08/23/07
CROWS FEET PRODUCTIONS
MASON CASEY/Sofa King Badass: White boy harmonica player that blew away Wilson Pickett and Don Covay rounds up guests like Mark Jordan, Jonell Moser, Steve Cropper, Don Covay, Wayne Jackson, Jimmy Johnson, Chester Thompson and others for a roadhouse rouser of a honking r&b date. Back from a European exile, Casey is ready to take on all comers and show he’s going to come out on top, every time. Fun stuff that any former frat boy can and will love, this smoking date can fly high under the radar and get any party off to a proper start. Well worth checking out.
42 (Northern Blues)
DECCA
DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER/Red Earth: Bridgewater has been increasingly flirting with world beat over the last few years, but this set finds her making the trip to Africa to find her roots and celebrate them, even when rounding things out with tracks inspired from Chicago. With deep, long running jazz smarts and a eye toward always pushing her boundaries to new limits, the Afrocentic set has that right from the heart feel that sends it well over the top throughout. Long time fans will find this out of Bridgewater’s usual, but they will want to make this journey with her.
(Emarcy)
MC RECORDS
ERIC BIBB/An Evening With: A member of folk and jazz royalty that taken his guitar to opening for Ray Charles and beyond gets to shine here with his first live album. Just him and his guitar and a side kick work it out on a set of originals that grab with their simplicity ( a lesson he was taught as a teen by Bob Dylan). An award winner in his own right, Bibb has it down right but it never comes across as down pat. As a solo, he can ride somewhere in that gulf between folk, blues and jazz, fusing as needed and drifting away when called for. A tasty, charming set full of low key fire by a great singer/songwriter you should know if you don’t already.
59
RED CAT PUBLICITY
JASON LINDNER BIG BAND/Live at the Jazz Gallery: A downtown cat that doesn’t need to wear his hipness on his sleeve, largely because he’s too busy with high profile side jobs when not leading his own crew, this double live cd celebrates 10 years of kicking Mondays into high gear at Smalls. These tracks needed a double cd to contain all the stretching out by the keyboard ace and his pals. A fine example of contemporary big band with all the style and none of the cliches, Lindner is one of the bright faces of the future of jazz. You can hardly call him a newbie anymore, but if you want to grab a great comer while he’s still bubbling under, check out this jazz extravaganza now.
4101 (Anzic)
Volume 30/Number 296
August 23, 2007
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
(c)2007 Midwest Record