Articles by Mitchell Seidel

Manhattan Ragtime Orchestra: Euphonic Sounds

by Mitchell Seidel
December 7, 2004

If you have a desire to really discover some of the main roots of jazz, the Manhattan Ragtime Orchestra is a good place to start. Clarinetist Orange Kellin's ensemble performs the music in authentic ragtime style, giving listeners an idea as to what it must have been like to hear it as it was originally intended. Few, if any, liberties are taken with the repertoire, and the members of this band are extremely familiar with the style. Pianist ...

Bob Dorough: Sunday at Iridium

by Mitchell Seidel
December 6, 2004

One of the most pleasant events in recent New York jazz history was the return of singer-pianist Bob Dorough, who performs regularly for the Sunday brunch crowd at Iridium. Mavens and middle-aged cogniscenti know him as one of the great '50s and '60s hipster singer-songwriters, while those of a slightly younger generation know him for ABC-TV's Schoolhouse Rock from the '70s and '80s. His latest Arbors release is a natural: a set of music during two of his ...

A Jazzy Christmas with Sinatra, Reeves, and Justin Time

by Mitchell Seidel
December 2, 2004

Various Artists Justin Time for Christmas Four Justin Time

Justin Time's label celebration of the holiday season is fairly straight ahead renditions of Christmas music that you can safely put on the stereo when non-jazz company's visiting without fear of offending. Vocalist Carmen Lundy's “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is the party you want to be at for a good time. Johanne Blouin's “Sainte Nuit (Silent Night)", with Vic Vogel on piano, ...

Scott Robinson: Jazz Ambassador

by Mitchell Seidel
November 2, 2004

Looking at Scott Robinson, with his large glasses, high forehead and generally owlish countenance, you might take him for some sort of scientist. Interestingly enough, that's not far from the truth. In fact, one of the New Jersey resident's latest endeavors involves converting his two-car garage to what he hopes will be a “sonic laboratory" for rehearsals and various recording projects. “I've always, deep down thought of myself as a kind of mad scientist type, so I've ...

Clark Terry: Having Fun

by Mitchell Seidel
October 25, 2004

At a time in life when most musicians would be cutting back and enjoying elder statesman status, there seems to be no stopping trumpet and flugelhorn giant Clark Terry. He helped celebrate the Newport Jazz Festival's 50th anniversary in August, and followed that up last month with a week at the Blue Note in New York with guest vocalist Jon Hendricks. Following that, it was off to Washington, D.C. for the Thelonious Monk Institute's vocal competition. Not bad for someone ...

Leroy Williams: Time Is

by Mitchell Seidel
October 6, 2004

At 67, the precocious Leroy Williams is prepared to unleash his talents as a leader on the music world. Williams, a wonderfully melodic drummer who has been playing around New York for decades, always seems to be an important part of someone else's group. Hopefully, this album will alert folks to his talents. For his debut effort he has assembled a stirling group of people who know how to--as the old report card said--play well with others. Guitarist ...

Sir Charles Thompson

by Mitchell Seidel
September 3, 2004

The world of jazz is filled with royalty. Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman and Benny Carter were all dubbed “King" at one point or another, of jazz, swing and just plain, respectively. Ellington was Duke, Hines was an Earl and Basie held two titles, that of Count and King. When he was barely out of his teens, pianist Charles Phillip Thompson was dubbed “Sir." “They call me 'Sir Charles,'" he said backstage between sets during a recent gig at ...

Benny Carter: Sax ala Carter!

by Mitchell Seidel
July 25, 2004

This album represents just a small facet of Benny Carter's musical activity during the '50s and '60s, a good deal of which was occupied by writing and arranging in Hollywood. Nevertheless, Carter always seemed to be involved in a number of projects, this 1960 release being just one.

Accompanied by a first-rate trio of Jimmy Rowles (piano), Leroy Vinnegar (bass) and Mel Lewis (drums), the “King" tackled a collection of fairly familiar tunes on a then-United Artists album in 1960. ...

Howard Alden/Bucky Pizzarelli: In a Mellow Tone

by Mitchell Seidel
July 25, 2004

Good taste never goes out of style and knows no demographic, as this delicate album by two masters of the seven-string demonstrates. The 45-year old Alden and the 77-year old Pizzarelli may be a generation apart, but they are certainly cut from the same cloth.

A great example of how their comping and strumming styles mesh so effortlessly is heard on “Tangerine," where they trade back and forth like one guitarist overdubbed on two tracks. “Cherokee" starts with a tom-tom-inspired ...

Pete Malinverni

by Mitchell Seidel
July 10, 2004

Pete Malinverni readily admits that when he was six years old, the thought of taking piano lessons “was a cool idea." “But it wasn't that long after that that I started to kind of battle my folks, unfortunately. But they prevailed, and, of course, I'm thankful," he added. “I guess I showed a certain amount of talent, but it's hard for a kid to really want to do it from the get-go." “To play ...