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Neal Hefti: The Band Years
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Hearing Neal Hefti: Forever in Time, a newly released double-CD from the U.K.'s Jasmine label, reminded me how superb Hefti was in the 1950s as a composer, arranger and conductor of his own studio orchestras. Most of these dates were of the jazz-pop, dance-band ilk, with an emphasis on clever melodic hooks, patient swing and sectional punch. And the musicians in the bands he assembled for recording were the cream of the studio scene. For example, on Hefti Hot 'N ...
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Crooner Russ Lorenson’s “in The Holiday Spirit”, A New And Swingin’ Classic Christmas Album, To Be Released November 6
Source:
RL Productions
Russ Lorenson, often called “San Francisco’s Favorite Crooner,” is releasing In The Holiday Spirit, which teams his warm voice with The Kelly Park Big Band. The new CD balances swinging “up” tunes with tender ballads, while consistently emphasizing the joy and fun of the holiday season. If you grew up listening to the Christmas albums of the classic crooners—Sinatra, Dino, Tony Bennett—no doubt you still pull out those holiday albums every year. And, at least once as you listen to ...
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Mose Allison: Live in California
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
If there's an artistic link between jazz and blues-rock, then Mose Allison is one of the early bridges. In the late 1950s and early '60s, the jazz pianist from Tippo, Miss., had a remarkably casual, original blues style that touched many rockers. Mose's singing voice was just as seductive as his playing—more hick poet than bop or pop crooner, and his original songs expressed a witty, off-key rural restlessness that called life as he saw it. Though Mose's songs have ...
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Revisiting a crossover classic
Source:
Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes
Forty years ago, pianist Claude Bolling shook up the jazz and classical music worlds a bit with his Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio recording with flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal. It was one of the first true crossover recordings between the two musical styles. The public loved it—since it spent 530 weeks (more than 10 years) on Billboard’s classical charts after rapidly topping out at #1. Fast forward from 1975 to 2015. With Bolling’s blessing – and an admonition ...
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Bill Evans: In the Wild
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
The best Bill Evans recordings were made live without his knowledge or in Europe. In both cases, he was most loose and lyrical, taking risks with his art to elevate piano pieces to impossibly higher melodic and harmonic standards. I should point out that in my opinion, there are no bad Evans albums, just great and superb. But for me, there is another level even higher—poetically perfect. Many of Evans' great albums and even some of his superb ones have ...
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Virtuoso Flutist Lori Bell Returns With 9th Studio Album On January 15, 2016
Source:
1888 Media
Brooklyn Dreaming Is An Homage To Brooklyn/New York City Renditions of Classics By Monk, Mingus and Earle Hagen Quartet Includes Pianist Tamir Hendelman, Bassist Katie Thiroux and Drummer Matt Witek A flutist and composer of admirable depth and broad musical sympathies, Brooklyn native Lori Bell has contributed to the development of higher standards of performance while earning acclaim from both peers and critics for her artistry on stage and in recordings. Now in the third decade of her acclaimed career, ...
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Red Piano Records To Release "Familiar Places", The Debut Recording From Pianist/Composer Dan Kaufman
Source:
Jason Byrne, Red Cat Publicity
Red Piano Records To Release Familiar Places, The Debut Recording From Pianist/Composer DAN KAUFMAN Available on November 6, 2015 CD Release Celebration - November 2 at Smalls Jazz Club, NYC Brooklyn-based Red Piano Records is proud to announce the release of Familiar Places from pianist/composer Dan Kaufman. This album marks Kaufman's debut as a leader, with a stellar line-up featuring Johnathan Blake on drums, Gilad Hekselman on guitar, Matt Clohesy on bass, Sam Sadigursky on saxophones and Keita Ogawa on ...
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George Shearing: Late '60s
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
So much of George Shearing's extensive Capitol catalog is disappointing. I'm not complaining about Shearing's playing, which was mostly lively and thoughtful. Rather, it's the unevenness of his individual albums during this period and from one album to the next. It's almost as if the suits at Capitol had no clue what sounded good and what sounded lousy. For example, Burnished Brass in 1958 is good while Satin Brass, which came next in '59, is an auto accident of blaring ...
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