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George Howard: Midnight Mood
by Robert Spencer
Is it jazz? Is it art? Is jazz art? Does it matter? Friends, we have here a sweet album by a more-than-competent soprano saxophonist, a bunch of computer programmers, and a few instrumentalists and background singers. George Howard was one of the originators of smooth, glossy jazz / funk, and he remains one of the masters ...
James Moody: Feelin' It Together
by Robert Spencer
Gary Giddens' liner notes say, “Let us equivocate no more. James Moody is one of the great players in contemporary music." No argument here. From the very first note of “Anthropology," the first track, Feelin' It Together is a remarkable display of Moody's mastery. It's a no-frills quartet date from January, 1973: Moody, pianist Kenny Barron, ...
McCoy Tyner: Together
by Robert Spencer
This relatively overlooked McCoy Tyner album features a septet of Tyner on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and flugelhorn, Hubert Laws on flutes, Bennie Maupin on tenor sax and bass clarinet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes and marimba, Stanley Clarke on acoustic bass, Bill Summers on congas and percussion, and the uncredited Jack DeJohnette on drums. Tyner ...
Jazz Underground: Live at Smalls
by Robert Spencer
From the faux chic cover and the name “the Jazz Underground" I expected this either to be another tired smooth jazz / funk record, or an exploration of today's avant-garde. It is neither. Instead, this is mainstream jazz played with energy and verve. The Jazz Underground is not a group, but an interlocking series of groups ...
Various Artists: Swingin' Jazz for Hipsters Vol. 1
by Robert Spencer
That most prolific of jazzmen, Mr. Various Artists, is back again from Concord in a slick postmodern Fifties retro package crafted to appeal to folks who would never admit that they like “Feelin' Groovy," but groove to it all the same underneath their gentle sneer. Inside is a program heavy with pop tunes latter-day jazzed: “The ...
Various Artists: Swingin' Jazz for Hipsters Vol. 2
by Robert Spencer
Again with the hipsters. Same packaging, same kind of track selection, even much the same personnel as Volume One. This time we have Jim Hall with a sprightly version of “Bemsha Swing," Ken Peplowski as “Mr Gentle & Mr. Cool," Charlie Byrd's “Frenesi," Gary Burton with “Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs (Theme From 'Frasier')," Frank Vignola ...
Gregory Tardy: Serendipity
by Robert Spencer
Gregory Tardy is Impulse's hot new saxophonist, having played with Elvin Jones' Jazz Machine, Wynton, Tom Harrell, Jay McShann, Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton, Steve Coleman. On Serendipity,, his maiden voyage as a leader, he's joined by Wynton's longtime bassist Reginald Veal, Aaron Goldberg on piano and Eric Harland on drums. Mulgrew Miller on piano and trumpeters ...
Spyro Gyra: Road Scholars
by Robert Spencer
Hold onto your hats, friends: the hotly anticipated first-ever live album in the 20-year history of Spyro Gyra, contemporary jazz legends, is here! Road Scholars is a sampling of the band's 1997 tour celebrating their twentieth release (last year's 20/20 ) in as many years. Has it really been this long? Pop Road Scholars into your ...
Mel Torm: My Night to Dream
by Robert Spencer
Mel Tormé explains in the liner notes to this collection that has “never recorded a straight album of ballads" during his fifteen years with Concord Jazz. “But I've always wanted to do an album exclusively of songs that have the air of moonlight at midnight." So here it is: not a new recording, but twelve tracks ...
The Charlie Byrd Trio: Au Courant
by Robert Spencer
Au Courant indeed! Here's Charlie Byrd playing W.C. Handy, Rodgers and Hart, Jobim, Johnny Mercer, and, for goodness' sake, Henry Mancini with nothing but an acoustic guitar, his brother Joe's upright bass, and Chuck Redd's vibraphone! Does it work? Does it work! These are highly familiar songs played in a quiet, intimate setting that illustrates with ...
