Recording News

Traffic - John Barleycorn Must Die Deluxe Edition (Universal, 2011)

Source: Music and More by Tim Niland
March 28, 2011

When the rock 'n' roll band Traffic broke up for the first time in the late-1960's in the wake of Dave Mason's departure, keyboardist, guitarist and singer Steve Winwood began a solo project. When he needed help on the songs, he called upon his old mates, multi-instrumentalist Chris Wood and Jim Capaldi on drums and vocals for help. Soon a fully formed Traffic project had begun.

With this configuration, the band would delve much deeper into jazz and folk forms ...

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Forgotten Series: The JB Horns - Funky Good Time/Live (1993)

Source: Something Else!
March 28, 2011

By Nick DeRiso Maceo Parker—leader of the ferocious JB Horns, James Brown's band and musical backbone back in the day—once put it all in perspective, introducing a song from the stage: “We like to play two percent jazz ... and 98 percent funky stuff." The JBs later took off on their own, recording some terrific solo albums (altoist Parker's aforementioned “Life on Planet Groove," baritone saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis' “Blues Mission," bone player Fred Wesley's “Comme Si, Comme Sa"). Lost ...

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Recent Listening: A Bill Dixon Rarity

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
March 28, 2011

Bill Dixon, Intents and Purposes (International Phonograph). Dixon, who died last year at 84, is typically described as a force in the free jazz that emerged in the1960s. He was that, but Intents and Purposes defied labeling when Dixon recorded it more than four decades ago. This long overdue reissue confirms that the album withstands categorization. Its daring and forthright iconoclasm has substance that outlives much music that was conceived in protest or defiance in the roiling atmosphere of that ...

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CD Release: Dave Le Febvre, From Soul To Soul

Source: Jeff Rzepiela Public Relations
March 28, 2011

Dave Le Febvre's new CD release, From Soul to Soul, features original straight-ahead and Latin jazz compositions performed by his quintet. Dave performs on tenor saxophone and EWI with Jean Michel Huré on guitar, Murray Low on piano, Dan Feiszli on bass and Curt Moore on drums. From Soul to Soul may be purchased online through CDBaby.com and Amazon.com beginning April 1, 2011. Jazz saxophonist and composer Dave Le Febvre (pronounced “Le Fay" in the US) has performed throughout California, ...

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Charles Mingus Complete 1960 Nat Hentoff Sessions (Solar Records, 2011)

Source: Music and More by Tim Niland
March 27, 2011

When the great bassist and composer Charles Mingus recorded the albums included in this collection for the Candid label in 1960 he was arguably at the peak of his powers. Beginning with the epochal album Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus that takes up most of disc one, he instructs the band to play a mock live set, recorded in an empty studio with a pianoless quartet featuring Eric Dolphy on alto saxophone and bass clarinet, Ted Curson on trumpet and ...

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Paul Simon - The Essential Paul Simon (2007)

Source: Something Else!
March 27, 2011

By Mark Saleski Paul Simon's career has something that is becoming quite rare in the entertainment world: longevity. Yes, the songs on this collection span over three decades. During that time period our culture, the music biz, and Simon himself have seen great changes. So has every one of us. For instance, at the beginning of this thirty year period, I could not have been called a Paul Simon fan. I had no use for Simon and Garfunkel and considered ...

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Michael Feinberg - With Many Hands (2011)

Source: Something Else!
March 27, 2011

Yesterday, Atlanta, GA bassist Michael Feinberg put out his second album, With Many Hands, a part of a quiet revolution taking place in jazz today. The twenty-somethings like Feinberg and his band who are plying their trade in this hallowed American institution of jazz didn't grow up listening to only Armstrong, Parker and Davis records. Like everyone else of their generation, they filled their ears with heaping helpings of alt rock, hip hop, electronica and ethnic fusion. The best of ...

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For a Good Time Call John Pizzarelli... (Part 2)

Source: Groove Notes
March 27, 2011

...And for good eats call his Aunt Vera. Recently we posted part 1 of a discussion between musician John Pizzarelli, KPLU jazz host Dick Stein, and Seattle Times food blogger Nancy Leson, and now it is time for part 2. By Dick Stein CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW What a great time Nancy and I had hanging out with Pizzarelli and talking about food, food movies and his aunt Vera's cooking— immortalized in song in this segment. One ...

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