Vincent Peirani‘s new album “Living Being”, to be released this Friday, starts with a mystique accordion and Fender Rhodes motif segueing into the hymn-like “Suite En V” and featuring an intense soprano saxophone by new band member Emile Parisien. Five artists from different musical perspectives have found each other, or rather Vincent has found them,…
I know he has been dissed and bashed over the years like almost no other musician but what is the real essence of saxophonist Kenny G‘s new album “Brazilian Nights” please? There are some enjoyable moments on his 1982 debut LP and the follow-up a year later when artists like Jeff Lorber or Kashif had…
It is very difficult to follow up an album that had 14 timeless tracks on it and which ranked among the best of the year. The songs of her 2012 album “Way Down Low”, her second one after the 2009 debut “Take To The Sky”, still haven’t lost momentum and so here comes album number…
“Imaginary Cities” is the first release of Chris Potter‘s Underground Orchestra, a new project taking his Undergound Quartet a step further. It starts with a haunting melody by violinists Mark Feldman and Joyce Hammann, viola player Lois Martin, and cellist David Eggar before the tenor saxophone of Potter comes in slowly and erupting in something…
If there is one singer whose voice is reminiscent of the late great Luther Vandross, it has to be Marc Staggers. The Washington, D.C. singer has just released his fourth album “Dream Catcher”. After many years in the Gospel music world, Staggers turned to Soul with his 2009 R&B debut album “Then And Now” and…
To record the music of Abbey Lincoln is a very brave undertaking and not many musicians have taken on the dramatic, often political statements and witty lyricism of this timeless artist. In 2013, her former pianist Marc Cary released a beautiful solo homage called “For The Love Of Abbey”. And now comes German singer Esther…
Trumpet and flugelhorn artist Matt Lavelle studied with Ornette Coleman back in 2005 and subsequently took on the alto clarinet as well. The avant-garde musician who also has his own blog, teams up with John Pietaro, the vibraphonist and percussionist for an album of the music of Thelonious Monk. Both are known for their more…
I don’t have any children but I can easily find joy and pleasure in Lori Henriques‘ children’s album “How Great Can This Day Be” because there are lots of interesting influences and arrangements which put this work beyond the “for children only” niche. The opening title track reminds me of the best Bob Dorough songs…
Pianist, producer and composer Meeco a/k/a Michael Maier delivers his fourth album “Souvenirs Of Love” next week. He has been under the radar more or less – but not in jazz and soul musician circles. Just a quick look at the line-up of the new record tells you why he is a respected producer and…
It’s a drummer’s record. What Questlove, James Gadson and Chris Dave do with their instruments pushes the music on the long-awaited (14 years) album in all kinds of directions. Together with a sophisticated and cool drum programming, they create some amazingly funky, soulful, shuffling and jazzy tunes here. For me, the album starts to really…