Jazz Articles about Various Artists

Various Artists: Yes Indeed! Women Vocalists on United

by Andrew Rowan
October 6, 2004

This curio is more a snapshot of the jazz-influenced and -inflected popular singing of the time than a reflection of state-of-the-art jazz singing. Too many undistinguished arrangements and corny horn effects push these sides too far to the blatantly commercial side of the ledger. Most recognized among these singers today, of course, is Della Reese for her television role in Touched By an Angel (although her achievement as the first black woman to host a talk show, Della ...

Various Artists: Justin Time For Christmas Four

by Jim Santella
October 5, 2004

As the year-end holiday season brings pleasant surprises, Justin Time's annual gift package delights the jazz collector as well as the jazz novice. It's all provided in the holiday spirit. The surprises on this fourth endowment include veteran renderings alongside several unique surprises.

Hank Jones offers a warm solo piano arrangement of “The Christmas Song" and pianist Oliver Jones skates through “Let it Snow" with merriment. Rob McConnell's Tentet displays its Christmas brass on a swingin' medley of ...

Various Artists: It's De Lovely: The Authentic Cole Porter Collection

by David Rickert
September 19, 2004

One of the criticisms of the movie De Lovely was that Cole Porter's music was sung by pop stars who weren't quite up to the task of interpreting his tunes. Bluebird has wisely issued an alternative to the soundtrack with It's De Lovely: The Authentic Cole Porter Collection, a compilation which features renditions of Porter tunes culled form the vast RCA Victor catalog, a lot of them done by people that helped make him famous.

There are some ...

Various Artists: Jazz For Couch Potatoes!

by Mark Sabbatini
August 18, 2004

Talk about benefiting from low expectations.

Maybe it's the thought of commercial smooth jazz emissary Chuck Loeb tackling the theme from “Gilligan's Island." Or a talent like saxophonist Eric Alexander stooping into “I Dream Of Genie." Or that Jazz For Couch Potatoes! even exists as a tribute to maybe our nation's most pathetic legal habit.

Loeb, a guitarist who assembles an all-star ensemble for this album, notes that show tunes are hardly a new thing in ...

Various Artists: The Colors Of Latin Jazz: Latin Jam!

by Mark Sabbatini
August 2, 2004

I can just hear the musicians: “An uninformed review? Oh, that's different."

Yeah, but this one's deliberate.

Sampler discs are rarely the best way to get acquainted with performers since they tend to feature radio-length songs aimed at the masses. But they're everywhere, usually at bargain prices in an effort to lure new buyers, so this review is being tackled in that spirit of ignorance.

Latin Jam!, the latest in Concord Records' The ...

Various Artists: Music From The Motion Picture De-Lovely

by Jim Santella
August 2, 2004

Featuring contemporary singers, De-Lovely honors the music that Cole Porter handed down to us many years ago. These are the songs that remain in your ear for days and months. Don't think that you'll come away from the movie theater with a clear head and steel emotions. Your head will be hearing the music from this film for a long time. “Night and Day" or “Just One of Those Things" will stay with you until you've managed to “overwrite" them ...

Drummers Collective: 25th Anniversary Celebration & Bass Day 2002

by John Kelman
July 21, 2004

The Drummers Collective, arguably the leading school for jazz drumming in the world, celebrated its 25th anniversary in '02, and thankfully Paul Siegel and Rob Wallis of Hudson Music were thereto record the event, featuring a wide range of drummers and styles. Mixing it in with the annual Bass Day celebration, the scope of the event was further broadened to include a host of fine bassists. Drummers Collective 25th Anniversary Celebration & Bass Day 2002 is a fine two-DVD collection ...