Jazz Articles

Ben Crosland Quintet: The Ray Davies Songbook

by Roger Farbey
June 2, 2016

Given the number of hit songs Ray Davies has written over his years fronting The Kinks, it's astonishing that nothing like this CD has ever seen the light of a laser. There have been a myriad of Beatles tunes set to jazzy interpretations plus jazz covers of the music of other 1960s rock stars including Jimi Hendrix, (Gil Evans) and even The Rolling Stones (Joe Pass). A further example is found on the excellent, if slightly bizarre, Experiments With Pops ...

Jon Crosse: Kind Of Blue & Pink

by Michael P. Gladstone
September 28, 2006

This album is deja vu all over again! Saxophonist Jon Crosse, a Los Angeles-based musician for the past thirty years and a sax soloist for singer Paul Anka since 1983, has dedicated a part of his musical career towards jazz for children. Kind Of Blue & Pink, replete with a clever title pun, is cobbled together from previously released recordings. So what is really new here? We've heard nursury rhyme material from Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers ("Three Blind ...

Jon Crosse: Kind of Blue & Pink

by Jim Santella
August 9, 2006

What a terrific idea! Gather several jazz veterans in the studio and have them interpret songs from our childhood in a true straight-ahead jazz spirit.

These recordings were made in 1985 and '89. Carmen McRae sings three songs, joined by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard on two; pianist Clare Fischer joins the leader for nine selections; and several key Los Angeles rhythm sections add plenty of mainstream flavor.

Jon Crosse, a multi-instrumentalist who has served as Paul Anka's ...