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Entries from February 2013

Ingrid Laubrock Anti-House: Strong Place

With Strong Place, New York-based German saxophonist m: Ingrid Laubrock moves one step further in cementing her place at the heart of the Big Apple’s fertile Brooklyn scene. Already on a roll with her plangent contributions to a series of stunning music including Sleepthief’s Madness of Crowds (Intakt, 2011), drummer m: Tom Rainey ‘s Camino Cielo Echo (Intakt, 2012), Paradoxical Frog’s Union (Clean Feed, 2012), reed iconoclast m: Anthony Braxton ‘s Falling River Music and pianist m: Kris Davis ‘ Capricorn Climber (Clean Feed, 2013), Laubrock lives up to the high standard she set herself with Anti-house’s eponymous debut (Intakt, 2010).

Date: Feb 28th, 2013 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews

Marcos Pin Factor-E Reset: Barbanza

Guitarist and composer Marcos Pin’s seventh album, Barbanza, can readily be considered an Iberian project. The musicians are all from Spain, Pin’s compositions and arrangements reflect the feelings evoked by his current homeland on the country’s Barbanza Peninsula and the album was recorded in Portugal (although it was mixed and mastered in the USA). The ensemble, a ten-piece known as Factor-E Reset, has a sound that invites comparisons with the work of jazz legends with their own Iberian connections–but not in the obvious way…

Date: Feb 28th, 2013 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews

Michael Wolff and Mike Clark: Wolff and Clark Expedition

This jazz piano trio date by world-class musicians is all about the groove. Drummer m: Mike Clark , revered for his slippery jazz-funk beats, hearkening back to this tenure with m: Herbie Hancock ‘s Headhunters, is touted as one of the most sampled drummers of the digital age.

Date: Feb 28th, 2013 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews

Mark Winkler: The Laura Nyro Project

The combination of a unique and beautifully au courant voice with an equally rare and manifold composing talent makes for compelling listening. When the voice is that of vocalist/songwriter Mark Winkler and the songs are by Laura Nyro, the resulting project reaches criticality rapidly. Winkler has been composing and recording for the better part of 30 years, releasing ten recordings and penning upwards to 150 songs in that time.

Date: Feb 27th, 2013 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews

Marialy Pacheco: Spaces Within

Spaces Within is Cuban pianist Marialy Pacheco’s first trio CD since making Brisbane, Australia her home in 2009, though it’s her fourth overall. It follows Songs That I Love (Pinnacle Records, 2011), an impressive solo outing where Pacheco displayed all the strengths that won her the Montreux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition award in 2012. As good as that solo album is, Pacheco clearly thrives in the trio setting, and drummer Joe Marchisella and brother Pat Marchisella on bass prove to be intuitive partners in a predominantly vibrant dialog. Pacheco’s striking improvisation lies at the heart of the music, but equally impressive is her emotional range…

Date: Feb 27th, 2013 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews

Creole String Beans: Shrimp Boots and Vintage Suits

Somewhere, m: Ernie K-Doe is smiling. On Shrimp Boots &Vintage Suits, the Creole String Beans uncork a letter-perfect recreation of “Here Come the Girls,” a sexy, m: Allen Toussaint -penned K-Doe strut. Elsewhere, the group aces the swamp pop chestnut “Shirley,” m: Lloyd Price ‘s “Just Because” and m: Fats Domino ‘s “Be My Guest.” But the Creole String Beans is more than a throwback south Louisiana cover band. More than half of “Shrimp Boots and Vintage Suits” consists of original material written in the classic style…

Date: Feb 27th, 2013 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews

Yvonnick Prene: Jour De Fete

European jazz harmonica players aren’t exactly a dime a dozen, but the Old Continent has birthed a few for the ages. Belgium gave unto jazz the legendary m: Toots Thielemans , Germany put forth vibes/harmonica doubling sensation m: Hendrik Meurkens , and the Swiss turned out m: Gregoire Maret ; now, the French weigh in with the young m: Yvonnick Prene …

Date: Feb 26th, 2013 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews