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Mark Winkler: Late Bloomin' Jazzman
by Edward Blanco
Veteran singer, platinum-selling lyricist and songwriter Mark Winkler delivers his twentieth album as leader, Late Bloomin' Jazzman, beginning with a George Gershwin standard, ending with a Gershwin tribute and, in between, presenting romantic ballads, a bit of swing and a touch of bossa. An educator at UCLA who teaches the art of songwriting, Winkler brings this remarkable talent to the fore on this album, providing his own lyrics to seven of the twelve songs which he suddenly realized “talk about ...
read moreMark Winkler: Late Bloomin' Jazzman
by Richard J Salvucci
Anyone who can hold their own on a stage on in a studio with Cheryl Bentyne cannot be all bad, right? Even if one's taste runs more to Harry Connick, Jr than to Mark Murphy, it is difficult not to get seriously into Mark Winkler. Oh, he can sing, for sure, but even if he could not carry a tune, he is a lyricist for the ages. Not all ages, mind you. But for those of a certain age, sensibility, ...
read moreMark Winkler: Old Friends
by C. Michael Bailey
The appeal of singer and lyricist Mark Winkler is not that he has an outstanding vocal instrument. Rather, it is uniquely unique; easily identifiable. Winkler has what Broadway composers once called a “lyricist's voice." It is a voice of a song writer that is honest and genuine and that is where Winkler gets to the listener. A serious artist, he never sounds as if he takes himself too seriously (much like Dean Martin). And, therein lies his charm. Winkler's voice ...
read moreBailey’s Bundle: Holiday Edition
by C. Michael Bailey
This edition of my Christma holiday release reviews began this January with two recordings that I missed. There are always worthy holiday recordings released every year and 2020 has been no exception. The Archaic Corner Gothic Voices Nowell synge we bothe al and som: A Feast of Christmas Music in Medieval England Linn Records 2019 In 1981, the vocal ensemble Gothic Voices released their debut recording A Feather on the Breath ...
read moreDavid Benoit: Conversation
by Jeff Winbush
If a touch of grey makes a man look distinguished, his full head of hair gone grey makes David Benoit positively aristocratic. The knock on Benoit is he makes music that is pleasant yet not memorable and, at times, is dismissed as being lightweight. It's time to reassess that somewhat harsh appraisal as time has been kind to Benoit, as his playing grows stronger and his ideas more interesting.Benoit makes it look effortless, but Conversation works hard at ...
read moreDavid Benoit: Earthglow
by Woodrow Wilkins
Having emerged at a time when many smooth jazz artists seemed to be in competition to sound alike, David Benoit has always been able to distinguish himself. The pianist has earned five Grammy nominations, and has successfully moved from orchestral to jazz to pop, sometimes mixing all three with other sounds. Those other sounds include Latin and Brazilian, which are woven into the tapestry of Earthglow. Accompanying Benoit is a varied supporting cast that includes trumpeter Rick Braun, ...
read moreDavid Benoit: Jazz for Peanuts
by Woodrow Wilkins
The symbiotic relationship between pianist David Benoit and Peanuts has been a blessing for fans of both the animated series and jazz. It began in the mid-1980s with Benoit's popular cover of Vince Guaraldi's “Linus and Lucy," the ever-present theme in the Charlie Brown cartoons. Since then, the pianist has produced several tributes to the music of Peanuts, and for 10 years he's composed original music for the specials on CBS television.Jazz for Peanuts - A Retrospective of ...
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