Photo by Steve Johnson on Pexels.com Amel Larrieux won most of our hearts as one half of a duo that went by the name of Groove Theory. That voice was hers and most of the music was that of the other half of the duo, Bryce Wilson. Their eponymous debut album (in 1995) produced several … Continue reading Essentials: Infinite Possibilities, by Amel Larrieux
Category: Essentials
Essentials: Wildflower, by Keiko Matsui
Photo by Nguyen Trung Hieu on Pexels.com Keiko Matsui was born in 1961 in Tokyo, Japan. Her mother took Keiko to her first music lesson after her fifth birthday. In her early years, she studied piano and focused on classical music. In junior high school, she found herself interested in jazz. When I think of … Continue reading Essentials: Wildflower, by Keiko Matsui
Essentials: Gentle Warrior, by Tim Warfield
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Tim Warfield was born in York, PA, in 1965. At an early age, he started playing saxophone, first with the alto sax, then on to the tenor sax. He has worked with a number of prominent musicians throughout his career, including Jimmy Smith, Christian McBride, Dizzy Gillespie, Donald Byrd, Isaac … Continue reading Essentials: Gentle Warrior, by Tim Warfield
Essentials: The Real McCoy, by McCoy Tyner
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com If you want to get a feel for what jazz is all about, start with a classic, must-have, essential recording. The right one, even if it's not a "live" recording, will immediately transport you to a smoke-filled, rowdy but respectful jazz club. Essential recordings give you a taste of jazz … Continue reading Essentials: The Real McCoy, by McCoy Tyner
ESSENTIALS: Modern Times by Steps Ahead
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Steps Ahead had clearly evolved into . . . . well, Steps Ahead by 1984 and should have had many more accolades by then. But Modern Times (1984), while not second-rate by any standard, was not as well-received as I thought it should have been. Enter "to each, their own". … Continue reading ESSENTIALS: Modern Times by Steps Ahead
Essentials: 07/07/21 A trio of trios!
Photo by Matthias Groeneveld on Pexels.com Editor’s picks for this week: Scott Hamilton & Jeff Hamilton Trio While the recording is titled Live In Bern (2015), it is far from a ‘concert recording’ – it was recorded in a club , minus an audience. And Scott (tenor sax) and Jeff (drummer) are not brothers. One … Continue reading Essentials: 07/07/21 A trio of trios!
Essentials 06/30/21: Coffee (Deluxe) by Artaska
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com Take it from me, when Artaska gave us a cup of Coffee (2018), it instantly qualified as an essential offering of our time. Her classical training often takes the spotlight, but her jazz compositions never fail to step to the forefront. And, she's not 'just another pretty tune', which … Continue reading Essentials 06/30/21: Coffee (Deluxe) by Artaska
Essentials: 06/23/21
Photo by Stas Knop on Pexels.com I've always been a huge fan of the saxophone, and saxophonist Dexter Gordon (Feb. 27, 1923-April 25, 1990) was one of my favorite artists. Can you imagine being the role model and inspiration to such greats as John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins??!! That's as great a notch in one's … Continue reading Essentials: 06/23/21
Essentials: 06/18/21
Photo by Anton H on Pexels.com Editor's picks for this week: Moment To Moment by Cava Menzies and Nick Phillips Tequila Moon by Jessy J At The Blue Note by Keith Jarrett *** Jazz, jazz, and nothing but jazz. Mostly. *** Listen on TIDAL: Moment To Moment Tequila Moon At The Blue Note *** Listen … Continue reading Essentials: 06/18/21
Essentials: 06/11/21
Photo by Elviss Railijs Bitu0101ns on Pexels.com Editor's picks for this week: The Story of Jaz by Jazmin Ghent The New Cool by Bob James and Nathan East A Thousand Kisses Deep by Chris Botti **** Jazz, jazz, and nothing but jazz. Mostly. Listen on TIDAL: The Story of Jaz The New Cool A Thousand … Continue reading Essentials: 06/11/21