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MASSIVE MUSIC
WINIFRED ADAMS/Where Will This Love Go: If Lilith Fair was still in action today, this is the kind of power pop that would be appealing to legal secretaries hiding their tattoos under their office attire. Rolling with the flow, Adams had started out to make an exercise video and wound up with an under the radar pop career instead. Whether kicking it out at sports arenas or with her rendition of “Santa Baby”, Adams makes the kind of bouncy music that bad times need.
(www.Winifred.net)
LESLEY SPENCER/Moments Musicaux: Never one to be content with merely being a New Age piano player, Spencer attacks her new set with a high-octane energy right from the start fusing classical and NAC elements into her New Age presentation. Spencer also includes some dark elements you normally don’t associate with New Age piano. This set feels like Spencer is taking it to a whole new level of the game. No stranger to hard work and accomplishment, it sounds and feels like she wants to keep pushing the boundaries and keep her chops sharp. The playing is sharp and focused making it a good soundtrack for almost anything except munching granola and sipping herbal tea.
222 (Gabriella Music)
PALMETTO
TED NASH/The Mancini Project: When you grow up with your father and uncle being key members of the Henry Mancini sound during Mancini’s prime years and you wind up going into the family business, a tribute album to Mancini and his sound should be expected to be on your DNA somewhere. Sax man Nash doesn’t let anybody down and he doesn’t even cover “Moon River” along the way. The heartfelt affection Nash brings to the music really makes this project connect. Loaded with tunes going back half a century, everyone involved brings the music into the present portraying it crisply and sharply but with plenty of emotion. This is certainly a grand way to reconsider the works of Mancini.
2134
MICHAEL MOORE & FRED HERSCH/This We Know: This is the sound of two old friends getting to go over to Holland, follow their muse and play with no restriction. Feeling free to take you wherever they want to go sometimes it sounds like they are following an early 60s Miles Davis fantasy, sometimes it sounds like they’re playing the jazz of tomorrow. Just when you think this date might veer off into being too cerebral, some sprightly change ups pop up and take you by surprise. The talents of these two pros are undeniable and when they get to square off in their own arena the results are a real treat. It may seem noncommercial to the casual listener but this date never gets too precious for its own good
3900
TWO FOR THE SHOW MEDIA
MARC McDONALD/It Doesn’t End Here: Certainly this is an interesting cat that you should check out now that he’s recording under his own name. Despite sounding like a dyed in the wool jazzbo, he’s backed up punker Henry Rollins, Ween and cabaret star Quinn Lemley. At first blush this disc sounds like another smooth jazz outing but it has a surprise bite and kick giving the music enough playability that you can put it on in the background in your office, let it play on repeat all day and it won’t wear out its welcome. Very much a warm and pleasant date very well suited for when you need an experienced sax and his pals to make the kind of music you can just let wash over you.
1016 (No End In Sight)
Volume 31/Number 263
July 20, 2008
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
©2008 Midwest Record
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