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Zachary Finnegan: Guidance and Gratitude
by Nicholas F. Mondello
Guidance and Gratitude from trumpeter and composer Zachary Finnegan delivers nine highly-textured and involving selections. Each selection presents itself with a story background in its title and each is a multi-layered composition, a micro-symphony. It is intelligent music. “Urban Motion" is an energetic, perhaps frantic, landscape with an ostinato six-note bed and a ...
Sweet Megg: Bluer Than Blue
by Nicholas F. Mondello
One of the more niche genres in the history of jazz is western swing. Primarily dance music and hugely popular in the Southwest, it originated as a jambalaya blending hot jazz, country, blues, pop and traditional fiddle playing, performed by combos such as the Light Crust Doughboys and Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. It incorporated ...
Joe Darro: The Quintessence of Las Vegas
by Nicholas F. Mondello
Jazz pianist, vocalist, and Master entertainer, Joe Darro easily bests Wayne Newton as possessing the title of “Mr. Las Vegas." Now approaching 90, Darro has been as much of a fixture in Sin City as its iconic “Welcome" sign. Originally from Albany, New York and playing and vocalizing for almost eighty years, Darro has been behind ...
Jo Harrop: The Path of a Tear
by Nicholas F. Mondello
The Path of a Tear from UK vocalist Jo Harrop contains eleven fine selections that tell tales of love and its vagaries and vulnerabilities. Opener “Beautiful Fools" is moderately-paced, a laid-back groove with a great deal of presence. Harrop dances across the poignant lyrics. Anthony Wilson delivers an appropriately tasty guitar solo. “Whiskey or the Truth," ...
Alex Sipiagin: Horizons
by Nicholas F. Mondello
Trumpeter Alex Sipiagin has always been a deeply devoted musical explorer. From early bop origins to more modern forays, he has ventured far and wide, developing both improvisationally and compositionally. With Horizons this fine artist continues his path, delivering--along with frequent sidekick Chris Potter and a superior rhythm section--yet another breakthrough album. It is possibly Sipiagin's ...
Adam Hersh: Tornado Watch
by Nicholas F. Mondello
Tornado Watch is a uniquely attractive album from pianist Adam Hersh and his terrific sidemen. It offers ten tracks of intelligent, intensely-performed music. All the songs here are Hersh originals (save one) and each was recorded live in Los Angeles at the “Sam First" jazz club. “Woe V Shade," obviously a politically directed ...
Chad Edwards: Wyoming Roads
by Nicholas F. Mondello
In his performing career, pianist Chad Edwards has probably heard more wisecracks and quips about his actually being a retired rocket scientist than there are stars in the Cosmos. However, rest assured--as he has done in his parallel and now formal career, and is presented in Wyoming Roads--his keyboard and compositional talents certainly stand on their ...
Tony Romano: Three Chord Monte
by Nicholas F. Mondello
Three Chord Monte from New York-based guitarist Tony Romano offers thirteen selections with an expansive range of grooves, textures, and intensities. Throughout the session, he and his fine players demonstrate their obvious allegiance to melody, lyricism, and appropriate rhythmic foundation, yielding a fine overall recording. The starter, “Cadillac Green" has a deep-pocketed funk ...
Synia Carroll: Water is My Song
by Nicholas F. Mondello
Water is My Song, from Sarasota-based vocalist Synia Carroll, sends up ten terrific vocals, tasteful solos and surprises. Water-related selections and themes span across the date wherein Carroll and her team of fine players hit on the classics, hand-picked gems and uniquely presented traditional fare. “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" ...
Ricky Alexander: Just Found Joy
by Nicholas F. Mondello
The odd picture on the cover of Ricky Alexander's Just Found Joy is neither a takeaway from The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (Capitol, 1966) album cover, nor a play on the GOAT acronym. Actually, the album art was photographed at the Store Barns Farm in Downstate New York. This is a superb album of a dozen ...
