What’s coming out of Detroit these days is certainly something to check out. It is surely worth digging deeper into the local scene which is about to step out globally with the release of this excellent new single by jazz singer Kathy Kosins and singer, producer, bassist, and composer Paul Randolph. From the golden Motown…
My first encounter with a Leon Russell song was on George Benson’s “Breezin’” LP. The 8-minute “This Masquerade” was, and still is, one of Benson’s most fulfilling and satisfying recordings. Chances are that you have more than one album in your record collection with a Leon Russell song on it, since he also wrote the…
We missed a lot of shows in Berlin this week fighting a cold. First, there was saxophonist Donny McCaslin whose latest album, “Beyond Now”, will be reviewed here as soon as possible. Michael Kiwanuka also presented his new album “Love + Hate” (how appropriate a title at this time) and Terrace Martin & The Polly…
They did it again. Another brilliant collection of modern soul meets house meets funk meets groove from Reel People Records. Gospel queen Kim Burrell opens this superb compilation with a housey track from her 2015 album “A Different Place” to be followed by one of my personal highlights of the set: “Something”, a relaxing, fantastically…
DePhazz are back with an album that features five different vocalists, with Pat Appleton, longtime lead singer for the group, contributing five pieces, the cool and relaxed opening track “Used” among them. Other vocalists on the album are Barbara Lahr (also a longtime contributor), Angel J., Jutta Glaser, and Cherry Sanders. Barbara’s distorted vocal on…
The first artists for next January’s Winter Jazzfest in New York have been announced and tickets went on sale for one of the most progessive, versatile, and innovative festivals the world over. And more so than ever, there is a heavy dose of socio-politics involved with several of the groups performing. We get Nicole Mitchell’s…
That’s this year’s slogan, according to musical director Richard Williams. And the art of conversation was perfectly executed by inviting Kulturstaatssekretärin (state secretary of culture) Monika Grütters to deliver the opening speech (more later). Music-wise, the first act at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele was Germany’s own Julia Hülsmann. The pianist and ECM recording artist…
If you are an avid reader of liner notes like I am, it is always gratifying to see the names of Dennis Collins or Alfa Anderson pop up on the list of background singers like on Valerie Ghent‘s new album “Velours”. Dennis Collins, for example, has recorded with just about everyone from Roberta Flack to…
This album comes close to improvised perfection. The way Duane Eubanks (trumpet), Dezron Douglas (bass), and Eric McPherson (drums) expose themselves on this intimate live trio recording is simply the epitome of what this music is all about. It is also a brisk change from his equally inspiring last album, “Things Of That Particular Nature” (see…
The last time I saw Poppa Lou live in person was at the Northsea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam a few years ago. As usual, he had that special command over the audience after playing just a few notes. And his humor and natural high spirits are always immensely infectious. So if you’re in the New…