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Joey DeFrancesco: Singin' And Swingin'
by Jim Santella
Just look at that song list! These are standards that cook every time out. Organist Joey DeFrancesco takes the bull by the horns and performs themhisway. Hammond B-3 melodies control the session and provide great listening. With his trio, DeFrancesco wows any crowd, any place, any time. His boundless energy and the natural manner with which ...
Harry Connick, Jr.: Songs I Heard
by Jim Santella
Generations have their own songs. Over the years, Walt Disney's artistic contributions have had a lot to do with that. More to the point, Broadway, television and the film industry have left us with countless memories that will never fade. Many of them are timeless and most of them cross generations. Songs from Annie, ...
Mingus Big Band: The Essential Mingus Big Band
by Jim Santella
Folks who are new to jazz usually know about Charles Mingus right from the start. The feeling, however, comes when you’re ready for it. Some feel it right off. Others learn about Mingus music gradually. For over a decade, the Mingus Big Band has served its public well. Weekly appearances at the Fez in New York, ...
Miles Davis: At Newport 1958
by Jim Santella
This is a different Miles Davis. He's playing much better than he had when bebop was in its infancy. Accuracy and tone had always meant a lot to the trumpeter, and he worked hard to get it done just right. During the fifties, he kept getting better and better. Here, he's using both Harmon mute and ...
Ted Killian: Flux Aeterna
by Jim Santella
New creative music can mean many things to different people. It's an opportunity for the artist to find new ways to express himself. Interpreting the results may leave many paths for the listener. It's a personal decision. Ted Killian's compositions fall into the realm of “space" music. Outer space may contain programmed loops, noise, and electronic ...
Joel Brandon: Haven't We All
by Jim Santella
Jazz flute is almost always a pleasure for the listener. When done right, the artist's creative ideas flow gently through seamless phrases. Joel Brandon is that kind of dedicated musician. His flute echoes decades of cool, post-bop exploration. Whether applying vocalese, flute melodies, scat singing, or his unique whistler's sound, Brandon reaches into the mainstream and ...
Billie Holiday: Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday On Columbia (1933-1944)
by Jim Santella
In my solitude You haunt me With reveries Of days gone by Like quite a few other sentimental favorites, Duke Ellington's composition epitomizes the feeling you get when Billie Holiday sings. At the height of the swing era, Holiday's voice sparkled with an expressive sheen. By 1935, she had developed ...
Poncho Sanchez: Latin Spirits
by Jim Santella
Like most of us, Poncho Sanchez appreciates all kinds of music. Passionate Latin dance mixes with crisp, modern mainstream jazz and earthy New Orleans blues on his latest album. Guests Chick Corea and Dale Spalding make a big impression. At opposite ends of the jazz spectrum, the two leaders express differently. While Corea charges straight ahead ...
Various Artists: Playboy's Latin Jazz Christmas: A Not So Silent Night
by Jim Santella
Recorded earlier this year by contemporary artists, Playboy's Christmas gift will do much more than simply look good sitting under the tree. Combining lively salsa, smooth jazz and dramatic Afro-Cuban measures into one attractive package makes sense. This should appeal to a broad audience. Arturo Sandoval and Ed Calle work side by side to create charged ...
Lori Andrews & Bart Samolis: Pulling Strings
by Jim Santella
By inviting six stellar jazz saxophonists to sit in, Lori Andrews and Bart Samolis remind us of the contributions from that instrument throughout a century of growth. It's got the melody. Swirling alone and blending timbres with other members of the quartet, each saxophonist blazes improvised trails. Opting for a contemporary sound, Andrews colors a surround-sound ...
