It's growing increasingly difficult on my end to balance the growing wave of CDs pouring in from so many talented artists and everything I have to get done for the Wall Street Journal. I think the best way to keep up with the flow and give all the albums and artists I love best their due in a timely fashion is to write compact, shorter reviews. Let's try it...
Oliver Lake Organ Quartet—What I Heard (Passin' Thru). Avant-garde saxophonist Lake adds Jared Gold on Hammond organ and winds up with an ingenious and groovy, experimental sound.
Delfeayo Marsalis—The Last Southern Gentleman (Troubadour). Trombonist Marsalis exhibits his beautiful, silky tone throughout accompanied by his father and pianist Ellis Marsalis, bassist John Clayton and drummer Marvin “Smitty" Smith. This is a contemplative album from top to bottom with songs like Nancy (With the Laughing Face), That Old Feeling, I Cover the Waterfront and She's Funny That Way.
Julie Kelly—Happy to Be (Jazzed Media). Fresh, beautifully phrased relaxed vocals backed by a crackerjack ensemble that includes pianist Bill Cunliffe and drummer Joe LaBarbera.
Jackie DeShannon—You Won't Forget Me: The Complete Liberty Singles Vol. 1 (Ace). You probably know Jackie DeShannon best from her biggest hits—Put a Little Love in Your Heart, Needles and Pins, What the World Needs Now and Bette Davis Eyes. At the dawn of the pop-rock era in the early 1960s, Jackie was one of the first female pop-rock songwriters in Los Angeles and as a performer toured with the Beatles on their first tour. Now the British Ace label has released five superb albums that crystallize Jackie's early career: The Complete Liberty Singles Vol 1.; Come and Get Me: The Complete Liberty and Imperial Singles Vol. 2; Keep Me in Mind: The Complete Imperial and Liberty Singles Vol. 3; The Songs of Jackie DeShannon 1961-1967; and She Did It! The Songs of Jackie DeShannon Vol. 2.
Shelby Lynne—I Am Shelby Lynne (Rounder). The re-issue of this country singer-songwriter's first album in 1999 resulted in her first Grammy and shows that the soul-flavored country album remains an hypnotic classic. The two-disc set includes a DVD of Lynne performing songs from the album in concert in 2000 in Los Angeles.
George Harrison—The Apple Years (CMG). This German label has re-issued Harrison's six solo albums for the Apple label between 1968 and 1975, including Wonderwall Music (1968), Electronic Sound (1969), All Things Must Pass (1970), Living in the Material World (1973), Dark Horse (1974) and Extra Texture (Read All About It) (1975). Plus a DVD overseen by Harrison's widow. Easy to forget George's solo contributions and his pioneering of charitable-minded music.
David Hazeltine—I Remember Cedar (Sharp Nine). Cedar, here, is the late hard-bop pianist Cedar Walton, and pianist Hazeltine delivers a spirited, clean tribute with Walton originals like Clockwise, Turquoise Twice and Cedar's Blues receiving a fresh approach.
Alex Belhaj's Crescent City Quartet—Sugar Blues (Raymond Street). The foot-tapping music of New Orleans in the 1920s is authentically revived by Ray Heitger (clarinet), Dave Kosmyna (cornet), Jordan Schug (bass) and Alex Belhaj (guitar). It all started with Belhaj's visit to the Big Easy in 2010.
Buddy Tate Quartet—Texas Tenor (Delmark). This Sackville reissue from 1978 features Tate's tough tenor sax blowing nine great tunes, including Georgia on My Mind, June Night and If You Could See Me Now.
Greg Abate Quartet—Motif (Whaling City). Fronting a trio, bop-marinated saxophonist Abate swings and digs deep on a superb album that features gems like Buddy's Rendezvous, Steppin' Out and Swingin' at the Cookie. Abate remains one of the finest reed players around today.
The Earls of Leicester—The Earls of Leicester (Rounder). This seasoned bluegrass sextet sounds as good as the smell of hay, reaching for timeless roots classics by pioneers Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs.
Various—The Blues & Salvation (Labor). A superb two-CD collection of previously issues blues originally recorded by Rev. Gary Davis (1955-'57), Brownie McGhee (1976), Sonny Terry and McGhee (1975), Bob Malenky and Terry (1974) and others. Easy-going, patient blues and gospel that lets you feel every note.
The Evergreen Classic Jazz Band—Early Times, 1915-1932 (Delmark). Recorded in 1995, this octet plays the music of pre-Swing jazz with pomp and panache, giving the listener a sense of why the soulful music was so popular.
Oliver Lake Organ Quartet—What I Heard (Passin' Thru). Avant-garde saxophonist Lake adds Jared Gold on Hammond organ and winds up with an ingenious and groovy, experimental sound.
Delfeayo Marsalis—The Last Southern Gentleman (Troubadour). Trombonist Marsalis exhibits his beautiful, silky tone throughout accompanied by his father and pianist Ellis Marsalis, bassist John Clayton and drummer Marvin “Smitty" Smith. This is a contemplative album from top to bottom with songs like Nancy (With the Laughing Face), That Old Feeling, I Cover the Waterfront and She's Funny That Way.
Julie Kelly—Happy to Be (Jazzed Media). Fresh, beautifully phrased relaxed vocals backed by a crackerjack ensemble that includes pianist Bill Cunliffe and drummer Joe LaBarbera.
Jackie DeShannon—You Won't Forget Me: The Complete Liberty Singles Vol. 1 (Ace). You probably know Jackie DeShannon best from her biggest hits—Put a Little Love in Your Heart, Needles and Pins, What the World Needs Now and Bette Davis Eyes. At the dawn of the pop-rock era in the early 1960s, Jackie was one of the first female pop-rock songwriters in Los Angeles and as a performer toured with the Beatles on their first tour. Now the British Ace label has released five superb albums that crystallize Jackie's early career: The Complete Liberty Singles Vol 1.; Come and Get Me: The Complete Liberty and Imperial Singles Vol. 2; Keep Me in Mind: The Complete Imperial and Liberty Singles Vol. 3; The Songs of Jackie DeShannon 1961-1967; and She Did It! The Songs of Jackie DeShannon Vol. 2.
Shelby Lynne—I Am Shelby Lynne (Rounder). The re-issue of this country singer-songwriter's first album in 1999 resulted in her first Grammy and shows that the soul-flavored country album remains an hypnotic classic. The two-disc set includes a DVD of Lynne performing songs from the album in concert in 2000 in Los Angeles.
George Harrison—The Apple Years (CMG). This German label has re-issued Harrison's six solo albums for the Apple label between 1968 and 1975, including Wonderwall Music (1968), Electronic Sound (1969), All Things Must Pass (1970), Living in the Material World (1973), Dark Horse (1974) and Extra Texture (Read All About It) (1975). Plus a DVD overseen by Harrison's widow. Easy to forget George's solo contributions and his pioneering of charitable-minded music.
David Hazeltine—I Remember Cedar (Sharp Nine). Cedar, here, is the late hard-bop pianist Cedar Walton, and pianist Hazeltine delivers a spirited, clean tribute with Walton originals like Clockwise, Turquoise Twice and Cedar's Blues receiving a fresh approach.
Alex Belhaj's Crescent City Quartet—Sugar Blues (Raymond Street). The foot-tapping music of New Orleans in the 1920s is authentically revived by Ray Heitger (clarinet), Dave Kosmyna (cornet), Jordan Schug (bass) and Alex Belhaj (guitar). It all started with Belhaj's visit to the Big Easy in 2010.
Buddy Tate Quartet—Texas Tenor (Delmark). This Sackville reissue from 1978 features Tate's tough tenor sax blowing nine great tunes, including Georgia on My Mind, June Night and If You Could See Me Now.
Greg Abate Quartet—Motif (Whaling City). Fronting a trio, bop-marinated saxophonist Abate swings and digs deep on a superb album that features gems like Buddy's Rendezvous, Steppin' Out and Swingin' at the Cookie. Abate remains one of the finest reed players around today.
The Earls of Leicester—The Earls of Leicester (Rounder). This seasoned bluegrass sextet sounds as good as the smell of hay, reaching for timeless roots classics by pioneers Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs.
Various—The Blues & Salvation (Labor). A superb two-CD collection of previously issues blues originally recorded by Rev. Gary Davis (1955-'57), Brownie McGhee (1976), Sonny Terry and McGhee (1975), Bob Malenky and Terry (1974) and others. Easy-going, patient blues and gospel that lets you feel every note.
The Evergreen Classic Jazz Band—Early Times, 1915-1932 (Delmark). Recorded in 1995, this octet plays the music of pre-Swing jazz with pomp and panache, giving the listener a sense of why the soulful music was so popular.
This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
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