Origin Records artist: Bobby Rozario - Healer - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Healer, by Bobby Rozario, and it's cool jazz rock with potent Latin influences. Opening with title track, Healer, Bobby Rozario opens with fluid guitar riffs underscored by Neil Nail Alexander on organ, James Genus on bass, Nathaniel Townsley on drums, and Jhair Sala on percussion and Rosario, Keith Fluitt, and Carlton Jumel Smith on vocals. Lively opener. On Supreme, they crank up the brass with inclusion of Joe Romano on trumpet and Jimmy Bosch on trombone with vocals in almost chant form reminiscent of a similar track by McLaughlin and Santana. Rozario's guitar work is electrifying and the rhythmic percussion work of Sala, Townsley and Rozario is hypnotic. Latin rocker, Spirits, has a solid bottom courtesy of Danny Kean on organ, bass by Aalics Bronson and Robby Ameen on drums. Tight guitar riffs by Rozario give this track a real jam. Wrapping the release is Seasons, a funky, Latin rocker showcasing Rozario on guitar and David Mann on sax. This is a real solid track and a cool closer. 

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Guitar One Records artist: Misty Blues - Other Side Of Blue - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Other Side of Blue, by Misty Blues and it's smoking. Opening with slow blues, I've Got Vices, Gina Coleman with her powerful vocals lead the way, joined by the blistering guitar work of Seth Fleischmann and power sax work of  Aaron Dean, Diego Mongue on bass and David Vittone on keys and Rob Tatten on drums. Funky, Trust Ain't Given is a solid mover with snappy drum/guitar rhythm supporting Coleman on vocals. Vittone on organ really thickens up the funk and Tatten's stick work on drums really stiffens up the slam. Very cool. Dark, jazzy, Three Mississippi's, is one of the coolest tracks on the release pairing Coleman's vocals with the backing of Chantel McCullouch, Wendy Lipp, Kathy Ryan, Rebecca Mattson and Sean Bottoms on vocal and the warm guitar work of Fleischmann. Carry On This Way has a swaying blues feel giving Dean a great opportunity to show his sax chops and Coleman's vocal phrasing and depth gives the track a rich feel. Fleischmann enters the closer, I Ain't Buying with a tight, funky guitar riff joined by Bob Stannard on harmonica providing an excellent field for Coleman's vocal style. Mongue on bass and Tatten on drums hold the bottom tight and Dean's sax work is fat fat fat. Solid closer for a cool release. 

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Teskey - White Wolf - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, White Wolf, from Teskey and it's a solid blues based rocker. Opening with Under The Sun, Teskey hits hard with a potent guitar riff by Brandon Teskey who also leads the way on vocal and a stiff snare swat by Brandon Gaddy. Matt Baldwin on bass creates a driving urgency on bass and Peter Murphy adds melodic keyboard rounding out the track. Slow blues, Upside Down World, follows a basic 8 bar format with Teskey setting the melody on vocal and accompanying himself on guitar. A firm bottom by Gaddy and Baldwin gives him plenty of room to lay down contemporary guitar riffs falling back to the blues root. Lemon Tree is a cool acoustic track with Teskey laying down a basic blues bottom on acoustic guitar and singing and soloing over that showing fine dexterity. Shadow Side is a straight up rocker and my favorite track on the release. With a strong bottom and nicely blended vocals, this could be a good radio track. Wrapping the release is ballad, Make The World Sing, with a solid melody and powerful approach. Teskey on vocal is firmly backed by Murphy on vocal and keys and his own guitar accompaniment over the solid bottom by Gaddy and Baldwin make this a strong closer. 

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OA2 Records artist: Randy Napoleon - Waking Music - The Music of Gregg Hill & Randy Napoleon - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Waking Music: The Music of Gregg Hill & Randy Napoleon and it's solid, inspired and inventive. Opening with Super Moon, you immediately get a sense that this release is going to be a new excursion. Clock like rim shots and unexpected snare/cymbal shots by Quincy Davis, piano rhythm by Rick Roe and featuring Randy Napoleon and Jocelyn Gould on guitar creates a euphoric feel. Breaking to a real nice bop, led by Rodney Whitaker on bass, Napoleon lays down a low slung solo that really creates a groove. Gould picks up the baton and runs with it creating a nasty groove of her own. Whitaker takes center focus and he makes the groove fly. Circling back, Davis recreates the clock like timing and reggae slap. Very interesting. The Speckled Frog has a cool Latino bop feel with super drum and percussion by Davis and walking guitar texture by Napoleon and Ben Turner. Anthony Stanco sits in on trumpet shoveling a heap of bluesy tasty bop riffs on the fire. Napoleon takes the lead with really nicely stylized soloing, accented by Roe. Two Thoughts is really a nice break with classical/jazz construction featuring Roe on piano, Davis on drums and Napoleon weaving a lush fabric of guitar tones. Roe breaks into a strong groove and Davis is tight on his heels. Napoleon enters with plenty of swagger making it very difficult to keep yourself stationary. Very  nice. The Singer really is high energy with excellent guitar work by Napoleon and Luke Sittard, expanded and reinforced by a dynamic Latin bottom by Roe, Michael J. Reed on drums and Langston Kitchen on bass. Smoking! Riverside Blossoms showcases the excellent chops of Michael Dease up front on trombone punctuated by the solid piano rhythm of Roe and Davis on drums. Napoleon shows his warm side with fluid guitar lead and a tight bass lead by Whitaker gives the track even more weight. Rich. Jo Jo Jo has a really contemplative intro with beautiful guitar illustration by Napoleon. This piece kicks into high gear lead by Napoleon, Sittard and Roe and Davis' splashy drum work is tops. Wrapping the release is Boom Boom with exuberant guitar solos by Chris Minami, Ben Turner, and Gould, a rich Tenor sax solo by Walter Blanding and topped off by hot drumming by Davis. What a closer. 

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Origin Records artist: Shawn Purcell - Oblivity - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Oblivity, by Shawn Purcell, and it's intensively satisfying. Opening with title track, Oblivity, Shawn Purcell on guitar and Walt Weiskopf on tenor sax chisel out a really cool melody supported by Chris Ziemba on piano, Jeff Reed on bass and Steve Fidyk on drums. Weiskopf really rips a great sax solo, tightly punctuated by Ziemba on piano, then surrendering the lead to Ziemba who really holds the line. Purcell picks up the groove on Guitar Synth sending it even further before returning to TDC for a climatic conclusion. Explosive opener. Verdigris with it's steady pace and sophisticated drum pattern provides fertile soil for double time guitar work by Purcell over the stable melodic base by Ziemba on piano. Weiskopf really soars on sax with full scale melodic assault before Ziemba takes the lead with calming yet vibrant piano lead, anchored by Reed and Fidyk. Very nice. Laid back, Lazy Reverie, is an easy shuffle featuring Purcell on Synth laying down the melody. Weiskopf really stirs the pot with a strong tenor solo, punctuated by Ziemba on piano. Purcell keeps things simple with a breezy Synth solo with Darden Purcell on voice and Ben Patterson on trombone adding warm texture as Ziemba stretches on piano. Nicely cool. Sunday Best has a strong melody and a real bluesy swing, adorned nicely by the sassy sax work of Weiskopf. Purcell steps in with some great eighth note runs and double stops creating excellent tension against the solid bottom created by Ziemba, Reed and Fidyk. Deep. Wrapping the release is Flow, a strong, anthem like track with Purcell and Weiskopf paired in tandem creating a forceful front. Taking it low, Ziemba on piano sets the base melody before Purcell comes on full force on Synth really tearing a hole in the atmosphere, followed by Weiskopf on sax creating a sense of the storm winding down over an excellent front of percussion by Fidyk, paring down even further to the basis by Ziemba who leads the ensemble to a solid close. Powerful closer. Beautiful cover by the way...

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Joplin Sweeney Music Company artist: Jim Witzel Quartet - Very Early (Remembering Bill Evans) - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Very Early (Remembering Bill Evans), by Jim Witzel Quartet, and it's terrific! Opening with Victor Young's, Beautiful Love, JimWitzel on guitar paints a lush landscape of guitar chords setting up this jazz standard. With Phil Aaron on piano punctuating the melody and Dan Feiszli on bass and Jason Lewis on drums, this track is really humming. Aaron really stretches the melody on piano giving the track real width and Feiszli and Lewis alternate riffs adding the depth. Excellent.  opener.   Steve Swallow's Falling Grace has a stylistic Latin rhythm and Witzel really rolls on guitar with flowing rhythmic lead and Aaron on piano uses a percussive style to really deliver the goods. John Carisi's Israel has an incredible groove. Witzel and Aaron outline the melody nicely in duet, with Aaron first breaking loose with a light piano lead with just the least amount of bass and drums to set up the interplay. Witzel steps up with really nice guitar lead slowly but certainly ramping up the track. His intuition is terrific ... I mean this groove will push you back in your seat. Lewis shows his crisp sense of rhythm and articulation before the rest of the band falls back wrapping the track. Very nice. Feiszli leads off Miles' Nardis with a super bass line. Witzel outlines the melody on guitar with Aaron working the counter  and response. Taking the first solo line, Aaron sets a solid bop followed by lavish guitar lead by Witzel . Wrapping the release is Bill Evans' Peri's Scope with a tight Latin feel. Witzel and Aaron pair the lead before Witzel peels away with swinging, stylized guitar lead. Changing the rhythm up a little with cool rim shots by Lewis, Aaron hits it hard on piano before letting it go in full swing meeting back with Witzel for a warm finale. Excellent release. 

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Joe Elefante's Wheel of Dharma - Return of the Light - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Return of the Light, from Joe Elefante's Wheel of Dharma and I really like it. Opening with Jazz For Dummies, a cool bop track, Joe Elefante on piano sets the scene with David Heilman on drums. Freddie Hendrix on trumpet and Erena Terakubo on alto sax reinforce the phrasing for a strong start. Elefante takes the first leg with an energetic phrasing, chided on by Sameer Shankar on bass and Heilman. Terakubu on alto cuts clean with some dynamic lead and Hendrix on trumpet really hits the groove, extending the concept nicely. Strong opener. Title track, Return of the Light in 6/8 rolls along with really creative melodic summaries by Hendrix, punctuated by Elefante and Terakubu plays cleanly over mostly light bass and drums seeming to float. Elefante and Heilman exchange percussive phrases, passing to the reconciliation. Very nice. Ankara Blues really has a great feel with a driving bass line by Shankar. Terakubu really digs in on sax laying out some of the best lead on the release followed by Hendrix on trumpet and a hot drum solo by Heilman. Simple Girl is one of my favorites on the release with a strong bottom and intense trumpet work by Hendrix followed in contrast by the supple piano work of Elefante. Shankar turns up the juice on bass and Terakubo again lays in some really soulful lead. Excellent! Wrapping the release is John Coletrane's Some Other Blues featuring Elefante on vocal and piano. With a super, shuffle beat Elefante scats with piano and a super bass line by Shankar. Terakubo digs in and swings on sax followed by crisp trumpet lead by Hendrix. Shankar gets one more chance to captivate and his lines are smokin. Excellent closer for a really potent release. 

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OA2 Records artist: Ted Piltzecker - Peace Vibes - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Peace Vibes, from Ted Piltzecker and it's a solid combination of original and classic covers. Opening with Benny Golson's Whisper Not, Ted Piltzecker on vibraphone begins the melody joined by Brad Goode playing counter melody on trumpet. Gonzalo Teppa on bass and Paul Romaine on drums provide a tight rhythm section for a lush exploration of this well known classic. Piltzecker's strokes float on air and Goode's trumpet work is really crisp. Excellent opener. Toots Theilemans' Bluesette has a terrific Latin rhythm emphasized by Vinicius Barros on percussion, reinforced by Romaine on drums. Piltzecker's vibes really fill the air and Goode's trumpet lead it enthusiastic and fun. Miles Davis' Nardis features Goode on lead on trumpet, his noted caressed in warm vibes tones. Romaine lightly drives the beat as Piltzecker extends the melody and a real nice bass solo by Teppa adds another dimension to an already complex track. Very nice. The intro for Horace Silver's, Peace, is formed by Piltzecker and slowly built to full potential adding first light drums and bass, then Goode on trumpet, for a warm conclusion. Wrapping the release is jazz standard, Old Devil Moon with a Latin rhythm. Romaine adds a lot of texture with Goode taking the lead and Piltzecker adding vital warmth on vibes. Solid closer. 

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Qualified Records artist: Big Shoes - King Size - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, King Size, by Big Shoes and it's addicting. Opening with Jimmy Hall's, Halfway To Memphis, with a real R&B style. Featuring Rick Huckaby on lead vocal and guitar, this track has a real strut with Jimmy Borland on bari sax, Steve Hermann on trumpet and Charlie Rose on trombone, Mark T Jordan on keys, Tom Szell on bass, Kenne Kramer on guitar, Will McFarlane on guitar, Bryan Brock on percussion and Lynn Williams on drums. Solid opener. Right About Now has a real "Little Feat" feel with a swampy bottom courtesy of Williams and Brock. Bluesy slide guitar really sounds nice and Jordan's piano work adds terrific upper rhythm. Very nice. Shuffle, I Don't Need Nobody, penned by Cramer has a real nice groove filled out by Herman, Boland and Rose and Jordan sets up a real nice piano solo, leading to a cool guitar solo by McFarlane. Super track. Buckwheat Zydeco's Make It Easy On Yourself has a great funky organ with excellent horn punctuation and tight drums. Huckaby's vocals are terrific and backing vocals add another dimension giving this track real breadth. Rocker, Yvette is one of my favorites on the release with a solid driving rhythm and simple rocking rhythm. Wrapping the release is Jesse Ed Davis' She's A Pain. With Jordan pounding it out on piano and Williams tight drums, this track has great traction. Huckaby's vocals really hit the spot and McFarlane's slide work is smooth as silk. Excellent closer. 

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OA2 Records artist: Kelsey Mines - Everything Sacred, Nothing Serious - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Everything Sacred, Nothing Serious, from Kelsey Mines and it's really strong. Opening with Self-Alchemization, Kelsey Mines on bass and vocal and John Hansen on piano create a certain ambiance which develops into a super interesting groove. With Elsa Nilsson on flute and Beserat Tafesse on trombone playing in tandem, the sketch of melody is cast. Hansen takes the first solo with nicely illustrated piano lead, backed by Danilo Silva on guitar, Mines on bass, Machado Mijiga on drums and Jeff Busch on percussion. Nilsson rolls out a real nice flute solo with super bass and drum work supporting. Excellent! Sitting and Not Waiting has a really nice shape, Mines driving the bottom. Tafesse really wails on trombone with finesse and precision, punctuated by Mijiga and Hansen. Hansen really has great chops on piano, further expanding the track over the ever driving bass of Mines. Pluriverse is a real interesting track opening with a somewhat avant-garde intro, feeding via a rhythmic bass line by Mines. Nilsson on flute and Tafesse on trombone create a nicely harmonic melody line with light cymbal and snare work by Mijiga. A warm interlude by by Nilsson on flute is really strong ...accented by Hansen and Mijiga and Mines bass work is masterful. As the band pares back, Silva plays lush lead guitar with really nice phrasing.  Wrapping the release is lively, Marcy's Regret with a lightly salted Latin rhythm. Nilsson and Tafesse have the lead carried by the super rhythm section of Mines and Mijiga. Mines gets a real nice chance to lay down a really sweet bass solo with rhythm by Silva on guitar and Mijiga on drums. Nilsson picks up the lead on flute and Busch on percussion brings up the heat. Mijiga and Hansen throw fuel on the fire with a great percussive duel bringing up the finale. Very nice recording. 

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Qualified Records artist: Yates McKendree - Need To Know - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Need To Know, from Yates McKendree and I really like it. Opening with solid blues number, Burnin' Tears, Yates McKendree on lead guitar and vocal really sets a nice pace. With Steve Mackey on bass, Griffin Photoglou on drums, Robert Frahm on rhythm guitar and Kevin McKendree on piano and Hammond, Yates vocals are strong and his BB King flavored guitar attack really fits this track perfectly. Excellent opener. Run It In The Ground is a super hot runner with Muddy Waters roots. Yates is really riding high on lead vocal and his guitar work sails with Kevin and Frahm kicking it with heavy support by Griffin. James Brown's, I Don't Care gets a real nice cover by Yates with his soulful voice and solid horn backing by Steve Herrman on trumpet, John Hinchey on trombone and standout sax work by Jim Hoke on tenor and bari sax. Chris Kenner's Something You Got has a real nice funk underpinning by Kevin on organ, Frahm on rhythm and Kenneth Blevins on drums and Yates takes his guitar to town with excellent phrasing on lead and some of his best vocals on the release. See See Rider gets a real nice R&B meets jazz makeover and Yates plays some of his most outrageous guitar to date. This track may seem like it would be a sleeper, but it's anything but. Excellent! Willie Dixon's I Can't Stop is outrageous with Yates seeming to ooze Otis Rush and his falsetto vocal contrast are wild. With Kevin on piano, Frahm on rhythm Mackey on bass and Photoglou on drums, this release really does continue to get deeper. Wow! Hot shuffle, Good As Gone, is manned by Yates on vocal, lead guitar, bass and drums and Kevin on organ and guitar. This thing is a blast! Wrapping the release is Tide, a cool instrumental with progressively building intensity created by Yates adding more and more layers of washer and dryer, Guitars, bass, and Hammond to a cool beat by George Sluppick on percussion. This is a great release and an easy recommendation. You gotta get this!

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Ruf Records artist: Pavlov's Dog - Wonderlust - New Release Review

p> I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Wonderlust, from rocker, Pavlov's Dog. Originally formed in 1974 in St Louis, Pavlov' Dog now regrouped by founder, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter David Surkamp with singer Sara Surkamp, Abbie Steiling on violin, Rick Steiling on bass, Mark Maher on keys, Steve Bunck on drums and Phil Ring on guitar. Opening with rocker, Anyway There's Snow, David Surkamp has the lead vocal and guitar lead with Abbie adding prominent violin work and Bunck's tight drum rhythm. Mona has a distinct pop rock feel with a strong melody and firm guitar chords by David, reinforcing his vocal work and nicely executed violin lead by Abbie. Solid Water, Liquid Sky is an interesting track with shout like lead vocals and and a warm, mellow backing by Abbie, Rick on bass, Mark on piano, Phil on drums and Steve on drums. Instrumental, Calling Sigfried has a sprite, European folk/rock feel with nicely presented violin lead by Abbie and crisp drumming by Steve over the masterful piano work of Mark. Very nice. Wrapping the release is I Wait For You, featuring David's trademark vocals, accompanied by Mark on piano and Abbie on violin in clean, folk/pop like form. Solid closer. 

 


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Origin Records artist: Affinity Trio - New Outlook - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, New Outlook, from Affinity Trio and it's really cool. Opening with Onward, a solid bop Eric Jacobson on trumpet carves a strong melody. Joined by Pamela York on piano who not only holds a firm rhythm but plays strong, inciteful phrasing, together with Clay Schaub on bass makes for a perfect trio. York penned, title track, New Outlook, has a simple solitude, pairing Jacobson with York on melody, anchored by Schaub creating a nicely flowing track. Larry Willis', To Wisdom, has a beautiful balance with Jacobson creating the primary melody, handing to York for a playful piano exploration. Jacobson returning with a floating trumpet solo solo and handing to the richness of Schaub on bass really gives the track a special delivery. Wrapping the release is Kenny Dorham's Una Mas framed by the percussive piano attack of York. Jacobson fleshes out the melody on trumpet with York and Schaub creating a solid bottom. The groove really develops a great groove with York and Jacobson playing call and response to great resolve. I've seen plenty of trios and often to disappointing results, typically sax or piano lead with drums or bass. But with 3 strong players, all covering rhythm this is a very satisfying release. 

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Hard Times Records artist: Piper & The Hard Times - Good Company - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Good Company, from Piper & The Hard Times and it's a high energy blues rocker. Opening with title track, Good Company, Piper Green on vocals is smooth as silk leading the way with grinding guitar lead by Steve Eagon, strong piano rhythm by Amy Frederick, Dave Colella on drums and Parker Hawkins on bass. Solid opener. Tear It Down has a strutting R&B feel with Green digging in with a gritty attack and Eddie Meyer on sax adds real warmth with Frederick on organ and featuring Lisa Oliver-Gray and Etta Britt on backing vocals. Eagon sets a perfect stage with beautiful tone on guitar for Turn The Tables, a slower blues with soulful vocals by Green. My favorite track on the release. Cheatin's Gotta End is another favorite of mine on the release with it's power bottom by Hawkins and Colella, fiery guitar work by Eagon and heavy organ by Frederick giving Green a wide berth to sing the blues. Very nice. Shuffle, Keep It To Yourself has a great feel with Frederick and Eagon giving the train and Green really belting it out. Eagon has great overdriven tone and super phrasing and Colella's drumming is spot on. Very cool. Wrapping the release is R&B track, Those Days with great soul shouting by Green, and nicely interwoven sax and guitar lead by Meyer and Eagon. Solid closer. 

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Origin Records artist: Maja Jaku - Blessed & Bewitched - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blessed & Bewitched, by Maja Jaku, and its quiet and dynamic. Opening with The Witch, Maja Jaku applies her vocals like drops of silver on the lush piano chords by Alan Bartus. Michael Rodriguez on trumpet really adorns the track nicely with well conceived lines making for a solid opener.  Another quiet track, Lonely Little Fox, has Jaku's vocal, working nicely on Bartus's piano and accented by Rodriquez on trumpet, with Dezron Douglas on bass and Johnathan Blake on drums. I love the richness of Bartus' piano intro on Never Let Me Go and Jaku's vocals really work nicely with this standard and Rodriguez's sensuous trumpet work is really outstanding with choice bottom work by Douglas and Blake. Wrapping the release is Everything Must Change, an easy paced ballad with solid balance between Jaku and Bartus on piano. Solid phrasing and choice instrumentation give this release the right balance.

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