Jennifer Hudson | I Remember Me
by Brent Faulkner
Jennifer Hudson was initially remembered for her premature departure from American Idol Season three. After her premature departure, her career only ‘looked up.’ Her first major role playing Effie White in the film adaptation of Dreamgirls won Hudson both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Album Review: Easy Evans | At Ease
by Brent Faulkner
Upstart independent R&B singer Easy Evans delivers a solid, though
not necessarily exceptional effort on his debut EP At Ease. Easy has
the tools and the voice to ‘fly high’, as showcased through the
strongest, most cohesive material of the EP, but at times Evans could
stand to push his gentle tenor vocals to the next dimension. Sure, the
effort is entitled ‘At Ease,’ but when the lover man is the slightest
bit more overt is when he ultimately shines. To continue, please click “MORE”!
Album Review: Airborne: Back in the Dayz – Airborne Anthology
By Brian Soergel
You’d expect a contemporary jazz that calls itself “musical peacemakers” to have a happy, upbeat sound. You get that with the veteran band, but as this anthology shows, you also get top-quality musicianship with heft and plenty of sway. The New Haven, Conn.-based band’s eighth CD is a collection of new songs and remastered tracks
from its 13-year history.
Airborne is led by Gregory Borino (guitars, vocals), Thomas Sansone (sax, flute, vocals) and Thomas Borino (piano, keyboards, organ, vocals), as well as Dave Ramsey (drums), Donnell Roberts (bass), Asher Delerme (percussion) and Randy Bost (trumpet, flugelhorn). To continue, please click “MORE”!
Album Review: Rodney Lee
| Groove Kid Nation: The Wheels on the Bus
By Brian Soergel
If you’re a contemporary jazz fan, Rodney Lee’s name may not immediately come to mind. But you’ve no doubt heard his music or seen him at a show, as he’s performed with Mindi Abair, Marc Antoine, Freddie Hubbard and many others. The keyboardist and record producer has also performed and written for almost 20 years with Chris Standring, and is a big part of the guitarist’s success as a co-collaborator.
Having said that, you have to be in the right demographic to truly appreciate Lee’s latest project, Groove Kid Nation. That demo is probably infant up to up to about 6 years old. And their parents, of course. Lee says he created the project, which feature numerous top session players, because he didn’t hear the kind of music he wanted his son, now 2, to get into. To continue, please click “MORE”!
Album Review: Anthony Wilson | Campo Belo
by Brent Faulkner
(Advance Review: CD to be released April 5th, 2011)
On Campo Belo, composer/guitarist Anthony Wilson assembles a set of ten
songs that are classifiable as ‘jazz,’ but transcend jazz itself. Filled
with influences from classical music (minimalism most notably), Latin
music, and even tinges of country/folk, Campo Bello is certainly a
‘melting pot’ to say the least. On this, Wilson’s eighth set as a
leader, he assembles a set of capable musicians to carry out incredibly
cerebral compositional ideas. Aside from lending his own compositional
and guitar expertise, Wilson is joined by Chico Pinheiro (guitar), André
Mehmari (piano), Guto Wirtti (bass), and Edu Ribeiro (drums). Overall,
Campo Belo is an enjoyable set that yields some enjoyable listens. To continue, please click “MORE”!
Album Review: Jump Start 2
| Various Artists
Theresa Grayson | It’s All About You
By Brian Soergel
Soprano saxophonist Theresa Grayson is what’s right in urban-flavored contemporary jazz these days.
This up-and-coming Texan is refreshingly free of boxed-in ideas.
Marsha Ambrosius | Late Nights & Early Mornings
By Peggy Oliver
I can not exactly determine if coincidence played a role in The Floacist AKA Natalie Stewart and Marsha Ambrosius releasing their debut projects just a few months apart. But whatever the reason, the timing for these gifted ladies to make noise on the charts was a stroke of genius. Their fans that were familiar with these ladies when they teamed as Floetry were more than ready to experience their talent in a solo spotlight.
Concert Review: Chris Botti in Lowell Auditorium, MA
By Susan Mutharia
It often surprises me that one can reside in a certain state yet be unaware of all the hidden gems it has to offer. The Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Massachusetts is one of those for me. It is in this historic monument that I was fortunate to see the very talented, very successful and very very handsome jazz artist Chris Botti (pronounced as boat-tee).The audience was a great mix – some were new to the multiple award winning artist and others like me, were repeat offenders who require his live rehabilitation at least once every year. All in all, when the host introduced the artist, we were all anxious to see him kiss the reed of his trumpet, and when he did, every breath was ‘hallelujah’. To continue, please click “MORE”!
Sharon Musgrave | Outflow
By Peggy Oliver
“Fascinating Rhythm,” not to be mistaken with the George Gershwin jazz standard from the twenties, was a funky diet of soul, jazz and reggae flavors provided by dance producer extraordinaire William Orbit. The voice who graced the U.K. top ten dance hit from 1990 was Sharon Musgrave. After touring to support the Orbit’s Bass-O-Matic project, Set the Controls for the Heart of the Bass and the hit single “Fascinating Rhythm,” the England born, Canadian native found another outlet to demonstrate her earthy vocal tones to the jazz world with Julian Joseph.