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Keely Smith: Swing, Swing, Swing
by Jim Santella
Keely Smith swings with the Frank Capp Orchestra in an entertaining session that is sure to appeal to a half dozen different generations. Not just a fad, swing dancing and swing music evolved with the big bands, carried a strong thread through rock & roll, and continued as a hobbyist activity until recent years. Now, large ...
Edmund Velasco: The Blues In Me
by Jim Santella
The Edmund Velasco Quintet drives hard bop mainstream with class. Their second album, all originals, captures a traditional essence while remaining fresh. The tenor saxophonist and his front line partner, trumpeter Kye Palmer, hand out classic lines as many have done before them these past 50 years. The hard bop quintet instrumentation makes a fine vehicle ...
Gregory Tardy: The Hidden Light
by Jim Santella
Greg Tardy’s third release as a leader drives the mainstream highways with both a classic quartet and quintet format. Two-thirds of the album is original material that the saxophonist personalizes with an impressionistic touch. Working with Elvin Jones from 1993-95 has left a driving, forceful influence with Tardy; yet his heart moves him to other places ...
Greg Osby: The Invisible Hand
by Jim Santella
What is the invisible hand? Maybe it’s the helping hand Greg Osby gets on his 14th Blue Note album from veterans Jim Hall and Andrew Hill. We could all use a helping hand like that from time to time. They’ve each written one selection for The Invisible Hand. Hill’s “Ashes" lopes along with a dramatic sense ...
Marc Cary: Trillium
by Jim Santella
From the moody modern mainstream, pianist Marc Cary’s trio moves deliberately with dramatic passion, then balances its program with swinging blues romps and lilting flute melodies. A powerful pianist who leans toward classical diversion, Cary grew up in the Washington, DC area, where creative music has always been well received. Once he moved to New York, ...
Tupelo Blue: Tupelo Blue
by Jim Santella
“You play the blues, ya pay your dues, you’re gonna play the blues for less." So go the lyrics. Loving what you do and knowing that you’ve got to support yourself somehow, you make do with what you’ve got. Your employer could fill that club with techno-dancers or a reggae party crowd every night if you ...
Jacintha: Autumn Leaves: The Songs Of Johnny Mercer
by Jim Santella
For her sixth album, Jacintha pays homage to songwriter Johnny Mercer. Her warm, clear, delicate approach to storytelling enables the vocalist to deliver each favorite song in a comfortable manner with intimacy and charm. From Singapore, Jacintha has also had experience as an actress, enabling her to put herself into each situation as appropriate. A small ...
John Gentry Tennyson: Europa
by Jim Santella
Pianist John Gentry Tennyson’s use of impressionism blends a classical style with a cocktail lounge player’s sense of adventure. To prepare for this project, Tennyson lived in Monte Carlo for three months, absorbing the overlapping essence of French, Spanish and Italian cultures. Jazz, of course, is represented in the pianist’s swinging approach to these ethnic flavors ...
Jaki Byard: Family Man
by Jim Santella
Named for his family members, several movements from Jaki Byard’s “Family Suite" relate the deep affection the pianist harbored for his home and family. Byard made his decision early on in his career to work close to home rather than travel. Recorded in 1978, long out of print, but reissued last month for the first time ...
Francisco Aguabella: H2O
by Jim Santella
Led by veteran conguero Francisco Aguabella, this nine-piece Latin jazz ensemble turns up the heat while making solid references to tradition. Aguabella, who was born in Cuba, immigrated to the United States in 1957 and has lived in San Francisco & Los Angeles most of the years since. His discography lists dates with everyone from Tito ...
