WORTH A LISTEN
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For a long time now, listening to each new Chick Corea recording has been a frustrating experience, and To The Stars is no exception.
Obviously, Corea’s abilities as a pianist have not diminished in the slightest since the glory days of the late 60s and early 70s. On To The Stars, Corea writes […]

JAZZBO NOTES RECOMMENDED RECORDING
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There’s something perversely entertaining about listening to guitarist Larry Coryell wank away at rock and roll cliches on top of Better Git Hit In Your Soul, Mingus’ umpteenth remake of his big hit, Better Get It In Your Soul.
Three Or Four Shades Of Blues is late Mingus, and admittedly not […]

JAZZBO NOTES ESSENTIAL RECORDING
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Infinite Search (AKA Mountain In The Clouds) may not be one of the most influential fusion albums ever made, but it is one of the best.
It says something about the strength of Vitous’ vision that his is the dominant voice in a band that consists of guitarist […]

JAZZBO NOTES ESSENTIAL RECORDING
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One of the problems with Monk is the difficulty of finding musicians who were sympathetic to his music. Fortunately, on Monk’s Music, Thelonious is playing with a kindred spirit, Art Blakey, who was keyed into the Monkian universe.
It’s not that Ray Copeland (trumpet), Gigi Gryce (alto sax), and Coleman Hawkins (tenor […]

WORTH A LISTEN
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If you are looking for sophisticated, cutting edge jazz, Fenix ain’t it. But if what you’re after is sparkling Latin grooves and a romantic approach to the saxophone, Fenix just might be the ticket.
First off, the rhythm section is a bit overqualified for this sort of thing. You’ve got Ron Carter on […]

JAZZBO NOTES RECOMMENDED RECORDING
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I’ve got a confession to make. I didn’t buy Out Louder simply on the merits of the musicians. I listened to the samples on Amazon.com first. What I heard wasn’t the sound of innovation — it was more like putting on a pair of comfortable sneakers. The first several tunes on […]

JAZZBO NOTES ESSENTIAL RECORDING
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Filles De Kilimanjaro represents one of many transition points for Miles Davis. It marks the end of the 2nd great quintet with Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams, Ron Carter, and Herbie Hancock. It was the last date before the epochal In A Silent Way.
Miles had just married Betty Mabry, a young […]

JAZZBO NOTES HIGHLY RECOMMENDED RECORDING
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One of the best concerts I ever heard was Lonnie Smith at the now defunct 1369 Club in Cambridge Massachussetts in the early 80s. I remember him burning down the house playing cheesy tunes like Three Blind Mice with a pickup band of a drummer and a guitarist. I walked […]

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When you laugh in delight or tear up because you’re so moved half a dozen times during a concert, you know you’ve witnessed something special.
That’s the kind of experience you’re in for if you manage to catch The Five Peace Band in action.
At Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, California on March 21, 2009, The Five […]

WORTH A LISTEN
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What is it about getting old that turns fire-breathing young tenor players into Sonny Rollins?
Steve Grossman started out in a Coltrane bag, and spent much of the 70s applying this style to Latin and funk flavored fusion. But now, he’s playing mainstream jazz in that jolly, avuncular fashion that Rollins made […]