Archive for March, 2011

Vinyl

Joe Morello (1928-2011): An Appreciation

by S. Victor Aaron Even early on, from the time I first began to explore jazz, I sensed there was something different about the Dave Brebeck Quartet’s drummer, Joe Morello. When I began to spin my Dad’s scratchy old Brubeck records, I’ll never forget hearing weird time signatures for the firstRead More

Vinyl

The Dead Kenny Gs – Operation Long Leash (2011)

Photo by Dino Perrucci by S. Victor Aaron This isn’t the type of site that covers Kenny G records, but it’s not because we’re G haters. It’s just that there’s music out there we prefer to write about. Maybe 99.8 or 99.9% of the music out there falls in thatRead More

Vinyl

The Yellowjackets – Timeline (2011)

Photo by Raj Naik by S. Victor Aaron Tomorrow, a jazz band that’s been around for 30 years will release their 21st album. Founded in the aftermath of Robben Ford’s The Inside Story (1979), Ford’s backing band has been making records since their self-titled album from 1981. Through several line-up changes,Read More

Vinyl

Kimball – Orange (2011)

By Nick DeRiso It’s tempting to get too comfy, as Kimball Gallagher dots Orange with a series of spare, acoustic guitar-driven ruminations. It’s never long, however, before this New York City-based Boston native has amped up his dark themes of life and loss into a gritty outburst of power-pop. ThatRead More

Vinyl

Ernest Dawkins' New Horizon Ensemble – The Prairie Prophet (2011)

Photo by John Broughton by S. Victor Aaron Like William Parker, Anthony Braxton and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Ernest Dawkins is an avant garde jazz guy who doesn’t give a damn if the music he plays is dissonant or tuneful, it’s all about if it sounds right, period. By extension, the saxophonist’sRead More

Vinyl

The Friday Morning Listen: Jack Kerouac – Reads 'On The Road' (1999)

by Mark Saleski  Tomorrow would have been Jack Kerouac‘s 89th birthday. I often wonder what the mad & exuberant fool would have been writing today, had he been able to overcome his drinking demons. Would he be distraught at the fact that his beloved jazz has fallen to the veryRead More

Vinyl

Jimmy Reed – Black Blues Series: The Best of Jimmy Reed (1977)

Back then, you had to go to the record store, and look through this big catalog. I wanted to buy my father some of his music, something that would resonate, to show him I’d grown up to the point of buying a good gift. I ran my finger down theRead More

Vinyl

Fallon Cush – Fallon Cush (2011)

Photo from Fallon Cush’s MySpace page by Nick DeRiso Fallon Cush grows more confident with each passing song on their self-titled debut. Perhaps because singer Steve Smith put this together on the fly, enlivened by passion and not weighed down by heavy planning. You May Also Like: Why Patti Smith’sRead More

Vinyl

A "Yo Miles!" (Henry Kaiser & Wadada Leo Smith) Two-fer! – Shinjuku and Lightning (2010)

by S. Victor Aaron Since very early on we’ve eagerly pounced on records that re-image that dense, impenetrable period of Miles Davis between about 1969 and 1975 when he first defined fusion jazz and then kept redefining it again and again. This is music that doesn’t come easily to mostRead More

Rush's "Show Don't Tell," "Roll the Bones," "The Trees" + Others: Featured Artist

Rush’s “Show Don’t Tell,” “Roll the Bones,” “The Trees” + Others: Featured Artist

In defense of Rush, a band that delved into Ayn Rand, sci-fi, songs about balding, fights between dogs and, well, whatever a Bytor is.