album review
Posi-tone
Release date: April 21st 2009
Availability: CD, MP3 Download, iTunes
Posi-tone, the small independent jazz label from Venice Beach, California, is releasing cutting edge straight ahead jazz and making quite a name for itself.
Ken Fowser / Behn Gillece's 'Full View' is a great example that kicks off with a blistering take on Sam Jones' "Bittersweet", moves neatly through a reflective version of Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes" - without having to make reference to John Coltrane - and includes an inventive version of the Styne/Green/Comden standard "Just In Time". On the way there is a wealth of strong self-composed material in what is a fine album of high achievement.
The band - Ken Fowser (tenor sax), Behn Gillece (vibes), David Hazeltine (piano), Adam Cote (bass), Paul Francis (drums) – is blessed with fine understanding, particularly with the inspiring contribution of David Hazeltine.
Ken Fowser, from Philadelphia, studied music at University of the Arts, jamming at Chris' Jazz Café and Ortlieb's Jazzhaus before moving to New York, for a Masters at William Paterson University and private lessons with Eric Alexander and Ralph Lalama.
Behn Gillece, also from Philadelphia, who claims Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson as influences, completed his Masters at SUNY Purchase College in 2008 and is author of a number of the self compositions.
You can hear good quality extracts from a number of the tracks on the Ken Fowser and Behn Gillece websites.
Great stuff!
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Enjoy vibes based jazz? Then try this:
Milt Jackson & Wes Montgomery - Bags Meets Wes
Focus on Bobby Hutcherson
Ken Fowser / Behn Gillece - Full View
Joe Locke - Force Of Four
Joe Locke Quartet - Sticks and Strings
Joe Locke Geoffrey Keezer Group - Live In Seattle
Mike DeRubbo - Repercussion
Gary Burton / Pat Metheny - Quartet Live
Joe Locke & David Hazeltine - Mutual Admiration Society 2
Christian McBride - Kind Of Brown
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album review
Marsalis Music
Release date: March 17th 2009
Availability: CD, MP3 Download
With the Quartet of Branford Marsalis (tenor, alto and soprano sax) Joey Calderazzo (piano) Eric Revis (bass) and Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums) celebrating its tenth year, "Metamorphosen" returns to the inventive straight ahead post bop that is the best of their music.
There are original compositions from each member of the band.
Jeff Tain Watts contributes the opening and closing tracks, "Return Of the Jitney Man" – upfront, upbeat, complex - and "Samo" – contemplative, immersive.
The two Joey Calderazzo compositions aim at unalloyed beauty and are good vehicles for Branford Marsalis' soparano sax.
Meanwhile, the three offerings from bassist Eric Revis have a decidedly Monk-ish quality. "Abe Vigoda", "Sphere" (Thelonious Monk's middle name) and the bass solo "And Then, He Was Gone" all carry the mark of the master.
In recognition of his enduring influence, there is an innovative version of Monk's "Rhythm-A-Ning", the only non original track on the album.
Branford Marsalis authors only one track, "Jabberwocky", his first recorded outing on alto sax for twenty years. He says that when he wrote it , " All I had with me was an alto saxophone, and I thought that I'd transcribe it for soprano or tenor when I got home. But it didn't sound as good on either of those horns, so for that track I'm back on alto." It is undoubtedly the stand out track on a very fine album.
Overall, a highly recommended album from one of the best working bands in jazz today.
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album review
Blue Note
Release date: April 7th 2009
Availability: CD, MP3 Download
A feature of Cassandra Wilson's jazz albums has been the ability to surprise by taking a sometimes well-worn pop tune (The Monkees' "Last Train To Clarksville" being a notable example) and showing its unexpected, jazzier, side.
So the idea of bringing all these tracks together in a new compilation was always going to be attractive. The result is a highly enjoyable album that could introduce a new audience to Cassandra Wilson's distinctive singing.
The track listing is:
1. Love Is Blindness (U2), 2. Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper), 3. Fragile (Sting), 4. Closer To You (The Wallflowers), 5. Last Train To Clarksville (The Monkees), 6. The Weight (The Band) 7. Tupelo Honey (Van Morrison), 8. Harvest Moon (Neil Young), 9. I Can’t Stand The Rain (Ann Peebles), 10. Lay Lady Lay (Bob Dylan), 11. Wichita Lineman (Glen Campbell).
A welcome introduction for newcomers to the pop side of this great singer's music.
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