Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
The Way Walt Weiskopf Plays It
One of the musical highlights in a Wisconsin summer full of them is the scheduled appearance of Steely Dan and Steve Winwood at the BMO Harris Pavilion in Milwaukee on July 16th.
The Inquisition suspects that there are many upsides to being Donald Fagen and Walter Becker; one is that after four decades of critical acclaim and multi-platinum albums including Grammy Best Album-winning “Two Against ...Read More
Behn Gillece new one “Dare To Be” reviewed by Midwest Record
The vibe ace might have dedicated this set to Gary Burton, but he tips the cap to Bobby Hutcherson as well. And he probably has Milt Jackson in the back of his mind. A different sounding set that what he’s turned in on past dates, Gillece is in command of his ax as well as his position as a leader. Quite an engaging date that’s a real tonic for jaded (Tjaded?) ears, this is a swell servi ...Read More
Smooth Technique and a love of Melody is “Bright Side” by Doug Webb
From the very first, sweet strains of tenor saxophone that leap from my CD player, I know it’s Doug Webb. I’ve been listening to his style and enjoying the excitement he creates on stage for three decades. Webb has been featured on over 150 jazz recordings and has added his blues soaked style to tracks used in hundreds of television programs and movies. He’s an on-demand, Southern California ...Read More
Step Tempest reveals the positive message in “Message In Motion”
It’s no secret that as a listener and review, I’m drawn to the work of the rhythm section. Not that I don’t appreciate a great saxophonist or guitarist but it’s the response and the interaction with the people keeping the flow going that often catches my ears first.
“Message In Motion” is bassist and composer Peter Brendler‘s second release for Posi-Tone R ...Read More
Midwest Record joins the “Allied Forces” by Steve Fidyk
Straight ahead swinging jazz powered by a crew of leaders in their own rights, drummer Fidyk makes no statements here other than he can keep things on track from the back of the stage and that good are meant to be shared by all. Not the kind of feel good jazz you’d associate with water front bars on summer nights but you have to call it that for lack of a better name, this is smoking stuff t ...Read More
“Once & Future” by Brian Charette gets praised by Something Else
While unboxing guitarist Will Bernard’s delightful latest offering Out & About a few months ago, it was impossible not to rave on the key contributions of his combo’s organist Brian Charette. Charette has regularly put in stellar supporting roles whether it’s for Posi-Tone Records stablemates like Bernard or any jazz leader of note in need of some maximal Hammond B3.
Once & Future (P ...Read More
JazzdaGama recognizes the Zen quality of “Koan” by Spike Wilner
When a musician uses, in his music, ‘chance’ operations in order to free the ego from likes and dislikes, trusting that this use is comparable to sitting cross-legged with a musical-ancestor-teacher and allows the way of Zen to work it is possible that the mind not cut itself off from Mind, but let Mind flow through it. This, it would seem is the ‘koan’ that has wrought the fine music that ...Read More
All About Jazz takes us “Out & About” by Will Bernard
As if more proof was necessary Out & About confirms guitarist Will Bernard is as skilled a bandleader as he is an instrumentalist. And both roles require an artful approach as this album makes clear: it’s one thing to find talented musicians-as Bernard most certainly does here-it’s quite another to elicit that talent in such a way it complements the talent (and personality) of each ...Read More
Dusted Magazine shows us the “Bright Side” by Doug Webb
The title of Doug Webb’s seventh Positone release sums up not only a personal outlook on his vocation, but the reality of it as well, given a career involving 30+ years as a professional musician. Bright Side teams the tenorist with some of the brightest of his immediate peers on the imprint with trumpeter Joe Magnarelli, organist Brian Charette and guitarist Ed Cherry each successful leaders in ...Read More
New York City Jazz Record gives a great review of “Gratitude” by Tom Tallitsch
Tenor saxophonist Tom Tallitsch is an Illinois-bred,
New Jersey-based bandleader and Gratitude is his
seventh album a leader. Tallitsch plays Straightahead
postbop, tossing a few Curve balls to keep things
interesting. He is Of the generation(s) Of players that
doesn’t rely on the Great American Songbook for
material (9 Of the 11 tracks herein are Originals) and he
dips into the rock world f ...Read More