Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
Posi-Tone Records: More Home Runs with Mike DiRubbo, Ralph Bowen, Sean Nowell
www.allaboutjazz.com
If Posi-Tone Records was a major league baseball team, it would be at the top of its division. So far in 2009, the label has had big wins with Sam Yahel‘s piano trio debut Hometown and guitarist Yotam Silberstein‘s overall debut Next Page, not to mention former Ray Charles sideman, trumpeter Jim Rotondi‘s heartfelt tribute to his former leader, Blues f ...Read More
Another review for Sean Nowell “The Seeker”….
www.honesttune.com
Sean Nowell : The Seeker
Written by Fred Adams
08/03/2009
The Seeker finds tenor saxophonist Sean Nowell traveling across a vast harmonic spectrum to a place filled with intriguing melodies and rhythmic world beats. With roots based in the deep South, Nowell’s background is quite diverse compared to that of most members of the New York jazz circuit. On The See ...Read More
Vibin’: Ken Fowser/Behn Gillece
www.allaboutjazz.com
The vibraphones often create the über-cool “lounge” sound at cocktail parties but don’t pigeonhole the instrument as a gimmicky mood inducer. Legends like Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, Cal Tjader and Bobby Hutcherson inhabit the pantheon of the instrument’s alltime heroes. Not surprisingly, myriad players inspired by those greats are doing their best t ...Read More
Ken Franckling review for “Dedicated”….
kenfrancklingjazznotes.blogspot.com
Ralph Bowen, Dedicated (Posi-Tone)
Tenor saxophonist Ralph Bowen recorded this forceful CD of original material as a musical thank you to six mentors who played key roles in his musical and career development. The Canadian first emerged on the New York scene in the 1980s as co-leader of Blue Note Records’ sextet Out of the Blue. This new CD teams him with gu ...Read More
jazzreview.com write up for Sean Nowell “The Seeker”….
http://www.jazzreview.com/cd/review-20697.html
Featured Artist: Sean Nowell
CD Title: The Seeker
Year: 2009
Record Label: Posi-Tone Records
Style: Progressive
Musicians: Sean Nowell(tenor sax, clarinet, flute), Art Hirahara (piano), Thomas Kneeland (bass), Joe Abbantantuono (drums), Dave Eggar (cello) Nir Felder (guitar)
Review:Tenor sax ace Sean Nowell’s second date as a leader provides some ...Read More
ejazznews.com review of Jim Rotondi “Blues for Brother Ray”….
www.ejazznews.com
Trumpeter Jim Rotondi releases his second as album as leader on the Posi-Tone label adding to his credit of performing as a sideman on 70 recordings to date. This project takes on a special meaning for Rotondi as he pays humble tribute to his old boss and mentor, Ray Charles. Known in the jazz world as one of the better post-bop trumpeters around, Rotondi does not disappoint her ...Read More
ejazznews review for “Dedicated”….
www.ejazznews.com
An educator by profession who holds a position at Rutgers University, Canadian-born saxophonist Ralph Bowen is the latest Posi-Tone Records project producing a hard-driving dose of modern/mainstream jazz with his newest vibrant CD “Dedicated.” Bowen claims influences from many saxophone greats like Bob Mintzer, Pat LaBarbera and the legendary Stan Getz with which Bowen earns ...Read More
Saxophonist Mike DiRubbo’s ‘Repercussion’
http://www.newsobserver.com/2009/07/26/53165/saxophonist-mike-dirubbos-repercussion.html
BY OWEN CORDLE – CORRESPONDENT
Tags: Life | AL
New York City alto saxophonist Mike DiRubbo studied with Jackie McLean at the University of Hartford. For fans familiar with the late McLean’s big, diamond-hard alto sound and angular lines, this should provide a reference point for hearing DiRubb ...Read More
NY Times writer Ben Ratliff did a nice write up about “Hometown” Sam Yahel’s new piano trio CD….
http://query.nytimes.com
SAM YAHEL
”Hometown”
(Posi-Tone)
Sam Yahel has been playing jazz in New York since the early 1990s, almost always as a Hammond organist. (He was a fixture in the early days of Smalls, on West 10th Street, along with the pianist Brad Mehldau and the guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel; these days he leads his own trio.) But he hasn’t hid behind the bullying power ...Read More
Here’s what All About Jazz had to say about Ralph Bowen’s new CD “Dedicated” featuring guitarist Adam Rogers, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Antonio Sanchez…
www.allaboutjazz.com
Back in the 1980s, tenor saxophonist Ralph Bowen was a member of a young and thoroughly hip progressive jazz ensemble known as OTB—Out Of The Blue. Since then, he’s been an in-demand session artist. With Dedicated, he garners superb support from a top-flight ensemble, but it’s Bowen’s dynamic presence and big sound that fully reveal his colossal talents.
B ...Read More