04/07/08
ARBORS JAZZ
HARRY ALLEN-JOE COHN QUARTET/Stompin’ the Blues: We’ve been driving around listening to a lot of old jam session dates lately and this baby falls right in the classic pocket. Somebody eat some Marty Paich charts for breakfast or something? Mixing a fair share of original Harry Allen comps with the classics, it all hangs together as the blowing simply wails. A fun date that deceptively feels like cocktail music but is an animal of a whole nother stripe. The sassy girl in red also makes this one of Arbors best cover shots.
19353
TOMMY McDERMOTT & CONNIE JONES/Creole Nocturne: One of those cool dates where cats that are always in the background get to step out and show you why they always blow you away, even when you aren’t aware of it. A piano/cornet duo with Nawlins stamped all over it, this dose of American music history has no dust on it. Tasty, solid stuff that might be from Dixieland but has no jive in it.
19366
MINNEHAHA
CONNIE EVINGSON/Little Did I Dream: Swinging jazz vocalist Evingson has such a knack for eclectic, jazzy concept albums that someone ought to give her a satellite channel of her own and let the fur fly. This time around, she takes her concept thing to new heights as she doesn’t just do a tribute to Dave Frishberg, she does a duet set with Frishberg. These songs and this concept has been done before, but this time around, Frishberg comes home to Minnesota to do it and reteams with an old college pal that has been a staple of Evingson’s band for a while. Boy does the fur fly. You probably long ago decided you didn’t need to get another version of “My Attorney Bernie”, “Peel Me a Grape”, “Zanzibar”, “Zoot Walks In” and other hip Frishjazz, but this is well worth going out of your way for. With the Evingson touch at the wheel, this is a wonderful treat you will not want to miss.
2008
ON TARGET MEDIA
KARRIN ALLYSON/Imagina: The girl from Kansas City with an ear toward Brazil really gives into her thing here as she finally lets loose with a full on Brazil vocal set. Leaving no stone unturned while avoiding clichés, Allyson is so on the money, it’s inspiring and scary. A real treat for those that need a dose of some tropical heat.
30428 (Concord)
Volume 31/Number 159
April 7, 2008
MIDWEST RECORD
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Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
©2008 Midwest Record