphone...
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