Traditional Reviews

Traditional Reviews2020-02-23T01:54:55+00:00

    Caught in the Rhythm

    December 27, 2023

    O's Notes: Saxophonist Benjamin Boone presents another provocative album of spoken word and jazz, Caught In The Rhythm. The messages reflect the reality of the people, no holds barred. Rapper Faylita Hicks adds a change of pace on “We Bring The Soul To It” with Boone’s raging sax paralleling the vibe. That’s just one of many powerful messages from Hicks. Guest artists Ambrose Akinmusire (t) and Greg Osby (a-sax) accentuate the shock on “Caught In The Rhythm” and “Art Pepper” respectively. These are intriguing stories that you want to hear but wish they weren’t true. Be careful Ben, some states are banning reality!

      Where We Are

      December 27, 2023

      O's Notes: Tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman ponders our plight as we navigate through increasingly difficult passages in life on Where We Are. We reviewed the 2-disc, vinyl edition with 13 selections spread across four sides. Aaron Parks (p), Joe Sanders (g) and Brian Blade (d) are the core musicians behind featured vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa. Special guests Kurt Rosenwinkle (g), Joel Ross (vibes), Nicholas Payton (t), and Peter Bernstein (g) each add additional flavors on one selection apiece. Redman’s tone is warm and supports the blues theme. The massages are rich, and Cavassa’s delivery draws listeners into the music, a well-balanced session, Redman’s first featuring a vocalist.

        The New Wonders

        December 27, 2023

        O's Notes: Mike Davis plays cornet and sings on this throwback, early 1900s, taste of New Orleans. The New Wonders includes Ricky Alexander (cl, a-sax, vocals), Joe McDonough (tb), Jared Engel (banjo), Dalton Ridenhour (p), Jay Rattman (b-sax, vocals), and Jay Lepley (d, vocals). This is festive, circus music absent the clowns with tunes that take you back in time. Vocal harmonies on “Clorinda” are spot on as is the instrumentation throughout the set. We also enjoyed the vamp on “Jungle Crawl”.

          Meet Me In Paris

          December 27, 2023

          O's Notes: Bassist, vocalist, composer Janet Evra leads a quintet with Ryan Marquez (p), Matt McKeever (sax, fl), Will Buchanan (g), and Tomi Kämäräinen (d) for Meet Me in Paris. Janet’s warm vocals in French and English make “Paris”, “Zou Bisou Bisou”, and “Un Homme Et Une Femme” entertaining selections. This is an easy listening set.

            With Strings Attached

            December 27, 2023

            O's Notes: We don’t normally consider the concert harp a staple jazz instrument, but Dorothy Ashby did a fine job as a jazz harpist during the 1960s. As a Black woman during that time, she was a pioneer on many fronts! While she was a prominent straight-ahead jazz artist, she was also fluent in contemporary genres, even Jewish traditional music, along with her original compositions. A petite woman, she was dwarfed by her harp but played it masterfully. Ashby is one of the lesser-known jazz stars and thankfully With Strings Attached surfaces a wide span of her music between 1957 and 1965. She’s influenced many musicians and been sampled by many more.

              Caught in the Rhythm

              December 27, 2023

              O's Notes: Saxophonist Benjamin Boone presents another provocative album of spoken word and jazz, Caught In The Rhythm. The messages reflect the reality of the people, no holds barred. Rapper Faylita Hicks adds a change of pace on “We Bring The Soul To It” with Boone’s raging sax paralleling the vibe. That’s just one of many powerful messages from Hicks. Guest artists Ambrose Akinmusire (t) and Greg Osby (a-sax) accentuate the shock on “Caught In The Rhythm” and “Art Pepper” respectively. These are intriguing stories that you want to hear but wish they weren’t true. Be careful Ben, some states are banning reality!

                Where We Are

                December 27, 2023

                O's Notes: Tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman ponders our plight as we navigate through increasingly difficult passages in life on Where We Are. We reviewed the 2-disc, vinyl edition with 13 selections spread across four sides. Aaron Parks (p), Joe Sanders (g) and Brian Blade (d) are the core musicians behind featured vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa. Special guests Kurt Rosenwinkle (g), Joel Ross (vibes), Nicholas Payton (t), and Peter Bernstein (g) each add additional flavors on one selection apiece. Redman’s tone is warm and supports the blues theme. The massages are rich, and Cavassa’s delivery draws listeners into the music, a well-balanced session, Redman’s first featuring a vocalist.

                  The New Wonders

                  December 27, 2023

                  O's Notes: Mike Davis plays cornet and sings on this throwback, early 1900s, taste of New Orleans. The New Wonders includes Ricky Alexander (cl, a-sax, vocals), Joe McDonough (tb), Jared Engel (banjo), Dalton Ridenhour (p), Jay Rattman (b-sax, vocals), and Jay Lepley (d, vocals). This is festive, circus music absent the clowns with tunes that take you back in time. Vocal harmonies on “Clorinda” are spot on as is the instrumentation throughout the set. We also enjoyed the vamp on “Jungle Crawl”.

                    Meet Me In Paris

                    December 27, 2023

                    O's Notes: Bassist, vocalist, composer Janet Evra leads a quintet with Ryan Marquez (p), Matt McKeever (sax, fl), Will Buchanan (g), and Tomi Kämäräinen (d) for Meet Me in Paris. Janet’s warm vocals in French and English make “Paris”, “Zou Bisou Bisou”, and “Un Homme Et Une Femme” entertaining selections. This is an easy listening set.

                      With Strings Attached

                      December 27, 2023

                      O's Notes: We don’t normally consider the concert harp a staple jazz instrument, but Dorothy Ashby did a fine job as a jazz harpist during the 1960s. As a Black woman during that time, she was a pioneer on many fronts! While she was a prominent straight-ahead jazz artist, she was also fluent in contemporary genres, even Jewish traditional music, along with her original compositions. A petite woman, she was dwarfed by her harp but played it masterfully. Ashby is one of the lesser-known jazz stars and thankfully With Strings Attached surfaces a wide span of her music between 1957 and 1965. She’s influenced many musicians and been sampled by many more.