Fans of The Manhattan Transfer might find themselves in a bit of a quandary with this new release, The Symphony Sessions. There's nothing wrong with the music - it's outstanding - but the album is a reinterpretation of many of their past hits, so it stands to reason that fans would probably already have most … Continue reading REVIEW: Manhattan Transfer – The Symphony Sessions
Category: Jazz
Dads And Daughters – Nat And Natalie Cole
A couple of months ago I wrote a piece about how movie music was the MTV of my day, but it wasn't until I recently read something about MTV itself turning 25 that my nostalgia bone was tickled. (It resides right next to my funny bone, but is sometimes a little tougher to activate.) 25 … Continue reading Dads And Daughters – Nat And Natalie Cole
REVIEW: George Benson & Al Jarreau – Givin’ It Up
Alwin Lopez "Al" Jarreau (March 12, 1940 – February 12, 2017) There are so many "partnership" albums around - always have been, I guess - that sometimes it seems as if the choice of artists is more about showing something different than about being musically valid. No such problem exists with this new offering on … Continue reading REVIEW: George Benson & Al Jarreau – Givin’ It Up
Walkin’ Wild In New Orleans With Jimmy Smith
It's nice to see New Orleans making progress on a comeback from the devastation of Katrina, although it's obvious that it's going to be a uphill battle and the city might never again have quite the same unique character. It's a place that's special for a lot of reasons, and one of those is it's … Continue reading Walkin’ Wild In New Orleans With Jimmy Smith
REVIEW: Dave Brubeck Quartet – Best Of Brubeck 1979-2004
As a fan of over 45 years I was eager to tackle this particular review, but I found that I had to try to tamp down my memories of the original quartet to a certain extent. I wanted to judge this album on its own merit, rather than try to compare it to those of … Continue reading REVIEW: Dave Brubeck Quartet – Best Of Brubeck 1979-2004
REVIEW: Ray Sings, Basie Swings – Virtually
Ray Sings - Basie Swings, a new album featuring Ray Charles and the Count Basie Orchestra, is a sort of amalgam that's been put together by combining several sources. This certainly isn't the first time that deceased performers have shown up in a new album via the wonders of technology, and it's really up to … Continue reading REVIEW: Ray Sings, Basie Swings – Virtually
Brothers Who Swing — Musically
I've never had a brother, so although I've always wondered about the dynamics of the relationship, I've had to do it without an insider's knowledge. However, it always seemed to me that brothers could be each other's best friend - and worst enemy - and often at the same time. Brothers have been around the … Continue reading Brothers Who Swing — Musically
From Sinatra To Rod Stewart – The Crooner Conundrum
A few weeks ago, I published a review of an Engelbert Humperdinck concert DVD, and while I was doing research for it I ran across something he once said and it sort of stuck with me. When someone commented about how a few critics had dismissed him as a mere "crooner", he frowned and answered, … Continue reading From Sinatra To Rod Stewart – The Crooner Conundrum
REVIEW: Following In The Footsteps Of Legends
For a long time, I had what I now realize was a built-in prejudice against "new" swing music. How, I asked myself, could modern groups be anything but pale imitations of the good old stuff? There was just no way that anyone could compare with Miller, Basie, Goodman...well, you get the idea. Of course, I … Continue reading REVIEW: Following In The Footsteps Of Legends
REVIEW: Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis And His Musical Cookbook
I don't think I normally have a smile on my face when I write a music review but in this case I do, because both the album and the artist are unusually named, and besides that, the music itself is pretty light-hearted. Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, who was also called "Jaws" by friends (as if "Lockjaw" … Continue reading REVIEW: Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis And His Musical Cookbook
Geezer Music Club 