Recording News

"Weird Al" Yankovic guitarist Jim Kimo West pays homage to Hawaii with sublime slack-key instrumentals

Source: Graham Taylor
December 1, 2011

As the longtime guitarist for Grammy-winning satirist "Weird Al" Yankovic, Jim Kimo West has heard a lifetime of good-natured laughter. However, West's own discography is light years apart from Yankovic's inventive and often hilarious pop-music parodies. In fact, West's latest solo record, Na Lani O Maui-Maui Skies, is even miles away from the mainland as he pays homage to the awe-inspiring beauty of Hawaii. But West's decision to beam the spotlight on Hawaii is not for superficial reasons; this isn't ...

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MoonJune Releases Two Voices: Boris Savoldelli and Copernicus

Source: Chris M. Slawecki
December 1, 2011

MoonJune announces two (very different) new releases

BORIS SAVOLDELLI: Insanology (CD) This is the reissue of Boris' breakthrough first solo release, originally distributed only in Italy, in 2007. “An arresting mix of painstakingly overdubbed vocals, human beatbox effects, African-inspired choral music, plus the odd visit to the world of Jimi Hendrix (an extraordinary version of 'Crosstown Traffic'), Insanology is a largely solo album (although two tracks feature tasty contributions from guitarist Marc Ribot) featuring the quite remarkable Italian ...

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Dave Schildkraut, Last Date, August 12, 1979

Source: Gapplegate Music Review by Grego Edwards
December 1, 2011

The fact that the name Dave Schildkraut doesn't always ring bells among the jazz cognoscenti constitutes one of the sad realities of jazz history. He appeared with a flourish on a Miles Davis Prestige session, Solar (on alto), in 1954. He played with some notables before and after that, and appeared as sideman on a few other records, but mostly was lost in a haze of obscurity. To me he epitomizes the “falling off the face of the earth" syndrome. ...

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Jurg Wickihalder European Quartet Feat. Irene Schweizer - Jump! (Intakt, 2011)

Source: Music and More by Tim Niland
December 1, 2011

The third release on Intakt by soprano saxophonist Jurg Wickihalder finds him in the company of the highly regarded pianist Irene Schweizer along with Fabian Gisler on bass and Michael Griener on drums, and they make for a formidable group. The spirit of Thelonious Monk seems to hang in the air as the group navigates five Wickihalder original compositions, all spirited and ripe with opportunity for the musicians to improvise. The group leads off with “Triple Rittberger Exercise" which really ...

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Blood, Sweat + Vinyl: Documenting 21st Century DIY

Source: HypeBot
December 1, 2011

Discussions of DIY and indie music often center around how to conduct business and build a livelihood without signing with a major label. However, as we all know, the DIY and indie ranks are full of people who play music because they have to and take care of business inasmuch as it facilitates their art. That approach is the focus of the documentary “Blood, Sweat + Vinyl: DIY in the 21st Century" and filmmaker Kenneth Thomas has done an excellent ...

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Lisbon Berlin Trio (Clean Feed, 2011) ****

Source: Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels
December 1, 2011

By Paul Acquaro Lisbon Berlin Trio starts with the scratching and scraping of picks across the coils of round wound electric guitar strings. Percussion rattles below and a bowed bass fills the space in between. The muted soundscape grows and soon the guitar is lashing out with distorted chord tones and a disjointed rock-ish melody. By the end of the tune, the song is far from where it began. While it seems like the ten minute long 'Hang Out With' ...

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Jay Vonada Trio to release new CD "Red Pajamas"

Source: Jay T. Vonada
December 1, 2011

The Jay Vonada Trio, based in State College PA, will release their debut CD Red Pajamas on January 21, 2012. The group consists of Jay Vonada on Trombone, Alex Sell on Organ and Kevin Lowe on the drums. The album will feature nine original compositions, seven by Vonada and one each by Sell and Lowe. The group is featured monthly at Zola New World Bistro in State College which has hosted musicians such as Dan Yoder, Rich Hirsch, Greg Johnson, ...

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Jimmy Owens: The Monk Project (IPO Recordings) Available January 3, 2012

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
December 1, 2011

Jimmy Owens—Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Wycliffe Gordon—Trombone, Marcus Strickland—Tenor Saxophone, Howard Johnson—Tuba, Baritone, Saxophone, Kenny Barron—Piano, Kenny Davis—Bass, Winard Harper—Drums NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Owens' debut as a leader on IPO features the legendary trumpeter/flugelhornist leading a stellar septet on a program of his own uniquely original arrangements of Thelonious Monk compositions that are deeply steeped in the feeling of the blues. Owens, who has been heard on countless big band and small group recordings as a virtuoso sideman—including exemplary work on ...

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