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KARI ON PRODUCTIONS
MICHAEL DEASE/Clarity: This young trombone man is just out of school and it seems like he’s already won everything there is to win except a Grammy. And he really knows how to play too. With a very broad appealing palette at his command, Dease might single handedly bring the trombone back to the front with his command and style. Apparently equally at ease as a writer, player and leader, there doesn’t seem to be anything this young lion can’t do and do well. An engaging set for straight ahead jazzbos that want something new to really rally around. Hot.
8 (Blues Back)
LISA REEDY PROMOTIONS
MARY FETTIG/Brazilian Footprints: At home on sax and flute, Fettig’s chops have taken her on a long, satisfying journey form Stan Kenton to film work to her own work. Literally having played everything with everybody, she now points her flute to her love of Brazilian music and brings it home with all the slow burning heat and none of the clichés. One of those sets that easily walks the line between tasty and tasteful, this is what yupscale jazz should look to if it wants to get it right.
808 (F Major)
MICHAEL BLOOM MEDIA RELATIONS
PETE LEVIN/Certified Organic: A perfect example of one of those cats you’ve heard but never heard of (unless you are a real hipster), Levin goes deeper into the organ world as his yupjazz debut as an organ trio leader last year was just the tip of the iceberg. Now that he’s got your attention again, he turns his formidable chops to his own works, and with the fuse he lit last year leading the way, he takes you on a journey that ends in fireworks even when he’s trying to be cool. A funky jazz express train to good vibe land, this is a fun date that gets the party started in fine form. With some hand picked covers added along the way, there’s nothing here that won’t get you into the tent and keep you there. Impossible not to enjoy.
8 (Pete Levin Music)
ROCK PAPER SCISSORS
FEUFOLLET/Cow Island Hop: In which we find Cajuns letting the Cajun kids come into the family business with their crazy young people sensibilities leading the way. The traditional sound and vibe is kept alive but horns and electronics are added to give this white people funk a new degree of funk to keep the young ‘uns down on the farm after all. As they are changing the sound, they are changing it like pros not like barbarians. The rootsy Louisiana sound has still got all it’s looseness in tact, but there’s something going on here not to let this fall into the dusty bin of grandpa’s music. If you don’t like your traditional music too traditional, this Cajun crew is right on the money.
5 (Valcour)
SO MUCH MOORE
BECKY SCHLEGEL/For All the World to See: Now this here is a real down home gal. She moved from South Dakota to Minnesota to get a taste of the big city and expand her audience. An under the radar darling for a decade via her former bluegrass group and heartland exposure like Prairie Home Companion as well as an award shelf that is probably going to start buckling under it‘s own weight pretty soon, Schlegel is a perfect example of an artist growing and blossoming in obscurity and suddenly seeming like she bounced out of nowhere fully formed. With a full range of Americana styles at her command, you know you are in for something that can stand on it’s own when cats like Bo Ramsey and Jim White are just along for the ride instead of lending guiding hands. This is a first class godsend for Americana taste buds looking for something to tickle them with summer coming around. A winner throughout.
701 (Lilly Ray)
Volume 31/Number 212
May 30, 2008
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
©2008 Midwest Record
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