JAZZBONOTES RECOMMENDED RECORDING
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It’s funny that no matter what band Charles Mingus happens to be fielding, matter what the year, the music has a similar feel. A large part of that of course is that the tunes and arrangements are written by Mingus, and the rhythm section of Mingus’ muscular bass and Dannie Richmond’s shape-shifting […]

JAZZBO NOTES RECOMMENDED RECORDING
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If there was ever an appropriate title for a CD, it’s Bob Moses’ When Elephants Dream Of Music. The music is often spacey, and yet it has a solid bottom end and an abundance of horns, all which serves to remind us of our ponderous friends in the animal kingdom. Composer/arranger […]

CLASSICS I HATE
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I hate to say this, but Mingus At Antibes is only for Mingus fanatics who really, really like Better Get Hit In Your Soul.
In a way, it’s hard to blame Mingus. In 1960, he had just invented the combination of gospel shouting and free jazz, set to a driving 6/8 beat. It’s […]

JAZZBO NOTES RECOMMENDED RECORDING
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Normally, I don’t listen to a lot of straight ahead mainstream jazz, but I’ve got to admit, I was quite taken with Mikey’s Waltz.
Guitarist Mike Wheeler has chops galore, an inventive melodic sense, a lovely tone slightly reminiscent of Joe Pass, and judging from his unerring ability to swing, a metronome […]

JAZZBO NOTES RECOMMENDED RECORDING
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When Charles Mingus recorded Changes Two in 1975 (reissued on the Rhino label), his kind of music was considered completely irrelevant. That made him extremely angry, which I completely understand. Only fifteen years before, he was on the cutting edge of jazz, incorporating post bop, free jazz, gospel, and even the […]

DON’T BOTHER
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If the inclusion of multiple musical genres and thematic cohesiveness were enough to make a piece of music a masterpiece, Bob Moses’ The Story of Moses would surely qualify. A cursory analysis of The Story of Moses would reveal hip hop, funk, salsa, rock, and traditional Yiddish musical influences. No less an authority […]

JAZZBO NOTES ESSENTIAL RECORDING
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If you’ve never heard Charles Mingus before, Modern Jazz Symposium is a great place to start. It’s utterly accessible, and yet it contains all of the earmarks of what makes Mingus special.
Although free jazz had not officially been invented yet, there are free sections in this music. Mingus’ aesthetic was fluid. […]

JAZZBO NOTES RECOMMENDED RECORDING
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Herbie Hancock has had one of the most fantastic careers in the history of jazz. In his 20’s, he was an integral part of Miles Davis’ 2nd great quintet. He supported countless classic Blue Note sessions. With recordings like Speak Like A Child and The Prisoner, he proved himself to be […]

WORTH A LISTEN
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First of all, let me say that I’m not really the audience for In Angel City. I’m not a huge fan of mainstream jazz, which is what Quartet West really is. Sure, Ernie Watts’ tenor sax solos show the influence of Coltrane and King Curtis and the rest […]

JAZZBO NOTES RECOMMENDED RECORDING
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Hiromi’s pianistic virtuosity cannot be denied. She has the energy of a scalded cat. Her compositions are adventurous, moving between ragtime, funk, fusion, R&B, avant guarde and goodness know what else. She has the wit to hire unconventional accompanists such as Dave Fiucynski, a guitarist who plays […]