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Grateful for David Ake’s New One “Humanities”

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    When Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia wrote the Grateful Dead’s most beloved song, “Ripple,” as the B-side to their 1970 “Truckin’” single, they had no way of knowing that 48 years later, it would be the highlight — and only cover — on a terrific 2018 jazz album by pianist David Ake’s Humanities is solid  throughout, especially considering his amazing qui ...Read More

Written by jamo

April 17th, 2018 at 8:11 pm

Josh Lawrence’s fascination with colors comes out on “Contrast”

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The young trumpeter Josh Lawrence is making quite a splash on the contemporary scene as a player and composer.  “Contrast” is his second Posi-Tone album within 12 months to feature his Color Theory ensemble. What a fine band!  The rhythm section includes the Curtis Brothers, Zaccai (keyboards) and Luques (bass) plus Anwar Marshall (drums) while the front line has Lawrence paired with ...Read More

Written by jamo

March 22nd, 2018 at 12:46 pm

David Ake delves deep into “Humanities”

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Pianist, composer, and educator David Ake is a native of New Haven, CT, but spent his formative years in Chicago. He did his  undergraduate at the University of Miami before heading to the West Coast to do post-grad work at the California Institute of the Arts and UCLA. Ake’s fifth album on Posi-Tone is titled “Humanities” and features the powerful musical voices of his fellow C ...Read More

Written by jamo

March 22nd, 2018 at 12:39 pm

Roxy Coss’s new one is music that swings and rocks

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Over the past year, it’s been quite tough for anyone not to hear the voices of women around the world rising up to proclaim “Enough.” Enough of the sexual harassment and inequality in the work place, whether it be perpetrated by Hollywood Big-wigs, national and local politicians, sports doctors, educators, or someone in your neighborhood. Saxophonist and composer Roxy Coss partic ...Read More

Written by jamo

March 22nd, 2018 at 12:29 pm

Great first review for the new release “Straight Forward” by New Faces

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The independent label Posi Tone Records has the mantra “…to provide the highest quality recordings of the most relevant musicians on today’s jazz scene.” Co-owners producer Marc Free and engineer Nick O’Toole have been doing just that since 1994.  It seems 2018 will be no different. Free assembled his New Faces group from musician members of the Posi Tone stable of artists and produced ...Read More

Written by jamo

January 2nd, 2018 at 5:25 pm

Ralph Bowen’s new self-titled album is an embrace of minimalistic bliss

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What to make of tenorist Ralph Bowen’s embrace of minimalism for the packaging of his latest untitled effort for Positone, or is indeed Ralph Bowen the actual title? It’s a query that goes unanswered on the album, a batch of seven originals and three tunes from other composers, six of the former of which unify under the umbrella of a suite structure and indulge through their component titles i ...Read More

Written by jamo

August 16th, 2017 at 2:34 pm

A great review of the new one from Behn Gillece “Walk Of Fire”

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Vibraphonist Behn Gillece has been a fixture on the New York jazz scene for the past decade, notably in his project with one of this era’s great tenor sax player/composers, Ken Fowser. Gillece also has a cooker of a new album, Walk Of Fire due out mid-month from Posi-Tone Records and a show coming up on August 5 at 10:30 PM at his Manhattan home base, Smalls. Cover is the usual $20. This is the ...Read More

Written by jamo

August 4th, 2017 at 10:23 am

Daringly creative and original is the new one from Theo Hill

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Theo Hill is a young pianist who hails from Albany, NY who now lives and works in New York City.  Over his decade-plus in the city, Hill has worked and recorded with the likes of trumpeter Charles Tolliver, trombonist Frank Lacy, drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, saxophonist Dave Liebman, trombonist David Gibson (he’s on two CDs with his band), the Mingus Big Band, and many others.  H ...Read More

Written by jamo

June 17th, 2017 at 11:15 am

Enjoy the ride and sit back and relax to the sounds of “Glitter” by Amanda Monaco

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I first met guitarist, composer, and educator Amanda Monaco when she played in my hometown early in the new Millenium as a member of The Lascivious Biddies, a quartet that combined witty lyrics, strong vocals, and sharp musicianship. Turned out that Ms. Monaco has grown up in nearby Wallingford CT and had been schoolmates with tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery and pianist Noah Baerman. After leavi ...Read More

Written by jamo

April 24th, 2017 at 12:38 pm

“Chasing The Unicorn” explodes out of the speakers with great urgency and high spirits.

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Saxophonist, bass clarinetist, educator, and composer Roxy Coss has a new album, her third as a leader and first for Posi-Tone Records. “Chasing the Unicorn” features six original pieces plus works by Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, Lionel Loueke, Lennon & McCartney, and Willie Nelson. With her regular band, composed of Alex Wintz (guitar), Glenn Zaleski (piano), Rick Rosato (bass), ...Read More

Written by jamo

April 24th, 2017 at 12:21 pm