Although it may be a bit of a simplification, on New Beginnings pianist Don Pullen sets up fairly simple structures (some of which could be grooves for Ramsey Lewis) and then, after stating the theme, tosses in playful runs that are often quite outside, essentially putting his original style from the 1960’s in a…
Drummer Bill Stewart (best known for having formerly been a regular member of John Scofield’s group) has been developing into a notable bandleader and composer himself. In fact, seven of the nine numbers on this CD are his (they are joined by Jackie McLean’s “Little Melonae” and an eccentric…
Bob Belden became well-known during the ’90s as an arranger and producer. Black Dahlia is the first full-length release of original music to appear under his name. It is a sweeping, ambitious work, featuring a large ensemble that includes the very finest jazz improvisers. The project was inspired by…
Belden seems to be among the small (but growing) number of jazzmen who can find gold in the rock generation’s song catalogs. Here is one of the richer lodes, all originally found on a single Carole King album called Tapestry, and Belden gives them an appealingly smooth, near-Wave treatment…
The guitar master is at it again on this collection of original tunes. Mixing up bop and funk with heavy doses of pop, he offers up a very listenable album with lots of character. Standout tracks include the fat beat of “Mac Tough” and the evocative “With All The…
Pat Martino and Wes Montgomery were two of the most famous guitarists to emerge out of the ’60s jazz scene, an era that saw the guitar raised to the status of saxophones and trumpets. Martino and Montgomery’s styles, however, were quite different, one rapid-fire post-bop, the other blues-based hard…
With Live at Yoshi’s, his 20th recording as a leader and third release for the Blue Note label, the legendary Pat Martino has come full circle. Accompanied by Joey DeFrancesco on Hammond B-3 and Billy Hart on drums, the hard bop and funky soul-jazz of this trio are sure…
On this live date, Kevin Eubanks is joined by pianist James Williams and bassist Robert Hurst for a mainly straight-ahead affair. Most of Eubanks’ best-known solo work lies in a more fusiony vein, such as Turning Point or Spiritalk, but on Live at Bradley’s his playing is refreshingly conventional….
The first of Kevin Eubanks’ Spirit Talk albums is the best, with the guitarist’s rolling, syncopated guitar solos blending most naturally with the warm sound of brother Robin’s trombone, Kent Jordan’s alto flute, and Dave Holland’s bass. Drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith provides the music with a good kick in…
Turning Point is a highly appropriate title for this album. After recording his share of commercial fluff for GRP, Kevin Eubanks switched to Blue Note with this heartfelt CD and strived for excellence instead of going out of his way to avoid it. Creativity, personal improvising, and spontaneity are main ingredients of…