Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bossa+ , from Sergio Pereira , and it's warm, clean and inviting. Opening with title track, Bossa , Luis Guerra on keys lays down the melody, complimented by Sergio Pereira on guitar, Ariel Ramirez on bass, Chipi Chacon on trumpet and Mauricio Zottarelli on drums. Chacon, Pereira and Guerra expand on the melody alternatively with lead soloing keeping the track close. Solid opener. Laid back, One For Pat, finds Pereira on lead vocal and excellent Spanish guitar styling, joined by Ivan Melon Lewis on piano, Ivan Ruiz Machado on bass, Jose San Martin on drums and Romero Lubambo on violao. Very nice. Desamor (Verao Boreal) is a very nice track and my recommendation for radio track. With it's great melody, vocal by Pereira, and interwoven Latin rhythms, this track really hits. Chacon on trumpet lays in a real nice solo giving the track just the right amount of special sauce. Wrapping the release is and jazzed up cover ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, BEATitude , from David Bixler and it's quite enjoyable. Opening with A Power Deferred , alto sax player/ composer, David Bixler sets up a solid melody, caressed by the excellent accent work of Jon Cowherd on piano and Ike Sturm on bass and Rogerio Boccato on percussion. With a lightly salted Latin rhythm and Bixler trades with Cowherd who's piano lines flow nicely and Sturm's bass solo is firm and inciteful. Strong opener. Hide Seek Find has a bit of Bossa Nova in it's blood with Cowherd and Boccato creating the basis for the rhythm and Sturm really working the bass. Bixler, free to play the melodic solo lead. Again, Sturm gets the floor and his freedom to enhance the track is really meaningful. Cowherd takes a nice stroll on piano before joining back to a uniform front giving the track real texture.  Wrapping the release is Lost Hours? No , with it's solemn, alto sax drifting a hint of melody over the...