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KARI ON PRODUCTIONS
ANNA ESTRADA/Sonando Vuelos: How can you not love a vocalist with acting on “America’s Most Wanted” on her resume? A delightfully present set of Brazilian by the Bay Area tunes that show her appreciation for sounds beyond samba as she covers and acknowledges some of the greats that go beyond the pale. With a full sounding, sure sounding voice leading the way and music that sounds like summer right in step behind her, you will keep thinking this reminds you of something you can’t place but you’ll wind up just digging how this sounds like summer and letting the thought process go at that. Tasty, adult listening that goes the distance.
www.annaestrada.com
ANNA MARIA FLECHERO/Within the Fourteenth Hour: At one of those solve the problems of the world discussions, we passed a resolution that R&B is best sung by pissed off, older, black women. Flechero’s latest may prompt us to hold a discussion along the same lines regarding the art of jazz vocal. With all the retro songbirds stepping up to the mic over the last decade or so, this set seems to support the postulate that a classy, black woman that can remember the classic vocalists without imitating them might be the best bet for singing jazz. Flechero swings the classics in fine style, up market all the way, and serves up quite a special set that enchants throughout.
www.annamariaflechero.com
SHAREL CASSITY/Just for You: A young saxstress that refuses to let grass grow under her feet steps up with a set that shows she knows how to blow her way around some smoking jazz and handle all styles well. As the core, she’s from the Pete Christlieb school of blowing licks at 200 miles per hour and making it sound like a lot more than just running a bunch of notes in a fusillade. Certainly a spirited young lion romp that goes from Brazil to oldies to anywhere you want to wind up where great sax work can take you. Wonderful straight ahead jazz with all the burners cooking on high. Check it out.
www.sharelcassity.com
KAREN JOHNS & Co/Star & Season: Now the words: ‘this is a concept album about love’ might not do a lot on their face to float your boat, but plug in this singer and her crew and it gets fleshed out in a different way. The kind of stuff you hear when you tumble into a hotel bar not expecting much and walk out with a cd in your hand a few sets later. Well played throughout, Johns knows her way around a song and delivers the goods hot.
MARK PRINCE/Fraction of Infinity: Keeping the beat behind mainstreamers and progressives alike for over a decade, Prince drums his way into his own spotlight with a little help from some equally well traveled pals with a mainstream date underpinned by progressive leanings. Acquitting himself as a solid leader in his own right, he’s clearly a cat that knows how to make a solid first impression. Fun stuff for jazzbos that like some meaty listening music.
(Contour)
RAVEN
STONE PONEYS/Stone Poneys-Evergreen V. 2: I really want to know. Does anyone remember this group being referred to as Stone Poneys anytime an oldies station plays “Different Drum”? Anyway, the gang at Raven reaches back 40 years for the first two or so times we came face to face with la Ronstadt as this set has the first two albums and the best of the third album that the group broke up in the middle of. This set compliments the twofer Capital did a few years ago of her solo career proper with not any real overlap. So much for the Capitol years box set, eh? While her pre-70’s break out has generally been characterized as uneven, this is some pretty nice stuff from nascent rockers feeling their way along in the corporate world not quite ready for the changes brought by Beatles. It seems to have gone a long way in setting the country rock standard as well. These are some good old days well worth traveling back to.
Volume 31/Number 248
July 5, 2008
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
©2008 Midwest Record
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