Shirley Johnson
Blues Attack (Delmark DE 798)
“Raised in the church but evidently born to sing the blues, Shirley Johnson belts like a spiritual daughter of Koko Taylor, flexing her husky voice on ballads and up-tempo love songs, hitting gravel when she reaches for a higher note or pushes her volume." -Ted Drozdowski, PULSE! from a review of Shirley's first Delmark CD Killer Diller (Delmark 757). Shirley is back with that same blend of traditional good-rockin' Chicago blues, smoldering R&B, and poppin' soul. Almost all of the 14 songs on Blues Attack are new original compositions by various musicians on the CD and also great covers of classics “Unchain My Heart" and “634-5789".
Red Holloway
Go Red Go (Delmark DE 585) featuring Chris Foreman and George Freeman
Red Holloway is one of the greatest tenor sax players in the history of jazz, period. There's an upper echelon of players like Cannonball, Golson, Moody, Stitt, Griffin and, of course, Red. The ageless Red is unbelievably in his early 80’s now, so it would be impossible to review his career in one short paragraph. Let's just say on Go Red Go, Holloway returns home to Chicago where he grew up and gets down with some good, greasy organ combo music. Wonderful accompaniment from Chris Foreman, Hammond B3 organ, George Freeman, guitar and Greg Rockingham, drums. Great blend of straight ahead jazz, blues and ballads.
Rob Mazurek Quintet
Sound Is (Delmark DE 586)
Jazz cornetist Rob Mazurek consistently pushes beyond the expectations of his listeners, drawing together ideas out of sound, personalities out of space, and fusing color and light into the tones of his music. The debut record of this new quintet, featuring John Herndon on drums (Tortoise, the For Carnation), Matthew Lux on bass guitar (Isotope 217, Iron and Wine) Josh Abrams on acoustic bass (Town and Country, Black Earth Ensemble) and Jason Adasiewicz on vibes (Loose Assembly, Rolldown) pulls together an astounding array of personalities into a seamless and effervescent whole. Sound Is features 14 new Mazurek compositions.
Garvin Bushell & Friends
One Steady Roll (Delmark DE 250)
Jazz clarinetist Garvin Bushell's 1988 autobiography is rightly titled “Jazz From the Beginning". Bushell recorded with great pianists — James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Willie “The Lion" Smith, Jelly Roll Morton — and with important swing orchestras, such as those led by Fletcher Henderson, Cab Calloway and Chick Webb. In mid-century Bushell recorded with many of the period's greatest jazz names, including John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Gil Evans, and King Curtis. This 1982 session features Garvin Bushell, clarinet, bassoon; Richard Hadlock, soprano sax; Ray Skjelbred, piano; Stu Wilson, bass; John Markham, drums; Leon Oakley, cornet; Barbara Lashley, vocals on 3 songs.
Blues Attack (Delmark DE 798)
“Raised in the church but evidently born to sing the blues, Shirley Johnson belts like a spiritual daughter of Koko Taylor, flexing her husky voice on ballads and up-tempo love songs, hitting gravel when she reaches for a higher note or pushes her volume." -Ted Drozdowski, PULSE! from a review of Shirley's first Delmark CD Killer Diller (Delmark 757). Shirley is back with that same blend of traditional good-rockin' Chicago blues, smoldering R&B, and poppin' soul. Almost all of the 14 songs on Blues Attack are new original compositions by various musicians on the CD and also great covers of classics “Unchain My Heart" and “634-5789".
Red Holloway
Go Red Go (Delmark DE 585) featuring Chris Foreman and George Freeman
Red Holloway is one of the greatest tenor sax players in the history of jazz, period. There's an upper echelon of players like Cannonball, Golson, Moody, Stitt, Griffin and, of course, Red. The ageless Red is unbelievably in his early 80’s now, so it would be impossible to review his career in one short paragraph. Let's just say on Go Red Go, Holloway returns home to Chicago where he grew up and gets down with some good, greasy organ combo music. Wonderful accompaniment from Chris Foreman, Hammond B3 organ, George Freeman, guitar and Greg Rockingham, drums. Great blend of straight ahead jazz, blues and ballads.
Rob Mazurek Quintet
Sound Is (Delmark DE 586)
Jazz cornetist Rob Mazurek consistently pushes beyond the expectations of his listeners, drawing together ideas out of sound, personalities out of space, and fusing color and light into the tones of his music. The debut record of this new quintet, featuring John Herndon on drums (Tortoise, the For Carnation), Matthew Lux on bass guitar (Isotope 217, Iron and Wine) Josh Abrams on acoustic bass (Town and Country, Black Earth Ensemble) and Jason Adasiewicz on vibes (Loose Assembly, Rolldown) pulls together an astounding array of personalities into a seamless and effervescent whole. Sound Is features 14 new Mazurek compositions.
Garvin Bushell & Friends
One Steady Roll (Delmark DE 250)
Jazz clarinetist Garvin Bushell's 1988 autobiography is rightly titled “Jazz From the Beginning". Bushell recorded with great pianists — James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Willie “The Lion" Smith, Jelly Roll Morton — and with important swing orchestras, such as those led by Fletcher Henderson, Cab Calloway and Chick Webb. In mid-century Bushell recorded with many of the period's greatest jazz names, including John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Gil Evans, and King Curtis. This 1982 session features Garvin Bushell, clarinet, bassoon; Richard Hadlock, soprano sax; Ray Skjelbred, piano; Stu Wilson, bass; John Markham, drums; Leon Oakley, cornet; Barbara Lashley, vocals on 3 songs.
