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CREATIVE SERVICE COMPANY
BRIAN KELLY/After Play: Kelly is one of those cats that plays jazz piano in that deceptive way that sneaks up on you with jazz as party music. Playing fast but not lite, Kelly learned from the cats in Oregon first hand, but then went off on his own realm of discovery that took him through a wide range of jazz and new age before he wound up here. It’s own genre of fun jazz, this set tickles the ears as easily as Kelly tickles the ivories and a good time is assured for all.
1002 (Skylight)
GO MEDIA
GENE BERTONCINI & RONI BEN-HUR/Smile: A pair of crack jazz guitarists team up for a charity set that benefits a hospital that has been hospitable to jazz players in need. Even if this wasn’t music for a good cause, it’s good music that ax fans ought to get hip to with these two simply and elegantly kicking it out, top shelf style. Easy and breezy, it’s not lite and it stays with you. Ultimately a hard to resist pairing, this is the stuff Ipods were made for, adult division.
18 (Motema)
MUISC CITY NEWS
GARY FIELDS/Sounds About Right: On paper, I’d believe it a little easier if you told me Jimmy Bowen was taking a Florida kid that looked more country than Michael Bubby and was cutting him Rat Pack style as opposed to Larry Butler doing it, but it works. Fields is one of those young ‘uns that has a feel for the music as opposed to running off in a direction his manager told him to. As a result, this is a fresh take on old stuff for new ears. Yep, nice cocktail music for a new generation.
270 (Aspirion)
PATOIS
WAYNE WALLACE LATIN JAZZ QUINTET/Infinity: Hot on the heels of his Latin/world jazz set we to aptly called his calling, Wallace bounces back quickly with another purely Latin set that also answers the question, where’s Jackie Ryan been hiding lately? Digging deeper into this meaty groove that brought him some heavy duty recognition last time out, Wallace mines it for all it’s worth, pulling out all the stops with Ryan guesting on vocals in a most complimentary way. Joyously on the money throughout, Wallace has firmly established him self as a player/producer you have to deal with. One of the nice faces of jazz’s future for sure.
7
SPACEBAR
GRAHAM LINDSEY/We Are All Alone in This Together: A cat clearly at home on the back 40, having left the wilds of Wisconsin for the wilds of Montana, Lindsey is one of those cats that lines up in the tradition of Woody Guthrie into today’s roots music with some raw nerver stuff that isn’t afraid to dig deep into slices of life about the human condition. Following the line from Bob Dylan to Bo Ramsey to Chuck Brodsky, Lindsey will always been the malcontents’ friend as he colors outside his own lines informed by his history in punk. He might still be a young ‘un but he’s got old ears that have caught a lot.
104
Also available, a companion ep, The Mine ep 105
TWO FOR THE SHOW MEDIA
JOHN ESCREET/Consequences: Jazz piano man that’s been bouncing around New York on his own version of the learn while you earn program, this young lion on the prowl shows himself to be a player to be reckoned with as he surrounds himself with a bunch of other leaders and leads the way handily. The kind of cat that can move from subtlety to fusillades of notes with equal aplomb, Escreet has learned his piano lessons well, but now he’s showing he has something to say as well. Certainly an impressive debut waiting for you to check out.
(Posi-Tone)
VIZZTONE
GINA SICILIA/Hey Sugar: We dug her debut, it had the snap, crackle and pop that made it stand out, but since we’re more blues tourist than blues purist, we were certainly pleasantly surprised when she hit her stride right out of the box with a best new artist nomination and saturation play in satellite radio. The dividend continue to pay as the 23 year old is more sure footed than her big sisters of a generation ago, dazzling even harder on her new, second release. Assuming even more control of her musical direction, Sicilia is in the pocket throughout, playing the music through fresh ears and delighting mightily across the disc. A solid winner contemporary blues fans will simply love.
388009 (Swingnation)
DAVE GROSS/Crawling the Walls: Kicking it live in the studio, the young guitarist/producer shows the way to tomorrow with a set that sure to get him more industry recognition going beyond his previous best new artist nomination. A hot, hard hitting set that points a good direction for white boy blues, taking the genre firmly out of the 70s forever in fine style. Loaded with chops powered by youthful energy, this is the kind of date that brings the youngsters into the tent and sends them out looking for Mississippi Fred McDowell in short order. Hot.
388008 (Swingnation)
Volume 32/Number 7
November 7, 2008
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
©2008 Midwest Record
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