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Patricia Barber: Companion
by Jim Santella
As one who has absorbed the jazz art form and expanded upon that by blending her unique delivery with other known styles, singer/pianist Patricia Barber reaches out and grabs the cerebral element in her listeners while keeping the swing alive. Her lyrics leave a considerable heap for the listener to reflect upon, while her soft, whispering, ...
Vaughn Nark: Flying High
by Jim Santella
With the Airmen Of Note, trumpeter Vaughn Nark expounds in the Dizzy Gillespie tradition of fronting a big band with blazing trumpet while offering popular music that everyone can appreciate. Although the liner notes do not credit arrangers, most of the selections have “that Sammy Nestico sound." Nestico was director of the Airmen Of Note in ...
Clairdee: Destination Moon
by Jim Santella
From San Francisco, Clairdee brings her rich alto voice and caressing mainstream charm to center stage with support from a superb piano trio. Expressive and unique, the singer’s presentation contains a tinge of Betty Carter’s upbeat way with a melody; particularly on “They Can’t Take That Away From Me," her driving “Destination Moon" and again on ...
Joey DeFrancesco: Goodfellas
by Jim Santella
When you spend your youth growing up in South Philadelphia, the music of Frank Sinatra and the earlier music that influenced him has to have a major lasting impact on you. The timeless nature of standards such as “Young At Heart," “Fly Me to the Moon" and “All The Way" cannot be ignored. Other significant crooners ...
Jack Jezzro: Brazilian Nights
by Jim Santella
With a title that espouses truth in advertising, guitarist Jack Jezzro has put together a concept album of suave Brazilian music for small ensemble. With his acoustic nylon string model capturing the essence, Jezzro’s program sways with the tropical breeze and basks in the serene Latin moonlight. With complementary interludes from piano, flute and flugelhorn, the ...
Keith Ailer: Spaces & Places
by Jim Santella
Since the male jazz vocalist remains a universal minority, Keith Ailer’s arrival on the scene represents a rare occasion. His voice is deep and strong, not unlike the clear delivery of Nat King Cole. For his session, Ailer has enlisted exciting partners who carry the jazz torch and improvise with hot hard-bop solos. Established in 1993, ...
Bill Carrothers / Wendy Lewis: The Language Of Crows
by Jim Santella
Wendy Lewis and Bill Carrothers are outcats. By combining impressionism with cynical humor, they’ve come up with a cerebral session that’s both pleasant in its linear form and adventurous through its added dimensions. A jazz pianist from Minneapolis, Carrothers likes to vary from expected mainstream harmony and dress up his accompaniment with dense atypical chords. His ...
Various Artists: We Remember Tal: A Tribute To Tal Farlow
by Jim Santella
Six leading jazz guitarists on one album. It’s a fine tribute to a legend. Tal Farlow’s acute single-note runs and energetic bebop drive distinguished him as one of the premier jazz guitarists of the 1950s. Replacing Mundell Lowe in the Red Norvo Trio and moving on later to Artie Shaw’s Gramercy Five, Farlow helped establish the ...
Ernesto Diaz-Infante: Ucross Journal
by Jim Santella
It’s an interesting concept. Let the piano chords paint images for you and ignore most of the other elements that make music what it is. Tonal relationships offer impressions. Most of us agree on the various moods that can be portrayed. A happy-go-lucky stroll through daisy-covered fields? No problem. The impending violence that issues from a ...
Dave Valentin: Sunshower
by Jim Santella
New York flutist Dave Valentin gigged as a teenager on congas before studying with Hubert Laws and taking his flute talents seriously. Today he’s musical director for Tito Puente and firmly rooted in the Latin jazz tradition. Valentin’s latest album crosses a variety of styles, from the modern mainstream spark of “Space Cadet" to the smooth ...
