Monday, January 29, 2007

The Elephant Sleeps But Still Remembers - Jack DeJohnette

Jack explores the rythms of jazz and beyond with Bill Frissell on guitar. The drums and percussion up front, angular, powerful and intelligent, the pulse of truth is out here.

Some Skunk Funk - Randy Brecker

Randy and brother Michael breathe with the fire of the WDR Big Band and relive their funk years in this live extravaganza from 2003.

The Bootleg Series, Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975 - The Rolling Thunder Revue - Bob Dylan

Bob leads a stellar group of Greenwich village refugees across New England and beyond. The circus rolls into town, sets up in small town theatres, produces live mercury music captured on tape which is stored for years then eventually released. Live magic, the age of folk rock spins on.

SOULTRANE - JOHN COLTRANE

This poet of the tenor sax walks tall with this late 1950's collection of exquisite small group settings of standards. The sound is tough, rigorous with a touch of romance.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Kind of Blue - Miles Davis

On this jazz touchstone from the studio, the instruments sing modern and timeless, strenghth and culture, the colour of this music is not just blue but rainbow.

Today - Skip James

Skip's falsetto delivery and sharp lyrics provide a unique flavour of southern blues.

Abraxas - Santana

This jazz rock soup is magic, exotic, eclectic, a cut through the layers to the dream music.

Pure and pulsating rhythmic joy, the dance goes on, the guitar drifts across the world.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa - Jean-Luc Ponty

The composer inspires the violinist to stretch across a string of genres from rock to jazz, classical to country and he delivers bowing furiously on his electric strings. Magnificent.

Howlin' Wind - Graham Parker

The poet of British pub rock, a hard edge of soulful R&B, gutsy and flavoured with a touch of sinewy rock and roll romance. Rough diamond.

A Funky Thide of Sings - Billy Cobham

The genius of the drums leads an enticing band of fusion brothers into the balanced terrain of funk. Brilliant solos on the cans and ensemble playing par excellence.

That's What I Say: John Scofield Plays the Music of Ray Charles - John Scofield

John plays around these great R&B themes from Charles with that funky intelligence that can produce delicate as well as thump on the bone. Ever changing flow of musical partners ensures variety and surprise. Elegant and rocking, he says it well !

Freak In - Dave Douglas

Acoustic Jazz plus electronics add fusion to the recipe and a very orignal approach and the meal is wholesome. This rich and sensitive record has a sense of place in the titles and always rewards the replay as this has fine melodic patterns set alongside the challenging instrumentation.

East/West - Bill Frisell

The landscape of the live jazz guitar player with two different trios playing in NewYork and California respectively exploring jazz, pop and folk tunes with exquisite taste and intricate group understanding. It captures the essence of why live jazz can reveal and inspire and feed the audience and players in quitessential ways.

The Girl in the Other Room - Diana Krall

The lady sings modern, her sultry jazz inclination locks into a more open set which includes some emotionally wired songs penned by herself and Elvis Costelloe. Inspired, romantic and honest as ever the production values and musicianship enhance the charms of this seductive voice.

Every Grain of Sand - Barb Jungr

The songstress weaves a tapestry of meaning and emotion into a fine selection of Bob Dylan songs. Her Jazz and Cabaret interpretations lead the listener into the unexpected corners and little known vegetation contained in the work, her enhancements endowed with deeper meanings, the arrangments revealing and true. The circus is in town......go play.

The Ultimate Adventure - Chick Corea

Chick gathers a stellar band to sail the mysterious seas of fantasy in this tribute to a fictional world of myths and tales. His electric piano fizzes and twists inside of complex melodic structures. The arrangments contain scents from Arabia, California, Spain and everywhere and the flute , drums, percussion intertwine in a fine display of complexity and discovery.

The Way Up - Pat Metheny Group

Intricate Jazz symphony that continually unfolds its surprises and treasures in measured mazes of harmony and interplay. The guitar leads into that new but oh so poignant and beautiful country. Exquisite, intelligent and dramatic...don't miss this journey into the mystic.

The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born - Branford Marsalis

Pared down to the bones of creativity and experience. Enter in the magic of this groove free and strong but always in the small group groove as the trio listen and remark, sketch and colour with expression and truth.

Metheny Mehldau - Pat Metheny and Brad Mehldau

The interplay of the guitar and piano masters in tune on the same stream of harmonic and melodic exploration. Both powerful and sensitive and so real. Modern with that ancient spirituality, fine music for contemplation and inspiration. Genius from 2006.