Gail Pettis | Here in the Moment
by Peggy Oliver
When a jazz singer revisits a standard that has been tackled time and again, it is quite the task to express their musical personality without having to alter the integrity of the original. The experienced jazz vocalist should set the tone for his or her self and their accompanists to create a colorful musical canvas for their audiences.
Wayman Tisdale | The Fonk Record
by Brent Faulkner
Wayman Tisdale was another ‘shining star’ who was ‘gone too soon.’ Although an extremely talented former professional basketball player, Tisdale was equally talented as a multi-instrumentalist, who focused on the bass for the most part. Sadly, in May 2009, Wayman died after a stint with cancer. What did not die was Tisdale’s legacy. Experimental project The Fonk Record (featuring Tiz & The Fonkie Planetarians) is an album that showcases Tisdale’s restless creativity as a musician.
Take 6 | The Most Wonderful Time of The Year
By Peggy Oliver
If there is anybody who could jump start the holiday season with high class, Take 6 would win hands down. This sextet continues to bring their brand of a cappella stylized gospel to the forefront since they bowed on the national scene in 1987. Their humble beginnings were etched on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama in 1980 as a quartet under the moniker Alliance.
Fourplay | Let’s Touch The Sky
by Peggy Oliver
A band can get into a period of complacency after long establishing their stake in the musical game. But the jazz quartet Fourplay on the heels of their new project, Let’s Touch The Sky, would not have any of that; inviting new Chuck Loeb in the guitar spot replacing long time member Larry Carlton. Bob James first discovered a musical connection with the other Fourplay personnel while still a solo recording artist.
Esperanza Spalding | Chamber Music Society
By Peggy Oliver
In just one decade, Esperanza Spalding has achieved so much in her musical quest and persevered even more along the way to find her own special star. Go figure that this singer/songwriter/musician who survived some challenging circumstances in her childhood would make teachers marvel, thrill audiences and teach elementary school students about the power of jazz.
Mike Phillips | M.P.3.
Hidden Beach Recordings | 2010
By George Strand
Consider the new album from soulful saxophonist Mike Phillips for just one second. Bridging worlds of R&B and contemporary jazz together isn’t a tall order from a gentleman who often engages himself into taking anything to the next level. Would he be considered special? Perhaps.
Lynne Fiddmont | Lady
By Jerry “The Mouse” Clark
I could start and end my review of Lynne Fiddmont’s Lady CD with one word – “angelic” – but that will not be the case. The inspiration from Billie Holiday, Lynne’s songbird persona and an accompanying cast of gifted musicians is the recipe for this outstanding album. You may be familiar with Lynne Fiddmont and not know it. The lady has recorded and/or performed as a singer with Stevie Wonder (as a member of his band Wonderlove), Bill Withers, Patti Austin, Whitney Houston, Babyface and countless more.
Brian Culbertson | XII
By Terrill Hanna
For many of you who are well aware of the various capabilities great keyboardist Brian Culbertson is able to conduct, whether it be on a jazz tip, on a smooth jazz tip, or on the trombone tip, Mr. Culbertson’s diverse reach for soul music isn’t much of a big surprise here. In fact, we shouldn’t be too startled to hear most of the R&B connections dished up for serving from the new project, “XII“.
Incognito | Transatlantic RPM
by Peggy Oliver
Happy 30th Anniversary Incognito! Yes; thirty years of old school soul, funk, disco, hip-hop and jazz produced by the U.K. sensation that still sounds as fresh today as when they were first introduced to the world in 1980 with an album appropriately named Jazz Funk. Despite a ten-year absence after their debut, they returned to the recording studio with Inside Life and have never looked back since.
by George Duke | Deja Vu By Randy Mahon Keyboard master/songwriter/producer, jazz legend George Duke, returns with his latest project on his own BPM imprint, distributed through Heads Up International (A division of the Concord Music Group), “Deja Vu”. George takes his listeners back to his late ’70’s/’80’s era Funk/Soul …