RHYTHM & JAZZ November/December 1995 Vol. 2, No. 9
Copyright (c) 1995 Dan Margules. All rights reserved.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
We have lots of music to cover this month: New age keyboardist
Suzanne Ciani bounces back from hard times and starts a new label. Another
new label out of Santa Fe, New Mexico delivers a pair of intriguing
instrumentalists, one a Native American flutist. From our friends at
Narada, fascinating new world music from an untapped source in Spain, plus
a new flamenco guitar sensation and Nancy Rumbel's solo debut. New
releases from old favorites Willie & Lobo, Fourplay, Boney James, Special
EFX, Keiko Matsui, and Gregg Karukas!
'Tis the season, so this month we'll look at some of the new crop of
contemporary instrumental holiday music releases. Also this month we have
an exclusive chat with Acoustic Alchemy's Nick Webb. And finally, as is
our tradition here at RHYTHM & JAZZ, we present our annual selections
of
the Ten Best R&J releases of 1995. Let me correct my opening statement:
we
have lots of GREAT music to cover this month.
A quick thank you to all the staff here at RHYTHM & JAZZ who work so
hard all year round to bring us news about the best and the latest in
contemporary jazz, new age, and world music. And to all our readers who
make it all worthwhile. Here's wishing everyone the happiest and safest
of
holiday seasons this year! Peace!
Dan Margules
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ULTRA! - THE SMOOTHEST AND THE COOLEST by Oliver Dorman
SUZANNE CIANI - DREAM SUITE (Seventh Wave), 41:47
DREAM SUITE represents several dreams come true for the sound designer of
Bally's "Xenon" pinball machine. Hours after completing her first
recording with a full orchestra, her first for her own new label, Suzanne
Ciani married her soul-mate in Italy. The good fortune comes to her
after a traumatic period during which she successfully battled breast
cancer and lost both her parents. Her music has never been more
heartfelt than here on her eighth album.
Entirely acoustic, Suzanne's piano is backed by the Young Russia
Orchestra. "All my work in electronics was very orchestral, using layers
of sound to convey emotions and colors. But I was ready to do it
acoustically," says Ciani. "I chose to work with a young orchestra,
ages
19 to 29, because I wanted them to bring a freshness and innocence to the
music." The CD opens with a dream of "Meeting Mozart" and
includes
Ciani's "Megan's Dream" from ONE LIFE TO LIVE. In between are
the
beautiful "Full Moon Sonata" and the fantasy "Dream Of The
Pink Zebra".
What might be equally intriguing to hear one day is the Buchla
synthesizer Suzanne lived with in Berkeley at the forefront of electronic
music. "For many years I just left it on, letting it compose for itself,
running programs that I designed that lasted weeks or even months. Yes,
it could make sounds like a violin or a flute, but for me that wasn't the
point. It could do things no other instrument in history had been able
to do. It could work in subsonic frequencies. It could hold a single
note for days. It could use energy and frequency to generate random,
beautiful songs, virtually composing by itself. Almost no one really
understood this and, ultimately, synthesizers did not go that route.
They became primarily multi-voiced keyboards that sequence and copy other
instruments. I still think something has been lost because of that."
Perhaps running her own private label will afford Ciani the freedom to
share some of that history with the public. Until then, her progression
to acoustic piano with orchestra will give her endearing melodies a new,
wonderful setting in which to be cherished by her fans.
PRODUCED BY: Suzanne Ciani
MARIAM - NIGHTS OF PASSAGE (MTI), 44:38
"My goal is to make instrumental music that sounds pretty in the
background, but also offers rich rewards when listened to closely and
repeatedly," so says German-raised Mariam, the newest fresh sound in
contemporary instrumental music to come out of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
"One of the great things about music is that it can work with the entire
range of emotions, and the resulting creation can be something that moves
the listener." As he has traveled extensively through his life, so
do
his musical emotions travel far and wide on this exceptional compact
disc.
His influences are Mike Oldfield, Alan Parsons, and Kitaro. His flowing
melodies and style evoke not only those greats, but elements of Yanni,
John Tesh, Craig Chaquico, and Di Blasio as well. A hint of world
chanting is laced into the stunning "The Call" and "Of Ritual
And
Celebration". "The Journey Home" is another standout among
many other
happy tracks.
All the music (save his wife Tammy's hammered dulcimer on one track)
comes directly from Mariam. "I always liked to experiment and play
as
many instruments myself as possible," says the artist who can be heard
on
keyboards, guitars, flutes, mandolin, and electric bass. Yet the
production is full and balanced -- not sounding at all like a one-man,
garage-made demo, nor does it come off as excessively or obviously
overdubbed. The mix is simply natural and invigorating.
PRODUCED BY: Mariam
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EXTRA: 1995 RHYTHM & JAZZ CHRISTMAS! by Oliver Dorman
Every winter brings a new batch holiday-themed musical product in
every genre and the contemporary instrumental stocking is no less empty
than any other. Some of this year's holiday treats are highlighted here.
For their fifth outing, the JAZZ AT THE MOVIES BAND presents IT'S A
WONDERFUL LIFE: SAX AT THE MOVIES FOR CHRISTMAS (Discovery). The usual
fine jazz ensemble led by pianist Bill Cunliffe (Porcupine) stretches their
movie concept thin this time. Who would ever dream of calling Mel Torme's
classic "The Christmas Song" the song from HOME ALONE 2? However,
saxophonists Gary Foster and Nino Tempo bring a warm tone to the holiday
classics.
If Jewish celebrities like Barry Manilow, Barbara Striesand, and Kenny
G can record Christmas albums, why not Russ Freeman of the Rippingtons?
Not only has Freeman produced the R&J favorite new Christmas CD of the
year, but HOLIDAY (GRP) is his finest output in several years. Bob James
and Jeff Kashiwa join the guitarist on two originals and several unique
arrangements of holiday classics, sandwiched between beautiful solo
classical guitar or Freeman-only synthscapes on other traditional hymns.
Another joyous holiday gift this year comes from one of the artists in
R&J's 1995 ten best list: harpist Roberto Perera. CHRISTMAS FANTASIES
(Heads Up International) presents the fun-filled classics (2 of the 11
traditionals are from South America) with lively Latin arrangements for
Perera's plucky, diatonic Paraguayan harp. A unique way to listen to the
familiar old annual carols.
If you're looking for something REALLY different, you might want to
try Freeway Philharmonic's ROAD TO JOY (Sheffield Lab). Their unique
instrumentation (guitar, viola, Chapman Stick, and drums) has always
sounded grating to my ears, but some of the clever arrangements work on
this disc -- particularly The Nutcracker march. I also like the cast's
witty insights into the music given in the liner notes. They really let
you know what was going on in the studio, what to listen for from a musical
standpoint, which is important here given the weirdness of it all.
Produced by the phenomenal Jeffrey Weber.
Finally, the Narada record label blesses us with CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS,
their third volume of Christmas tracks recorded by their diversity of
artists. As with any Narada sampler, guitarist/vocalist Nando Lauria's
cut, "O' Come All Ye Faithful", is worth the price of the CD.
Peace!
EXTRA: ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY EXCLUSIVE by Dan Margules
As you'll see further down in this issue of R&J, Acoustic Alchemy's
latest CD, AGAINST THE GRAIN, marks the British duo's return to our annual
Ten Best list for the first time since their classic NATURAL ELEMENTS (MCA)
became our #2 favorite disc of 1988, our first Ten Best list! (For those
wondering, David Benoit came in at #1 that year with EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
[GRP].) Alchemy founder Nick Webb took some time out after a recent gig
at
the Thornton Winery in Temecula, California to discuss AGAINST THE GRAIN,
the group's future, and his brush with Hugh Grant. Unfortunately, I'll
have to save the Hugh Grant story for another time. But here's what Nick
had to say about his music...
NICK WEBB: "The last album I think we took a step away from the NAC
[New Adult Contemporary] thing because there's a lot of techno stuff
happening in London. The English and American music scenes are about as
far apart as they've ever been right now and we're always on the periphery
of that. The thing is, for the first time I think we're putting some
English influences back into America with that.
"The next album we're doing is a live, in the studio kind of thing.
It's gonna be -- what we say in England -- quite a ballsy album. A bit
rooty. I hope that it works because it's what we want to do. It's going
to be a sort of greatest hits, but there'll be three or four new cuts in
there. It's the last album of our deal with GRP and we're about to re-sign
with them. We're going to be doing some experimental stuff and some
exciting new stuff. Yes, this is a new period for Acoustic Alchemy. We've
done 8 albums. 9th album's gonna be kind of a tribute album. And then we
go looking for stuff we're gonna be different with. We're gonna do a whole
bunch of different things.
"The idea of going into a future thing with Greg [Carmichael, his
partner], which is about 3 or 4 albums contractually, which is guaranteed
by a record company, means that we can experiment more and stay a little
bit on the cutting edge. You see, the thing is, I think that some of the
stuff in this genre is a bit tired. And I think it has to move on. And I
think we'd like to be at least on the front edge of that. That means we
may make an album or two that will not be played by NAC. We may do that."
If that happens, RHYTHM & JAZZ may be the one of the only places to
find out about new edges being shaped by Nick & Greg. And remember,
you
heard it here first!
NEW RELEASES by Bethany Springs
TOMAS SAN MIGUEL - LEZAO (Narada Equinox), 57:48
PRODUCED BY: Tomas San Miguel
World music that truly transports the listener to another world -- an
ancient, enchanted world. LEZAO revives and modernizes the nearly-lost
culture of the Basque region of Spain, south of the Bay of Biscay. San
Miguel, a Basque native, brings his keyboard and accordion skills into a
dreamy soundscape populated by authentic period instruments. The
dominant pulse of the record comes from the txalaparta, a unique rhythm
and instrument designed centuries ago to resemble a vast army of horses
galloping, thereby driving away would-be invaders from the isolated
village. The solemn "Sintomas", with its ominous Gregorian chant,
is
one of the most moving tracks of the year. LEZAO is an exotic adventure
-- a journey to a unique land well worth visiting!
JESSE COOK - TEMPEST (Narada Equinox), 40:31
PRODUCED BY: Jesse Cook
Debut rumba flamenco guitarist is one of the finds of the year and the
surprise hit at the Catalina Jazz Festival last October. While Cook may
have to keep ducking the Ottmar Liebert comparisons for a while (Jesse's
output is far more exciting and fanciful), he confided to me on the
island that he hadn't even heard any of his predecessor's work prior to
recording TEMPEST. The instrumental focus on TEMPEST is acoustic, with
guitar and a gypsy's mixture of Arabic, Afro-Peruvian and other styles
of rhythm and percussion, with a little synthesizer to add a unique
juxtaposition to certain tunes. The Parisian-born rising star lives in
Canada where his music was heard on television guide channels before it
came to the attention of Narada.
WILLIE & LOBO - BETWEEN THE WATERS (Mesa), 53:23
PRODUCED BY: Domenico Camardella and George Nauful
The incomparable flamenco gypsy surfer dudes, now co-produced by Ottmar
Liebert veteran Domenico Camardella, have a sound unlike anyone else on
Earth! "A combination of flamenco, gypsy, a little influence of jazz
and Middle Eastern," is how Turkish violinist Willie Royal described
it
to me in an exclusive interview with RHYTHM & JAZZ this summer. "We
stepped back a little bit toward GYPSY BOOGALOO on the instrumentation,"
says Willie of the pair's new album. "We do have soprano sax on this,
and we still have Rick Braun playing trumpet on one track, but the
tonality is more us." "It's like the second album but with the
groove
of the first album," adds Wolfgang "Lobo" Fink, the German
guitarist who
picked up flamenco living with gypsies in Spain. One remarkable aspect
of their performances is the way each of the two lead instruments is
able to revert to background rhythm support while the other is soloing.
The duo lives in Puerto Vallarta where they resolve creative differences
by hitting the surf to chill out. Also featured on BETWEEN THE WATERS
are Gary Meek on sax, Cliff Hugo on bass, Brad Dutz on percussion, and
Mesa/Bluemoon label executive Bud Harner returning to the studio for the
first time since his Uncle Festive days to hit the cymbals. (PS: Best-
selling author Robert James Waller of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY fame
became a fan of Willie & Lobo's while researching his current book,
PUERTO VALLARTA SQUEEZE, and wrote the pair into the book as minor
characters. Look for them described in the very first chapter! Their
music will also fill the background of the audio cassette version of the
novel!)
SPECIAL EFX - BODY LANGUAGE (JVC), 49:35
PRODUCED BY: Chieli Minucci & George Jinda
13th lucky outing for guitar/percussion duo combines the aggressive
urban rhythms they experimented with last time out with their classic
melodic stamp. "BODY LANGUAGE isn't a return to what we did prior to
CATWALK," posits Minucci, "it's another step in our ongoing evolution."
His "Seduction" is a track that memorably brings those two modes
together with its singable melody and subtle vocalizations by guest
Armsted Christian constantly supported by Jinda's grinding percussion.
Jinda's mellower entry, "Sunset", hands the spotlight to R&J
saxist Mark
Johnson and his Kenny G-like soprano. Each of the leaders composed 5
tunes, with Jinda's all co-penned with his World News band mate Szakcsi.
Jinda's high-power point is "Papa Jinda", written for his dad's
80th
birthday. Steve Skinner turns in some fine keyboard grooves on
Minucci's tracks.
J. SPENCER - BLUE MOON (MoJazz), 68:55
PRODUCED BY: various
Second urban outing for young, Najee-esque soprano blower, smoother and
more refined than his debut. Light hip-hop beats, a touch of rap, and
sweet background vocals accompany Spencer's mellifluous horn.
Highlights are a pair of "vibes;" the hooky "African Vibe"
and its
frisky follow-up, "Reggae Vibe". Sade cover "Cherish The
Day" also fits
readily with Spencer's groove. The CD includes a relaxing 8-minute
bonus cut, "The Man With The Horn".
FOURPLAY - ELIXIR (Warner Bros.), 63:59
PRODUCED BY: Fourplay (Bob James, exec. prod.)
Like their smash 1991 debut, ELIXIR opens with a track that
suspensefully builds to a proud declaration of the four superstars'
presence while constantly maintaining a level of smoothness not heard in
any other band. Returning for a 3rd go-round -- and a much more
satisfying result than their sophomore effort, BETWEEN THE SHEETS -- are
keyboardist Bob James (Hilary James' father), guitarist Lee Ritenour,
superb San Diego bassist Nathan East, and practically perfect drummer
Harvey Mason, much more comfortable with each other this time out and no
longer worrying about convincing us they're a real band rather than a
one-shot deal. Highlights include "Play Lady Play", built around
a
sample of James' "Westchester Lady"; and James' funky "Licorice".
All
the tracks mix up the smoothness with the energetic but not overblown
grooves, except for two out of place vocals: Phil Collins singing his
own original "Why Can't It Wait Till Morning" and Patti Austin
& Peabo
Bryson duetting a cover of "The Closer I Get To You".
FRANK GAMBALE - THINKING OUT LOUD (JVC), 60:11
PRODUCED BY: Frank Gambale
Former Chick Corea Elektric Band chopsmeister turns out his most
accessible solo recording to date with THINKING OUT LOUD. The
Australian guitarist doesn't sacrifice his blistering rapid-fire solos,
but "lately the music, the composition, has become more and more of
a
focus to me," says Gambale. "I envision the whole production instead
of
just the guitar part." The payoff for his enhanced outlook is heard
on
gems like the Steely Dan-ish "Bondi Beach" and the wistful "Felicidad".
DANNY HEINES - VANISHING BORDERS (Silver Wave), 48:09
PRODUCED BY: Danny Heines and Kip Kuepper
Virtuoso guitar picking in a soothing new age setting makes VANISHING
BORDERS a CD that will be treasured by admirers of Tuck Andress or Alex
Di Grassi as equally as listeners looking for quiet, relaxing music.
Heines does some interesting things with voices -- Vicki Randle on the
angelic "Faster Than Home" and pygmies of the Ituri rain forest
on
"Laughing Jungle". More than half the 14 tunes were recorded without
any guitar overdubs.
NANCY RUMBEL - NOTES FROM THE TREE OF LIFE (Narada Lotus), 49:34
PRODUCED BY: Dave Dysart and Nancy Rumbel
The woodwind half of Tingstad & Rumbel presents a mesmerizing solo debut
that traverses many styles not usually touched upon on the same NAC CD.
The standouts, for instance, are the Africanized "Passing Fancy"
featuring a rhythmic, rolling electric bass line by Garey Shelton and
the reverent "Dona Nobis Pacem (Grant Unto Us Peace)" with a
renaissance, Fresh Aire groove backing a beautiful, Christmas-like
choir. Other highlights include the playful "Anansi" and "Coyote
Dance". Rumbel, also a former member of the Paul Winter Consort, plays
ocarina, oboe, and English horn. Her unique and generally soothing
instrumentation also includes harp, marimbas, guitars, assorted
percussion, and a guest cello duet by David Darling.
KEIKO MATSUI - SAPPHIRE (White Cat/Unity), 48:15
PRODUCED BY: Kazu Matsui
One of R&J's all-time favorite performers, Keiko Matsui darkens her
tone
this time out with moody rhythm tracks by arranger Derek Nakamoto from
samples of bassists Marcus Miller, Abraham Laboriel, and John Patitucci.
On the more radio-friendly tracks, these enhancements add a new edge to
Keiko's lovely melodies as realized by her keyboards and Paul Taylor's
soprano sax. But on the more personal numbers, the edge allows Matsui
more freedom to explore her inner thoughts through her keyboard without
losing the listener. A turning point CD for Keiko and producer/husband
Kazu. Keyboardist Rob Mullins assists on two pleasant NAC vocal tracks
featuring Karla Bonoff and Valerie Carter.
JIM PIETKIVITCH - TWILIGHT DREAMS (Ivory Moon), 56:59
PRODUCED BY: Jim Pietkivitch
Sampling of some of the many different faces electronic New Age has to
offer. Each of the six extended tracks on TWILIGHT DREAMS explores a
different style in the genre, opening with spacey ambient, progressing
to lively and rhythmic, throwing in Native American elements on
"Earthdance", getting industrial on "Modern Times",
featuring electric
lead guitar on the melodic "Cyber-Dream" and closing with a three-part
suite that explores electronic simulations of nature sounds in rivers
and forests. Hypnotic.
PHIL SHEERAN - IT'S A GOOD THING (Passage), 52:13
PRODUCED BY: Phil Sheeran (Gregg Karukas, co-prod.)
The Seattle-based guitarist's 1st CD in nearly 5 years is a delightful
cross between Pat Metheny and Ken Navarro. Breezy nylon strings sing
Sheeran's pleasant melodies with assistance from Eric Marienthal on sax
and Gregg Karukas on keyboards. Vocalese at end of opener "Everything's
Alright" (sic) is cheery. Jay Thomas' muted horn adds depth to "Sounds
Like Rain". Lazy "Never Quite Enough" featuring a cool Hammond
B3
organ backdrop by Barney McClure and Metheny-esque "The Spin"
are other
highlights. Brazilian influences prevalent in Sheeran's earlier work
find their way into title track. Find out more about Sheeran, his
upcoming soundscape-oriented concept album LOVER IN A PICTURE, and his
new artist-friendly label from his web page
http://www.pasagerecords.com/records, or send e-mail to
passage@passagerecords.com.
OIL CAN - [ONCE WERE] THE PASTURES OF PLENTY (re:signed/Justice), 40:02
PRODUCED BY: Tom Pomposello
(I think he said, "OIL CAN.") A unique piece of work. Twangy Western
bottleneck guitars meet bluesy slide guitar. Stringer Tom Pomposello
also plays harmonica and banjo on this refreshingly original solo debut.
Along with his unconventional sound effects, the moods range from laid
back to restless, from psychedelic to ominous. Pomposello's sound
effects are his main trade, having produced over 1000 pieces for TNT,
AMC, VH-1, and MTV over the last 13 years. "You know the cow who gets
his ass tattooed with an MTV logo? That's my work!" boasts Tom. "In
fact, as one colleague pointed out, there are not 15 minutes that can go
by without some piece of Pomposello-produced music being heard somewhere
on the air in America." For listeners tired of all the same old
Rippingtons clones, OIL CAN gets the official R&J seal of worthwhile
adventure. For more info: ResignedNY@aol.com or
Justice@JusticeRecords.com.
GREGG KARUKAS - YOU'LL KNOW IT'S ME (Fahrenheit), 53:22
PRODUCED BY: Gregg Karukas
Proud new first-time father Gregg Karukas may have put out his most
perfect release with his Fahrenheit debut, YOU'LL KNOW IT'S ME! "Back
On The Boardwalk" (a.k.a. San Diego Strut) and three other happenin'
tunes employ Lee Thornberg on trumpets and trombones and Dino Soldo
(Erotiques) on saxes for energetic blasts of punctuation, yet remain
coolly midtempo and listener-friendly. Boney James appears on three
cuts, including the elegant shuffle "Welcome Home" and the exquisite
ballad "Two Hearts Make One", both titles alluding to Gregg's
newborn
son Alex. In addition to his distinctive acoustic piano stylings,
Karukas hits the keys on the Fender Rhodes, organ, synthesizers, and
drum programming, creating a warm, even groove for the whole LP.
Guitarist and long-time friend Ricardo Silveira joins the mix on the
silky "Avalon", also featuring superb percussion work by Luis
Conte.
JOHN RAY - ENCHANTING MOMENTS (Ivory Moon), 59:52
PRODUCED BY: John Ray
Subtitled "Music for Romances and Roses," this release is a dreamy
way
to end the day. Discovered when a DJ flippantly asked his New Orleans
listeners for a pen and John Ray showed up at the radio station with not
only a writing utensil, but a demo tape that New Orleans loved. Piano,
mood synthesizers, and light drum programming all performed by Ray were
recorded in real time with no overdubs. Haunting opener "A Sunday
Morning With You" and sweeping "Our First Dance" are highlights.
David
Lanz-like melodies with soft synth textures.
BONEY JAMES - SEDUCTION (Warner Bros.), 43:47
PRODUCED BY: Paul Brown
The always-hip R&B-based jazzer still has the moves on his third CD.
A
block of 3 super smooth blowers in the center of the set starts with the
seductive "Lights Down Low" with extra horns, then, after Paul
Jackson,
Jr's subtly trippy guitar accents on the title cut, Bob James (no
relation) joins Boney on "Washington Bridge". "Without A
Doubt" is the
funk standout, while the saxophonist's finest moments come on the less
formulaic "Second Nature" featuring acoustic guitarist Marcos
Loya and
flugelhornist Rick Braun. Also included are two cover tunes: Hall &
Oates' "Sara Smile" and Bill Withers' classic "Ain't No Sunshine".
ROBERT MIRABAL - SONG CARRIER (MTI), 36:39
PRODUCED BY: Ross LewAllen
Native American flutist soars through a peacefully windy sky on this
relaxing CD, a remastering of tracks from his first two no-longer-
available cassette-only releases that were only sold at his Santa Fe-
area concerts. Free-spirited and clearly nature-loving, SONG CARRIER is
reminiscent of Paul Winter's nature recordings. Birds sing along with
Mirabal's flutes as Mirabal's presence blends right into the scenery.
Other instruments played by the Taos Pueblo tribe member are rattles,
rain stick, crow feathers, and a tribal drum. His songs carry on the
tradition of his ancestors, passing their music on through another
generation. Mirabal also hand-crafts his own flutes, usually with
animal forms as part of the design. His flutes are on display in the
Smithsonian National Museum and have been purchased by Ralph Lauren and
Dan Fogelberg.
VARIOUS ARTISTS - (I GOT NO KICK AGAINST) MODERN JAZZ (GRP), 71:52
PRODUCED BY: various
If you're not Beatlemania'd out yet, by all means check out GRP's
tribute to the Fab Four. The talented GRP artists each take a Beatle
classic and truly make it their own, more so than on most tribute
albums, and with the eclectic collection currently signed to the giant
jazz label, there's an enormous amount of musical variety here! My
faves are the acoustic jazz trio rendition of "She's Leaving Home"
by
McCoy Tyner and the Groove Collective's unique arrangement of "She's
So
Heavy", oozing with hipness from its horn-heavy instrumentation and
shifting tempos. The styles can't get much farther apart than that.
Russ Freeman is also in top form with the disc's most powerful
production on his lively version of George Harrison's "While My Guitar
Gently Weeps". All the participating artists will be on-line on the
Microsoft Network for a week-long chatathon December 10-16.
ROY MERIWETHER - XTENSIONS (Fahrenheit), 44;50
PRODUCED BY: Roy Meriwether
Dynamic, lively, and spirited fusion of gospel, big band, jazz, blues,
and rock! Pianist Meriwether heads a strong ensemble with a heavy brass
section -- which includes Pharrezz Whitted on trumpet -- through a set
that has as many twists and turns per song as a tornado. New to
Fahrenheit, XTENSIONS is Roy's 12th album.
FLYING MONKEY ORCHESTRA - MANGO THEORY (Monkeyville), 59:53
PRODUCED BY: Rob Mounsey
Rob Mounsey's first Monkeyflight, DIG (Sona Gaia), in 1989, was so far
ahead of its time that, admittedly, I didn't "get it" back then.
The
hard-to-describe-or-compare music from this Oscar and Grammy winning
(for his score and song from Mike Nichol's WORKING GIRL) computer-
musician, composer, arranger, and producer is like an acid-jazz mix of
world, space, and Peter Gabrielesque pop/rock. Very colorful and
inventive, to say the least. The clear-cut winner on MANGO THEORY is
the tongue-in-cheek reggae spoof "Ya Brada-O Mimani". Even without
the
joke lyrics, the outrageously fun tune's got a helluva groove. Dance
beats collide with telephone samples as Mounsey pays homage to a
satellite in the Kingdom of Tonga on "TongaSat" and John Coltrane
on an
unconventional arrangement of the jazz legend's "A Love Supreme".
The
disc closes with the solemn "Amnesty" featuring Michael Brecker
on EWI
and Mark Egan's fretless bass. e-mail: mounsey@aol.com or
mounsey@pan.com.
AND KEEP YOUR EARS PEELED FOR...
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DAVID BENOIT - THE BEST OF DAVID BENOIT 1987-1995 (GRP)
Compilation from keyboardist's GRP output with 2 new tracks.
THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA - I BROUGHT HIM WITH ME (House Of Blues)
Lively live set from legendary blind gospellers.
CHICK COREA QUARTET - TIME WARP (Stretch)
New weirdness in concept album form, with Bob Berg, Patitucci.
ROBBEN FORD AND THE BLUE LINE - HANDFUL OF BLUES (Stretch)
Blues trio rocks hard.
QUINCY JONES - Q'S JOOK JOINT (Qwest/Warner Bros.)
Follow-up to BACK ON THE BLOCK; jazz meets hip-hop from star of both.
RUMBA CLUB - DESDE LA CAPITAL (Palmetto)
Baltimore-based Latin jazz ensemble's 1st national release!
DAVID SANBORN - LOVE SONG (Warner Bros.)
Compilation of sax star's romance trax from Warner Bros. catalog.
MARTIN TAYLOR - SPIRIT OF DJANGO (Linn)
All acoustic, lightly swinging guitar + sax, bass guitar, accordion.
TRIO GLOBO - CARNIVAL OF SOULS (Silver Wave)
Eclectic cello, harmonica, and frame drum combo.
VARIOUS ARTISTS - SANTA FE SAMPLER (MTI)
Diverse, inspiring collection from fine New Mexico label.
(see reviews of Mariam and Robert Mirabal in this issue)
Web page: http://www.artsantafe.com/sfm/mtimusic/
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R&J's 1995 TEN BEST LIST! by Dan Margules
At every year's end, it's natural to look back fondly at the most
pleasurable remembrances that stand out in our memories. Glancing over
this year's annual listing of our favorite CDs in the contemporary
instrumental genres, I was surprised to see a significant number of
releases from early in our eligibility year -- namely, late last year. A
natural tendency, especially in music, is to embrace what's new only until
it's no longer new. Movie studios purposely hold Oscar potentials until
late in the year because it is widely believed the Academy voters have
short memories and will usually name a current favorite as being the "best"
of the year. A year later, they often can't remember the previous year's
winner. That's why this year's R&J Ten Best list is surprising. The
CDs
we've recognized from last October have clearly held up their repeat-
listening value a year later -- so much so that we have not yet tired of
them. Perhaps a good test of a record's qualification for this honor.
That's not to say the 1995 calendar year saw a shortage of wonderful R&J
releases. In fact, there were so many more great discs we wanted to
mention here that we could have expanded the list to a top 50!
Maybe there's something about October that induces some of the best
contempojazz releases. Certainly many of the CDs reviewed in this issue
have a strong chance at being remembered in next year's Ten Best list.
With all the great music reviewed this month, including the Christmas
section, and the following recap of the best of 1995, this issue of RHYTHM
& JAZZ is a celebration of the wide range of high-quality music we get
in
the NAC market.
QUALIFICATIONS: To be eligible, CDs must have been received in the R&J
offices during the eligibility year. Due to press deadlines, the
eligibility year is from October 1 to September 30. This year, 256 CDs
were eligible.
1. KITARO - MANDALA (Domo), 51:41
Reviewed: January, RJ9501.TXT
His popular space music of the 80s helped inspire the formation of
WAVE-format radio stations. In the 90s, the Japanese multi-
instrumentalist has kept moving his music forward. Late last year he
put out this thrilling, symphonic-styled release. Outstandingly
dynamic synthesizer orchestration with lead electric guitar (a
surprising switch for keyboardist Kitaro) plus heavy percussion,
chanting, koto, Tibetan horn and more! Kitaro also puts on the most
memorable live shows I've ever seen, so if you get the chance, don't
miss him!
2. WARREN HILL - TRUTH (RCA), 57:31
Reviewed: December, RJ1294.TXT
Another lingering entry from late last year, the hot saxophonist came
up with certainly the most likable flat-out contemporary jazz album of
the year. No wannabe vocal crossovers of pop cover tunes here. Every
tune is solid and the blowing is passionate!
3. CACHAO - MASTER SESSIONS VOLUME 1 (Crescent Moon/epic), 76:29
Reviewed: February, RJ9502.TXT
Here's one that really caught us off guard. From Cuba, the inventor
of the mambo proves to be highly infectious. Can't get enough of this
Grammy winner! Produced by Andy Garcia.
4. ROBERTO PERERA - SEDUCTION (Heads Up International), 46:44
Reviewed: December, RJ1294.TXT
More than a harp record, this Latin jazz keeps on cooking from the
first cut to the last, with a ton of tasty melodies in between! See
the Christmas music article earlier in this issue for news about
Perera's latest.
5. EAST BOUNCE (One Voice/Satellites), 59:40
Reviewed: August, RJ9508.TXT
Smooth Japanese contempojazz ensemble led by acoustic bass. Elegant
melodies, fine instrumentation. Similar in mood to the first Fourplay
CD.
6. RICK BRAUN - BEAT STREET (Bluemoon), 53:28
Reviewed: September/October, RJ9510.TXT
Our first Ten Best list returning artist this year, we're proud of --
but not at all surprised by -- the trumpeter's rise in popularity,
since we were practically the only ones to notice his talent on his
silky 1992 debut. This time, he inventively explores a new, funky
edge to hip-hop. Dynamite grooves!
7. ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY - AGAINST THE GRAIN (GRP), 53:26
Reviewed: December, RJ1294.TXT
Long-time R&J favorites, the British acoustic guitar duo is another
returnee to our annual look back at the best in contemporary
instrumental. And like Braun, the Alchemy lads re-caught our
attention by experimenting with new sounds for the 90s while retaining
the delight of their melodies and the chemistry of their nylon/steel
string combination. See the special article above in this issue for
more news about Acoustic Alchemy and their exciting future direction!
8. POCKET CHANGE - HIGHER ALTITUDE (BrainChild), 50:56
Reviewed: February, RJ9502.TXT
We've known about guitarist David Patt's group for a long time. This
year, with the addition of keyboardist/co-composer Peggy Duquesnel,
the Change really stands out with this totally accessible pop-jazz
offering. Ironically, this is the one that (unfairly) didn't do well
at radio and Patt has decided to call it quits. Grab this CD while
you can... it's their best and possibly their last.
9. MICHAEL GETTEL - THE ART OF NATURE (Narada Equinox), 52:32
Reviewed: June/July, RJ9507.TXT
Yet another artist who caught our ear way back in '90 as an unknown
with his previous Ten Best list contribution, his Narada debut RETURN
(Sona Gaia). Gettel's latest is so lush and beautiful, it's almost
impossible to describe!
10. RANDY ROOS - PRIMALVISIONS (Narada Mystique), 48:43
Reviewed: September/October, RJ9510.TXT
Outstanding creativity and innovation went into this eclectic fusion
of world and electronic music highlighted by vocal samples played
through a guitar synthesizer. Unique textures, Patrick O'Hearn-like
moods.
RUNNERS-UP
==========
GRANT GEISSMAN - BUSINESS AS USUAL (Positive)
Reviewed: September/October, RJ9510.TXT
Classic guitar contempojazz from a long-time R&J favorite.
HIROKO KOKUBU - PURE HEART (JVC)
Reviewed: March, RJ9503.TXT
CNN anchor turned jazz contempo keyboardist, from Japan.
THE CARIBBEAN JAZZ PROJECT (Heads Up International)
Reviewed: September/October, RJ9510.TXT
Tropical trio of Andy Narell (steel pans), Dave Samuels (vibes), and
Paquito D'Rivera (sax, also heard on Perera's SEDUCTION, our #4 CD)!
PHIL'S HARMONIC ORCHESTRA - SWEET CORALIA (Clubhouse)
Reviewed: August, RJ9508.TXT
Unique and breezy. Banjo with synthesizers, trumpet, French horns,
and Vail Johnson on bass.
LARA & REYES - GUITARRAS HERMANAS (Higher Octave)
Reviewed: April, RJ9504.TXT
Flamenco guitar duo -- the new Strunz & Farah. Just about tied with
other flamenco newcomer Jesse Cook.
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ABOUT R&J
RHYTHM & JAZZ is published monthly by Dan Margules and uploaded to the
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Publisher/Editor: Dan Margules
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RHYTHM & JAZZ, VOL. 2, NO. 9, Copyright (c) 1995 Dan Margules. All rights
reserved.
