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ANGEL
EROICA TRIO/An American Journey: For the comeback of the reconstituted Trio, we find them coming home with a set you have to listen to a few times before passing judgment. Going for the soft landing with a crossover set of Gershwin and Bernstein, a lot of has changed in the landscape since they’ve been gone and they have to be competitive. What we learn from this set is the Trio has a real affinity to Bernstein and they should pursue a set of his material ala their Piazzolla outing. At first blush, it seems like yuppie brunch music but repeated playings bring the charm and power of the Trio back to the front even if we don’t need another reading of a “Porgy & Bess” medley. We’re glad to say the piano trio is alive and well and giving it their all once again.
7351
ARBORS JAZZ
JOHN BUNCH TRIO/Plays the Music of Irving Berlin: In the great scheme of things, Berlin seems to have taken a back seat to Cole Porter even if Berlin is as responsible for just as much of the great American song book. Piano man Bunch is one of the great accompanists in the tradition of Hank Jones, who even at this stage of the game is more well known to hipsters than the general public. The pairing of Bunch and Berlin gives both a nice oomph. Bunch’s all star trio, with the help of Frank Wess on flute for about half the program simply deliver a great listening date with all the classic hallmarks of fine recordings that just don’t bubble up any more. Real music for real musos, sets like this can make you take your sets by recent vintage divas covering these tracks to the used record store after the next house cleaning. Hot stuff.
19376
WARREN VACHE JOHN ALLRED QUINTET/Live in Bern Switzerland at Marians Jazzroom: Solidly swinging set in the tradition of 60s Bluenote (with a bunch of Horace Silver tracks on the set list) that simply serves it up hot and fast with no mistakes or brakes. The band moves through the tunes with a verving simpatico that makes you wish this crew is more than a pick up date. Certainly a date to play when you want the music to be fun.
19369
ON TARGET MARKETING
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM/Gift of Screws: The forward thinking Mr. Buckingham has made an album with mp3 players in mind. After listening to this in the car, on the computer and on mp3, those crappy little earbuds turn this into a headphone symphony of old school proportions. Focusing on what he can do with an ax, the songs follow the pyrotechnics making this into that kind of after hours jam you would get if Fleetwood Mac was auditioning Joe Satriani. Buckingham doesn’t adhere to anything and makes the kind of set that charges up the guitar fan’s blood. Easy to follow if you’re a long time fan, don’t dive in if your expecting the long overdue pop follow up to “Trouble” but do check it out if you have no problem with Liddy Buck’s flights of fancy.
ROCK PAPER SCISSORS
KEVIN LOCKE/Earth Gift: Like anything else, Native American music has it’s own raft of subgenres and Locke brings us his reconstituted vision of Lakota music, a sound that shows the interaction between people and animals. Taking steps to make the sound contemporary while still staying true to it, Locke opens the ears to a dandy world beat within our borders excursion that expands the mind and cleanses the palette. A sure bet for fans of Native American sounds that go well beyond the gift shop pale.
(Ixtlan Recording)
TWO FOR THE SHOW MEDIA
BILL CARROTHERS/Home Row: Recorded in 1992 but never released, here we find the piano man playing off Gary Peacock and Bill Stewart for an improv piano trio date that is loaded with the kind of stuff that takes you on a trip inside without resorting to any new agy tricks. These players know their stuff and deliver it well, even if it was originally delivered a long time ago. Check it out, you just might rank it as a missing gem.
3035 (Pirouet)
Volume 31/Number 346
October 11, 2008
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
©2008 Midwest Record
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