Black & Gold
shaun@blittzedmarketing.com September 30, 2025
O's Notes: This is a country pop rock extravaganza featuring vocalist, guitarist Joanne Shaw Taylor. There’s racy guitar on “Black and Gold”, and rockin’ on “I’ve Gotta Stop Letting You Let Me Down”. We also enjoyed the relaxing “Grayer Shade of Blue” and the honky tonk beats on “Hell Of A Good Time”. It’s a good set of rockin’ blues!
New African Orleans
shaun@blittzedmarketing.com September 30, 2025
O's Notes: Senegalese bassist, vocalist, producer Alune Wade enlists a global team for New African Orleans, including Nigerian Olaore Muyiwa Ayandeji (talking drums), Weedie Braimah (perc), and New Orleans-based drummer Herlin Riley. They play a spirited mix of African rhythms with contemporary, brassy New Orleans jazz. Wade freshens classic jazz tunes and adds originals to create a head-bobbing experience. “Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya”, “Taxi Driver”, and “Watermelon Man” stand out. The common groove element is Wade’s bass, end to end.
Precondition
shaun@blittzedmarketing.com September 30, 2025
O's Notes: Italian bassist, composer Vincenzo Virgillito takes us on a solo voyage for his debut recording, precondition. There are 42 minutes of exploratory bass work spanning several genres including some edgy distortion experiments. Among the best are “Through Windows”, “Word Drops”, “Segment”, and “Danny Boy”.
How The Dust Falls
shaun@blittzedmarketing.com September 30, 2025
O's Notes: Japanese pianist Izumi Kimura, now based in Ireland teams up with American drummer, vibraphonist Gerry Hemingway in Switzerland to record How The Dust Falls, a highly improvised session that is rather melancholy. Gerry adds vocals and harmonica on “This Waiting Place”. We were intrigued by the haunting sounds of “Chimneys” and “Arrivals”.
Elegy
shaun@blittzedmarketing.com September 30, 2025
O's Notes: Sound Liberation is a collective championed by guitarist, composer Gene Pritsker. The primary quartet is Oliver Marec (sax), Clemens Rofner (b) Stefan Kemminger (d) with Pritsker leading the charge for about half of the thirteen tracks. Elegy spans a wide variety of contemporary styles. Examples are “The Cauldron” featuring Adriana Valdés and Robert C. Ford, “Strive” featuring Noizepunk, Criminal Cello and The Pallbearer, “Dealing With It” featuring Chanda Rule and David Banks, “Jocose Flows” featuring Peter Oswald, with Pritsker raging on “Knuc Funk”, and our favorite “unChartered Deconstructed”.