So, anyone brave enough to cover Evelyn “Champagne” King‘s 1981 gem “I’m In Love”, written and arranged by Kashif, gets my attention. Husband and wife team Erika and Dee Rhodes come up with a pretty solid and very 80s sounding version that comes even close in all kinds of different keyboard sounds that were used…
Both Peggy Lee and Julie London had their biggest chart success in the 50s and 60s. Lee’s “Songs From Pete Kelly’s Blues” went to Number 7 in the Billboard Pop charts in 1955 and London’s “Julie Is Her Name” went to Number 2 in 1956. Both were not really jazz singers, but girl singers with…
Drummer Brian Blade‘s band celebrated its 20th anniversary last year and released their fifth album, “Body And Shadow”, towards the end of 2017 amid the rush of dozens of new recordings slated before the holiday season. So it was one of those albums which was somehow overlooked. But I’m glad I checked it out finally…
It was just a matter of time before this was about to take shape: Stacey Kent recording with a full orchestra. The arrangements are by Tommy Laurence, the sessions took place in London up until May of this year and Jim Tomlinson produced the album which really suits her fine. There are a lot of…
The beauty of this music is its sweet melancholy and gloomy atmosphere that is able to lure you deeper into the mix. Scottish pianist and producer Ricky Reid has assembled jazz and classical musicians in a remote place in the Scottish highlands and came up with this über-cinematic collection of songs. The vibrant drums on…
Run N’ Fly is a new music collective under the direction of guitarist Sandro Albert. Helping out with the lyrics is Brazilian artist Manu Lafer and for all those out there studying the liner notes and personnel on all of your records, the group consists of session musicians and singers who have appeared on thousands…
I bought Will Downing‘s first LP in May, 1988. His version of “A Love Supreme” with Stanley Turrentine on sax still resonates. Other cuts like “In My Dreams” or the cover of the Deniece Williams classic “Free” have become soul standards. 20 albums and almost 30 years later, you really can call him a soul…
Danish singer Sinne Eeg opens her new album “Dreams” (her ninth) with the seductive, bluesy, exhilarating “The Bitter End”. The color of her strong voice and her perfect pitch match well with the piano solo by Jacob Christoffersen and the forceful guitar of Larry Koonse. Joey Baron accompanies on drums majestically and Scott Colley’s bass…
Resilience is not only the title of singer Rondi Charleston‘s new album, but also the first release for the Resilience Music Alliance which she co-founded with her husband, political/social activist and art patron Steve Ruchevsky. Rondi’s six own compositions show a depth and maturity that is a rare breed these days. “Around The Corner” might…
The years from 1979 to 1983 are the most important years in our vita – most of the LPs which I bought during those years are still vital, crucial, elemental, and timeless. Just three examples: the Quincy Jones-produced album “Give Me The Night” by George Benson, featuring, among many others, the monumental, lavishly arranged and…