04/26/08
JAZZ PROMO SERVICES
WALTER “WOLFMAN” WASHINGTON/Doin’ The Funky Thing: The latest from one of those guys where you might not know his name but you certainly know his sound. Although Nawlins to the bone, he has been providing the funk that is the funk and inspires other funk for longer than most of you can remember, although you do enjoy it on oldies radio and in your Ipods. Slowed down by Katrina like most of his neighbors, Washington is back and still playing like he has something to prove. With a set of barnburners backed by his smoking crew, this is what a party record is supposed to sound like. Pure guitar smoke loaded with sizzle and steak.
200805 (Zoho Roots)
JAZZED MEDIA
STEIN BROTHERS/Quixotic: Young sax playing brothers that have enough on the ball to debut on a label that is otherwise populated by stalwarts, these young bop lovers know how to make originals sound like classics. With some classics mixed in, this is a date with no dust on it that contemporary jazzbos will find picks up their ears. Standing out because they really have an original sound and voice, they certainly have what it takes to leave a good impression and impress. Hot stuff throughout.
1034
LORI HEHR PUBLIC RELATIONS
MAGENTA/Metamorphosis: Prog rockers show some of their darker side with this new set that finds them going darker in longer tracks and taking the classic prog vibe into new underground realms. Very much underground faves that has been embraced by the scene worldwide, this is the kind of set that will keep them genre darlings while those in the over ground continue to miss the boat.
1052 (Laser’s Edge)
MARK PUCCI MEDIA
KELLY RICHEY/Carry the Light: Richey is a good reason why you should never pooh pooh local scenes out of hand. Ten albums into a career she’s based out of Cincinnati after taking a spin in the bigs, this former teen tyro pretty much hasn’t put her guitar down since she first picked it up a long time ago. With chops and agility that just seem to scale new heights every time out, she’s actually more Albert King than Bonnie Raitt and knows full well how to burn the house down. If you call yourself any kind of fan of our capable blues babes, be sure to give Richey a spin if you are still uninitiated. Well done.
1138 (Sweet Lucy)
STRINGBENDER
MERIDIAN GREEN/In the Heart of this Town: The lovely Ms. Green must hate Internet journalists that are chasing search engine hits and have to start every review of her album with a cornucopia by reeling off the bounty of riches she offer up to wit: she’s the daughter of folk legend Bob Gibson, the wife of Byrds’ Gene Parsons, pals with the guy that made the good Sheryl Crow album some Burrito Brothers, members of Oregon, Alex deGrassi, some Narada cats at other folkies like Holly Tannen. The only thing that could have blown out Google’s servers faster than that sentence would be just blurting out ‘Miley Cyrus naked pictures‘. (Did that just happen?) But as to the music itself, Green has it in her genes to serve up lovely adult pop with a decided folk-country/rock flavor although I have to wonder what her “Uncle” Shel thought about her spending so much time working over a work by Dr. Seuss. A delightfully off the beaten path set for anyone that remembers what music that made a mark sounded like.
BOOK SUPPLEMENT
HARMONY BOOKS
RITA RUDNER/I Still Have It…I Just Can’t Remember Where I Put It: After her full time move to Vegas, Rudner wrote some novels, had a TV show but she basically fell off my radar. My bad. Back with a new book that follows the feel of her classic stand up, Rudner attacks the task of turning 50 and the impact it has on all aspects of her life. The girl still has it. Certainly not an easy task is writing in her deadpan vocal style without the writing coming across as flat or bitter, trust me, she knows damn well where she put it. The only thing that could have made this better is if it came in an audio version so old fans could get another dose of the full on Rudner experience. Dust off your specs and enjoy the real beach book of the season.
Volume 31/Number 178
April 26, 2008
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
©2008 Midwest Record