This week there are impossibly beautiful voices, a very interesting twist on a Van Morrison classic, and something that isn’t even really jazz.
Check ‘Em Out:
Nico Muhly: Mothertongue Pt. 1 - Archive
Rachael Price: Mood Indigo
Chico Hamilton Trio: Ain’t Nobody Calling Me
Randy Klein: Process
Jonathan Voltzok: Shawnuff
Arturo O’Farrill & Claudia Acuna: Moondance
Fans of jazz bassist Charlie Haden may or may not know about his upbringing. About the country music that informs much of his work…yes, even the most out-there stuff with Ornette Coleman.
Rambling Boy is the country music record that’s been in Charlie his whole life. This is no suburban country/big hats and boots monstrosity. No, it’s the real thing.
I was contacted way back in the spring about the possibility of reviewing some releases from the Naivsuper label. They had some pretty interesting-sounding stuff so I agreed. But then real life intervened and I stopped writing (more or less) for several months.
Well, this very cool ambient recording from Tetsuya Hori has made it’s way into the rotation just about every week since then. If you’re interesting in sampling something unusual, you should check it out.
Here’s a fun record with obvious references back to the Beatles. The thing is, I really hate plastering that pathetic “Beatle-esque” cliché all over a review. It’s just lazy and weak.
Besides, there’s a lot more to the Tom Fuller Band than that. Abstract Man resonated with me because there’s not a whole lot of mainstream power pop going on these days.
Plus, it was fun to play at very high volumes.
This week we have everything from French singers to improvised percussion music.
Check ‘Em Out:
Carla Bruni: You Belong To Me
Mathias Eick: The Door
Milford Graves: Nothing
Giuseppi Logan: Tabla Suite
Henry Grimes Trio: Walk On
Lafayette Gilchrist: Those Frowning Clowns
Bruno Raberg: Elegy
Did you see the documentary Some Kind Of Monster? Well, you should. It gives great insight into what went on with Metallica during the Load, Re-Load, and St. Anger era. You also get to see James Hetfield dealing with his sobriety issues. I’m still amazed that they survived it.
And…they put out a freaking fantastic record.
When I entered by big “jazz snob” phase, big band music didn’t play much of a part in it. While reading the (enormous) back story of the history of jazz, there was no small amount of material about that era. I tried some Duke Ellington and just didn’t get it.
It took a modern composer to make me hear the possibilities inherent in a large ensemble. Thank you Carla Bley.
P.S. Duke Ellington was insanely great.
This week’s batch of reviews marks a milestone for yours truly: it’s the first time I’ve ever namechecked boxing maven Don King. Curious as to which review?
Check ‘Em Out:
Chris Speed, Chris Cheek, Stephane Furic Leibovici: Three Kinds Of Folks
Aaron Irwin Group: Little Hurts
Savina Yannatou: O Yannis Kai O Drakos
Lowell Davidson Trio: Stately
Carla Bley and her Remarkable Big Band: Appearing Nightly at the Blackhawk
Adam Niewood & his Rabble Rousers: A Rap Tap Tap In The Night
There are fans of music and then are are MusicFans™. Actually, for the story of Paul Mawhinney, I’m not sure that that description comes close to covering it.
Let’s just say, as Paul does, that he gave his life to music.
Seriously, check out the story.
Ever have a band that you just don’t get? Sure you do! Everybody love ‘em…and you just don’t see what all the fuss is about. OR…you do see why people like them but they still do nothing for you. Yeah, it’s a weird and mysterious thing, this musical resonance.
I’ve had this very conversation with Josh Hathaway over at Confessions of a Fanboy many, many times. Let me quickly think of my “don’t gets”: Elliott Smith, Alice In Chains….uh…OK, that’s enough. See, those are two of Josh’s favorite artists.
For Josh, a big “don’t get” is The Who. Ah, but he might be on his way to a change of heart.