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Bob Berg: Another Standard
by Robert Spencer
“In order for a tune to become a standard," says Karen Bennett in her liner notes, “it has to have enough appeal and substance to keep both musician and listener engaged on many levels for many years." Late Miles alumnus Bob Berg's Another Standard asserts that status for a lineup of familiar but not front-line tunes: ...
Scott Hamilton with Strings: Christmas Love Song
by Robert Spencer
Ah, Scott Hamilton with strings playing Christmas music. I'll get out my red-and-green sweater and we'll decorate the tree with tinsel while this disc plays. We'll sip apple cider with cinnamon sticks and wrap the presents we bought for Mom and Aunt Gertrude. You know, I think when we were in J. C. Penney's today picking ...
Dave McKenna: Christmas Ivory
by Robert Spencer
Dave McKenna is 67 years old, virtually the same age as Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor and Sonny Rollins. For pianists that lands his formative years in the days of Duke, Basie, even Earl Hines. His piano playing bears a trace of the stride, edging over into Monk territory now and again. Not that Monk is an ...
Poncho Sanchez: Freedom Sound
by Robert Spencer
Bill Cosby's charming liner notes to Poncho Sanchez's Freedom Sound describe how the new listener to Poncho will end up devoting his whole life to following him around, growing a Poncho beard, wearing a Poncho cap-even to bed, etc. There are a few recordings that have made me want to buy all the “cups, mugs, and ...
Chris Potter: Unspoken
by Robert Spencer
Twenty-seven year old reed man Chris Potter made a big splash on his 1992 debut as a leader for Criss Cross. He showed remarkable promise not only in tenor sax work, but also on alto, soprano, bass clarinet and alto flute. On this one he sticks to tenor and soprano, but his playing is no less ...
The Heath Brothers: As We Were Saying...
by Robert Spencer
Oh man. Does this swing from the get-go, or what? And such a deal. Not only do you get the three Heath brothers: Jimmy on tenor and alto, Percy on bass and cello, and Al ("Tootie") drums, but they’re joined by the one and only Slide Hampton on ‘bone, Stanley Cowell on piano and kalimba, Sir ...
Karrin Allyson: Daydream
by Robert Spencer
A sweet singer. Right away on the Ellington / Strayhorn “Daydream," the title track that opens this CD, Karrin Allyson sounds sooo warm and vulnerable. Gary Burton’s vibes are masterfully deployed, with Allyson’s voice floating around them. She has that female jazz singer thing, that thing all the great female jazz singers have had: the ability ...
Randy Brecker: Into the Sun
by Robert Spencer
It’s Randy, it’s David Sanborn (one track), it’s Brazil. Randy Brecker does the fusion thing, this time fusing his expressive trumpet with comfortable Brazilian rhythms and voices. It’s Astrud Gilberto meets the late Miles -- in a happy mood, of course. This CD cooks along pleasantly, so tightly executed that it’s surprising to hear Brecker say, ...
Charles Mingus: Mingus Plays Piano
by Robert Spencer
This is not a performing seal act. This isn’t even Ornette on violin. Mingus Plays Piano is no gimmick or avant-garde foolery, because Mingus can really play piano. Really play piano. On the Atlantic album Oh Yeah his piano fronts a band including Rahsaan Roland Kirk in a rollicking set; his comping there is competent but ...
John Coltrane: The John Coltrane Quartet Plays
by Robert Spencer
“Chim Chim Cheree”? Sure. The guy has a hit with “My Favorite Things,” and some record company executive with gold chains sticking out of his chest hairs says, “Johnny! We love this far out stuff, this ‘Chasin’ the Trane’ stuff. Beautiful. You’re a spiritual cat, you know, Trane (may I call you Trane)? And I respect ...
