Frank McComb | Soulmate: Another Love Story
by Peggy Oliver
When one decides to zone in on their deepest wishes to play music on a super serious level, the dedication and discipline immediately start kicking in, no matter what disappointments lied ahead. After observing his aunt play the piano, Frank McComb was signed up for piano lessons, even though it lasted just three hours.
Maxwell | blackSUMMERS’night
Columbia Records
Review penned by Brent Faulkner
In the music world, seven years can be likened to an eternity. The changes that occur in such a period of time tend to be monumental. During Maxwell’s seven-year hiatus between 2009’s Grammy-winning LP BLACKsummers’night and current LP blackSUMMERS’night, R&B has changed considerably.
Will Downing | Black Pearls
Shanachie Entertainment
by Peggy Oliver
When the judges on various talent competitions pound out the fact that the vocalist’s song choices are so critical, it can be quite annoying or it can be a vocalist’s secret weapon in gaining success. Then when those careers start taking shape in the right direction, this one piece of advice frankly ends up being a vocalist’s best friend.
Kandace Springs
Hotel Café’ (Hollywood)
Concert Reflections and Photographs by A. Scott Galloway
With no verbal introduction but instead a cool driving bass/drums groove that lures her to the stage like a lovely moth to a flame, singer/songwriter/keyboardist Kandace Springs stepped into the light a tall, confident and dazzling drink of something sparkling. Flashing a smile and striking a playful diva pose, she immediately sat down to her keyboard, politely introduces herself and where she’s from (Nashville, Tennessee), then commenced to getting’ busy, speaking of pending revolutions and the masses being far from ready.
“Why it gotta be like that, why it gotta be / Why it gotta be like that / Some dreams will live and some will die…”
Bernie Worrell / Bill Laswell / Karsh Kale
Funkcronomic
Musical Reflection by A. Scott Galloway
Keyboard genius Bernie Worrell a.k.a. “Wizard of Woo,” drops us off at the launching pad of his next phase with a parting gift of groove that – in a just and funky world – will become the Ride On soundtrack of The Summer of 16. Hangin’ with old crony bassist/producer Bill Laswell and drummer Karsh Kale, Worrell came up with a 5-song EP of lean, mean Caddy cruisin’ joints guaranteed to relax your mind.
38th Playboy Jazz Festival
Hollywood Bowl
Sunday June 12, 2016
Festival Reflections by A. Scott Galloway
Day 2 of the 38th “Playboy Jazz Festival” at the Hollywood Bowl was by far the more star-studded and highly anticipated of the weekend. Not only that, the cross section of artists provided a near-perfect representation of all the music that appropriately falls under the cornucopia of the art form – from New Orleans roots, Blues and Big Band to Latin, Funk-Rock, Contemporary and Ancient-Future takes.
George Lopez (Photo: Matthew Imaging)
38th Playboy Jazz Festival
Hollywood Bowl
Saturday June 11, 2016
Festival Reflections by A. Scott Galloway
Photography by Matthew Imaging (except one)
George Lopez
Though big names were lacking, big fun was in full regalia for the opening day of this year’s Playboy Jazz Festival, due in part to amiable host George Lopez. Mist in the midday and a light sprinkling of pre-summer rain baptized the early acts and audience. Poetically speaking, it gave the high-achieving students of the Beyond the Bell All-City Jazz Band of an early taste of dues they have to pay on their way to the top.
Oya Thomas “Tribute to Prince”
Skyloft (Laguna Beach)
Saturday May 28, 2016
Concert reflections and photographs by A. Scott Galloway
Vocalist Oya Thomas caught my attention a couple of years back with the beautiful Sunday morning song “Peace in the Valley” from her CD The Spirit of Oya. So I was stunned to receive an email invitation to a Saturday night show she was fronting in memory of Prince on Memorial Day. I knew she could sing and that she was also very nice on the eyes so when a last minute cancellation made it possible for me to see this show, I made that move.
Nao
The Roxy – West Hollywood, CA
Friday May 13, 2016
Concert Reflections by A. Scott Galloway
Photos by Michael K. Adams
Obscured in red light, Nao sings in a cockney neo soul alto over sinewy pulsing grooves and speaks with gracefully gesturing limbs as if languid and outstretched underwater. Though the music has a techno vibe, her backing is a power trio of guitar, bass (doubling on occasional synth) and way off in the corner stage left, drums – delivering Grand Funk bottom as she falls in with the guitarist parroting snaky unorthodox lines.
Whitney McClain | Nothing to Lose EP
by Peggy Oliver
There is no question that Portland, Oregon has established a healthy music community outside the city walls, recently represented by the eclectic jazz vocalist/musician Esperanza Spalding. That aside, the urban scene in the Rose City for the most part remains under the nationwide radar.