Reviews
| Performance (3/5) |
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| Sound (3/5) |
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Bennett, Sylvia
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Sonr”e
| Review Date: | 02-19-2012 |
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| Category | Ballads, Blues |
| Label | Out of Sight |
| Producer | Batt, Hal S. |
| Instrumental | Female Vocals |
O's Notes: Sylvia takes a turn on the Latin side with a dozen retooled classics sung in Spanish. Sonr’e (Smile) is a collection of songs we know, but infused with flavors of bossa novas, boleros and meringue. Highlights are "Sonr’e", "QuiŽn Ser‡", and "La Sombra de Tu Amor". The mood is light and festive.
| Performance (3/5) |
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| Sound (4/5) |
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Berne, Alexander
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Flickers of Mime
| Review Date: | 02-19-2012 |
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| Category | Fusion |
| Label | Innova |
| Producer | |
| Instrumental | Saxophone |
O's Notes: This is a beautifully packaged set of two discs composed and performed by Alexander Berne and the Abandoned Orchestra. The first is titled Flickers of Mime. It traces the path of a rising star through eleven segments. Disc 2, Death of Memes focuses on the second half of the arc with nine more tracks. The dynamics are great pulling you into the mood as life begins and develops. At times it feels abstract and then invigorating. It would be great to see this music accompanied on stage, with video or live scenes.
| Performance (4/5) |
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| Sound (3/5) |
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Chen, Macy
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After 75 Years
| Review Date: | 02-19-2012 |
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| Category | Pop+Jazz |
| Label | Twinz Records |
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| Instrumental | Female Vocals |
O's Notes: Macy Chen is an accomplished Taiwanese pop vocalist who moved to New York to peruse her passion for jazz. Six years later she gives us her jazz recording debut. It is a gem that is easy to appreciate even with Chinese lyrics! She sings six Shanghai jazz classics, a couple of American jazz standards and two originals. If you have doubts, skip to "Harlem Fantasia" her combination of "Caravan" and "Harlem Nocturne", yes also in Chinese but with passion and creativity you can feel. After 75 Years refers the parallel in her career with that of her grandfather, a Taiwanese jazz saxophonist who moved to Japan 75 years ago in pursuit of his musical passion. Macy has excellent tone, warm inflection and presents a strong package!
| Performance (3/5) |
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| Sound (4/5) |
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Crawford, Hank
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Don't You Worry ÔBout A Thing
| Review Date: | 02-19-2012 |
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| Category | R&B+Jazz |
| Label | Sony |
| Producer | Seidel, Richard (reissue) |
| Instrumental | Saxophone |
O's Notes: Alto saxophonist Hank Crawford was a hard bop, jazz-funk arranger and composer who thrived during the late 1960s and 1970s. Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing was recorded with an orchestra that included Idris Muhammad (d), Ron Carter (b), Ralph MacDonald (perc), John Faddis (t), Joe Farrell (fl, ts) and a full string section conducted and arranged by pianist Bob James. This is a classic album from 1974.
| Performance (3/5) |
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| Sound (4/5) |
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Garcia, Rob
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The Drop and The Ocean
| Review Date: | 02-19-2012 |
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| Category | Bebop |
| Label | Bju |
| Producer | |
| Instrumental | Drums |
O's Notes: Drummer Rob Garcia leads a quartet with Noah Preminger (sax), John Hebert (b) and Dan Tepfer (p). This is a strong team that shines on the program of modern jazz across a variety of tempos. We preferred the upbeat tunes like "Will" and "Crash" along with the drums only "Flash #1". Garcia wrote all of the music and places the drums in the middle of the mix complimenting the melodies and anchoring the rhythms. At times they drift into free space but the collective effort is well done.
