Jazz Articles

like 176

Michael Kaeshammer: Kaeshammer

by C. Michael Bailey
October 14, 2011

It doesn't take a Charles Darwin to realize that the true evolutionary inheritors of Frank Sinatra's and Peggy Lee's brand of “popular" music were Elton John and Billy Joel, and not Harry Connick, Jr. or Michael Buble, the latter being more keepers of the flame than the former innovators. Had popular music not dissembled into the current confused concoction of country, rock and hip-hop, where might it have ended up? At the door of German/Canadian Michael Kaeshammer, that's where.

like 537

Michael Kaeshammer: Lovelight

by Raul d'Gama Rose
September 18, 2009

Michael Kaeshammer is an artist brimful with talent. Not only can he hold is own with some first-call pianists, but he can also play in a variety of styles and is well versed in the history of popular 20th century music. He is also a fine vocalist, with a slightly gravelly voice. He is well aware of his limited range, making use of it to squeeze emotion out of a song when required. He can also cast caution to the ...

like 271

Holly Cole: Romantically Helpless

by Mathew Bahl
April 1, 2001

The irony of this CD title is hard to miss. Holly Cole’s confident, smoky alto might convey dark humor or cautious optimism, painful regret or self-aware neurosis, but definitely not helplessness. Ms. Cole combines the modern, post-feminist attitude of the Lilith Fair crowd with the sophistication of a pre-rock interpretative singer.

Holly Cole has always been difficult to categorize. Jazz purists have never been taken with Ms. Cole’s eagerness to embrace contemporary music forms or her tendency to subvert material ...