Your news for May 15th, 2008

Join Alonzo Weston as he reviews his favorite jazz releases.


Liz McComb - Spirit of New Orleans

Thursday, 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 - Awake

Tuesday, 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 Philadelphia

Monday, 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 Cafe

Tuesday, 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 Men

Tuesday, 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 Stars

Tuesday, 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?

Michael Jackson’s Thriller - 25th Anniversary Edition (Legacy)

Friday, Feb. 22, 2008

Right after Michael Jackson did his now famous moonwalk on the Motown 25th anniversary TV special my phone rang. “You see that? What was that?” asked a friend, all out of breath.

Miles Davis - The Complete on the Corner Sessions

Friday, Feb. 15, 2008

Just a little over a week after the 1972 release of “On the Corner,” Miles Davis crashed his sleek Lamborghini on Manhattan’s West Side Highway. Miles totaled his car and landed himself in the hospital for two months.

Herbie Hancock - River: The Joni Letters

Friday, Feb. 15, 2008

Well before “River:The Joni Letters” won Grammy Album of the year I knew it was something special. Since December it rarely been far from my CD player.

Lionel Loueke: Karibu

Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008

I first heard Lionel Loueke on Herbie Hancock’s 2005 album “Possibilities” and was blown away by his approach to the guitar. In his hands the instrument takes on a drum-like, percussive quality.

Jazz for the holidays

Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2007

I usually never like Christmas jazz CDs. They seem like too much novelty and they don’t often do justice to artist’s talent or the familiar traditional songs. And let’s face it, not many artists can pull off a Christmas album like say a Tony Bennett that has the potential to become a yearly standard. It’s usually a one season wonder.

Snowfall: The Tony Bennet Christmas Album

Friday, Dec. 7, 2007

There are some people who just seem like logical choices to make a Christmas CD. Artists whose voices are such a part of the American fabric makes it almost a requirement.

The essential Teddy Pendergrass (Legacy)

Friday, Nov. 23, 2007

Teddy Pendergrass is a man’s soul singer in the same vein as the late Otis Redding. No lilting falsetto or sugary pleadings here. Teddy just grabs a song and takes control.
There’s no innuendo or sly suggestions either.

Love, Luther

Friday, Nov. 16, 2007

To say that the late Luther Vandross is the most beloved R & B male vocalist of this generation is a gross understatement. For many, the silky smooth balladeer is the quintessence of love-making soul music.

An intro to Street Beats

Friday, Nov. 16, 2007

We listened to everything from Sam Cooke to Al Green to Jimmy Smith to the Beatles while growing up.


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