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09/11/20
ANALOG PLAYERS SOCIETY/Tilted: So, when a bunch of modern, leading edge jazzbos get together to be a band, it's Katy, bar the door. You can hear echoes of modal Miles in this live date powered by samples that really opens the ears to the past, present and future. A wild ride? You bet. It's jazz and beyond loaded with stuff that'll tickle progressive ears.
RICHARD CARRICK/Lanterne: Inspired by the claustrophobic settings that Covid quarantining has given us, the progressive classical composer rounds up a bunch of like minded players to give airing to his latest works. A perfect Sunday afternoon wine and cheese recital recording, live it up and slice up some Wemslydale and quaff something better than Maddog to let the vibes properly flow on this mind expanding trip.
(New Focus 273)
JOHN NEMETH/Stronger than Strong: Our kind of four on the floor white boy with the blues, he's got it all down from right down the lane all the way down to the how-how-hows. No stranger to BMA awards, he plays it straight, plays it from the heart and shows why basics like meat and potatoes will never go out of style. This white boy really has the blues.
(Nola Blue 13)
AARON NATHANS & MICHAEL G. RONSTADT/Shadow & Cyclone: Almost Goth/folk, this acoustic duo with no fear of the darkness serves up a set that you'll never mistake for mush mouth sentiment. Dazzlingly different, this is the proof you can be dark without being depressing and bumming everyone out. A solidly different path for folkies to follow as they head out from the back porch.
JAKE ALLEN/Affirmation Day: When is a new age record not new age? When a top acoustic guitarist takes it all to places that you'd never expect with everything from subtlety to bombast flying in all directions. After you turn the sound down, you're left with introspective lyrics worthy of any 70s prog rocker. A genre defying record, you have to be up for some something completely different to really get it.
(JA 4)
NIKKI O'NEILL/World is Waiting: A Swedish white girl with the blues that looks up to Pops Staples and Teenie Hodges? Whew, glass ceilings are breaking all over the place. Transplanted to LA, this guitar slinger's picked up more of the local punk vibe than the local laid back vibe and she knows how to use it having energy to burn. Solid hard hitting stuff that hit's the nail on the head.
(Blackbird )
VANESSA COLLIER/Heart on the Line: A singing saxy lady that's a white girl with the blues as well as a comet rising in the blues universe, she craftily plays Candy Dulfer to Buddy Guy's Maceo on a classic JB work out. With way too much Memphis in her soul for a gal that's been through the educational process, it's got to be there to start with because soul like this can't be cultivated. Solid stuff that'll blow the roof off the sucka!
(Planet Fire)
KIM WILSON/Take Me Back-The Bigtone Sessions: Back where he belongs, one of the original white boys with the blues fires up his harp, heats up the tubes and let's fly with a classic feeling and sounding blues rocking date that sounds like something forgotten in the store room at Chess after Ralph Bass turned out the lights for the last time. Sizzling, smoking and sure to be award winning, this is as hot, bad and authentic as it can ever be. Killer stuff.
(MC 87)
ALEGRA LEVY/Lose My Number: The only thing that's stopping this award winning jazz vocalist from being a household name is her unabashed love of small label releases by 50's jazz femme vocalists that often had bad habits and couldn't get it together to tour too far. Setting lyrics to her mentor's instrumental compositions and leading a crew of sisters that show they know how to do it for themselves, ain't no glass ceiling that has been made that can hold bad or hold down skills like these. A must have for fans of the real deal.
(Steeplechase 31900)
GEORGINA ISABEL ROSSI-SILVIE CHENG/Mobili: A true labor of love recording as this Chilean violist plays a slew of world premiere recordings by Chilean composers. A world renown egghead that just doesn't play like it, this mostly solo recording finds her obviously front and center and making the most of it filling the room with sound that needs very little coloration. Not at all close to any kind of world beat you world expect, this set finds classical music existing in a world of it's own no matter how contemporary or foreign. Quite the captivating recital.
(New Focus 268)
CHARLES TOLLIVER/Connect: Recorded while on tour of Europe with a gang of deep jazzbos that play from the heart as well as the head, Tolliver wanted this summit saved for future generations to hear how it was when plucked from the true vine. Deep stuff that reflects the tradition and the experience, this isn't from the church basement but it's deep in the soul. Solid throughout.
(Gearbox 1561)
GROSSMAN ENSEMBLE/Fountain of Time: The concept of gate keepers make some of us want to puke (ahem) but when you start getting into areas like contemporary classical where you find you don't know your pots from your pans leads you to believe a Sherpa or two might be helpful. This crew of 13 cats from U of C are just those sherpas. Finding that sweet spot where eggheads and tourists can comfortably enjoy the bar together at intermission, their debut of premiere recordings is neither dumbed down or pretentious. It's fun and engaging and is a revelation about the movie and pop work of all Bernsteins. A smoking ear and eye opener.
(CCCC 20182020)
Volume 44/Number 319
September 11, 2020
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
Copyright 2020 Midwest Record
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Tossing a doubloon, shilling or sheckle in the Paypal tip jar is not only very appreciated but helps keep this site happy and well fed.
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