Jazz Articles

Garage a Trois: Emphasizer

by AAJ Staff
November 2, 2003

Three of the four players in Garage a Trois are West Coasters, which helps explain the free-wheeling home-brewed funk that pervades Emphasizer. It's only appropriate that New Orleans also make its contribution in the form of drummer Stanton Moore, a viciously adept guardian of the groove. The year-old addition of percussionist/vibraphonist Mike Dillon represents an upgrade on the original Trois of guitarist Charlie Hunter, saxophonist Skerik, and drummer Moore (who together recorded the Mysteryfunk EP in 1999).

Whenever ...

Garage a Trois: Emphasizer

by Mark Corroto
May 7, 2003

When was the last time you had fun listening to a jazz record?

I’m not talking about the seriousness of the neo-conservative suit-and-tie hard bopper syndrome, people who perform the “listen to this music, it’s good for you” kind. Nor the avant “we don’t expect (want) you to understand or actually like our stuff” kind.

I mean the type of music you would make if you were a musician yourself. Music that draws from ...

Susan Tedeschi: Wait For Me

by Charlie B. Dahan
December 8, 2002

Listeners who preferred the rawer, rougher edge of Susan Tedeschi’s last release, Just Won’t Burn, might not enjoy her new record, but don't give up on her so fast. True, with success comes a new light shined on your work that demands you equal something you didn’t imagine would happen in the first place. Then again, Tedeschi’s approach on Wait For Me is the right one. Tedeschi doesn’t try and emulate verbatim the sound and feel of Just Won’t Burn, ...

The Love Dogs: New Tricks

by Ed Kopp
October 1, 2000

The Love Dogs are eight fun-loving musicians from Boston who use Louis Jordanesque jump blues as a launching pad to other realms, including R&B, rock 'n roll and jazz. The Dogs' sound is fueled by a talented four-piece sax section augmented by vocals, piano, bass, drums and guitar. New Tricks is the band's third and most wide-ranging release. Besides jump blues, the Dogs dabble in New Orleans funk ("Northband Train"), wacked-out zydeco ("Watch That Dog"), '50s R&B (Ray ...

Bernard Allison: Across the Water

by Ed Kopp
August 1, 2000

Guitarist-vocalist Bernard Allison has inherited his father's energetic stage presence as well as his large European fan base. (Like his legendary father the late Luther Allison, Bernard lives in France.) Allison follows up his acclaimed American debut Keepin' the Blues Alive (1997) with a slicker, more mainstream effort clearly targeted at a bigger audience.Bernard's last album reflected his years of training at the feet of his dad, his former bandleader Koko Taylor, and his pals Stevie Ray Vaughan ...

Rick Holmstrom: Gonna Get Wild

by Ed Kopp
March 1, 2000

To these ears, Rick “L.A. Holmes" Holmstrom's Lookout! was one of the best blues albums of the '90s. I marked this follow-up on my calendar the moment I heard about it. Happy to report the Mighty Flyers guitarist has done it again, but with a twist: “Holmes" sings on this one -- and he's pretty damn good!Holmstrom and 17 stellar musicians radiate plenty of energy on Gonna Get Wild, a collection of 13 originals that are as rowdy ...

Toni Lynn Washington: Good Things

by Ed Kopp
February 1, 2000

Toni Lynn Washington sings no-nonsense R&B for discerning adults. You won’t find any needless vocal gymnastics, puerile posturing or annoying electronic effects on this lady's recordings – just soulful, mature songs from a savvy singer and her accomplished horn-based band.Washington is known as Boston’s queen of the blues, but she’s less a blues belter than a refined R&B vocalist similar in style to Irma Thomas and Ruth Brown, two singers blessed with somewhat stronger voices. Washington may not ...

Paul Rishell and Annie Raines: Moving to the Country

by Ed Kopp
September 1, 1999

Paul Rishell (guitars) and Annie Raines (harmonicas and mandolin) are two of the most talented instrumentalists playing traditional blues today. For their superb first full album as a duo, I Want You to Know (1995), the Bostonians infused their music with various electric touches. Moving to the Country continues this trend, but not at the expense of tradition.This second release again finds the pair playing ageless tunes by various blues pioneers (Jim Jackson, Memphis Minnie, Bo Carter, Leadbelly, ...

Rod Piazza and The Mighty Flyers: Here and Now

by Ed Kopp
September 1, 1999

Rod Piazza and The Mighty Flyers won the 1999 W.C. Handy Award for Blues Band of the Year. Since the Handy Awards are the blues equivalent of the Grammy's, the award was no small honor for the Los Angeles quintet.The Flyers swing out in classic West Coast style, and anybody who has caught this band live can attest to their musicianship. Rod Piazza is a top-flight harpist, wife Honey Piazza may be the best boogie pianist in blues ...

Susan Tedeschi: Just Won't Burn

by Ed Kopp
August 1, 1999

If you think white people can't sing the blues, you haven't heard 28-year-old Boston native Susan Tedeschi. Tedeschi is an immensely talented vocalist who's often compared to Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt, and rightfully so. Her singing is emotionally charged and very engaging on this major label debut.

It doesn't hurt that Tedeschi plays a mean guitar or that her band is a crack bunch, especially when 18-year-old guitar prodigy Sean Costello steps to the fore. Just Won't Burn is ...