"A New Beginning", the powerful new release from Lone Star saxophonist Don Diego has blown through like a Texas tornado. This cool new release is welcome relief for a hot Texas summer. Mr. Diego's previous release "Razz" was on the Billboard charts for 26 weeks and was covered by artists in genres from pop to jazz including R&B hipsters Toni! Tony! Toné! Mr. Diego has recorded with jazz gre..
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"Thinking Out Loud" is the latest introspective from guitar-stunner Trey Wright. Mr. Wright assembles a trio for this rendering of eight originals and two bold covers of current rock artists."Thinking Out Loud" captures the magical interplay that drummer Marlon Patton (Universal Music Group's Heavy Mojo) and bass-ace Marc Miller have developed live. The strong melodic bass lines braid through...
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"This Is Why", the latest release from guitar guru Bill Hart, is a fusion freight train transferring payloads full of blues, funk, rock and jazz. It is precisely this jambalaya of genres that makes Mr. Hart's music so accessible. "This is Why" features five-time Grammy® nominee award winner Mike Stern (guitar) along with Enrico Galetta (bass), Gary Wilkins (bass), Charles Marvray (drums), Tom..
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This is such an infectious disc that I would dare anyone to stand still while it is playing. Superb musicianship and tremendous production values, especially for a live performance. There is no standout track here, rather it coalesces into a total rhythmic joy.Pancho, you da MAN!Ever since he led his first record date in 1982, Poncho Sanchez has headed one of the most popular and influential Lati
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Not mine. Today is the 50th anniversary of the release of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue. Slate's Fred Kaplan has a pretty good article on why this was such an important album, but he leaves out a key point.With the exception of Flamenco Sketches, every cut on that album was the first time the song had been played through from beginning to end. While modal playing allowed for a wider expanse for imp...
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Possibly one of the greatest hits that Al Hirt ever recorded was "Java" which became his signature tune. It was written in 1964 by Allen Toussaint, Alvin O. Tyler, Murray Sporn and Marilyn Schack. This is the original sound of that hit recording and has a good deal of the funkiness that made the song such a memorable hit for Al Hirt. For many years, Al Hirt was called "The Java Man" among other...
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Fats Domino had a gigantic hit which was as large as the man himself with "Kansas City" which became one of his signature songs. It was written in 1959 by lyricist Mike Stoller and composer Jerry Leiber. Gerald Wilson writes a hard driving chart that is pulsating and vital like the city itself. Trumpeter Al Hirt plays with a hard driving intensity backed by dissonant sax responses along with br...
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"Tennessee Waltz" was written in 1948 by Western Swing masters Rodd Stewart and Pee Wee King and popularly revived in 1951 by Patty Page who made the song her signature tune. More recently, country star Jean Shepard has taken up the song and sings it regularly on the Grand Ole Opry stage in Nashville, TN. Gerald Wilson has written a vaguely humorous chart in waltz time with the band swinging aw...
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A much loved work which brings back memories of a concert band playing outdoors for a summertime music loving crowd, "Carnival of Venice" was composed by Bellak in 1854. It essentially is a work that shows of the technique and skill of a performer and has tested many a trumpet and cornet player ever since its creation. Here the big band sits out and the small sextet comes out to back Al Hirt who p
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Another favorite is "Going To Chicago Blues" which, these days, might not be a bad idea! It was co-written by Count Basie and his blues shouter named Jimmy Rushing, probably one of the most gifted of all singers identified with Basie (Rushing was known as "Mr. Five-By-Five" because of his tremendous girth). Gerald Wilson writes an arrangement that is deep, dark and blue in a film noirish vein. Al
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"When I'm Feeling Kinda Blue" comes next on the Al Hirt Carnegie Hall program of April 1965. Rhythm and blues artists have recorded this song in many ways and styles. The melodic line might remind some of a little bit of Otis Redding or Sam Cook. This Gerald Wilson chart is hard driving and propulsive. Hirt plays a dynamic rendition of the melodic line with great energy and fire.
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Once again, the big band sits while the sextet takes over for an exciting performance of Sister Rosetta Tharp's composition "Up Above My Head." The big surprise is that Al Hirt follows the tradition established by Louis Armstrong and other horn players by singing in his rich, warm husky voice before leading the way with his brilliant trumpet. There are shouts of enthusiasm from the small band i...
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Cole Porter wrote "Love for Sale" for his 1930 stage musical "The New Yorkers." For many years it could not be played on radio because of the risque lyrics that brutally dealt with prostitution. Here Gerald Wilson writes a hard driving arrangement that brings out Al Hirt's sassy, brassy interpretation.
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The mood and the anger of fighting what was then a losing, useless war made "Down By The River" popular once again in the 1960's. Then it was the Civil War in its final stages in 1865, one hundred years later, it was Vietnam. This song also went by another title which became synonymous with the protest movement against the Vietnam War in the 1960's: "Ain't Gwine Study War No More." This time th...
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One of the highlights of the evening at Carnegie Hall with Al Hirt was the world premiere recording and performance of a Gerald Wilson composition titled "Limelight." It's anything but a stroll in the moonlight. More likely, it's cruise around the city's hottest night spots. The minor key melody is played with an amount of fierceness by Hirt. As always with Gerald Wilson, the band plays with su...
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