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Pat Petrillo: Contemporaneous
by Jack Bowers
Funk, fusion, blues and soul are the order of the day on drummer Pat Petrillo's recording, Contemporaneous, wherein he leads groups of various sizes, from septet to nonet, through their scrupulously designed paces and even plays every instrument (well, basically drums and percussion) on the album's anomalous title track (complete with “contemporaneous" voice-overs). Petrillo relies heavily on vigorous rock-based rhythms to undergird the enterprise, which may be pleasing to some listeners, displeasing to others. The verdict here ...
Continue ReadingZhengtao Pan Jazz Orchestra: Scenery in My Story
by Jack Bowers
Zhengtao Pan, born in Shanghai, China, less than twenty-five years ago, was already well-known as a designer of video games when he chose to move to Boston, MA, to study jazz composition at the Berklee College of Music. Scenery In My Story is Pan's debut recording as leader of his Jazz Orchestra, and as its title suggests, the music is personal and thematic, tracing in solicitous terms Pan's impactful voyage from Shanghai to Boston. Intimate, yes, but ...
Continue ReadingAmber Weekes: A Lady With a Song
by Katchie Cartwright
Irving Berlin wrote “Suppertime" (aka “Supper Time") for As Thousands Cheer (1933), a topical revue with several stars and many musical numbers. Ethel Waters introduced it, making history as the first African American woman to star on Broadway. Berlin wrote it specifically for Waters, who also sang his lighthearted “Heat Wave" in the show. “Suppertime" has a more serious story, told in the voice of a woman who--while making dinner--must find a way to tell her children that ...
Continue ReadingAmber Weekes: A Lady With a Song
by Richard J Salvucci
It is difficult to know exactly what to do with a recording like this. Amber Weekes is a very good singer, and from the outset, she calls this a “celebration" of Nancy Wilson, not an imitation or a recreation. You can hear Wilson's influence throughout: her articulation, occasional staccato delivery, deep sincerity and emotional heft come through in Weekes' recording. And a good recording it is, make no mistake. Anyone who enjoyed Wilson, or any good female vocalist, will enjoy ...
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