Jed Levy - Faces and Places - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Faces and Places, from Jed Levy and it's a a taste of contemporary jazz styles. Opening with Email, Jed Levy on tenor sax leads the this Afro Cuban flavored  track with confident lead lines, peppered with spot on drum work by Alvester Garnett on drums, Peter Slavov on bass and a solid piano interlude by Luis Perdomo. Twiddle Twaddle is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a  Jorge Dalto kind of feel on piano and with Latin influenced drums and bass work, Levy really gives his horn a workout. Very cool. St. Simon has a really nice groove driven by Slavov's bass line and Garnett on drums. Levy and Perdomo both take extended solos making this a super track.  Tenerife has a strong melodic theme with an excellent drum rhythm.  Levy creates an eccentric yet thought provoking melody, followed by a more structured piano lead by Perdomo. Very cool.  Levy and Garnett take the high road, anchored by Perdomo and Slavov on Postscript. Solid closer for a solid release.            

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Origin Records artist: Nnenna Freelon - Beneath The Skin - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Beneath The Skin, by Nnenna Freelon and it really strong. Opening with Journey of the Heart, Nnenna Freelon is poised and precise with clean vocal articulation over a sparce backing by Alan Pasqua on piano, Keith Ganz on guitar, Jonathan Richards on bass, Steve Hass on drums and Shana Tucker on cello. Solid opener. Under structured, Dark and Lovely brings the blues into Freelon's style with Evan Roberson adding tasty trombone solo work and her vocals are excellent. Snappy, Nawlins drums styling by Hass really works nicely with Roberson giving Freelon just the right base to swing. Excellent! Changed brings to mind Tyner's piano styling on Coltrane's arrangement of Favorite Things and Freelon just sails on vocals. Pasqua really ramps this track up on piano with tight bottom by Hass and Richards. With it's quiet approach, title track, Beneath The Skin is a great contribution with Freelon paired with Ganz on guitar. He voice is powerful and Ganz's guitar playing light and supple creating just the right dynamic. Wrapping the release is Last Dream Home, a nice ballad with it's solid melody and controlled vocals by Freelon, contained by Pasqua on piano and framed by Hass and Richards. A crisp, nylon stringed guitar solo by Ganz adds a brilliant climax to this rich closer. 

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Origin Records artist: Charlie Ballantine - East By Midwest - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, East By Midwest, by Charlie Ballantine and it's great! Opening with Storyteller, a lush, instrumental ballad, Charlie Ballantine on guitar crafts a beautiful melody, saturated with reverb and tone. Joined by Quinn Sternberg who's bass work is active and Dan Weiss on drums who keeps it light but effective makes for a brilliant opener. Monk's, Trinkle Tinkle, has real forward thrust with nimble fingered fretwork and perfectly laid chords by Ballantine illustrating the melody and and neatly styled bottom by Sternberg and Weiss keeping your head bopping. A real tasty solo by Sternberg really does play nicely against the classic structure. Lennon (and McCartney's) Strawberry Fields is a nice surprise with Ballantine playing it's straightforward melody with a bit of overdrive but with some really nice surprise counter notes giving the track a new and quite interesting feel. There's also a surprise "kaleidoscope" kind of sound not unlike Lennon's own reversed tape trick. Very nice! I particularly like original composition, Cigarette Siren with it's rocky approach. With Weiss playing actively with Sternberg, and Ballantine playing lead in a much more strat sounding forward manner, the track really comes to me like a  brilliant blend of a classic surf track and and Leslie West's Mountain. This is really a mind bending track bring in the colors from many palettes. Ornette Coleman's When Will The Blues Leave gets a great bop groove driven by Sternberg, Ballantine catching the wave and rolling right down the barrel. Really nice. Wrapping the release is Elliot Smith's soulful ballad, Alameda nicely crafted by Ballantine on richly saturated guitar tones over a simple rock beat by Sternberg and Weiss. This really is a strong release that you should check out.

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Orenda Records artist: Joseph Santa Maria & David Tranchina - Oblique Rhyme - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, and it's curiously cool. Opening with War Crimes, a driving, angular composition, led by Joseph Santa Maria on tenor sax, with a relentless bass line and solo by David Tranchina, punctuation and further elaboration by Gary Fukushima on piano and tight drum rhythm by Colin Woodford. Santa Maria sets up Mood Of Mind on soprano sax with it's soulful melody and Fukushima on piano dances freely across the keyboard with precision work by Woodford and Tranchina interweaving a gripping bottom. Prism is another interesting track with a jagged melody set down by Santa Maria on soprano sax and Fukushima on piano jointly. Santa Maria extends the theme on sax with excellent drum and bass work maintaining the cohesion of the piece. This Must Be For You, written by Woodford is dedicated to Herbie Hancock. With it's warm, melodic feel, led by Santa Maria on alto sax it really has a rich feel with an invocative bass solo and a captivating piano lead by Fukushima expanding the track. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Picking Up The Pieces, with Santa Maria really leading on warm tenor sax. With Tranchina's intricate bass line, precision drumming by Woodford and excellent piano work by Fukushima constantly edging Santa Maria on, this track really sails. Woodford leads the melody into a more classical exploration on piano and with the shaping by Tranchina and Woodford, the track turns back to the bluesy roots for closure. Very nice. 

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American Blues Artist Group artist: Dudley Taft - The Speed Of Life - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Speed Of Life, by Dudley Taft and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with Wanted Man, Dudley Taft, the great, great, grandnephew of US President William Howard Taft, hits the road running with a funk rhythmed rocker contributing strong melodic vocals, and guitar riffs, supported by Nick Owsianka on drums, Dave Marks on bass, keys and percussion, Bennett Holland on keys, and Ashley Charmae and Gina McCann on backing vocals. Forward rocker, Work It Out has a great driving rhythm and nicely harmonized vocals with potent guitar soloing by Taft. Pretty Little Thing has a cool, SRV like guitar riff to start it off and trademark Taft vocal harmonies electrify the track backed by real nice guitar work supported by Holland on keys. Very cool. Topaz Blue has a real nice swagger. Owsianka on drums really stands on it on this one and Holland's keys saturate the track giving Taft plenty of room to soar on guitar. Into The Blue gives Taft a great opportunity to show off his fancy finger work on acoustic guitar and with warm vocals and a smooth harmonies, this is a solid radio track. Wrapping the release is No Time Left, a strong radio rocker with a tight bottom, strong backing vocals and a direct melody. This is a packed release with plenty of guitar packed energy. 

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J&R Collective artist: Jennifer Lyn & The Groove Revival - Retrograde - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Retrograde, from Jennifer Lyn & The Groove Revival, and it's packed with blues rockers. Opening with Light The Fire, Jennifer Lyn on lead vocal and guitar ignites the package with potent vocals and joined by Richard Torrance on guitar and back vocals, creates a track with just the right amount of grit and blues. With Barb Jiskra on keys Nolyn Falcon on bass and Jim Anderson on drums and vocals this track is a solid opener. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Sucker For The Pain with a terrific beat, a strong guitar riff. Do Bad Things To You has a real nice swagger with a grinding guitar bottom and strong guitar lead, complimented by Falcon and Anderson on rhythm. '59 Cadillac has cool, funky, rhythm and a real strut. Lyn rides high on the vocals with wicked blues wah saturated guitar soloing giving the track real bite. Wrapping the release is radio oriented ballad, Do It All Again, with a memorable melody, compressed guitar lead and a grinding Pat Benetar sound. Cool release. 

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Shiri Zorn & George Muscatello - Looking For The Light - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Looking For The Light, by Shiri Zorn and George Muscatello and it's very nice. Opening with Jobim classic, Garota de Ipanema (Girl From Ipanema) Shiri Zorn approaches  this track with fresh eyes and slams it over the wall. With  brilliant electric guitar lead by George Muscatello and lush rhythms by Mauricio Zottarelli this is an excellent opener. Super track, Marcos Valle's, So Nice is another special treat with a cool arrangement sometimes approaching mysterious with always super vocals and nicely developed work by Muscatello on guitar. Original composition, Prayer, has a super persussion base with Muscatello winding his guitar solo in and through Zorn's vocals. Very interesting. I really like the fusion/Latin American mixture on instrumental (with vocal used as an instrument), Shadow Soul. Intricate percussion work by Zottareli works perfectly with the Fripp like guitar work of Muscatello and Zorn's vocals just float in the ether. Wrapping the release is Arthur Schwartz's Dancing In The Dark with a laid back Samba beat and lushly chorded guitar work under Zorn's carefully illustrated vocal melody. This is a peaceful yet stimulating release. Very nice. 

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Bespoke Jazz artist: Tim Jago - Time Shift - New release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Time Shift, from Tim Jago and it's terrific! Opening with title track, Time Shift, Tim Jago, on guitar really sets a high bar. With Martin Bejerano on keys, Dion Kerr on bass and David Chiverton  on drums a deep groove is set and up steps Jago on guitar laying in the melody. An aggressive round of soloing from Bejerano, Kerr and Jago, accented potently by Chiverton on drums and laid out sax work by Mark Small makes this one of the finest openers that I've heard this year. Soil To Sky opens with a jagged rhythm created by Jago vocally in layers. With  a mix of 4/4 and 5/8 time, Small sets out a lush elevating melody supported by the tight drums work of Chiverton and Bejerano on keys. Nicely phrased lead guitar by Jago elaborates on the melody further enhancing the concept. Very cool. Bernie Miller's, Bernie's Tune is really a nice selection with a driving bottom held tight by Kerr, Chiverton and Bejerano and Jago literally sails on guitar before passing to Small who's sax work has a bit more texture. Circling back, Jago and Small keep it tight wrapping it up. Very nice. Fine Line is another excellent track leading off with Small and Chiverton setting the stage. Jago picks up the lead and really runs with it on guitar. Bejerano gives an outstanding ride on keys supported by Kerr and Chiverton showing just how tight this band is, before rejoining with Small on sax. Really solid. Wrapping the release is Kind Minded, a more spacious track with structure by Small and Bejerano heavily articulated by Kerr and Chiverton. Jago and Small carry the melody throughout and Chiverton takes the track to near explosion with bombastic enthusiasm. Strong closer. 

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Eastlawn Records artist: Doctor Professor Leonard King - In Tribute To Joe Williams - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, In Tribute o Joe Williams, by Doctor Professor Leonard King and it's a lively jazz vocal release with plenty of spring. Opening with Joe Williams track, Who She Do, Leonard King rolls right into the slot with excellent vocals. Matt LoRusso on guitar plays a hot intro, joined by Alex Colista on alto sax, Christopher Tabaczynski screaming on tenor sax, Tre Smith on bari sax, James O'Donnell on trumpet, Charlie Mille on trumpet, Tbone Paxton on trombone, Michael Zaporski on piano, Trevor Lamb on bass, Sean Perlmutter on drums and RJ Spangler on percussion. Excellent swinging opener. Herb Ellis', Detour Ahead, gives King a great opportunity to showcase his vocals, with nice solos by Colista on alto sax, and Miller on trumpet. Nappy Brown's, Night Time Is The Right Time, takes it down deep with strong vocals by King over clean piano lead by Zaporski. Paxton lays in some real nice muted trombone work and trumpet solos by O'Donnell and Miller really shine. Count Basie's, Don't Push Don't Pull really swings and King gets the crew cranked up. With TBone featured on trombone it's automatically one of my favorites on the release, but there's no denying the hot trumpet work of O'Donnell and Miller. Great swinger. Wrapping the release is Some Of This 'N' Of That with a cool Nawlins feel. Zaporski's piano work is stellar giving the track terrific traction and Smith really gets the bari sax cooking. One final flying guitar solo by LoRusso really adds a terrific shine to a solid Williams tribute. Strong. 

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The Bent Note artist: Hughes Taylor - Roasted - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Roasted, from Hughes Taylor and it's super blues rocker. Opening with jazzy rocker, Moondance Baby, Hughes Taylor on lead vocal and guitar sets a definite bar for the band including Ben Alford on bass, Nich Gannon on drums,  Zach Wilson on keys and Emily Lynn on backing vocals. Until It Hits is a laid back track showcasing both the warm vocals and southern rock guitar influences on his playing. Paired with Evie Somogye on backing vocals, Taylors playing is clean and Wilson's keyboard work really filling the bill. From The Other Side really has some great guitar tone with with a riff that could be right out of the grooves of Cream. Taylor's vocals are forward and his guitar playing aggressive working well with Gannon on drums. Beautiful Stranger has a funky rhythm and great guitar tone with nicely phrased vocals and heavy organ work by Wilson. Alford and Gannon really work the bottom on this track making it one of my favorites on the release. Wrapping the release is Rochester, a funky, instrumental jam with Taylor setting the pace on guitar, a meaty bass line by Alford and tight drumming by Gannon. Solid closer. 

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Robert Thurman - Burning Daylight - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Burning Daylight, from Robert Thurman and it real and raw. Opening with American Jesus Blues, Robert Thurman plays blues in it's most stripped down form. Just his vocal and rhythm guitar. On Blues This Morning, Thurman has created a solid melody and strums it on electric guitar, answering his call vocally. Very cool. Ofermod is a interesting little instrumental track with the basic bones of a European folk song. Nervous Blues is another track that caught my attention with Thurman singing the melody accompanied by innovative slide resonator guitar. Sonny Boy Williamson's Ground Hog Blues has real spunk and guts holding a traditional blues format. So Far From Home is one of my favorites on the release with a folky, western styling of the troubadour cowboy and guitar. Very nice. Wrapping the release is One Last Breath, a story told without any guitar accompaniment. This is a cool and unusual release and definitely worth a listen. 

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BDM Records artist: Bianca Rossini - Kiss of Brasil - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Kiss of Brazil, by Bianca Rossini and I quite like it. Opening with Ipanema Paraiso a smooth, Brazilian pop track, showcases Bianca Rossini on vocal and Peter Roberts on piano carrying the track with nice additions by Peter Roberts on guitar and keys, and featuring some real nice sax work by Jimmy Roberts. Solid opener. Nos Dois has a very soothing sound with Marilyn Berglas on piano and strings, and Robert Montero on guitar. Very nice. Up tempo, Verdadeiro Amor really has a great rhythm with Berglas on piano, Grecco Buratto on guitar and cavaquinho, Roberts on keys and Sandro Feliciano on percussion. One of my favorites on the release is sultry, No Silencio da Noite with an inviting lead vocal line and nicely articulated piano work by Steve Rawlins. Excellent! A solid Bossa beat on Perfume de Verao features Paul Montesano whistling the melody and guitar with Roberts on keys. Nice addition. Wrapping the release is Corazon de Oro, sung in english with a a warm rhythm With Marco Tulio on guitar, Roberts on keys and Berglas on strings. Very nice closer and strong release by Rossini, whose captivating vocals carry the release. 

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Geoff Arsenault - Hired Hand - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hired Hand, from Geoff Arsenault and it's sketchy and raggedy ...and maybe just right. Opening with Steps To Gumbo, Geoff Arsenault sets a simple drum template and underscores it with laid back vocals. Joined by Zev Katz on bass, and Glenn Patscha on B3 and Wurlitzer this track sets a cool line, underscored by Joey Landreth on slide guitar. Strong opener. Just a dash of funk in his drums on Bullet Won't Stop gives it a real nice feel with punctuation by Patscha on Wurlitzer. Creatively interesting. Balled, The Great Divide is really a strong track feeling a bit like Dylan. His haunting vocal pairing with Amy Helm is super and Patscha's B3  works really nicely with iridescent sonic backing. Very nice. I Ain't Locked Down is a pure 2 step rocker with JJ Cale like style. Easley on bass and Arsenault on drums (and vocal) set the meter and Patscha on B3 and George Sluppick on tambourine give the track texture giving Colin Linden a wide open road for some real nice guitar soloing. Jazzy, Already Gone, has a cool, acoustic guitar, drum B3 backing under Arsenault's vocals and Linden again shows great flair on electric guitar. Wrapping the release is simple ballad, Cajun Soul with Arsenault delivering the melody on vocal and acoustic guitar, supported by Easley on bass, Patscha on Wurlitzer and Accordion and David Mansfield on Cajun style fiddle. Very warm closer for a cool release. 

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Catfood Records artist: Johnny Rawls - Make Them Dance - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Make Them Dance, from Johnny Rawls and it's full of R&B, blues and soul. Opening with rocker, So Cold, Johnny Rawls on lead vocal leads the attack with the style early Clapton/Bramlett collaboration with Will McFarlane on guitar, Steve Potts on drums, Bob Trenchard on bass and Dan Ferguson on keys, beefed up by Mike Middleton on trumpet, Andy Roman on sax, Nick Flood on bari sax, Frank Otero on trombone, Kimberly Horton and Trinecia Butler on backing vocals. Latin flavored rocker, Make Them Dance is the title track with rich backing vocals, warm keys by Ferguson, a real nice sax solo by Roman, and hot percussion by Potts. Give It To Me has cool R&B roots with a hi stepping rhythm and solid horn backing. Rawls works the vocals and McFarlane adds cool bluesy guitar riffs making the track just that much bluesier. My favorite track on the release, Say That You Love Me, has a distinct Curtis Mayfield feel, giving Rawls a real nice chance to shine vocally. Warm vocal backing by Horton and Butler and a smooth guitar solo by McFarlane gives the track even more depth. Wrapping the release is soulful, The Long Road, with it's full horn backing. Rawls shines on lead vocals and the melody is a certain radio track.  Middleton and Otero really beef up the brass and tight rhythms by Potts make this a solid closer. 

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Not from this release:

James Zito - Zito's Jump! - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Zito's Jump!, from James Zito and it's a lot of fun. Opening with boogaloo title track, Zito's Jump, Rodney Whitaker on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums set up the rhythm expanded by Luther Allison on piano. James Zito steps up throwing down fluid, machine gun riffs with solid style. I can definitely hear traces of many of the greats in there but certainly not a copy. Joseph Miller wraps in some nice sax work concluding a fine opener. Laid back Island Girl has a light Latin flavor featuring Chris Lewis setting up the melody on flute and warm, relaxing solos by Allison and Zito. Very nice. Jimmy Smith's swing track, Ready N' Able really kicks into gear with horns blazing. Featuring Lewis on tenor, Nicholas Dimaria on trumpet, Joseph Miller on alto sax, Jack Kotze on trombone and of course Allison, Farnsworth and Whitaker, this track is flying. Zito steps up with some ear opening guitar riffs that are sure to lay you flat back into you seat. My favorite!! Another terrific addition is Minor Lies with a driving bottom and punchy horns. Bud Redding's  The End Of A Love Affair is a full out jam terrific solos by Zito, Jarien Jamanila on sax, Miller on alto sax, and Allison. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Turner Layton and Henry Creamer's quick tune, After You've Gone. Starting with Zito laying down the basic melody and quiet pace on guitar, just simple backing.... then kicking it to double time really ripping up the fretboard over  Whitaker, Farnsworth and Allison. Super closer for an strong release. 

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Cellar Music artist: Geoffrey Dean Quartet - Conceptions - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Conceptions, from Geoffrey Dean Quartet, and it breathes. Opening with Came And Went, Justin Copeland on trumpet has the melody, with strong support from Geoffrey Dean on piano and tight rhythm by Harish Raghavan on bass and Eric Binder on drums. Dean takes over expanding the melody with crystal clarity. Solid opener. Quiet ballad, Amidst A Dream, features a quiet yet essential trumpet solo by Copeland. Dean expands on the melody on piano and Copeland closes the track. Very nice. Springy, Song For Hannah is an adventuresome exploration on piano with a Latin twist.  With light drumming and bass, this track works nicely. Prism has a strong driving rhythm and with fluid lead on trumpet by Copeland. Dean takes the lead with strong support by Raghaven and Binder making this one of my favorites on the release. Wrapping the set is What May Come with a calculated pace and well structured lead by Dean. Copeland's solo is subtle and isolated giving it a strong attack. Very nice closer. 

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Silvano Monasterios - The River - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The River, by Silvano Monasterios and it's very cool. Opening with title track, The River, Silvano Monasterios sets a suoer piano rhythm with a Latin beat. Troy Roberts on tenor sax, Nestor Torres on flute, Alex Norris on trumpet, Jeff Lederer on clarinet, Ricky Rodriguez on contrabass, Lusito Quintero on percussion, Jimmy MacBride on drums and Juan Diego Villalobos on vibes create a synchronous melody. As the band drops back, Monasterios creates the first improv on the melody followed by Lederer on clarinet. Roberts on tenor really kicks things up with a juicy solo of his own, followed by Norris on trumpet. Very nice opener. Against The Current has a great Latin beat that will really suck you in. Monasterios sets the first solo on piano and his phrasing is potent and engaging. Norris on trumpet picks it up and delivers with strong intent. The melody is delivered with brilliant vibes by Villalobos and Norris and Roberts on trumpet and sax with snappy drum work by MacBride. Tight! Wrapping the release is The River Between Us, a real nice track with complex percussion rhythms. Monasterios illustrates the melody beautifully on piano and Torres' contribution on flute really float nicely. Roberts steps up with a well sculpted tenor solo, turning the track over to Monasterios and MacBride to close. Solid closer. 

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