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Otis Taylor: Double V
by Jim Santella
Backed by acoustic strings of the more intimate sort, Otis Taylor interprets his original blues tunes sincerely. His homespun voice has a little grit in it. There’s nothing fake about the way Taylor explains it. With blues harp in hand, he takes over with timeless tales and new twists. Bringing in rotating cellists to ...
Dr. Michael White: Dancing In The Sky
by Jim Santella
Traditional jazz gives you the kind of feeling that cannot come from other forms of music. Folkloric in its content, the songs connect you with history. It sets your mind at ease. “Dancing in the Sky” places you in the midst of a New Orleans funeral procession, as everyone returns from the cemetery and decides to ...
Theresa Andersson: Shine
by Jim Santella
Blues/rock excitement oozes from Theresa Andersson’s latest album, Shine. Interpreting with a down-to-earth Nashville flavor complete with slide guitar, dobro and violin, the singer captures blues roots and surrounds them with pop backbeats. While her singing is oftentimes drowned by louder instruments and background voices, Andersson maintains control. She sings of independence, serious ...
David Becker Tribune: Where
by Jim Santella
David Becker’s warm guitar interprets fresh, contemporary originals and familiar, straight-ahead standards on this modern mainstream trio session. With his brother at the drum set and friend Tom Lilly on bass, Becker explores worldly currents and impressions of various lands. ”The Monkey” moves lightly with a sprightly bounce, as Becker meanders along spontaneous ...
Sally Stark: Sings Maxine Sullivan
by Jim Santella
With her clear-spoken alto voice, Sally Stark honors the memory of Maxine Sullivan here in a program that includes swinging fun and passionate ballads. Songs by Fats Waller, Johnny Mercer and other favorite composers from a bygone era give her performance a complete and frank perspective. “Keepin’ Out of Mischief Now” gets a ...
Abdullah Ibrahim Trio: Cape Town Revisited
by Jim Santella
This hour of sweet music composed by Abdullah Ibrahim includes dedicatory ballads, festive celebrations, and impressions of his homeland. With his “Cape Town to Congo Square” in three movements, he’s documented the bridge between his birthplace and New Orleans. Common threads enable this ambassador of modern jazz to spread the word about this music all over ...
Jeff Barone: Crazy Talk
by Jim Santella
A New Orleans shuffle and plenty of traditional swing bring Jeff Barone’s debut CD into focus as a jazz guitar celebration. Echoes of Wes Montgomery and Grant Green reverberate in quartet format, as Barone works with piano, bass and drums to interpret classic tunes and several original compositions. The session starts off with ...
Kerry Strayer Septet: Mentor
by Jim Santella
Featuring Gary Foster, this straight-ahead session swings with the timeless tradition of a Kansas City 7, but with the orchestrated sound of a big band or large orchestra. There have been other small jazz groups named Kansas City 7, but Kerry Strayer’s septet captures all the essentials and wraps them all up in one harmonious package. ...
Steuart Liebig/The Mentones: Locustland
by Jim Santella
From the label's name comes a moniker for Steuart Liebig's creative blues band: The Mentones. Creative improvised music has many forms. This Mentones session combines the swing of jazz with the spirit of the blues. Each of the foursome participates equally, as harmonica and alto saxophone step up to the front line, and bass ...
Janis Siegel: Sketches of Broadway
by Jim Santella
Her vibrant tone and spot-on technique place Janis Siegel among the elite in contemporary jazz song. Each performance demonstrates her superior vocal acrobatics. This collection of Broadway favorites includes glimpses from Annie Get Your Gun, The King and I, My Fair Lady, Oklahoma, Mame, and several others. Siegel interprets each with authority. Her ...
