What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

Ellis In Wonderland -- CD

Herb Ellis

1956/2006 Verve Records

The "swing machine", June 30, 2006
By Jazzcat "stef" (Genoa, Italy Italy) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Ellis in Wonderland (Audio CD)

The Oscar Peterson Trio plus Herb Ellis was a terrific swing machine. Probably one of the best, if not the overall best rhythmn team in Jazz. Its swing flows with an impressive naturality. Everything seems incredibly easy and natural for these guys. This album de facto is an Oscar Peterson swing machine album plus some talented soloist, Jimmy Giuffre, Sweet Edison for the first four excellent tunes. This album is from 1956 and it has that fifties patina that is especially sweet and lovely. The program is classic, blues, standards and ballads. Herb is really focused on this album. It is clear he was playing regularly with a strong routine. His command of the instrument is total here. His ideas are brilliant, his playing precise and he swings like crazy. This album together with the album Herb preferred "Nothing but the blues" is perfect if you want to own just a couple of albums from Herb. The tunes I love the most here are the first four because of the variety and the quality of the solos from the improvisors. Edison and Giuffre were terrific, but I repeat Herb is absolutly excellent here. in this album he palyed some of his best music for sure. The opener is a splendid bop blues, a typical blues "sonic magma" from the trio. The second and the third tunes are two wonderful standards. Exceptional the rendition of the ballad It could happen to me. Pogo instead is a bebop tune, fast and "aggressive" just as bebop should be. The last four tunes are played more relaxed maybe (it was a different session). The music at some point is almost counterpoint (in the jazz sense). I think this album is a must buy for Jazz lovers.

"Sweetheart Blues" (Herb Ellis) – 4:46
"Somebody Loves Me" (Buddy DeSylva, George Gershwin, Ballard MacDonald) – 4:55
"It Could Happen to You" (Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) – 3:47
"Pogo" (Ellis) – 4:45
"Detour Ahead" (Lou Carter, Ellis, Johnny Frigo) – 4:03
"Ellis in Wonderland" (Ellis) – 3:52
"Have You Met Miss Jones?" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) – 6:20
"A Simple Tune" (Jimmy Giuffre) – 4:11

Herb Ellis – guitar
Jimmy Giuffre – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, clarinet
Harry "Sweets" Edison – trumpet
Charlie Mariano – alto saxophone
Oscar Peterson – piano
Ray Brown – bass
Alvin Stoller – drums

 

[Dennie]

Tudo Bem!-- CD

Joe Pass and Paulinho De Costa

1978/1991 Pablo/O.J.C. Records

Happy Revisitation, June 20, 2001
By Jan P. Dennis "Longboard jazzer" (Monument, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Tudo Bem (Audio CD)

Have you ever had the experience of initially not liking an album, then coming back to it later and discovering what a gem it is? That's what happend to me with Tudo Bem. I first encountered this wonderful album on vinyl not long after it came out. I was just getting into jazz and was still in a sort of never-never land between "real" jazz and fusion. For example, I thought Russ Freeman's Nocturnal Playground was the greatest thing going. (I have to confess I still have a soft spot for it because it helped get me into creative improvised music.) And I had just purchased Pass's great, but more fusion-tinged, album, Whitestone (which I'll probably review soon), was blown away, and was expecting more of the same.

Tudo Bem is actually quite straight-ahead for a self-consciously Brazilian date; that's probably what threw me. And, my ears were not yet conditioned to hear and appreciate authentic jazz. After having listened to the latter for the last 20 years or so, I came back to Tudo Bem with a totally different set of criteria about what makes music great. I can now appreciate the beauty of Pass's single-note runs, the sparkling creativity of his solos as he plays over the changes, the subtle conversation between the musicians.

Pass is best known for his virtuosity as a solo performer. But if you have any intrest at all in Brazilian-tinged acoustic music, you'll want to pick up this great outing by a jazz guitar master.

"Corcovado" (Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes) – 6:20
"Tears (Razao le Viver)" (Eumir Deodato) – 3:32
"Wave" (Jobim) – 10:08
"Voce (You)" (Ronaldo Bôscoli, Roberto Menescal) – 3:10
"If You Went Away" (Marcos Valle) – 3:04
"Que Que Ha?" (Octavio Bailly, Jr., Don Grusin) – 6:50
"The Gentle Rain (Chuva Delicada)" (Luiz Bonfá, Matt Dubey) – 4:11
"Barquinho" (Bôscoli, Menescal) – 6:11
"Luciana" (de Moraes, Jobim, Gene Lees) – 4:55
"I Live to Love" (Oscar Castro-Neves, Luverci Fiorini, Ray Gilbert) – 3:20

 

[Dennie]

That's Right! -- CD

The Benny Green Trio

1993 Blue Note Records

One fine CD!, October 5, 2009
By James J. Panzak "AZ Jazz man" (Phoenix Arizona) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: That's Right (Audio CD)

Benny is one of the masters walking among us. I have the pleasure of personally knowing Benny through attending several of his his concerts in Arizona and you will not meet a more spiritually connected musician. This CD offers a good look into how Benny was in the earler stages of his career and when you hear him live, as all who love this music should make a point of doing to support the artform, you can see how the foundation gets wider, deeper and stronger to support his desire to pay homage to the great piano masters who influenced him. I bought this recording to get one particular song, "Cupcake", which has some of the best chord harmonies you'll hear in a piece. Like I said, go to his website and find his concert close to you. He plays all over the world and spends a lot of time in small venues in the US....Jay in Arizona

Track listing

1. Wiggin'
2. Ain't She Sweet
3. That's Right
4. Something I Dreamed Last Night
5. Celia
6. Hoagie Meat
7. Cupcake
8. Just a Tadd
9. Glad to Be Unhappy
10. Me and My Baby

Benny Green Trio: Benny Green (piano); Christian McBride (bass); Carl Allen (drums).

 

[Dennie]

Rene Olstead -- CD :text-bravo:

Rene Olstead

2004 Reprise Records

Amazon.com

No less an expert on pop affairs than Neil Sedaka likens the impossibly mature voice of 14-year-old vocalist/TV star (CBS' Still Standing) Renee Olstead to "Patsy Cline, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday all wrapped in one." There's no disputing the sultry vocal talents showcased on this debut that balances familiar chestnuts from the great American songbook ("Summertime," "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Sentimental Journey") with more recent fare that veers from R 'n' B sass ("Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby") to 70s chart hits like Sedaka's own "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" and Maria Muldaur's "Midnight at the Oasis." A cynical ear might question how much of Olstead's own life informs these bluesy performances: how trying can eigth grade be for an attractive redhead with a major label contract? Indeed, the tagline for at least one latter-day Ella Fitzgerald project comes frequently to mind here: "Is it real, or it Memorex?" Olstead is yet another teen protege of hugely successful producer David Foster (who's midwifed the careers of Josh Groban and Michael Buble in recent years), and he provides her with some sturdy jazz arrangements to riff emotively on here--even if his production is as slick and bloodless as ever. Still, Foster's penchant for overwrought melodrama is kept mercifully in check on his own composition "I Want a Love to Last," while his shrewd teaming of the young chanteuse with fellow teen pop phenom Peter Cincotti on Sedaka's "Breaking Up.." deftly underscores the promising talents of both. --Jerry McCulley

1. "Summertime" (Gershwin, Gershwin, Heyward) ? 4:12
2. "Taking a Chance on Love" (Duke, Fetter, Latouche) ? 3:31
3. "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby" (Austin, Jordan) ? 3:20
4. "Someone to Watch Over Me" (Gershwin, Gershwin) ? 4:26
5. "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (Greenfield, Sedaka) ? 4:11
6. "A Love That Will Last" (Foster, Thompson) ? 3:32
7. "Meet Me, Midnight" (Manilow, Sussman) ? 2:56
8. "Sunday Kind of Love" (Belle, Nye, Prima, Rhodes) ? 4:34
9. "On a Slow Boat to China" (Loesser) ? 3:16
10. "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" (Adams, Grever) ? 3:27
11. "Midnight at the Oasis" (Nichtern) ? 3:21
12. "Sentimental Journey" (Brown, Green, Homer)

 

[Dennie]

Standing Together -- CD

George Benson

1998 GRP Records

From Jazziz

Having achieved monstrous success as both a pop vocalist and as an electric guitarist, the legendary Benson now spends most of his albums switching back and forth between crooning over easy soul grooves and gracefully invoking the spirit of Wes Montgomery, the forerunner of his snappy "Breezin'" six-string style. Somewhere in the middle of these two modes, Benson finds his most distinctive voice as an inventive scat vocalist. Benson scats effectively here over brisk guitar licks on the best tracks, the retro-funky, densely percussive "Cruise Control" and the seductive Latin waltz, "Poquito Spanish, Poquito Funk." Smooth-jazz superproducer Paul Brown adds two clever touches to this latter track: brief symphonic washes and a soaring chant vocal behind the scat. The subtle sense of soul Brown has given to a large handful of smooth-jazz stars comes across best on the hooky "Fly by Night," which sounds like a great Boney James tune only with Benson's guitar in the lead. The set is bookended by the gentler guitar meditations, "C-Smooth" and "Keep Rollin'," which are likable enough. Between these cuts, however, Benson plays it pretty safe, functioning mostly as a lead vocalist on fluffy, easygoing romances he didn't write, like the title track and "Back to Love." "All I Know" is a far cry from "On Broadway," but, as on that classic song, Benson mixes a passionate lead vocal with the scat interludes we never quite get tired of.

"C-Smooth"
"Standing Together"
"All I Know"
"Cruise Control"
"Poquito Spanish, Poquito Funk"
"Still Waters"
"Fly By Night"
"Back To Love"
"Keep Rollin'"

 

[Dennie]

Giblet Gravy - CD

George Benson

1968/2000 Verve Records (Import Japan)

This reissue of Benson's 1968 Verve LP is worth the price of admission just for three of the small-group cuts. "Billie's Bounce," "Low Down and Dirty," and "Thunder Walk" find the guitarist stretching out in the company of Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Billy Cobham on an uptempo Charlie Parker blues, a gutbucket slow blues and a deeply blue hard-bop groove tune, respectively. This recording sits right between Benson's early small-combo records as a leader (COOKBOOK and IT'S UPTOWN) and his move to even more heavily produced recordings for CTI.The grooves are groovy, the horns are punchy, and the then-future of jazz guitar makes his way through the charts as feature artist, laying down the head, shadow boxing with the swaggering arrangements for a chorus or two, and getting out in a radio-friendly two minute and fifty-nine seconds. Plus you get to hear Benson and Hancock duking it out like they mean it on "Low Down and Dirty."

Track Listing
1. Along Comes Mary
2. Sunny
3. What's New?
4. Giblet Gravy
5. Walk on By
6. Thunder Walk
7. Sack O' Woe
8. Groovin'
9. Low Down and Dirty
10. Billie's Bounce - (bonus track)
11. What's New? - (previously unreleased, alternate take, bonus track)
12. What's New? - (previously unreleased, alternate take, bonus track)

Personnel: George Benson (guitar); Tom McIntosh (conductor); Eileen Gilbert, Albertine Robinson, Lois Winter (vocals); Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); Jimmy Owens (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ernie Royal, Snooky Young (trumpet); Alan Raph (bass trombone); Herbie Hancock (piano); Eric Gale, Carl Lynch (guitar); Ron Carter, Bob Cranshaw (bass); Billy Cobham (drums); Johnny Pacheco (congas, tambourine).

 

[Dennie]

Prime Cuts - The Columbia Years 1987 -1999 -- CD

Grover Washington Jr.

1999 Columbia Records

Amazon.com

Washington's Columbia material wasn't quite as rapturous as his landmark records from the '70s (most notably Inner City Blues and Mister Magic), which minted the template for the smooth jazz. But Prime Cuts offers a concise yet comprehensive overview of a surprisingly adventurous period in the soulful saxophonist's career, which was tragically cut short by his death at age 56 in late 1999. There are classic Washington grooves like "Strawberry Moon" and his version of Brubeck's "Take Five," both songs showcasing his luminescent tone and sinuous inflections. "Only for You" and "Summer Nights" pour soothing horn phrases over lively percussion, while "Blues for D.P." puts Washington in a more straightforward, postbop setting with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Grady Tate. Of the three previously unissued tracks, "Heat Index," suffers from a stilted arrangement and not enough bottom-tone organ; a new rendition of "Soulful Strut" is marvelous but only marginally different than the original; and "The Night Fantastic" is a relatively standard workout enhanced by Washington's dulcet modulations and quickly punctuated crescendoes. The closer, "Protect the Dream," delivers the giddy eddies and melodic swoons most listeners now associate with Kenny G--except that Grover's are invested with twice as much soul. --Britt Robson

Track Listing

1. Take Five (Take Another Five)
2. Sacred Kind of Love
3. Only for You (Siempre Para Ti)
4. Please Send Me Someone to Love
5. Strawberry Moon
6. Summer Nights
7. Heat Index
8. Next Exit
9. Blues for D.P.
10. Soulful Strut - (previously unreleased, alternate take, The Top Down version)
11. Love in His Infant Eyes, The
12. Night Fantastic, The - (previously unreleased)
13. Protect the Dream

 

[Dennie]

......... :text-bravo: ............. :bow-blue:

Softly As A Summer Breeze -- Remastered CD

The Incredible Jimmy Smith with Kenny Burrell & Philly Joe Jones

1960/2006 Blue Note Records

It's smooth and powerful with great ballad interpretations, January 23, 2000
By macfawlty "macfawlty" (potomac, MD USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Softly As a Summer Breeze (Audio CD)

I have the LP and will have to get the CD as well since there are 4 more songs on it. Don't shy away from these ballad albums, they are great and really show alot of depth and incredible mastery of the B3. I still have a ways to go to complement my 40 or so Jimmy LP's with the convenience of CD's.

"These Foolish Things" (Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey) - 5:27
"Hackensack" (Thelonious Monk) - 5:58
"It Could Happen to You" (Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) - 6:16
"Sometimes I'm Happy" (Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans) - 8:21
"Someone to Watch Over Me" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) - 6:30
"One for Philly Joe" [aka "Home Cookin'"] (Jimmy Smith) - 4:46
"Willow Weep for Me" (Ann Ronell) - 3:24 Bonus track on CD reissue
"Ain't No Use" (Leroy Kirkland, Sidney Wyche) - 2:40 Bonus track on CD reissue
"Angel Eyes" (Earl Brent, Matt Dennis) - 3:25 Bonus track on CD reissue
"Ain't That Love" (Ray Charles) - 2:45 Bonus track on CD reissue

Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey on February 26, 1958 (tracks 1-6) and October 14, 1958 (tracks 7-10)

 

[Dennie]

Closer -- CD

David Sanborn

2005 Verve Records

Crossover jazz can be watered down so severely that the jazz gets washed away altogether. Thankfully, there is saxophonist David Sanborn. On CLOSER, Sanborn never goes so far as to take away beautiful jazz harmonies or chordal sophistication. His solos are rooted in the post-bop tradition, and he plays much more than simple pentatonic and blues scales. At the same time, this album is inviting and easy on the ears. Sanborn and company carefully avoid anything that is overly intellectual, or too "outside."The first half of CLOSER is made up of upbeat Latin-funk tunes. This is best exemplified by the sleek montuno "Tin Tin Deo." Later in the disc, Sanborn explores some mellower, darker ballads, with the highlight being "You Must Believe in Spring." On this tune, Sanborn features the delicate guitar work of Russell Malone and the subtle organ comping of Larry Goldings. The most fascinating track on CLOSER, however, is Abdullah Ibrahim's "Capetown Fringe," a song that centers itself on South African rhythms and a wanderlust-evoking melody. On this selection, Gil Goldstein's accordion gives the song a wonderful quirkiness, which provides an excellent counterpoint to the album's more straight-ahead tunes.

Track Listing
1. Tin Tin Deo
2. Senor Blues
3. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
4. Smile
5. Enchantment
6. Ballad of the Sad Young Men
7. Another Time, Another Place
8. Capetown Fringe
9. Poinciana
10. You Must Believe in Spring
11. Sofia

Personnel: David Sanborn (alto saxophone); Lizz Wright (vocals); Russell Malone (guitar); Bob Sheppard (flute, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Gil Goldstein (accordion, electric piano); Larry Goldings (electric piano, organ); Mike Mainieri (vibraphone); Christian McBride (bass instrument); Steve Gadd (drums); Luis Quintero (percussion).

 

[Dennie]

My last one for the evening....

Don't Smoke In Bed -- CD

Holly Cole Trio

1993 Blue Note Records

Amazon.com

Holly Cole brings her own dimension to the tradition of cabaret, a strong voice that's still capable of nuance, an ear for quirky repertoire, and a light touch that keeps some of these performances floating just at the edge of irony. Her delivery of more traditional fare shines on Cole Porter's witty "Get Out of Town" and Kurt Weill's torchy "Je Ne T'aime Pas," while she brings clarity, power, and anthemic passion to the surprising treatment of Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now." Some of her inspirations are less successful, such as aiming for jazz depth on the lightweight pop of "Que Sera Sera," but Cole is never less than interesting. She's generally well supported in this intimate art by pianist Aaron Davis and bassist Davd Piltch, while there's sparing and effective use of strings. There are fine guest spots by tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, on "Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday," and David Lindley, whose steel guitar contributes to the strange country music of "Don't Let the Teardrops Rust Your Shining Heart." --Adam Rains

"I Can See Clearly Now" (Johnny Nash) - 4:13
"Don't Let the Teardrops Rust Your Shining Heart" (Watt) - 4:20
"Get Out of Town" (Porter) - 4:43
"So and So" (O'Hara) - 3:27
"The Tennessee Waltz" (King, Stewart) - 3:40
"Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday" (Bell, Jones) - 4:49
"Blame It on My Youth" (Edward Heyman, Oscar Levant) - 3:00
"Ev'rything I've Got" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rogers) - 2:55
"Je ne t'aime pas" (Weill, Magre) - 3:57
"Cry (If You Want To)" (Scott) - 2:37
"Que sera sera" (Ray Evans, Jay Livingston) - 4:44
"Don't Smoke in Bed" (Willard Robison) 2:27

 

[Dennie]

Goodbye Alice In Wonderland -- CD

Jewel

2006 Atlantic Records

Amazon.com

The word "confessional" is frequently applied to folk of all stripes, including folk-rock and folk-pop, which is where Jewel comes in. Even within the bounds of folk, however, her music is more nakedly confessional than most. (Too nakedly, some have carped.) Along with a coterie of Nashville pros, she began her latest musical journey by laying down another introspective song cycle in the vein of 1995's Pieces of You. Dissatisfied with the results, the Texas-based artist scrapped that effort and re-recorded with Rob Cavallo (Green Day). This lends her sixth album the expected rock edge, but Jewel hasn't changed her spots. If anything, she sounds more like, well, Jewel than she did on dance-oriented departure 0304. She’s still pop star ("Fragile Heart"), sensitive folkie ("Long Slow Slide"), and scrappy country gal ("Stephenville, TX"). Her Joni Mitchell-esque soprano soars as high as ever, with more of a sardonic Dylan chaser than before. What's changed is that maturity has granted Jewel, now in her early 30s, greater perspective--"Growing up is not an absence of dreaming," she states in the title track--and a sense of humor missing from her more earnest early work. On "Satellite," for instance, written when she was 18, but revamped since, she notes that "the Pope," "rock and roll," "Valium," even "Miss Cleo" can't fix her broken heart. In her statement about the album, Jewel claims that, after years of ups and downs, she's "not broken, just more myself." --Kathleen C. Fennessy

"Again and Again" (J. Kilcher/J. Shanks) – 3:57
"Long Slow Slide" (J. Kilcher) – 3:48
"Goodbye Alice in Wonderland" (J. Kilcher) – 5:55
"Good Day" (J. Kilcher/G. Wells/K. DioGuardi) – 3:46
"Satellite" (J.Kilcher) – 5:05
"Only One Too" (J. Kilcher/J. Shanks) – 3:04
"Words Get in the Way" (J. Kilcher) – 3:58
"Drive to You" (J. Kilcher/L. Mendez) – 4:14
"Last Dance Rodeo" (J. Kilcher) – 6:16
"Fragile Heart" (J. Kilcher/A. Bell) – 3:21 (new version; previously on 0304)
"Stephenville, TX" (J. Kilcher) – 3:56
"Where You Are" (J. Kilcher) – 3:28
"1000 Miles Away" (J. Kilcher) – 3:48

Bonus Picture.....

 

[Dennie]

A Brighter Day -- CD

Ronny Jordan

2000 Blue Note Records

Amazon.com

On his fourth recording--his first for Blue Note Records-- guitarist Ronny Jordan moves in a more mainstream direction. He minimizes the hip-hop and rap elements in his mix to favor a more subdued, straightforward jazz approach that brings to mind one of Jordan's role models, Wes Montgomery. While this may furrow the brows of some acid-jazz fans, the results heard on this 73-minute excursion are largely positive and quietly appealing. The London-born Jordan reveals himself as thoughtful and expressive player, notably on self-composed, Pat Metheny-like, pop-jazz cruisers ("Two Worlds," "Rio," "Seeing Is Believing") and in a more mainstream vein, "5/8 in Flow." For some listeners, A Brighter Day may at times stray uncomfortably close to smooth-jazz innocuousness, but Jordan's prevailing inventiveness makes the overall package a pleasant one. Highlights are the soft-but-sweet grooves found on "Aftermath" and "Mackin'," the animated playing from vibraphonist Roy Ayers on "Mystic Voyage," and the nimble finger work heard on "New Delhi." --Terry Wood

Track Listing

1. Brighter Day, A
2. Aftermath
3. Mackin - (featuring DJ Spinna)
4. Why
5. Mystic Voyage - (featuring Roy Ayers)
6. Breauxlude
7. London Lowdown
8. Two Worlds
9. Mambo Inn
10. Rio
11. New Delhi
12. Seeing Is Believing
13. 5/8 in Flow
14. Brighter Day, A - (Remix, remix, featuring Mos Def)

 

[Dennie]

Next -- CD

Soulive

2002 Blue Note Records

Amazon.com

Soulive are proof that jazz remains a living organism that continually evolves from its past to make music for the present. Now a quartet with their addition of a saxophonist, Soulive brew a seamless funky concoction of '60s jazz-organ grooves, '70s funk, '90s acid-jazz, and fresh hip-hop that defies classification. The basic vibe of the music mirrors the great organ-guitar-sax era of the '60s, and these twentysomething musicians capture the nightclub feel of that time on "Tuesday Night's Squad" and the stirring ballad "Alkime." Dance-music fans will dig tracks that feature hip-hoppers Black Thought (from the Roots) and Talib Kweli. And for those who need their '70s groove on, they quote Earth Wind & Fire directly on "Flurries" and pay homage to the Brecker Brothers' highly syncopated style on "Whatever It Is." Dave Matthews, who Soulive opened for on a long tour of sold-out rock venues, returns the favor here on "Joyful Girl," but he is by far the least interesting aspect of this 13-song set. As their album title suggests, in jazz, Soulive is what's next. --Mark Ruffin

"Tuesday Night's Squad" – 7:23
"Flurries" – 5:55
"Liquid" – 6:38
"Joyful Girl" (featuring Dave Matthews) – 6:16
"Kalen" – 7:39
"Clap!" (featuring Black Thought) – 5:21
"Interlude" – 1:10
"Ne-Ne" – 8:06
"I Don't Know" (featuring Amel Larrieux) – 5:09
"Whatever It Is" – 4:30
"Alkime" – 7:01
"E.D. Hambone" – 5:05
"Bridge to 'Bama (Hi Tek Remix)" (featuring Talib Kweli) – 4:36

 

[Dennie]

Cooling Off -- CD

Galactic

1996 Sony Music

After listening to Galactic's 1996 debut release, Coolin' Off, it's hard to believe that the band isn't comprised of seasoned funk veterans. Instead of showing off their instrumental chops at every given opportunity, the members of Galactic play as an ensemble, who know when to step back and let their soulful music groove and breath on its own. Vocalist Theryl de Clouet is only featured on a few of the album's tracks ("Something's Wrong With This Picture," "Everybody Wants Some -- Part 3," etc.), but his voice often steals the show when it's featured. The majority of Coolin' Off consists of funky instrumentals with a sound straight out of the '70s, but the band knows how to mix it up and avoid monotony. The opening "Go Go" is a good example of Galactic's sound: a prominent bassline is merged with horns and wah-wah guitar, while an organ creates a memorable melody. Other groove-oriented tracks include "Funky Bird," "Stax Jam," "Doo Rag," and "Church." Coolin' Off is an excellent debut from a band that is destined for great things. ~ Greg Prato

Track Listing
1. Go Go
2. Welcome to New Orleans
3. Something's Wrong with This Picture
4. Funky Bird
5. Stax Jam
6. Church
7. On the One
8. Mystery Tube
9. Doo Rag
10. Percussion Interlude
11. Everybody Wants Some, Pt. 1
12. Everybody Wants Some, Pt. 2
13. Everybody Wants Some, Pt. 3
14. Goodnight

 

[Dennie]

Ready... Set... Shango! -- CD

Charlie Hunter Quartet

1996 Blue Note Records

Although it is never clear what "shango" is, this set by guitarist Charlie Hunter's quartet is quite accessible and enjoyable. Marketed as some type of new alternative jazz, the music in reality is bop-based and not that far from soul-jazz. The most unusual aspect of the set is that Hunter plays an eight-string guitar, which not only allows him to play basslines (there is no bassist on the CD) but at times to emulate an organ. Both tenorman Dave Ellis, who would soon start his own solo career, and altoist Calder Spanier have plenty of solo space, while drummer Scott Amendola keeps the music grooving and moving. The nine selections may all be originals, but the music is also tied to the swinging tradition. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow

Track Listing
1. Ashby Man
2. Teabaggin'
3. Let's Go Medieval
4. Shango, Pt. III, The
5. Dersu
6. 911
7. Shango...The Ballad
8. Thursday the 12th
9. Sutton

 

[Dennie]

Deja Vu -- CD

George Duke

2010 Heads-Up Records

Album Notes
Déjà Vu is 2010's bookend to 2008's Dukey Treats. That record explored George Duke's funk roots and channeled everything from Earth, Wind & Fire to P-Funk, artists who inspired his own successful run of funk outings. Déjà Vu revisits Duke's love of electric funky jazz. Here he recalls some of the production and musical techniques he employed in the '70s. Along with playing a load of synths (mono and analog), Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos, clavinet, acoustic piano, and even miniMoog bass are in abundance, too. The production is pure retro; compared to the contemporary jazz recordings of the 21st century, Déjà Vu sounds almost organic. Duke composed, produced, and arranged the set as well. "A Melody" recalls -- seamlessly -- the sounds and textures explored on 1979's A Brazilian Love Affair. A chorus of backing vocalists glides above a modern samba groove, driven by various synth strings and percussion and rhythms held steady by drummer Ronald Bruner, Jr. and bassist Michael Manson. The breezy melody gives way to some fine inside improvisation. "You Touch My Brain" is slippery laid-back funk à la Sly Stone's Fresh album, with a nice trumpet break by Nicholas Payton. "What Goes Around Comes Around" features some nice piano, an excellent vocal through a synth, and a gorgeous Everette Harp soprano solo. "Ripple in Time" is dedicated to Miles Davis. Duke is is clearly inspired by Davis' Tutu period. It's a lengthy but moody beginning, but cracks into a beautiful funky vamp at the two-minute mark. Duke's bass sound is big and meaty; Oscar Brashear provides excellent trumpet work next to Harp's tenor sax before a badass guitar by Jef Lee Johnson claims the vamp and works it to death. "Stupid Is as Stupid Does" might have come from his Feel or Faces in Reflection outings from the mid-'70s. Hubert Laws' signature flute appears, as does Bob Sheppard's tenor. The title track is the biggest surprise: closing out the album, it reflects the drama of John McLaughlin and Mahavishnu Orchestra, with Duke handling the guitar sounds on a Motif ES8! The violin playing by Sarah Thornblade is a dynamic foil. Déjà Vu is Duke's most consistently satisfying and eclectic recording since 1995's Illusions. Highly recommended. ~ Thom Jurek

Track Listing
1. Melody, A
2. You Touch My Brain
3. What Goes Around Comes Around
4. Bring Me Joy
5. Ripple in Time
6. Oh Really?
7. 6 O'Clock Revisited
8. Come to Me Now
9. Stupid Is as Stupid Does
10. Déjà Vu

 

[Rope]

Rope

 

[Dennie]

Plays Songs From The Key of Life - A Tribute To Stevie Wonder -- CD

Najee

1995 EMI Records

On PLAYS SONGS FROM THE KEY OF LIFE, Najee covers every song from Stevie Wonder's 1976 album SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE, in the same order as the original album.Throughout his career, saxophonist Najee has generally performed crossover music that mixes R&B, jazz, and pop. This particular date is one of his strongest and most jazz-oriented, a well-conceived tribute to Stevie Wonder. Najee (heard on soprano, flute, alto, and tenor) plays instrumental versions of the music from Wonder's famous Songs From the Key of Life album, plus several other notable Wonder songs. Assisted by such players as keyboardists George Duke, Ronnie Foster, and Herbie Hancock; guitarist Phil Upchurch; and a top-notch horn section, Najee creates fresh renditions of 21 Stevie Wonder tunes. Highlights include "Love's in Need of Love Today," "Sir Duke," "Knocks Me off My Feet," "If It's Magic," and a medley of "All Day Sucker" and "Easy Goin' Evening." Throughout the memorable set, Najee shows that he can be a strong jazz improviser while still remaining accessible. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow

Track Listing
1. Love's in Need of Love Today
2. Have a Talk With God
3. Village Ghetto Land
4. Contusion
5. Sir Duke
6. I Wish
7. Knocks Me Off My Feet
8. Pastime Paradise
9. Summer Soft
10. Ordinary Pain
11. Saturn / Ebony Eyes
12. Isn't She Lovely / Joy Inside My Tears
13. Black Man
14. Nigiculela-es una Historia-I Am Singing
15. If It's Magic
16. As
17. Another Star
18. All Day Sucker / Easy Goin' Evening

 

[Dennie]

From The Ground Up -- CD

Antigone Rising

2005 LAVA/Hear Music (Debut album for Hear Music)

The first album to be launched by Starbucks-sponsored Hear Music series, FROM THE GROUND UP is the mainstream debut by the all-female pop-rock outfit Antigone Rising. The band's proper studio debut, DRAMA CLUB, was reputedly ready for release at the time the band inked the Starbucks deal, but FROM THE GROUND UP, a live-in-the-studio recording of acoustic numbers, gave the public the jump on the group's earnest, accessible folk-tinged pop, a sound that puts Antigone Rising on the same trajectory for commercial success as Sheryl Crow, the Indigo Girls, and Alanis Morrissette.

Track Listing
1. Hello
2. Waiting, Watching, Wishing
3. Don't Look Back
4. She's Not Innocent
5. Open Hearts and Doors
6. Michael
7. Happy Home
8. You're the Reason
9. Longshot
10. Better
11. She Lived Here
12. Rosita
13. Broken
14. Don't Look Back - (bonus track; radio edit)

 

[Dennie]

The Trinity Sessions -- CD

Cowboy Junkies

1988 RCA Records

Amazon.com essential recording

On their sophomore effort, Canada's Cowboy Junkies manage to make a one-day recording session in an old church one of their most satisfying listens. Featuring the sultry voice of Margo Timmins, the precise musicianship of her brothers Peter (on drums) and Michael (on guitar), and bassist Alan Anton, The Trinity Sessions is a spare, evocative, countrified-rock classic. Their inspired reworking of both "Blue Moon" and "Working On A Building" reveal the Timmins family to be talented interpreters and insightful neo-traditionalists. Mixing the ambitious songwriting of Margo and Michael Timmins with subdued covers of Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane" and Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," The Trinity Sessions is an exquisite collection that holds up quite well under repeated listenings. --Mitch Myers

All songs written by Margo Timmins and Michael Timmins except as noted.

"Mining for Gold" (James Gordon) – 1:34
"Misguided Angel" – 4:58
"Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis)" (Margo and Michael Timmins; "Blue Moon" by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart) – 4:31 (not included on the original Vinyl release, later included on Classic Records Vinyl release of RTH 8568)
"I Don't Get It" – 4:34
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" (Hank Williams) – 5:24
"To Love is to Bury" – 4:47
"200 More Miles" (Michael Timmins) – 5:29
"Dreaming My Dreams with You" (Allen Reynolds) – 4:28
"Working on a Building" (traditional) – 3:48 (not included on the original Vinyl release, later included on Classic Records Vinyl release of RTH 856)
"Sweet Jane" (Lou Reed) – 3:41
"Postcard Blues" (Michael Timmins) – 3:28
"Walkin' After Midnight" (Don Hecht, Alan Block) – 5:54