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Geof Bradfield: Birdhoused
by Dan McClenaghan
A horn-fest? That was the initial impression of saxophonist Geof Bradfield's Birdhoused, a set featuring a quintet with no chording instrument and four horn front line in a live set at the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge. While Bradfield's Melba (Origin Records, 2013) paid tribute to the under-sung trombonist/composer/arranger Melba Liston; and his Roots (Origin Records, 2015) ...
Orbital Quintet: Vol. 1
by Troy Dostert
On its debut album, the Northern California-based Orbital Quintet offers eight intriguing tracks that avoid the clichés of standard blowing sessions, embracing instead the more subtle pleasures of mood and texture. With four compositions by guitarist David Wright, one each by bassist Benjamin Lee and trumpeter John Harrington, and a couple of freely improvised pieces, there's ...
Vanessa Collier: Meeting My Shadow
by James Nadal
During the golden age of rhythm and blues, the saxophonist, who often doubled on vocals, was the leader of the band, and the star of the show. Fast forward, and we find Vanessa Collier who is all of the above, and also a genuine quadruple threat. With an honored degree from Berklee, and having spent several ...
Larry Wilson: No Secrets No Lies
by Geannine Reid
Larry Wilson is a native of Cleveland, Ohio but was raised Jacksonville, Florida. He began his love affair with music at the tender age of three playing the drums in church. Unless you are fortunate enough to already know about Wilson, you'd never guess he is a young man that has just released his debut album, ...
Country Joe McDonald: 50
by Doug Collette
Unlike so many a romanticized recognition of the past in this year that marks half a decade since the so-called 'Summer of Love," Country Joe McDonald's 50 is a celebration of the passage of time. And this is a crucial distinction the former leader of The Fish articulates on this album in all manner of ways.
Amok Amor: We Know Not What We Do
by Glenn Astarita
When these gents run amok it's largely controlled, spiced with massive quantities of mind-bending narratives, crazily executed pulses and split-second paradigm shifts. You can also think of a welterweight boxer landing rapid flurries, stinging uppercuts and roundhouse knockout blows as they punch out these works with the greatest of ease, shaded with ominous intentions.
Slade: Slade Alive!
by C. Michael Bailey
In 1972, when Slade Alive! was released, I didn't know my ass from a hole in the ground about music, but I did know that anytime “In Like a Shot From My Gun" and “Darling Be Home Soon" played on KAAY's ("the Mighty 1090") late Friday night Beeker Street, hosted by Clyde Clifford, it ground my ...
Olie Brice Quintet: Day After Day
by John Eyles
Three years on from the debut album by the Olie Brice Quintet, Immune to Clockwork (Multikulti Project, 2014), comes the follow-up, Day after Day. Despite the unchanged band name, the intervening years have brought changes; not only has the band switched record labels from Multikulti to Babel, tenor saxophonist Mark Hanslip has been replaced by George ...
Kevin Hays / Lionel Loueke: Hope
by Karl Ackermann
New York/Paris-based Newvelle Records, the vinyl-only subscription label, is well into its second season of six planned releases. The second of these albums is the Kevin Hays and Lionel Loueke duo outing, Hope. Pianist Hays plays with his namesake trio as well as the Bill Stewart Trio and has worked with Sonny Rollins, Benny Golson, Ron ...
Brian McCarthy Nonet: The Better Angels of Our Nature
by Karl Ackermann
Brian McCarthy's The Better Angels of Our Nature shares some common ground with Ted Nash whose Big Band collection Presidential Suite (Eight Variations on Freedom) (Motema Music, 2016) explored musical interpretations of great historical speeches including those of John F. Kennedy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan and Lyndon B. Johnson. McCarthy's focus is inspirited by American ...
