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Mike Pope: The Lay of the Land
by Alexander M. Stern
In a year that has already produced a number of excellent recordings, Mike Pope's The Lay of the Land may well be one of the best. It's certainly one of the most exciting new albums this reviewer has heard in a long time. Pope, who excels on both acoustic and electric bass, has surrounded himself with major label talent for this indie label release: both Randy and Michael Brecker make appearances, saxophonist Seamus Blake appears on two tracks; guitarist Mike ...
Continue ReadingMike Pope: The Lay of the Land
by Phil DiPietro
Mike Pope plays a mean piano. He's also a noted inventor, designing and building pre-amps for the boutique bass builders Fodera. But really he's a bassist; and not surprisingly, a skilled, er... pontif--icator on both electric and acoustic. He's also a fine mainstream jazz composer and has assembled an all-star cast of musicians here, including heavy hitters the Brecker Brothers, Mike Stern, Joe Locke, Jeff Tain" Watts and his doubling double John Patitucci to assist in expressing his vision. Bloomdaddy ...
Continue ReadingJoe Locke: Beauty Burning
by David Adler
Vibraphonist Joe Locke and pianist Frank Kimbrough have a developed a camaraderie that was well documented on 1999’s Saturn’s Child. Beauty Burning is the next chapter in that fruitful relationship, but this time bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Jeff Tain" Watts join the party. Guitarist Paul Bollenback also appears on three tracks. Kicking off the session with Chick Corea’s up-tempo Litha," Locke launches right into his furious lines and weaves them through the tune’s complicated form. His intensity remains at ...
Continue ReadingJoe Locke: Beauty Burning
by David Adler
Vibraphonist Joe Locke and pianist Frank Kimbrough have a developed a camaraderie that was well documented on 1999’s Saturn’s Child. Beauty Burning is the next chapter in that fruitful relationship, but this time bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Jeff Tain" Watts join the party. Guitarist Paul Bollenback also appears on three tracks. Kicking off the session with Chick Corea’s up-tempo Litha," Locke launches right into his furious lines and weaves them through the tune’s complicated form. His intensity remains at ...
Continue ReadingJoe Locke: Beauty Burning
by David A. Orthmann
On Beauty Burning, the fourteenth release under his own name, it's clear that vibraphonist Joe Locke was interested in making a good recording rather than merely providing a showcase for his own considerable talents. The disc is a thoughtful mixture of intimate, finely tuned ensemble playing and capable solos by the leader, pianist Frank Kimbrough, bassist Ray Drummond, drummer Jeff Tain" Watts, and guitarist Paul Bollenback. Recording shortly after the band (minus Bollenback) played an engagement in New York, their ...
Continue ReadingWalt Weiskopf: Anytown
by C. Andrew Hovan
Although popularity and critics polls speak much to the contrary, saxophonist and composer Walt Weiskopf is one of the most artistic and exceptional jazz musicians around. That he's gone as long as he has without receiving much notice by the jazz press or public at large is undeniably inexplicable. This fact is made even more confounding when one considers that the cerebral and explorative style he has pursued has made other men, such as Joe Lovano and Chris Potter, household ...
Continue ReadingFrank Kimbrough & Joe Locke: Saturn's Child
by Glenn Astarita
Saturn's Child is one of several new releases brought to you by the brand new modern jazz-based Omni Tone" label. Smart packaging, insightful liners and premium sound quality come to the forefront along with two splendid new releases by members of the red-hot"New York Jazz Composers Collective. Along with trumpeter Ron Horton's Genius Envy (see Nov '99 AAJ review) we are enamored with the absolutely stunning duet performances by much in demand vibraphonist Joe Locke and a man who seemingly ...
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