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Carl Michel Group: The Carl Michel Group (+)
by Todd S. Jenkins
A new-century octet that pays loving homage to the old school while looking ahead. Michel and company combine a reverence for prior jazz forms with an adventurous spirit as they tackle nine original compositions by the guitarist/leader. One might immediately notice the presence of drummer Gerald Cleaver, who is perhaps better known for hanging around avant-garde ...
Christian Bon/Francois Mechali/Youval Micenmacher: La Ballade du Serran Ecriture
by Todd S. Jenkins
An unusual, captivating acoustic performance by a simmering French trio. Guitarist Christian Bon, bassist Francois Mechali, and percussionist Youval Micenmacher combine the essence of Django Reinhardt’s gypsy-jazz with world-music flavorings and occasional dashes of bop to produce a comforting, consistently stimulating program. Bon’s guitar style blends elements of Django, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Byrd and a number ...
Jeff Sharel: Jeff Sharel
by Todd S. Jenkins
Jazz meets house, techno and the 70s funk of Miles in this brilliant studio project. DJ Sharel has worked with Femi Kuti and Frederic Galliano, and previously released some 12” singles in France (he lives in Grenoble) before being signed to this far-sighted Brooklyn label. On this self-titled disc, his first full-length recording, Sharel layers keyboards, ...
Greg Howard Band: Lift
by Todd S. Jenkins
Smart, moody, original fusion from an American and four Dutchmen. Howard is a virtuoso of the Chapman Stick, a many-stringed instrument played entirely by tapping. Though the Stick has been used to good avail in ensembles like Hawkwind and King Crimson, it’s rather difficult and has therefore never gained much popularity. Howard is one of the ...
Dave Howard: Souvenirs
by Todd S. Jenkins
An overall excellent disc by a creative, challenging ensemble with some innovative ideas. This album perhaps doesn’t get off to the best start, as the opening track is steeped so richly in the Pat Metheny Group’s oeuvre that Howard comes off as a mere wanna-be. The guitar tone, cymbal shimmers and wordless vocals just scream, “Metheny ...
Andy Summers: Peggy's Blue Skylight
by Todd S. Jenkins
The former Police guitarist assays the multifaceted works of Charles Mingus on this compelling disc, offering updates of the temperamental bassist’s timeless compositions. Summers previously tackled solid material by Mingus, Wayne Shorter, Thelonious Monk and other jazzmen on his 1997 project The Last Dance of Mr. X, with bassist Tony Levin and drummer Gregg Bissonette. Peggy’s ...
Richard Davis: Forest Flowers
by Todd S. Jenkins
Continuing a pattern that’s becoming all too common with 32 Jazz reissues, this set is a heavily flawed collection of performances by a generally fine bassist. The label heads seem to rummage through the dusty closets of name artists, seeking out weak sessions that probably wouldn’t see the light of day again if the performers weren’t ...
Barbarito Torres: Havana Cafe
by Todd S. Jenkins
This disc of traditional Cuban music is another of the stellar releases coming in the wake of the excellent Buena Vista Social Club documentary. While the music on this disc might not qualify as “jazz” in some listener’s minds, Cuban music has a powerful pedigree in jazz circles; it had an inarguable influence on the development ...
Stuart Hamm: Outbound
by Todd S. Jenkins
From the opening moments of this unbelievable disc, it’s clear that Stuart Hamm is not your average electric bassist. His technique rivals Jaco Pastorius and Stanley Clarke for originality, and he strikes a good balance of tastefulness and adventure that both of those icons tended to lack. Hamm gained fame in his supporting roles behind guitar ...
Dave Weckl Band: Transition
by Todd S. Jenkins
Drum master Weckl continues to hawk the muscular brand of fusion that he began dealing with Chick Corea’s Elektric Band over a decade ago. This album seems a catharsis for Weckl, having just come off a divorce and other personal problems. He’s in better form drum-wise than we have heard in some time, and the music ...
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