Home » Search Center » Results: Elliott Simon
Results for "Elliott Simon"
Ed Reed: The Song Is You
by Elliott Simon
Ed Reed is a storyteller, one who pours both his heart and nearly 80 years of life experiences--which include vocal studies with Charles Mingus, time in the army and a drug addiction that landed Reed in prison on four separate occasions--into a phrase. On his recent first recording, Love Stories (2007), he debuted a lush tone ...
Piers Lawrence Quartet: Stolen Moments
by Elliott Simon
It's the overall creamy texture of the sound and the effortless vibe created by guitarist Piers Lawrence that makes Stolen Moments such an enjoyable listen. This is one together quartet whose mastery of group dynamics captures your attention right away with a short but effervescent rendering of Sonny Rollins' “Pent-Up House." Lawrence, who is a fluid ...
Jostein Gulbrandsen: Twelve
by Elliott Simon
While guitarist Jostein Gulbrandsen may hail from Norway, he and his quartet appear very much at home in this debut that has a decided downtown edge. At the heart of Twelve is a contorted bluesy post-bop that makes wonderful use of complex rhythms and slicing tenor sax courtesy of Jon Irabagon. Both Gulbrandsen and Irabagon possess ...
Odean Pope: To The Roach & Serenity
by Elliott Simon
Odean Pope Quartet To The Roach CIMP 2006 Odean Pope Serenity CIMP 2007 The many-sided figure defined by the intersecting lines among saxophonists Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman is the ...
Lucien Dubuis Trio: Le Retour
by Elliott Simon
Lucien Dubuis can blow it. Roman Nowka can pick it. Lionel Friedli can kick it. Le Retour, dig it. Difficult to describe but drawing inspiration from punk, funk, no wave and jazz, it is as if Parliament Funkadelic grew up downtown stripped of all their horns but one--but what a cool horn it is.
David Buchbinder: Odessa/Havana
by Elliott Simon
Significant Jewish participation in the Latin dance craze of the 1950s resulted in several novelty fusion records that Latinized traditional Jewish melodies within a jazz context. By presenting the melody against a Latin rhythm, “Hava Nagilah" was thusly transformed into a cha-cha. In 2002, Cuban percussionist Roberto Rodriguez reinvented and dramatically advanced this sub-genre by beautifully ...
Russ Nolan and the Kenny Werner Trio: With You in Mind
by Elliott Simon
Two Colors (Rhinoceruss, 2004), the first release from saxophonist Russ Nolan as a leader, impressed by virtue of an exquisite partnership with pianist Sam Barsh and the leader's convincing command of both tenor and soprano saxophones. The saxophonist's sophomore effort, With You in Mind, reprises his traditional approach in the context of pianist Kenny Werner's superb ...
Felipe Salles: South American Suite
by Elliott Simon
Rapidly changing rhythms, crisp ensemble playing, a broad sonic feel and unique voicings define South American Suite, an adventurously composed look at Brazilian music from multireedist/flutist Felipe Salles. While he draws on Brazilian music, Salles eschews the breezy bossa beats that are typically associated with that country's jazz intercourse. Instead, he utilizes lesser-known styles such as ...
Richie Barshay: Homework
by Elliott Simon
There is a bit more than a hint of Indian drumming in “Clouds - intro," the somewhat airy invitational cut on Homework, from percussionist Richie Barshay. It doesn't prepare for the sonic onslaught that follows. From the sound of this offering, Barshay has been studying Indian percussive forms and instruments that are the foundation to this ...
Andrew Beals: Gravy Train
by Elliott Simon
Andrew Beals Gravy Train NASMusic 2008 For half a century, saxophonists have gravitated toward Hammond B3-led bands to hone their chops. The demands of the “chitlin' circuit" combined with those burnin' B3 lines create the perfect musical training ground. Consequently, some of the sagest advice for an aspiring ...
