What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

Lush Life - The Music of Billy Strayhorn -- CD

Joe Henderson

1992 Verve Records

Billy Strayhorn was one of the greatest composers in jazz history. It's no wonder Duke Ellington, his longtime collaborator, considered Strayhorn to be his alter ego. The beauty of Strayhorn's music lies in the fact that his tunes need no embellishment, yet at the same time, they are great vehicles for improvisation. For the performer, his music requires sensitivity, but it also invites daring interpretations.Both reverent and playful, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson strikes a perfect balance on 1992's LUSH LIFE: THE MUSIC OF BILLY STRAYHORN. Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis contributes tremendously to this album with blistering solos on "Johnny Come Lately" and "U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medical Group)." However, other musicians are featured throughout, as well--the three duo tracks, "Isfahan," "Lotus Blossom," and "Take the 'A' Train," illustrate the greatness of bassist Christian McBride, pianist Stephen Scott, and drummer Gregory Hutchinson, respectively. Henderson himself displays tremendous improvisational prowess on all the tracks, particularly shining on his solo rendition of "Lush Life."

Track Listing
1. Isfahan
2. Johnny Come Lately
3. Blood Count
4. Rain Check
5. Lotus Blossom
6. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing
7. Take the "A" Train
8. Drawing Room Blues
9. U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medical Group)
10. Lush Life

Personnel: Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone); Joe Henderson; Christian McBride (bass instrument); Wynton Marsalis (trumpet); Stephen Scott (piano); Gregory Hutchinson (drums).Audio Mixer: Rudy Van Gelder.Liner Note Authors: Stanley Crouch; Dean Pratt.Recording information: Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (09/03/1991-09/08/1991).Photographers: Susan Ragan; William Claxton.Arranger: Don Sickler.

 

[Dennie]

Always -- Remastered 24bit CD

The New York Trio

2008 Venus Records (Import Japan)

The New York Trio, led by pianist Bill Charlap with bassist Jay Leonhart and drummer Bill Stewart, exists exclusively as a band to record for the Japanese jazz market, as Charlap has a regular trio with Peter Washington and Kenny Washington, while both Leonhart and Stewart are busy session musicians who occasionally also lead their own record dates. These 2007 sessions focus exclusively on the extensive songbook of the prolific Irving Berlin. Most of the ten tunes heard on this CD have long since become standards and are frequently recorded by jazz artists. One that isn't typically heard as an instrumental is "I Got the Sun in the Morning" (from the musical Annie Get Your Gun), heard in a loping yet infectious interpretation. "How Deep Is the Ocean" is one of Berlin's most recorded songs, yet this version sizzles with energy, unlike the typical ballad treatments. Other highlights include the breezy, joyful setting of "Cheek to Cheek," with Stewart's whispering brushes propelling Charlap's buoyant piano, along with the bittersweet "What'll I Do," featuring Leonhart's intimate solo. Even though this isn't a working band, things seem to gel quickly for The New York Trio when the group assembles to record. Review by Ken Dryden

Track Listings:

1. Always ( 5 : 15 )
2. Cheek To Cheek ( 5 : 41 )
3. They Say It's Wonderful ( 3 : 57 )
4. I Got The Sun In The Morning ( 5 : 19 )
5. How Deep Is The Ocean ( 3 : 57 )
6. Change Partners ( 4 : 43 )
7. What'll I Do ( 5 : 24 )
8. Isn't This A Lovely Day? ( 5 : 39 )
9. The Song Is Ended ( 6 : 51 )
10. Russian Lullaby ( 2 : 07 )


～All Songs by Irving Berlin ～

Performed by New York Trio

Bill Charlap - piano
Jay Leonhart - bass
Bill Stewart - drums

 

[Dennie]

Live In NYC Volume 2 -- CD

Jaco Pastorius

1992 Big World Music

You MUST have this one!, May 23, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Live in New York 2: Trio (Audio CD)
Do you like jazz? Rock? Great playing with passionate fire?

You've got it! Buy this one and you won't regret it. The recording is good and the songs are amazing (listen to "I shot the Sheriff" and you'll know what I'm talking about).

Jaco is (still) simply the best bass player in the whole world, and on this CD he's playing a fretted basss. His skills were untouched, despite the health problems he was facing in that period due to alcohol and drug addiction. From all CDs issued after this death, this and number 3 are the best.

1. Wipe Out
2. Straight Life
3. I Shot The Sheriff
4. Teen Town
5. Dear Prudence
6. Ode To Billie Joe
7. Continuum
8. Son Of Creeper
9. Cissy Strut
10. Three Views Of A Secret

 

[Dennie]

Where Have I Known You Before -- CD

Return To Forever featuring Chick Corea

1974 Polydor Records (Import West Germany)

Brilliant, March 31, 2004
By Howie "tomas" (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Where Have I Known You Before (Audio CD)
-

This is one of those albums that just seems to have been laying there forever, to be discovered by a group of talented musicians. It almost flows from the musicians on it own accord; they seem as surprised and inspired in playing as we are listening.

The whole band - Chick, Al DiMeola, Stanley Clark, Lenny White - are phenoms. Their skill is stratospheric. To me, as a drummer, Lenny's performance here is magical.

Remember, this album came out in the same period as John McLaughlin's most famous works - BIRDS OF FIRE and INNER MOUNTING FLAME - so these guys were feeding off of each other (much like Paul McCartney and Brian Williams were).

This album is one of the Fusion pioneer albums. The genre didn't exist before RTF and McLaughlin. It quickly sunk under its own weight with all the copycat bands, while the founding fathers moved on to better things.

I saw RTF on tour for this album; third row front; right in front of Lenny (I could see his kick drum foot working - he had on these platform shoes, playing heel-down). It was a fabulous show, even better than the album (I remember Stanley turning to Lenny and giving him the "easy, dude" hand sign: Lenny was just a monster, in his own world!).

If you buy only ONE Corea album, or even only ONE Fusion album, this is the one!

"Vulcan Worlds" (Clarke) – 7:51
"Where Have I Loved You Before" (Corea) – 1:02
"The Shadow of Lo" (White) – 7:32
"Where Have I Danced with You Before" (Corea) – 1:14
"Beyond the Seventh Galaxy" (Corea) – 3:13
"Earth Juice" (Corea, Clarke, White, Di Meola) – 3:46
"Where Have I Known You Before" (Corea) – 2:20
"Song to the Pharaoh Kings" (Corea)* – 14:21

*There is a typo on all original releases: Pharoah - corrected on the 2008 Anthology: Pharaoh

My copy has the "typo".

 

[Dennie]

Look Around -- Remastered CD

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66

1968/2000 A&M/Verve By Request

It's a potpourri of Brazilian-influenced pop classics!, June 10, 2001
By David Kenner (Fort Worth, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Look Around (Audio CD)

This album starts off with a cover of The Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends". Like Brasil '66's cover of "Day Tripper" this track is nice, but not essential. If the whole album were covers like this, it would be easy to dismiss this disc. But as an introduction, "Little Help" actually works just fine. It's the fanfare that announces all that is to come on this album. The rest of the disc is track after track of brilliant arrangements, impeccable musicianship and beautiful vocals. "Pradizer Adeus", "So Many Stars" and "Like A Lover" are timeless classics. And enough can't be said about what a landmark recording their version of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "The Look of Love" is. The whole album speaks volumes about the time period in which it was created but at the same time, has retained it's freshness and vitality. A masterpiece! All of the original artwork, liner notes and even the classic brown A&M label have been faithfully reproduced.

"With a Little Help From My Friends" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
"Roda" (Gilberto Gil, João Augusto)
"Like a Lover" (Dori Caymmi, Nelson Motta, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman)
"The Frog (A Rã)" (João Donato)
"Tristeza (Goodbye Sadness)" (Haroldo Lobo, Niltinho Tristeza)
"The Look of Love" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David)
"Pra Dizer Adeus (To Say Goodbye)" (Edu Lobo, Torquato Neto, Lani Hall)
"Batucada (The Beat)" (Marcos Valle, Paulo Sérgio Valle)
"So Many Stars" (Sérgio Mendes, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman)
"Look Around" (Sergio Mendes, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman)

 

[Dennie]

Out of Sight -- SACD

Poncho Sanchez

2003 Concord Picante

The legendary conguero may be known as one of the modern kings of all jazz that's Latin, but he's also an old-school soul junkie at heart, having grown up in southern California in the '60s; while he was learning to play tropical Latin music professionally, his radio was full of classic Stax and Motown. Increasingly aware that classic R&B songs adapt well to the jazzy cha cha tempos that drive his ensemble, Sanchez evolves beautifully on the new collection into a style of Latin soul that's truly compelling. The opening track, the funky, brass-driven cha cha "One Mint Julep," features not only the organ arpeggios of Billy Preston, but also two of the horn guys from the James Brown band, Fred Wesley and Pee Wee Ellis. "JB's Strut" funks out with the horniest of them, but Brown is paid even greater homage on blues/soul/big-band/Latin renderings of three of his tunes, "Saints and Sinners," "Out of Sight" (sung with a tongue-in-cheek Brown bravura by Sanchez), and "Conmigo." And while he's at it, Sanchez invites two legendary soul men to make things even more authentic. Sam Moore has a blast with the sassy "Hitch It to the Horse," while Ray Charles adds his whimsical touch to the salsified blues tune "Mary Ann." The remaining question is, just where is the Godfather of Soul himself? Hopefully, he's proud of one of the most unique tributes to him ever fashioned. ~ Jonathan Widran

1. One Mint Julep
2. El Shing-A-Ling
3. Hitch It To The Horse
4. Saints & Sinners
5. Mary Ann
6. Not Necessarily
7. Conmigo
8. JB's Strut
9. Out Of Sight
10. El Tambor Del Mongo

This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.Personnel: Poncho Sanchez (vocals, congas, percussion); Ray Charles, Sam Moore (vocals); Scott Martin (alto, tenor & baritone saxophone, flute); Pee Wee Ellis (alto & tenor saxophones); Serafin Aguilar (trumpet, flugelhorn); Francisco Torres, Fred Wesley (trombone); Dale Spaulding (harmonica); David Torres (piano, Hammond B-3 organ); Billy Preston (organ); Sal Vasquez (guitar, tres, bongos, percussion); George Ortiz (congas, timbales); Francisco Aguabella (bata drums).Recorded at O'Henry Sound, Burbank, California; G Digital Sound, Studio City, California; Capitol, Hollywood, California; Fourth Street Studios, Santa Monica, California. Includes liner notes by Jesse "Chuy" Varela.

 

[Botch]

Spoon, They Want My Soul.

 

[Dennie]

Happy Saturday everyone... :banana-dance:

Blue Skies -- CD

Cassandra Wilson

1988 JMT/Polydor Tokyo Japan

On 1988's Blue Skies, Cassandra Wilson took her first step away from the home she had built with Steve Coleman's M-Base organization. She'd done standards before, all the way back to 1985's Songbook. There are no M-Base players on this JMT set. She fronts a very conventional trio comprised of pianist Mulgrew Miller, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, and bassist Lonnie Plaxico. The last of these is very significant because it would be Plaxico who directed her very startling and focused transformation when she signed to Blue Note Records in 1993 and released Blue Light 'Til Dawn. The program is pure standard fare, from "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" and "Shall We Dance?" to the title track and Rodgers & Hart's "I Didn't Know It What Time It Was." This cut is the most startling break from the rest in that it is much more forceful and hard-swinging than other readings, and showcases for the first time Wilson's tremendous individuality as a vocalist. There is much of Betty Carter still in her style here, but on this cut, she's pure Wilson, even the scatting comes not from jazz but from the blues of Wilson's Mississippi homeland. Another standout is Carter Burwell's "Sweet Lorraine," which wasn't quite a standard at the time but is quickly becoming one covered by many singers and is delivered in the classic repertoire's lineage. Not a masterpiece, but a really compelling first experiment with the more intimate forms and smaller groups Wilson would employ later on. ~ Thom Jurek

Track Listing
1. Shall We Dance?
2. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
3. I've Grown Accustomed to His Face
4. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
5. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You
6. I'm Old Fashioned
7. Sweet Lorraine
8. My One and Only Love
9. Autumn Nocturne
10. Blue Skies

Personnel: Cassandra Wilson (vocals); Mulgrew Miller (piano); Lonnie Plaxico (bass); Terri Lynne Carrington (drums).

 

[Dennie]

"Topsy" - This One's For Basie -- Remastered CD

The Modern Jazz Quartet

1985/1987 Pablo/Fantasy Records

Despite the title of this CD, the music on this 1985 studio set from The Modern Jazz Quartet is not a program of Count Basie tunes (with the exception of "Topsy") although Basie apparently liked the John Lewis composition "D and E." The other unrelated music is highlighted by an unaccompanied feature for vibraphonist Milt Jackson ("Nature Boy"), "Reunion Blues" and three more complex pieces from pianist John Lewis. Overall this CD gives listeners a fine example of the music of The MJQ during the 1980s. ~ Scott Yanow

Track Listing
1. Reunion Blues
2. Nature Boy
3. Topsy II
4. D and E
5. Valeria
6. Milano
7. Le Cannet

Personnel: John Lewis (piano), Milt Jackson (vibraphone), Percy Heath (bass), Connie Kay (drums).Recorded June 1985 at RCA Recording Studios, New York. Includes liner notes by John Lewis.Tributee: Count Basie.

 

[Dennie]

You're Mine You -- Remastered CD

Sarah Vaughan, Arranged & Conducted by Quincy Jones

1962/1997 Roulette/Capital Records

This CD reissue finds Sarah Vaughan backed by big-band and string arrangements from Quincy Jones that could easily have been used for a Frank Sinatra date. Vaughan's voice is typically wondrous and sometimes a bit excessive on the ballads (some may find her slightly overblown version of "Maria" a bit difficult to sit through) but in top form on the more swinging numbers. In the repertoire are such tunes as "The Best Is Yet to Come," "The Second Time Around" and "Baubles, Bangles and Beads." More of a middle-of-the-road pop date than a creative jazz session (the personnel is not given), the set is not essential but should please those who love the sound of Sassy's remarkable voice. The final two "bonus" numbers ("One Mint Julep" and "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean") were originally released as a single. ~ Scott Yanow


YOU'RE MINE YOU
THE BEST IS YET TO COME
WITCHCRAFT
SO LONG
THE SECOND TIME AROUND
I COULD WRITE A BOOK
MARIA
BAUBLES, BANGLES AND BEADS
FLY ME TO THE MOON
MOONGLOW
INVITATION
ON GREEN DOLPHIN STREET
ONE MINT JULIP
MAMA, HE TREATS YOUR DAUGHTER MEAN

Personnel includes: Sarah Vaughan (vocals); Quincy Jones (arranger, conductor).Producer: Teddy Reig.Reissue producer: Michael Cuscuna.Recorded in January & February 1962. Includes liner notes by Will Friedwald.Digitally remastered by Malcolm Addey.

 

[Dennie]

Anita Sings For Oscar & Pick Yourself Up -- Remastered CD's (2-fer)

Anita O'Day

1957/2008 Verve/Lion Hill Jazz

Originally issued as Anita Sings the Most, this album was picked up by the American Recording Society and sent out to its members as Anita Sings for Oscar. This was her fifth album for Norman Granz's Verve Records, the label that supplied most of the ARS releases and, some say, her best. Pairing O'Day and Peterson was akin to joining Vladimir Horowitz with Arturo Toscanini. It was a mystery who would finish first on the upbeat numbers, as both liked to keeping matters moving along at a rather brisk pace. This contest is afoot on the opening medley of "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "'S Wonderful," and "Love Me or Leave Me," where they both manage to finish in a tie. O'Day was so much a dyed-in-the-wool jazz singer that she had no problem staying with the jazz licks of Peterson's combo, which at this time included bassist Ray Brown, Herb Ellis on guitar, and the rare presence of a drummer, here John Poole. This album is noted for its swinging, something that both O'Day and Peterson had few peers at. But the session also demonstrates that O'Day could do well with ballads, a skill that was often overshadowed by her affinity for the fast-paced material. Her work on "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" is simply enchanting. This meeting of two jazz icons results in a major benefit for jazz fans. This LP has been reissued as a CD by Verve. Review by Dave Nathan

Track Listing:

1. 'S Wonderful / They Can't Take That Away From Me
2. Love Me Or Leave Me
3. Old Devil Moon
4. Tenderly
5. We'll Be Together Again
6. Stella By Starlight
7. Them There Eyes
8. Takin' a Chance On Love
9. I've Got The World On A String
10. You Turned The Tables On Me
11. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
12. Don't Be That Way
13. Let's Face The Music And Dance
14. I Used To Be Color Blind
15. Pick Yourself Up
16. Let's Begin
17. Sweet Georgia Brown
18. I Never Had A Chance
19. Stompin' At The Savoy
20. I Won't Dance
21. There's A Lull In My Life
22. Man With A Horn
23. Stars Fell On Alabama
24. The Getaway And The Chase

 

[Dennie]

Crisol Habana -- CD

Roy Hargrove

1997 Verve Records

Amazon.com

This highly acclaimed 1997 musical meeting between rising American trumpet star, Roy Hargrove, and a collection of Cuban musicians including Chucho Valdes, founder of Irakere, is indeed a fine piece of music making. Given the politics of our times, much was made of the rapprochement between Cuban and American musicians. However, if you approach it expecting to hear something like most contemporary Cuban dance or popular music, you may initially be disappointed. The Cuban influence is subtle rather than blatant; the dominant flavor comes from the jazz tradition. But let it work its magic on you over a few listens and the inner strengths of the two styles become entwined, the sophistication of the vision will transport you to some place where only music, and not politics, matter. These musicians work together like the fingers on your hand. --Jonathan E.

Track listing

1. O My Seh Yeh
2. Una Mas
3. Dream Traveler
4. Nusia's Poem
5. Mr. Bruce
6. Ballad For the Children
7. Mountaings
8. Afrodisia
9. Mambo For Roy
10. O My Seh Yeh - (reprise)

Personnel: Roy Hargrove (trumpet, flugelhorn); Gary Bartz (soprano & alto saxophone); David Sanchez (soprano & tenor saxophone); Frank Lacy (trombone); Jesus "Chucho" Valdes, John Hicks (piano); Russell Malone (guitar); Jorge Reyes (electric bass); John Benitez (bass); Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, Idris Muhammad (drums); Miguel "Anga" Diaz (congas); Jose Luis "Changuito" Quintana (timbales).Recorded at Teatro Mancinelli, Orvieto, Italy on January 5 & 6, 1997. Includes liner notes by Larry Blumenfeld.

ROY HARGROVE'S CRISOL HABANA won the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Performance

 

[Dennie]

Sampler -- CD

The Loungecore Experience

Sequel Records Pros 1-2

The sampler is a tangy and flavorful mixture of Space Age Bachelor Pad music from Sequel's Loungecore Experience series. Aged to perfection utilizing the miracles of modern science and retrofitted for today's musical lifestyle choices.

1 Kinda Kinky 2:30 Ray Sound McVay
2 Stiletto 2:53 Chico Rey
3 Ghoul Friend 2:32 The Ravns
4 Kissy Suzuki 3:54 Sounds Orchestral
5 Thank Goodness for the Rain 2:22 Peanut
6 Mach 1 3:41 Ray Davies
7 Neb's Tune 2:18 Ahab and the Wailers
8 Moonshot 3:28 Sounds Orchestral
9 Someone Has to Cry (Why Must I) 2:35 Barbara Kay
10 House of the Rising Sun 2:34 Synthesonic Sounds

 

[Dennie]

The Soulful Blues -- Remastered CD

Johnny "Hammond" Smith

1967-68/2000 Prestige/Fantasy Records

Soulful Blues combines Johnny Smith's Ebb Tide LP from 1967 and Nasty from 1968 onto one CD of decent soul-jazz, albeit often sounding predictably like what you'd expect Prestige soul-jazz from this era to sound like. For Ebb Tide, Smith came right out and declared it in the liner notes: "I'm thinking more commercially and I don't care what the critics say." That meant covering soul hits like "Knock on Wood," "Stand By Me," and "The 'In' Crowd," presumably, in addition to throwing in standards like the title cut and "Summertime," as well as three Smith originals. So what does this critic say? Good job, Johnny! This is superior organ-soul-jazz with a feistier edge than much of the genre, evident right from the opening "The Sin-In," which has riffs worthy of a TV detective show and some fine stuttering keys from the leader. The feistiness in this combo is in large part down to drummer John Harris, who really bashes it out; on "Knock on Wood," for instance, he sounds rather more like a rock drummer than a jazz drummer. Prestige stalwart Houston Person is on hand with tenor sax, while Virgil Jones' trumpet lends the arrangements some good complementary color. In some respects this is more of the same as far as mid- to late-'60s soul-jazz goes, particularly in repertoire ("Summertime" certainly isn't the most imaginative cover choice), but there's a brash energy that makes it a cut or two above the norm for the genre. On the quartet session comprising Nasty, Smith was accompanied by a young John Abercrombie on guitar, Grady Tate on drums, and Prestige mainstay Houston Person on tenor sax. With the exception of "Unchained Melody," the musicians gave the tunes space, with all of the other five tracks clocking in at about seven to nine minutes. Yeah, in a sense it's more run-of-the-mill Prestige late-'60s soul-jazz: quite fine grooves, a dependable yet somewhat predictable house sound, and a reliance upon cover versions for much of the material (two-thirds of the songs, in this case). It's solidly executed, though, in a lean fashion that, to its credit, runs counter to the more excessive arrangements that were creeping into soul-jazz around this time. Smith hits a comely slow-burn groove on his version of Horace Silver's classic "Song for My Father," does a surprisingly swaggering and infectious job with the overdone "Unchained Melody," and gets down into his funkiest and bluesiest mode on the title cut, a nine-minute original composition. Review by Richie Unterberger

1. The Sin-In 4:20
2. Stand By Me 2:47
3. Knock On Wood 2:47
4. The Soulful Blues 7:25
5. Ebb Tide 2:46
6. Summertime 3:36
7. Gettin' Up 6:10
8. The "In" Crowd 3:15
9. If I Were A Bell 8:39
10. Song For My Father 7:19
11. Speak Low 6:43
12. Unchained Melody 3:48
13. Nasty 9:00
14. Four Bowls Of Soup 7:08

with Virgil Jones, Houston Person, Thornel Schwartz, Jimmy Lewis, John Harris, John Abercrombie, Grady Tate

 

[Babs]

Belated, Happy New Year!!!

My favorites...

Track #2...Live Like Horses
Track #4...If The River Can Bend
Track #6...Something About the Way You Look Tonight
Track #7...The Big Picture

One of my favorites from EJ & Bernie! :bow-blue:

 

[Dennie]

Experience Hendrix - The Best of -- CD

Jimi Hendrix

1998 Experience Hendrix/MCA Records

 

[Dennie]

Happy Sunday everyone... :banana-dance:

Good Dog Happy Man -- CD

Bill Frisell

1999 Nonesuch Records

Bill Frisell is like a chef or an alchemist. He brings together the characteristics and properties of diverse players to make one unique amalgam. With GOOD DOG HAPPY MAN, Frisell seeks the common ground between such musicians as bluegrass bassist Viktor Krauss, erstwhile New York downtown jazzbo keyboardist Wayne Horvitz, blue country steel guitarist Greg Liesz, and journeyman rock drummer Jim Keltner. What these very different players have in common is the inability to fit into easily defined categories or molds. Similarly, Frisell's own musical voice draws from all corners of American tradition.GOOD DOG is an album steeped in locale. It exudes a sense of place. Frisell's compositions range from subtle groove frameworks ("Big Shoe") to fragile ballads ("Rain, Rain"). The lone cover, a traditional "Shenandoah," features guest guitarist Ry Cooder. This album falls beautifully between the earthiness of Frisell's NASHVILLE album and the spontaneous combustion of GONE, JUST LIKE A TRAIN.

Track Listing
1. Rain, Rain
2. Roscoe
3. Big Shoe
4. My Buffalo Girl
5. Shenandoah (for Johnny Smith)
6. Cadillac 1959
7. Pioneers, The
8. Cold Cold Ground
9. That Was Then
10. Monroe
11. Good Dog, Happy Man
12. Poem for Eva

Personnel: Bill Frisell (acoustic & electric guitars, loops, music box); Ry Cooder (electric & Ripley guitars); Greg Leisz (pedal steel, lap steel, National steel & Weissenborn guitars, mandolin, dobro); Wayne Horvitz (piano, organ, samples); Viktor Krauss (bass); Jim Keltner (drums, percussion).Recorded at O'Henry Sound Studios, Burbank, California

 

[Dennie]

All We Are Saying... -- CD

Bill Frisell

2011 Savoy Jazz

Leave it to guitarist Bill Frisell and his core arsenal of veteran players—violinist Jenny Scheinman, bassist Tony Scherr, guitarist Greg Leisz and drummer Kenny Wollesen—to assemble a collection of John Lennon tunes that is contentious yet pacifistic, innovative yet accessible (a bit like Lennon himself). All We Are Saying is a proverbial rooftop performance; it’s an intelligent, no-frills presentation of the Lennon catalog, spiked with free-flowing Frisell Americana. The guitarist and company tour pivotal creative landmarks in Lennon’s career, from ragtag materialization of the early Beatles (a true-to-sound “Please Please Me”) to the tumultuous months preceding the band’s fallout. The liquid pace of Frisell’s sweeping delay pushes the disc onward, with texture added by Scheinman’s searing harmonics and Leisz’ dizzying, counter-melodic lap steel. Frisell ventures further from the straight-ahead as he approaches Lennon’s solo years (“Number 9 Dreams” and “Woman”). With a couple of exceptions—“Revolution” breathes crunchy electrified blues, and “Come Together” seethes with brusque Scheinman cuts and muddied garage undertones—this album is fluid and unassuming. For Frisell, it’s a lithe musical dream sequence, offering plenty of experimental space without straying too far. BY hilary brown

Track Listing
1. Across the Universe
2. Revolution
3. Nowhere Man
4. Imagine
5. Please Me Please
6. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
7. Hold On
8. In My Life
9. Come Together
10. Julia
11. Woman
12. Number 9 Dream
13. Love
14. Beautiful Boy
15. Mother
16. Give Peace a Chance

Personnel: Bill Frisell (guitar); Greg Leisz (acoustic guitar, steel guitar); Jenny Scheinman (violin); Kenny Wollesen (drums).Audio Mixer: Adam Mu€oz.Liner Note Author: Bill Frisell

 

[Dennie]

Unchained Melody - The Early Years -- CD

Leann Rimes

1997 Curb Records

One might assume that this 14-year-old Nashville phenomenon's EARLY YEARS would consist of recordings obtained from her mother's womb, but in fact LeAnn Rimes has been recording professionally since she was 11, when she made a regionally-distributed LP called AFTER ALL. The selections here, a group of "favorite songs" recorded before the release of her blockbuster BLUE (which made her a multi-platinum star at 13), find the singer in fine voice, full of the same self-possession and vocal ability that informs the material on BLUE.The 1930s chestnut "I Want To Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart" re-affirms Rimes' fondness for tradition and showcases her impressive yodeling abilities (let's see Garth try that). Elsewhere she ventures further afield, covering the Beatles ("Yesterday") and Dolly Parton ("I Will Always Love You"). Wherever the song takes Rimes, though, the one constant is the poise and character she brings to her singing. Whether she's updating Bill Monroe's classic "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" or neo-Nashville pop like "River Of Love," the little lady with the big voice proves she can make her presence felt in any context.

Track Listing
1. I Want To Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart
2. I Will Always Love You
3. Blue Moon Of Kentucky 3
4. River of Love
5. Rest Is History, The
6. Broken Wing
7. Yesterday
8. Sure Thing
9. Share My Love
10. Unchained Melody

Personnel: LeAnn Rimes (vocals); Johnny Mulhair (acoustic, electric & steel guitars); Jerry Matheny (electric guitar); Milo Deering (steel guitar); Chuck Rippey (fiddle); Whitney Mulhair (flute); Jimmy Kelly, Kelly Glenn, Mike Mclain (keyboards); Paul Goad (keyboards, bass); Bob Smith, Curtis Randall (bass); Brad Billingsley, Fred Gleber (drums); Ray Carl (harmonics); Crista Carnes, Kayla Powell, Lisa Criss, Joy Mckay, Perry Coleman (background vocals).Engineers: Johnny Mulhair, Mike Mclain, Greg Hunt.Recorded at Norman Petty Studios, Clovis, New Mexico; Mclain Studios, Dallas, Texas; Rosewood Studios, Tyler, Texas.

 

[Dennie]

I Saw The Light -- CD

Hal Ketchum

1998 Curb Records

Hal Ketchum got married shortly before releasing I SAW THE LIGHT, which is presumably why this album finds him shifting his focus from incisive, poetic songs to romantic musings. While Ketchum's voice is in fine form, the material here is less weighty lyrically and much glossier musically than his past work. The title track, a remake of Todd Rundgren's 1972 pop hit, is a countrified version, adding a little fiddle and steel guitar. "When Love Looks Back At You," a radio-ready single, seems similar in feel and plot to Ketchum's previous hit, "Sure Love."Several tracks are gritty rockers that provide a change of pace among the love songs. Standouts include "Too Many Memories," an eloquent meditation on lost love, with a soulful feel and a nifty B-3 organ part. "Love Me, Love Me Not," adds an accordion to the mix to great effect, and "For Tonight" features a terrific vocal performance

Track Listing
1. Girl Like You, A
2. I Saw the Light
3. Tell Me
4. Long Way Down
5. When Love Looks Back at You
6. Love Me, Love Me Not
7. Wave of Your Hand, A
8. Unforgiven, The
9. Too Many Memories
10. For Tonight
11. You'll Never Hurt That Way Again

Personnel includes: Hal Ketchum (vocals, acoustic guitar); Jason Wilber (acoustic & electric guitars); Richard Bennett (acoustic guitar); Brent Mason, J.T. Corenflos, Dann Huff, Stephen Bruton (electric guitar); Paul Franklin (steel guitar, dobro); Dan Dugmore (steel guitar); Aubrey Haney (mandolin, fiddle); Rob Hajacos (fiddle); Mike Utley (piano, Hammond B-3 organ); John Hobbs (piano, keyboards); Kevin McKendree (piano); Dennis Burnside (keyboards); Keith Carper (bass, background vocals); Glenn Worf (bass); Eddie Bayers, Chris Nieto (drums); Terry McMillan, Chris Searles (percussion); Dennis Wilson, Curtis Young, Liana Manis, Malford Milligan, Sir Harry Bowens, "Sweet Pea" Atkinson, Ashley Cleveland (background vocals).Principally recorded at Curb Studios, Nashville, Tennessee.