Grant Green – Alive! 2019 Blue Note 80 Series BST-84360 – Original Release 1970 Absolute barn-stormer of classic soul-jazz funk with a lineup that can’t be beat. Idris Muhammad is at his funkiest, but the other show-stealer is Ronnie Foster on the organ. Lean and mean stuff, if you dig this then you need to…
Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim) Mannenberg ~ ‘Is Where It’s Happening’ EMI – CDSRK(WL) 786134, The Sun – CDSRK(WL) 786134 Format:CD, Album, Reissue Country:South Africa Genre:Jazz, Style:Cape Jazz I wasn’t planning on posting this record for the 12 Days of Christmas, insofar as there was ever a plan, which there wasn’t, but then who knew…
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – The Witch Doctor 2021 Blue Note Tone Poet | Original release 1967 This is a fantastic 1961 session (not issued until ’67) with Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, and Bobby Timmons, but man the drum solos are recorded horribly. Seems really odd, seeing as it was the drummer’s group……
To me, Ronnie Lane was the heart & soul of the Small Faces & Faces. And if you ever found yourself drawn to the evocative, pastoral-esque ballads on the Faces records, then you owe it to yourself to give this debut from Ronnie Lane & Slim Chance a listen. The other day, after watching a…
Pharoah Sanders, Floating Points & The London Symphony Orchestra – Promises (2021, Luaka Bop) Since I mentioned this on Day 5, it seems only natural and right that Day 6 should be this wonderful record from Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders and The LSO. I’m not going to say much of anything about it; I…
Charles Lloyd & The Marvels gifted us a new album in 2021, and it’s an inspired one too. The Marvels are a piano-less ensemble with two guitarists – Bill Frisell plays the standard six-string, and Greg Leisz plays the pedal steel. This makes for some interesting arrangements, especially on tunes where you’d expect to…
