Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008
I don’t understand this recent fascination with the Philly Soul sound. Sure it’s good music. Who doesn’t get a good old school party vibe listening to the O’Jay’s “Backstabbers” or The Spinners “I’ll Be Around?”
Kind of Blue 50th Anniversary Collector’s EditionThursday, Sept. 18, 2008
If a space alien wanted to know what jazz sounded like you’d play him “Kind of Blue.” This 1959 modal jazz masterpiece is widely esteemed as the definitive jazz album. It should be the first piece of music to start any serious jazz collection.
New Kids On The Block: Greatest HitsTuesday, Aug. 19, 2008
I never listened to New Kids on the Block. But I suppose if you were a pre-teen girl in the late 1980s they would have been the greatest thing since Barbie dolls.
Aaron Parks - "Invisible Cinema"Friday, Aug. 8, 2008
Good instrumental jazz is like watching a movie. The story line, plot and climax all takes place between your ears. With rhythmic and harmonic colorings and textures, it creates subconscious visual images. Piano licks become raindrops. A guitar solo evokes a lonely highway. The melody itself becomes a musical journey with the artist as tour guide.
Cassandra Wilson - LoverlyTuesday, Aug. 5, 2008
Cassandra Wilson is what I want a female jazz vocalist to sound like. Her deep, husky voice just seems right for a jazz chanteuse doing a late night set in a smoky nightclub.
Mad Men: Music from the series Vol. 1Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The early 1960s were uncomplicated times compared to the multi-tasking, perpetually wired society we find ourselves into today. TV had yet to become risque and music had yet to become angry.
The Essential Patti Labelle & The Essential O’JaysThursday, July 3, 2008
If any two musical entities personify the Philly Soul sound it’s Patti Labelle and the O’Jays. These two new Legacy Essential CDS covers the careers of both of these successful Philadelphia-based acts from their 1960s roots to the present.
Al Green - Lay it downTuesday, June 24, 2008
When the album “Let’s Stay Together” came out in 1972 it was on everybody’s turntable and car 8-track player. And the title tune seemed to play continuously on every juke box in town.
Two Men With The BluesFriday, May 30, 2008
Gussy the blues up too much and it loses some of that earthy, visceral emotion. It’s no longer the blues as we’ve come to know it but something else entirely. Now that in no way means the blues becomes less entertaining. It’s just that when you add sax, trumpet and a few jazz chords, it beings to operate in a different area of your musical soul.
Liz McComb - Spirit of New OrleansThursday, May 1, 2008
If the south had a soundtrack it would be a mix of jazz, blues and holy rolling church music. Both “Devil’s Music” and “God’s Music,” as some called it, and the twain should never meet. Of course what was played on Saturday night would oftimes spill over into the pews on Sunday morning.
Miguel Zenon - AwakeTuesday, April 8, 2008
I didn’t know what to think about alto saxophonist Miguel Zenon’s new CD, “Awake” after my first listen. It didn’t strike me as indistinguishable in any way. And it seemingly had no rhyme, reason or direction. Zenon himself sounded like yet another Sonny Rollins impersonator. And his band mates, Luis Perdomo on piano, Hans Glawischnig on bass and drummer Henry Cole were unknown, at least to me.
The Sound of PhiladelphiaMonday, March 24, 2008
The O’Jays. MFSB. Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. Teddy Pendergrass. Bill Paul. The Three Degrees. These are some of the names of the artists who typified the Philly Soul sound. A sound that was more polished than Stax Records and more sophisticated than Motown. Philly Soul producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff created a lush sweetly soulful sound with lush string arrangements that combined elements of pop, jazz, world music and disco.
True North - Live At The CafeTuesday, March 11, 2008
It’s a hoot listening to True North. Their music is fun, clever and feel good nostalgic in a 1970s sort of way. It’s the kind of stuff you listen to in a 1969 Camaro on a hot summer night cruising the main drag.
Stanley Clarke - The Toys of MenTuesday, March 11, 2008
After much too many years of scoring movies and making lame smooth jazz albums, premier jazz bassist Stanley Clarke returns to his 1970s jazz fusion roots with “Toys of Men.”
Jazz All StarsTuesday, March 4, 2008
Every jazz listener has his or her favorite musician on each instrument. Some think Stanley Clarke is the best bass player ever. Others are partial to Jaco Pastorious. If you could assemble a jazz band of your choice and money or whether the musicians were alive or dead didn’t matter, who would you choose?
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