Entries from August 2013
Joe Henderson: Mode for Joe
Recorded and released in 1966, Mode for Joe was Joe Henderson’s last session as a leader for Blue Note Records until 1985’s State of the Tenor. True to form for the period, the recording features a cast of legendary players in peak form. In this case Henderson shares front line duties with a fiery m: Lee Morgan on trumpet and a young m: Bobby Hutcherson on vibes
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Monkey Plot: Lov og lette vimpler
The title of this debut album from young Norwegian trio Monkey Plot, LA v og lette vimpler (“leaves and light streamers” in Norwegian) suggests a glimpse into its impressive range. The musical vocabulary of these musicians–acoustic guitarist Christian SkA r Winther, double bassist Magnus Skavhaug Nergaard (both members of the noisy, in-your-face punk-jazz trio m: Ich Bin N!ntendo ) and drummer Jan Martin Gismervik (himself a member of the experimental duo m: PGA )–refuses to be defined by genres. It is associated with assorted inspirations such as Nordic folk music, such lyrical songwriters as Nick Drake, experimental sonic explorers, noise, and free improvisation…
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Ron Boustead: Mosaic
Offering a musical canvas of light beautiful material, Los Angeles-based composer/singer Ron Boustead delivers a one-of-a kind musical treasure on the highly entertaining Mosaic. Containing four originals and jazz-influenced, reworked pop standards from the likes of m: James Taylor , Carole King, Bill Withers and m: Jon Lucien among others, Boustead produces a superbly presented “jazz-pop concoction” of gorgeous songs possessed of infectious charm. His first release since the highly acclaimed Blend (Art Rock Music, 2006), Boustead is an expressive vocalist who, though his style has been compared to that of jazz icons m: Mose Allison and m: Mark Murphy , distinguishes himself with a crisp, crooner-like performance…
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Steve Gadd: Gadditude
Drummer Steve Gadd, the man responsible for some of the most memorable grooves and explosive drum solos on record, is often looked at as a perpetual sideman and session giant. Over the past four decades he’s laid down the rhythmic law for everybody from m: Steely Dan to m: James Taylor and m: Chick Corea to m: Paul Simon , but he’s been making more time for himself of late; in a three year span, he’s managed to deliver four albums that highlight his versatility and supreme musicality: The hard grooving Live At Voce (BFM Jazz, 2010), billed to “Steve Gadd And Friends,” a pair of albums from The Gaddabouts, a roots-y outfit which puts Gadd behind vocalist Edie Brickell and some studio heavyweights, and this earthy instrumental session…
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Melodic Art-Tet: Melodic Art-Tet
Once again the Lithuanian No Business label has unearthed a little known relic from the lower strata of NYC’s loft jazz era. Like m: The Group ‘s Live (No Business, 2013), the previous beneficiary of the imprint’s ongoing investigation, the Melodic Art-Tet never officially recorded so this 1974 broadcast tape from WKCR represents the only surviving fragment of their work.
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Steven Lugerner: For We Have Heard
Multi-woodwind expert Steve Lugerner’s solo outing for this Lithuania- based progressive/avant-jazz record label enters the market as a limited edition of only 500 LPs. Get them while they last, as some would say. And it’s a very distinctive performance, duly capturing the earthy attributes of this all-star lineup’s contrasting song forms and extraordinary synergy, clocking in at 32 minutes and recorded with analog equipment…
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Ike Quebec: Easy Living
Ike Quebec is one of those funny figures in Blue Note Records’ history. By the late fifties, after he’d been out of recording for a number of years, he was too old to really be at the hard-bop vanguard (he was born in 1918) but not old enough to be a senior statesman like m: Coleman Hawkins or m: Duke Ellington . Much of his involvement with the record label in those years was as an A&r man, scouting for new talent for the label’s owner alfred lion
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