Sunday, January 28, 2007
Johnny Adams - From the Heart
From 1984, this is probably Adams’ finest work. His versatility and range is matched by very strong material, notably Doc Pomus’ tender “From the Heart” (in which Adams adds impact by holding his notes longer than expected). Hal Jackson’s ripping “I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home.” Alvin “Red” Tyler’s tenor sax break on “If I Ever Had a Good Thing” is spine-tingling. The whole band is top-flight: Walter “Wolfman” Washington’s electric guitar is particularly satisfying on “Your Love is So Doggone Good,” but once again, it’s Adams’ voice and Pomus’ songwriting that carries the day. Throughout, Adams is expert in working the space between blues and soul.
Solas - Solas
This demonstration-quality recording could actually be played to audition high-end loudspeakers. The album features Irish songs collected over the centuries. The arrangements are snappy and have a contemporary flair. The depth of Seamus Egan’s bodhrán against Karan Casey’s pure, clear voice can be heard on “Níl ‘Na Lá.” Here, the fiddle and the guitar trade off and the choruses are spirited—the song is a fine rendition of an old drinking song. The resonances of guitar and violin on “Crested Hens” create a lovely air, though Egan’s low whistle on “Lament for Frankie,” another air, is even more chilling. Among the reels, “The Flowing Bowl” is a favorite, and among the jigs, “The White Petticoat.” An extraordinary album in every way.
ABOUT SOLAS:
Solas is a 1990s Irish-American phenomenon. The group’s story begins with Seamus Egan, who was born in Philadelphia in 1969, then moved to Ireland at age 4, where he later became an all-Ireland champion on several instruments, including the banjo, mandolin, and flute. He returned to Philadelphia and performed with his sisters and with the Green Fields of America. While on tour, Egan’s car broke down, and a kind family helped. As it happened, the family’s son was involved with a small film, The Brothers McMullen. Egan’s music became a major part of the soundtrack. Singer Karan Casey grew up in Waterford County, Ireland, and sang jazz in NYC’s Irish clubs in the early 1990s. Fiddler Winifred Horan worked with Cherish the Ladies. Guitar player John Doyle is from Ireland, as are the parents of accordion player John Williams. As these musicians crossed professional paths, Solas took shape in 1995.
ABOUT SOLAS:
Solas is a 1990s Irish-American phenomenon. The group’s story begins with Seamus Egan, who was born in Philadelphia in 1969, then moved to Ireland at age 4, where he later became an all-Ireland champion on several instruments, including the banjo, mandolin, and flute. He returned to Philadelphia and performed with his sisters and with the Green Fields of America. While on tour, Egan’s car broke down, and a kind family helped. As it happened, the family’s son was involved with a small film, The Brothers McMullen. Egan’s music became a major part of the soundtrack. Singer Karan Casey grew up in Waterford County, Ireland, and sang jazz in NYC’s Irish clubs in the early 1990s. Fiddler Winifred Horan worked with Cherish the Ladies. Guitar player John Doyle is from Ireland, as are the parents of accordion player John Williams. As these musicians crossed professional paths, Solas took shape in 1995.
Toumani Diabate - Kaira
The classic kora album. Diabate creates magic on the 21-string West African kora, a cross between a harp and a lute. The kora typically accompanies a singer, but Diabate builds on influences from acoustic guitar, drums, and Western music, and this instrumental work more than stands on its own. Songs are kora classics. “Kaira (Peace),” written by his father in the 1940s, helped establish the kora as a solo instrument. “Alla L’Aa Ke (God’s Work)” is 100 years old. The music follows no established rhythm, though the pace is relaxed and easy. Micro-melodies materialize and vanish, their places taken by new ideas.
ABOUT TOUMAINI DIABATE:
In 1965, Diabate was born into one of Mali’s leading musical families. His father, Sidiki, was widely regarded as the “King of Kora” (a kora is a 21-string instrument that combines the concept of a harp and a lute). Diabate became known as the Prince. At age 5, he’d taught himself to play, and by age 13, he was performing in public. While a teenager, he joined the National Ensemble. From this traditional basis, Diabate has become well known not only as a kora virtuoso, but also as an accompanist to one of Mali’s most popular singers, Kandia Kouyate. Intrigued by the acoustic guitar, Diabate often experimented with non-African music. In 1987, he met and played with Ketama, a Spanish flamenco group, and the combination of their guitars and his kora worked so well that two albums were recorded (under the name Songhai).
ABOUT TOUMAINI DIABATE:
In 1965, Diabate was born into one of Mali’s leading musical families. His father, Sidiki, was widely regarded as the “King of Kora” (a kora is a 21-string instrument that combines the concept of a harp and a lute). Diabate became known as the Prince. At age 5, he’d taught himself to play, and by age 13, he was performing in public. While a teenager, he joined the National Ensemble. From this traditional basis, Diabate has become well known not only as a kora virtuoso, but also as an accompanist to one of Mali’s most popular singers, Kandia Kouyate. Intrigued by the acoustic guitar, Diabate often experimented with non-African music. In 1987, he met and played with Ketama, a Spanish flamenco group, and the combination of their guitars and his kora worked so well that two albums were recorded (under the name Songhai).
Ruben Blades - La Rosa de Los Vientos
An album that deserves considerably more attention than it has received, this Blades' lovely return to Panamanian roots, and an extremely appealing introduction to the traditional music of Central America. The work is done by young Panamanian musicians on acoustic instruments native to the culture. On both the title song and “Alma de tu Flor,” the mood is light and relaxed, the melodies easy, and the vocals warm and inviting. “Todo Mi Amor” is a ballad with spare accompaniment. Many of these songs recall salsa’s early days. The Afro-Caribbean drum patterns, the horn arrangements, and Bládes’ singing style recalls the early days of salsa. Don’t miss this!
ABOUT RUBEN BLADES
Born in Panama in 1948, Blades grew up loving American rock, but a 1963 military conflict with the U.S. changed his focus to Latin music. Blades sang with Latin bands while studying law at the University of Panama. When military action closed his school, Blades visited NYC, played some dates and recorded, then returned to Panama in 1974 to complete his degree. After working as a lawyer for the Bank of Panama and rehabilitating convicts, Blades left for NYC, where he worked in the mailroom at Fania, a Latin label. He next worked for Ray Baretto, then joined Willie Colon, and later became a member of the Fania All-Stars. Blades won Latin NY magazine’s Composer of the Year award in 1976. More recent collaborators include Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, and Sting. Acting credits include The Two Jakes and The Milagro Beanfield War . Always politically active, Blades ran a close second in Panama’s 1994 Presidential election. And in 1997, he debuted on Broadway in Paul Simon’s The Capeman.
ABOUT RUBEN BLADES
Born in Panama in 1948, Blades grew up loving American rock, but a 1963 military conflict with the U.S. changed his focus to Latin music. Blades sang with Latin bands while studying law at the University of Panama. When military action closed his school, Blades visited NYC, played some dates and recorded, then returned to Panama in 1974 to complete his degree. After working as a lawyer for the Bank of Panama and rehabilitating convicts, Blades left for NYC, where he worked in the mailroom at Fania, a Latin label. He next worked for Ray Baretto, then joined Willie Colon, and later became a member of the Fania All-Stars. Blades won Latin NY magazine’s Composer of the Year award in 1976. More recent collaborators include Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, and Sting. Acting credits include The Two Jakes and The Milagro Beanfield War . Always politically active, Blades ran a close second in Panama’s 1994 Presidential election. And in 1997, he debuted on Broadway in Paul Simon’s The Capeman.
Duke Ellington: ...And His Brother Called Him Bill
Goodbye to a friend. The first few tracks hang on to hope, but the divine sadness, the anger, and the sense that Johnny Hodges is trying to keep the dying Billy Strayhorn alive with each note of “Blood Count” are difficult to describe in words. After Strayhorn’s gone, the wake begins: a musical celebration of Ellington’s creative soulmate. “Smada” sets a festive mood. Then the band gets down to business with radiant renditions of Strayhorn compositions: “Rock Skippin’ at the Blue Note,” “Rain Check,” and the sublime “Intimacy of the Blues.” The irresistible wah-wah of Cootie Williams’s groaning trumpet, an Ellington signature since 1929, closes.
For more about Ellington's creative partner, read "Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn" by David Hadju
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=1348
And, for a different perspective, listen to Joe Henderson's tribute album to Strayhorn:
http://www.amazon.com/Lush-Life-Music-Billy-Strayhorn/dp/B0000046KH
For more about Ellington's creative partner, read "Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn" by David Hadju
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=1348
And, for a different perspective, listen to Joe Henderson's tribute album to Strayhorn:
http://www.amazon.com/Lush-Life-Music-Billy-Strayhorn/dp/B0000046KH
OIiver Nelson - Blues & The Abstract Truth
Rating ***** (out of 5) - One of the best jazz albums of all time!
Nelson’s skill as an arranger and some extraordinary performances transform a 1961 septet session into one of the finest albums in all of jazz. “Stolen Moments” begins with three horns on a somewhat nostalgic theme, then eases into the solos: Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Dolphy (flute), Nelson (tenor sax), and Bill Evans (piano). What’s extraordinary? Nelson’s conception: each solo is perfectly sculpted, with no nuance out of place. And Nelson’s control: his canny orchestration of these solos forms a complete story. His sense of balance is especially masterful on “Cascades,” with free work from Dolphy and Hubbard meshing with Evans’s boppish piano. It’s an absolutely brilliant album, with excellent sound quality.
ABOUT OLIVER NELSON:
St. Louis-born Oliver Nelson started playing in local bands at age 16. He joined Louis Jordan’s big band four years later, in 1951, playing alto sax. This was Nelson’s first serious job as an arranger and perhaps his greatest contribution to jazz. For much of the 1950s, Nelson was in the Navy, then attended college. He moved to NYC, then L.A. By 1961, he was playing tenor sax for Quincy Jones’s band. Nelson’s best solo work was recorded in the late 1950s and early 1960s. A short time later, Nelson was one of jazz’s most sought-after arrangers, working with Jimmy Smith, Billy Taylor, Wes Montgomery, and, for much of the 1960s, with Buddy Rich. Nelson moved to L.A. in 1967 to work in television, and aside from some notable appearances with all-star bands at festivals, his new career didn’t allow much time for jazz. Nelson died of a heart attack in 1975 at age 43.
Nelson’s skill as an arranger and some extraordinary performances transform a 1961 septet session into one of the finest albums in all of jazz. “Stolen Moments” begins with three horns on a somewhat nostalgic theme, then eases into the solos: Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Dolphy (flute), Nelson (tenor sax), and Bill Evans (piano). What’s extraordinary? Nelson’s conception: each solo is perfectly sculpted, with no nuance out of place. And Nelson’s control: his canny orchestration of these solos forms a complete story. His sense of balance is especially masterful on “Cascades,” with free work from Dolphy and Hubbard meshing with Evans’s boppish piano. It’s an absolutely brilliant album, with excellent sound quality.
ABOUT OLIVER NELSON:
St. Louis-born Oliver Nelson started playing in local bands at age 16. He joined Louis Jordan’s big band four years later, in 1951, playing alto sax. This was Nelson’s first serious job as an arranger and perhaps his greatest contribution to jazz. For much of the 1950s, Nelson was in the Navy, then attended college. He moved to NYC, then L.A. By 1961, he was playing tenor sax for Quincy Jones’s band. Nelson’s best solo work was recorded in the late 1950s and early 1960s. A short time later, Nelson was one of jazz’s most sought-after arrangers, working with Jimmy Smith, Billy Taylor, Wes Montgomery, and, for much of the 1960s, with Buddy Rich. Nelson moved to L.A. in 1967 to work in television, and aside from some notable appearances with all-star bands at festivals, his new career didn’t allow much time for jazz. Nelson died of a heart attack in 1975 at age 43.
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