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Recording

Tastefulness and classiness of guitarist George J. Gilliam's new album lifts the spirit

Source: Lauren Rogers
October 12, 2011

The album title refers to guitarist George J. Gilliam's gentle touch. The playing on Gilliam's new album Steppin Lightly defines smooth; the icy coolness in which he handles his guitar delivers a spellbinding effect that doesn't fade even when the record has stopped playing. Clearly this was an album produced with not only a sense of purpose but veteran craftsmanship and spotless chemistry as well. Joined by bassist Donnell Lambert and drummer Donald Dean (the record is credited to the ...

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Recording

Second album from Mike Stockbridge solidifies reputation as one of East Coast's most promising guitarists

Source: Lauren Rogers
October 12, 2011

Just two albums into his recording career and Mike Stockbridge is solidifying his reputation as one of the East Coast's most promising jazz guitarists. Stockbridge's second effort, Ama, jolts the imagination with his inventive and compelling playing. Stockbridge released his self-titled debut in 2009; two years later, Ama finds Stockbridge gaining confidence and focus, creating a work of bold experimentation and stunning precision. Stockbridge's luminescent guitars on “One for Charlie" opens the record to mesmerizing effect. Duane Edwards' throbbing double ...

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Recording

Swedish Quintet of Progressive Rock Royalty Agents of Mercy To Release New Concept Album 'The Black Forest'

Source: Glass Onyon PR - Keith James
October 12, 2011

Sweden—Progressive rock aficionados across the globe are clamoring for the new release by the Swedish quintet of progressive rock royalty Agents of Mercy. The celebrated ensemble's third release, 'The Black Forest,' is a concept album; one 56-minute mega-tune of prog bliss edited into separate slices. Now you've heard the term 'concept' a million times, but the new album by Agents of Mercy takes the idiom to a higher level, all the while pushing the prog envelope to its extremes. 'The ...

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Recording

"Greatest Hits Live" Album and Successful U.S. Concert Tour Promises a New Day for Basia

Source: Great Scott P.R.oductions
October 12, 2011

New York, NY: Although she didn't play Newport or London, multi-platinum chanteuse Basia delighted American audiences from coast to coast during a successful 20-city concert tour that concluded in Seattle last week (October 5) with a sold-out show in support of her newly released From Newport to London: Greatest Hits Live—And More album. The month-long trek that visited major U.S. cities also registered sell-outs in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Sacramento and San Juan Capistrano. ...

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Recording

Dead Cat Bounce's "Chance Episodes:" Four Horns, Rhythm, and Matthew Steckler's Artistic Vision

Source: Gapplegate Music Review by Grego Edwards
October 12, 2011

Matt Steckler, driving force behind the ensemble Dead Cat Bounce, joins three other reed soloists and an actively charged rhythm section in a program of Steckler compositions. Chance Episodes (Cuneiform Rune 323) is the concretion of the session, so to speak, and is some kind of concretion at that! It's the dynamic of a tightly interactive sax quartet with bass and drums, playing some charts that have a modern ring to them (sometimes a la Elvin Jones' classic recordings with ...

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Recording

Darius Jones Trio - Big Gurl (Smell My Dream) (2011)

Source: Something Else!
October 12, 2011

Darius Jones might be the fastest rising star in the whack jazz world or at least, the fastest rising alto saxophonist within that realm.Man'ish Boy (A Raw And Beautiful Thing)) and a great, primal punk jazz album last year with Little Women, Jones solidified his position among the current crop of improvised music heavies earlier this year with his terrific duo record with Matthew Shipp, Cosmic Lieder. Given all that, his next solo record is bound to get more attention, ...

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Recording

Popa Chubby - Back to New York City (2011)

Source: Something Else!
October 12, 2011

This is a script-flipped blues rock, with a plugged-in emphasis on the rock part. Back to New York City, in many ways, is as loud as it is brash—a thundering restatement of Popa Chubby's outsized persona and even outer-sized personality. But peel away the scalding licks, and the stomping rhythms, and the braying vocals, and you find—like a beautiful wildflower pushing up through the cracks in a city sidewalk—these moments of touching, real-world lyricism. Chubby embraces the contraditions: “People look ...

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Recording

Saxman Richard Elliot Pays Tribute to His Jazz-Funk Influences on "In the Zone"

Source: Great Scott P.R.oductions
October 12, 2011

Icon celebrates 25 years as a solo artist; radio welcomes “Boom Town" Escondido, CA: A contemporary jazz giant whose power and passion have made the soulful saxophonist into one of the genres most consistent chart-toppers in the 25 years since he released his solo debut, Richard Elliot salutes the instrumental jazz-funk legends from his formative years in the 1970s & 80s that influenced his brand of music on In The Zone, which was released today by Artistry Music (Mack Avenue ...

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