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Keystone Trio: Newklear Music
by Douglas Payne
Newklear Music is the second disc by this trio of pianist John Hicks, bassist George Mraz and drummer Idris Muhammad. The title, a pun on Sonny Rollins' nickname (which he earned in the 50s due to a likeness to famed Dodgers' pitcher Don Newcomb), suggests a dry tribute to the tenor sax great. ...
Joe Pass: Nuages
by Douglas Payne
Nuages is the second volume of material the late Joe Pass and his quartet performed at Yoshi's club in Oakland, California, in 1992. With the exception of bassist Monty Budwig (who died shortly after this recording), this is pretty much the same group that performed on Pass' renowned For Django album in 1963. ...
Yellowjackets: Blue Hats
by Douglas Payne
Fortunately, the Yellowjackets--and Blue Hats in particular '" prove that slick, contemporary jazz can be accessible and creative, interesting music too. More often than not, this quartet, featuring the wonderful Russell Ferrante on piano and synths, Jimmy Haslip on bass, Bob “Big-Band" Minzter on reeds and William Kennedy on drums, makes radio-friendly instrumental music that stands ...
Clifton Anderson: Landmarks
by Douglas Payne
After a dozen years playing in his uncle's band, 40-year-old trombonist Clifton Anderson steps out of the Sonny Rollins group for Landmarks , his Milestone debut. This is a nice, polished mainstream set which mixes some bop and ballads with a couple standards and (surprise, surprise) a fun calypso. Anderson has an all-star lineup, with Monty ...
Santana: Live at the Fillmore '68
by Douglas Payne
Live at the Fillmore '68 is an outstanding and welcome glimpse into the exciting musical invention of one of rock's most musically creative groups, Santana. It also offers much for jazz listeners to appreciate. At this point in the band's evolution it was called the Santana Blues Band and this quintet of young, talented and broad-minded ...
Antonio Hart: Here I Stand
by Douglas Payne
Young alto player Antonio Hart seems to have spiced up his reverence for Cannonball Adderley with the more peppery fire of Arthur Blythe. Not a bad combination, but Hart's Impulse debut still leaves something to be desired. There's no shortage of professional, competent performances here, and his quartet is equally capable. Even guests like trombonist Robin ...
Abercrombie / Wall / Nussbaum: Tactics
by Douglas Payne
Despite their popularity, organ trios have a bad reputation in jazz. Perhaps it's the greasy grooves, or the domination of too many heavy-handed B-3 players. Guitarist John Abercrombie got his start three decades ago in Johnny “Hammond" Smith's organ combo. But since then, he's shown he's anything but a stereotypical chord cruncher or fatback slinger. He's ...
The Tony Williams Lifetime: Spectrum: The Anthology
by Douglas Payne
Tony Williams's pioneering electric trio Lifetime made two stunning, yet imperfect records in the early 1970s in Emergency! and Turn It Over. A reflection of the turbulence of its times and the new attitudes that were being shaped, Lifetime began life as one of jazz's first all-star power trios: the brilliant Larry Young on organ, the ...
Various Artists: A Twist of Jobim
by Douglas Payne
This appropriately “smooth jazz" tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim is perhaps one of the best that's come out over the last few years. Like many of Jobim's records, it goes down like a smooth, relaxing drink. Producer, arranger and nominal leader guitarist Lee Ritenour has collected some fine talent, particularly frequent collaborator Dave Grusin, and crafted ...
Charlie Hunter Quartet: Natty Dread
by Douglas Payne
From the surprisingly successful Blue Note Cover Series comes this exceptional disc by multi-talented eight-string guitarist Charlie Hunter. The 29-year old Hunter has made a thankfully unpredictable choice “covering" Bob Marley's influential and popular 1974 reggae classic Natty Dread. Hunter, heard here in a quartet with an alto, tenor sax and drums, resists the urge toward ...
