July/August 2005 • Issue 275

July/August 2005Issue 275Free

Now In Our 31st Yearwww.jazz-blues.com

COOL SMOOTH JAZZFOR

HOT SUMMER NIGHTSAT PLAYHOUSE SQUARE

Dave Koz’ SmoothSummer Night Tour

Norman Brown’sSummer Storm Tour

Dave Koz

July/August 2005 • Issue 275PAGE TWO

Published by Martin WahlCommunications

Editor & Founder Bill Wahl

Layout & Design Bill Wahl

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ContributorsMichael Braxton, Mark Cole,Chris Hovan, Nancy Ann Lee,Peanuts, Mark Smith, DuaneVerh and Ron Weinstock.Distribution Jason Devine

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Dave Koz July 20 & Norman Brown August 25at Playhouse Square

For the fourth straight year DaveKoz is crisscrossing the U.S. with agroup of gold standard smooth jazzmusicians, taking his “Smooth Sum-mer Night Tour” to more than 25 cit-ies.

The State Theatre at PlayhouseSquare Center will be one of thosestops on Wednesday, July 20. Thisyear’s lineup features R&B vocalistJeffrey Osborne, contemporary jazzguitarist Marc Antoine and multi-in-strumentalist Praful.

With the release of his 2003Capi to l Records a lbumSaxophonic, Grammy nominatedsaxophonist and composer DaveKoz continued his reputation as oneof the most expressive voices in thecontemporary musical pantheon.

It’s been over 15 years sinceKoz exploded onto the Los Angelesmusic scene as an in-demand tour-ing saxophonist with Richard Marx,Jeff Lorber and Bobby Caldwell.

Since then, Koz has establishedhimself as a world-renowned saxo-phone player, a multi-million sellingsolo recording artist, humanitarian,syndicated radio host and instru-mental music advocate.

The growing list of artists he hasplayed with bears testament to histalent – a list including such musi-cal luminaries as Burt Bacharach,Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, CelineDion, Kenny Loggins, U2, LutherVandross, Vanessa Williams, Be BeWinans and others. He is the recipi-ent of numerous nominations andhonors from prestigious organiza-tions such as The Recording Acad-emy (Grammy Awards), the NAACP(Image Awards) and Oasis (SmoothJazz Awards).

Now Koz has added yet anotherdistinction to his resumé – that of

Dave Koz’ SmoothSummer Night Tour

at State Theatre

entrepreneur. Koz recently cofoundedRendezvous Entertainment, an inde-pendent record company headquar-tered in Los Angeles. Additionally, thesaxophonist hosts a weekly syndi-cated radio show, “The Dave Koz Ra-dio Show,” that features artist inter-views and music (the show currentlyruns in approximately 120 markets).He also anchors, “Dave Koz in theMorning,” a daily morning radio showon KTWV, the 5th ranked station inthe Los Angeles market.

Koz serves as Global Ambassa-dor for the Starlight Children’s Foun-dation. He recently completed a four-year term with the Grammy Founda-tion Artists Committee, a nonprofitarm of the National Academy of Re-cording Arts & Science dedicated topreserving America’s rich culturallegacy and br inging music intoschools.

Born and raised in L.A.’s SanFernando Valley, Koz initially pickedup the saxophone as a means of gain-ing entry into his big brother’s band.But what began as a ploy became alifelong obsession. Years later, afterearning his major in mass communi-cations from UCLA, Koz decided tomake a go of becoming a professionalmusician.

Within weeks of that decision, hewas recruited as a touring member ofBobby Caldwell’s band. It was duringth is t ime that Koz befr iendedkeyboardist Jeff Lorber, who invitedKoz to come play on one of his tours.That stint was followed by a 14 monthtour with pop singer Richard Marx.

Signed to Capitol Records on thestrength of a Lorber-produced demorecording, Koz released his self-titledsolo debut album in 1990 – the firstin a continuing body of best-sellingworks, including Lucky Man (1993),Off The Beaten Path (1996), two holi-day- themed albums, DecemberMakes Me Feel This Way (1997) andDave Koz & Friends – A Smooth JazzChristmas (2001) and a various art-

July/August 2005 • Issue 275 PAGE THREE

ist compilation, Golden Slumbers: AFather’s Lullaby (released on Ren-dezvous Entertainment 2002). Hisgold-certified fifth album The Dance(1999) spawned no less than five Top5 contemporary jazz hits.

Now, with Saxophonic, Koz hascreated the most adventurous andsax-intensive recording of his career– a fusion of R&B, funk, jazz andpop, with detours into hip hop instru-mentalism, bebop, electronica andAfrican folk.

With a triumphant performingcareer, an independent record com-pany, a radio show and the respectof an increasingly jaded and compli-cated record industry, Dave Koz’sartistry, commitment and influencecontinues to grow.

Touring for the first time as partof the all-star Koz line-up are MarcAntoine and Praful. Contemporaryjazz guitarist Marc Antoine blends hisclassical training with a multi-culturalurban groove.

After studying at the EdouardPaiteron College and the Interna-tional School of Classical Guitar, heperformed with a typically variedcast of artists: pop stars like Sting,Basia and Selena, rappers such asGuru’s Jazzmatazz project andQueen Latifah, plus acid rock jazzh ipsters the Solson ics and DJGreyboy.

Multi-instrumentalist Praful sayshe’s used to “people screwing up myname.” It’s pronounced “praw-fool,”was given to him by an Indian mys-tic and translates to “blossoming.”The Amsterdam-based Praful is wellknown in European dance, loungeand crossover circles, and his trackshave been played by many interna-tional DJs.

But when his One Day Deep al-bum (featuring the single “Sigh”) wasreleased on Koz’ RendezvousRecords label, he became a house-hold name in North American smoothjazz circles. He continues to crossmany musical borders when lookingfor inspiration, with Brazil and Indiabeing tops on his list.

Tickets for the Dave Koz “ASmooth Summer Night” concert withJeffrey Osborne, Marc Antoine andPraful for July 20 at 8 p.m. at theState Theatre are $50, $45 & $10.73,on sale at the Playhouse SquareTicket Office; by phone at 216-241-6000 or 800-766-6048 or online atwww.playhousesquare.com.

Guitarist NBorman Brown will beplaying at Playhouse Square on Au-gust 25 as part of his Summer StormTour, which also stars Peabo Bryson,Brenda Russell and Everette Harp.

Brown’s love affair with music be-gan at the age of eight in Kansas City.It was there that Brown first heard themind-blowing brilliance of Jimi Hendrixand became determined to make theguitar his life. The obligatory garagerock apprenticeship followed, but it wasBrown’s steelworker father who even-tually introduced his son to the equallylife-changing influence of Wes Mont-gomery and turned his talents towardjazz.

After graduating high school,Brown headed west to study at the re-nowned Musician’s Institute in LosAngeles, eventually landing a teach-ing job at the school even as he puttogether his first jazz combo and be-gan playing on the city’s thriving clubscene. Adding George Benson to hislist of seminal influences, Brown hadalready garnered a small but fanaticalfollowing when he landed his first re-cording contract with Motown Records.Over the course of the next four yearshe released three critically acclaimedalbums, Just Between Us (1992), thegold-selling After The Storm (1994)and Better Days Ahead (1996). Thedecade drew to a close with a new la-bel, Warner Bros. Records, and oneof his most accomplished and assuredofferings, Celebration, which markedthe beginning of his fruitful collabora-tion with ace producer Paul Brown.

Celebration was followed, twoyears later, by the Grammy winningJust Chillin’, spotlighting an alto-gether more laid back sound and anA-list of supporting vocalists that in-cluded Michael McDonald, ChanteMoore, Miki Howard and others.

The album was followed by a fur-ther round of extensive touring that in-cluded SRO appearances in NorthAmerica, Japan, Europe and Africa,where Brown played for wildly appre-ciative audiences. Even with hispacked calendar he somehow man-aged to find time to begin writing newmaterial that built and elaborated onthe music heard on his most recentalbum, West Coast Coolin’.

“I knew I wanted to get more into

Norman Brown’sSummer Storm Tour

at State Theatre August 25

singing,” he reveals, “so most of thesongs I wrote had that purpose in mind.At the same time I wanted to movedeeper into the R&B grooves that I’dbeen exploring both on stage and inthe studio. I was interested, more thananything, in giving the music the spaceto evolve.” That intent got a powerfulboost with a 2002 Grammy for JustChillin’ as Best Pop Instrumental. “Itwas a tremendous affirmation,” Brownacknowledges. “I knew I was headingin the right direction.”

Tickets for the Norman Brown’sSummer Storm Tour concert withPeabo Bryson, Brenda Russell andEverette Harp Thursday, August 25 at8 p.m. at the State Theatre are$32.50, $29.50 & $19.50 and are onsale at the Playhouse Square TicketOffice; by phone at 216-241-6000 or800-766-6048 or onl ine atwww.playhousesquare.com.

MohicanBlues Festival

On Saturday, August 20th the beau-tiful hills of the Mohican River Valley willthunder with the power and whisper withthe subtlety of Blues Music. Blues is alive,vibrant and dynamic. The best way toexperience it is “live’ and there is not abetter place to enjoy it than at the sev-enth Mohican Blues Festival inLoudonville, Ohio. Aptly dubbed “Ohio’sBlues Invasion” the fest draws fans fromall over Ohio and surrounding states toits rustic and relaxed atmosphere that isconducive to legendary performancesand a great ‘Blues Experience’.

The event features performances bylegendary artists as well as emerging art-ists with styles spanning the range of themusical genre including traditional andcontemporary Blues as well as hybridslike Blues fusions with Jazz, Rock or Funk.The audience gets a taste of the incred-ible versatility of the Blues and a feel forits far reaching influences on nearly all oftoday’s popular music. “Blues Fans knowwhat it’s all about but there are peoplewho are not aware of the Blues or whohave a preconceived and confined notionof what it is. They may come to the festout of curiosity or due to a friend’s sug-gestion and by the time they leave theyare ‘hooked’. They never realized whatthey had been missing. This is one of thebest ways this fest has grown, by creat-ing new fans and making people awareof the many degrees of Blues... from coolto hot and everything in between and al-ways a lot of fun.”

July/August 2005 • Issue 275PAGE FOUR

The seventh edition of the MohicanBlues Festival promises to be one of itsmost exciting productions with powerfulperformances by Eric Sardinas, AnaPopovic, Josh Boyd & the VIP Band, Rob-ert Lockwood Jr. & His All-Star Band,Wallace Coleman, The Mike Lenz Band,The Sam Getz Band and the TJ LewisBlues Revue. Get ready for your BluesExperience and be a part of Ohio’s BluesInvasion!

The Mohican Blues Festival will beheld on Saturday August 20, 2005 at theMohican Reservation Campgroundsseven miles south of Loudonville, Ohio onWally Road off of St. Rt. 3. For completeinformation and tickets: Online atwww.bluesinvasion.com or call toll free 1-877-NEW-FEST.

Guitarist/vocalist Ana Popovic, fromBelgrade, Yugoslavia, will front her power trioat this year’s Mohican Blues Festival

Slide guitarist Eric Sardinas will also beplaying at Mohican.

WWWWWe only bring you thee only bring you thee only bring you thee only bring you thee only bring you theCream of the Crop!Cream of the Crop!Cream of the Crop!Cream of the Crop!Cream of the Crop!

TINSLEY ELLISHighwayman

ALLIGATORTinsley Ellis’s return to the Alliga-

tor imprint marks in addition a returnto his prime stock in trade- high-octaneblues-rock of the highest order.

Prior releases by the guitarist havebeen marked by a well-intended at-tempt to “go pop” a la Clapton that ul-timately sold Ellis short.

Back where he started, Ellis kicksbutt on a “live” set that is varied intempo and feel but constant in its powerand serves up Elilis’s taut, fierce guitarchoruses in abundance. Duane Verh

LIZZ WRIGHTDreaming Wide Awake

VERVE FORECASTAs good as vocalist Lizz Wright’s

first album, Salt (also on Verve Fore-cast) was, her second effort is severalnotches better.

Albums like this don’t come aroundvery often. I’ll give you an example. Asyou can imagine, we receive a ton ofCDs to review. I take many road trips,and I always take a box of 30 recentreleases for the drive. On a recent tripfrom Cleveland to Buffalo I popped thisone in after ejecting five others partwaythrough. It was about halfway into the4-hour drive. I didn’t take it out until Ireturned home three days later...and myCD player is never off or turned down.It is that good. I’m not sure how manytimes it played over and over, but I cantell you that it started out sounding re-ally good...and it just got better eachtime.

Wright’s rich, smooth alto voice isa joy all unto itself. Add her choice ofmaterial, the arrangements, her majes-tic delivery and the variety of genresshe travels in and out of and the resultis an album that transcends all musicalbarriers and stereotypes. She can notbe pigeonholed. Opening with a deltablues version of “Taste Of Honey,” shecontinues on delving into jazz, R&B,gospel, and folk with seamless ease.She even voyages into bluegrass with

a version of Neil Young’s “Old Man.”One thing I noticed after a while is

that although her band contains key-boards, guitar, bass and drums – andshe has several guest musicians includ-ing guitarist Bill Frisell – there are nosolos on the album. When she is notsinging, only comping is heard. Talkabout space! Another song she coversis the ’60s anthem “Get Together” (youknow...come on people now...) recordedby a few bands and made famous byThe Youngbloods. She wrote threesongs and does others contributed byMarc Anthony Thompson and JesseHarris (who wrote four songs for NorahJones’ first album - including “Don’tKnow Why”).

There are a dozen songs on Dream-ing Wide Awake and 12 of them are ab-solute standouts. If everyone whobought Norah Jones’ first album boughtthis one, Lizz Wright would get just whatshe deserves. And she certainly de-serves some Grammys for this as well.

Unless you are an absolute jazz orblues purist, think about this disc notonly for yourself, but also as a gift forclose friends as well.

Oh yes...and crank it up...it is evenbetter that way. Bill Wahl

July/August 2005 • Issue 275 PAGE FIVE

State Theatre

JULY 20Wednesday, 8 PM • $50, $45 & $10.73

TICKETS: Playhouse Square Ticket Office, 216-241-6000 or 800-766-6048 or online at

www.playhousesquare.com

State Theatre

AUGUST 25Thursday, 8 PM • $32.50, $29.50 & $19.50

TICKETS: Playhouse Square Ticket Office, 216-241-6000 or 800-766-6048 or online at

www.playhousesquare.com

SOLOMON BURKEMake Do With What You Got

SHOUT! FACTORY

Solomon Burke has followed up hisGrammy-winning 2002 album Don’t GiveUp On Me with another gem. The 65-year-old Burke, who helped define soulmusic in the ’60s with his classic sidesfor Atlantic, is sounding as good, if notbetter, than ever today. His robust, oftengritty vocals are heard to good advan-tage here, with a top-notch band includ-ing organist Rudy Copeland, guitarist RayParker Jr., drummer James Gadson,rhythm guitarist Reggie Young and pia-nist Eddie Towns – all veterans of record-ing – plus horns and backup singers onseveral tracks. Another plus is the pro-duction by another veteran, Don Was.

Among the 10 songs heard here areBob Dylan’s “What Good Am I,” RobbieRobertson’s (The Band) “It Makes NoDifference,” Van Morrison’s “At TheCrossroads,” the Rolling Stones’ “I GotThe Blues,” Dr. John’s “Make Due WithWhat You Got,” and Hank Williams’“Wealth Won’t Save Your Soul.” One of

the definite standouts is the Towns-Burkepenned “After All These Years.”

The only song here that rally doesn’tmake the grade is the opener, CocoMontoya’s “I Need Your Love In My Life.”It still baffles my why so many albumscome out with the weakest song first. Whynot just leave it off? Easy enough to skipthough - just start with cut 2. While somemay say that Burke is treading downcommercial waters with the choice ofsongs, I say so what! Let’s turn some newpeople on to this master of deep-soul. Avery fine effort from Burke, Was and com-pany.

Also recently release from Shout!Factory are two of Burke’s ’90s albumsoriginally released on the now defunctBlack Top Records. Soul Of The Blues,recorded in 1993, finds Burke showinghe can also sing the blues covering 12blues songs including Willie Dixon’s “MyBabe.” Live At The House of Blues wasrecorded live at the H.O.B. in New Or-leans and is an electrifying set which wonthe W.C. Handy Award in ’95 for Best SoulBlues Album. It is the better of the tworeissues for sure. Bill Wahl

KEITH JARRETTRadiance

ECM

Pianist Keith Jarrett, who’s been withECM since 1971, hasn’t released a soloimprovised concert recording since 1997’sLa Scala. Hence, fans of the 60-year oldmusician should find this two-disc set analluring listen that showcases his bestchops.

Recorded live in Osaka and Tokyo inOctober 2002, Jarrett forges a kind of im-provised suite comprised of “discretepieces drawn from each previous piece.”He builds drama into each piece, uses re-curring motifs and varies pieces with run-ning two-hand lines, chordal passages,light singles lines and more. He sometimesinjects tinges of Eastern music.

Disc one contains parts 1 through 13(recorded in Osaka on October 27, 2002).Jarrett creates moods ranging from joy-ousness to solemnity, and everything inbetween. His expressions range from ro-mantic melodiousness to free jazz withrumbling basslines to haunting, solemnand contemplative. His creations are ac-

July/August 2005 • Issue 275PAGE SIX

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cessible to the listener and some portionsare so pretty they beg for lyrics.

Tracks on Disc two (parts 14 through17) were recorded in Tokyo, October 30,2002. Jarrett explains these “tracks wereselected to keep the flow and spirit andserve also to fill out the second CD.” Heincludes the intriguing first sequentialpieces at the concert (tracks 14 and 15)and catchy track 16 was taken from thesecond half of the concert. The sonoroustrack 17 was the final concert piece. ADVD of the complete Tokyo concert isplanned.

This 2-CD set is a welcome additionto Jarrett’s extensive discography andproves his piano powers and imaginationhaven’t diminished now that he’s turnedsixty. Nancy Ann Lee

TAB BENOITFever From The Bayou

TELARCFamiliar without being redundant, Fe-

ver From The Bayou is the latest fromLouisiana guitarist Tad Benoit and it is amix that would make a bowl of gumboproud. A cross of what grows in theswamp verses musical styles from thenorth on the shores of Lake Michigan, the

disc is loaded with many examples, ledby Cyril Neville’s “Little Girl Blues.”

Benoit isn’t as flashy as some of hiscontemporaries, yet has a sold base, ledby the rhythm section of bassist CarlDufrene and drummer Daryl White. Sincethe music comes from down on the bayou,“Fever For The Bayou” and “Got Love IfYou Want it” have a bit of two step in themas Jimmy Carpenter’s sax intertwines withBenoit’s six strings during Elmore James’“I Can’t Hold Out.” Back on StandingOn The Bank in 1995, Benoit did a duetwith Willie Nelson on the latter’s “RainyDay Blues” and trys that maneuver againwith Cyril Neville in the Nelson role duringCyril’s “The Blues Is Here To Stay.” Theguitar leads have so much snap to them,the song could get the alligators in the areanervous about the competition.

Let’s say you are on a boat comingnorth off the Gulf Of Mexico. After com-ing around the bend, you expect to seethe Crescent City of New Orleans. Instead,there sits the city of Big Shoulders, Chi-cago. It won’t make sense until you seeTab Benoit sitting on the dock, waiting foryou with Fever From The Bayou playingin the background. Peanuts

TERENCE BLANCHARDFlow

BLUE NOTEOn his second release from Blue Note,

a followup to his Bounce album two yearsago, trumpeter Terence Blanchard (born1962 in New Orleans) performs 10 origi-nals by the sextet members and spotlightscontributions of producer Herbie Hancock,who hasn’t produced a project other thanhis own since 1987.

With the exception of bassist DerrickHodge and drummer Kendrick Scott, theband is the same as on Blanchard’s pre-vious album and includes Aaron Parks(piano), Brice Winston (saxophone,Yamaha WX5), Lionel Loueke (guitar, vo-cals), and Howard Drossin (synth pro-gramming).

Blanchard, a talented, versatile mu-sician-composer who has scored filmssuch as Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, Bar-bershop, and others, serves up someblended numbers, including a beat-driven,16-plus minute African suite,“Wadagbe,” which features synthesizer,congas, plucked guitar, and voices.Hancock significantly enhances Loueke’ssomber “Benny’s Tune” and Scott’s jazzwaltz, “The Source,” that builds to a dra-matic climax. Throughout, Blanchard’s in

top form, delivering imaginative soloswhile his group generates excitementaround him, most notably on his churn-ing solely-written original, ”WanderingWonder.” Hodges’ melodious “Over There”captures one of Blanchard’s best solos andgroup dynamics.

Each tune is uniquely melody andharmony driven rather than just beat-driven. Although some listeners may findit difficult to become fully “engaged” insuch heady stuff, the all-around musician-ship, creativity and compositional skills ofthe band members are pluses that holdyour interest. Nancy Ann Lee

CALVIN NEWBORNNew Born

YELLOW DOG RECORDSGuitarist Calvin Newborn came from

a celebrated Memphis musical family. Hisfather Finas led a celebrated orchestra inthe Memphis area, and his older brotherPhineas would later become a renownedjazz pianist whose career was often plaguedby bouts with mental illness. Calvin him-self has bridged the worlds of blues andjazz over the decades. The late Charlie Richdid an absolutely marvelous jazz-blues datebefore he died which benefited from CalvinNewborn’s jazz-inflected blues playing.Newborn self-produced a couple of CDson his own label but had not recorded forsome time when the Yellow Dog label(named after a W.C. Handy song I believe)got him in the studio for New Born.

Much of this date has the flavor of aclassic Blue Note session from the late six-ties – early seventies with some fine hornsfrom Herman Green on sax and flute andScott Thompson on trumpet with DonaldBrown on piano and Charlie Wood on or-gan. With the exception of

Newborn Blues from his brother’s penand Billy Strayhorn’s wonderful Lush Life,Calvin Newborn wrote all of the selections.It opens with a nice bluesy organ grooveon When Kingdom Comes/Sho’ Nuff onwhich Newborn takes the first solo whichis followed by some nice tenor fromHerman Green. Newborn’s fleet single noteruns are deftly and imaginatively deliveredhere and on the modal The Streetwalker’sStroll, with Donald Brown’s post-bop pianoproviding the foundation with Mr. Greenheard on flute while Thompson plays somefiery trumpet. One cannot forget bassistLondon Branch and drummer RenardoWard who keep the pulse moving along aswell. On Newborn Blues, Calvin’s late night,down-in-the-alley guitar is backed by

July/August 2005 • Issue 275 PAGE SEVEN

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Woods’ greasy organ and the rhythm sec-tion as he displays how good a blues playerhe is, while a Latin flavor is present on SpiritTrane/Omnifarious, which features somenice horn voicings.

There is some lovely guitar on LushLife (what a beautiful tone Newborn pro-vides here), while After Hours Blues, amarvelous slow instrumental inspired bythe classic After Hours, features some morestrong blues playing. A marvelous returnto the recording world by a guitarist whosereputation is far less than the quality of hismusic. Ron Weinstock

CHET BAKERChet Baker: Career 1952 – 1988

SHOUT! FACTORYCool-toned trumpeter Chet Baker is

aptly featured on this two-disc compila-tion that highlights his career and includesmany of his biggest hits.

Disc one features Baker’s fine trum-pet playing with the Gerry Mulligan Quar-tet, the NDR Band, with strings backing,and with his own small groups. Balladhighlights include “My Funny Valentine,”performed in 1952 with Mulligan (baritonesax), bassist Carson Smith and drummerChico Hamilton; “Alone Together” (re-corded with Paris musicians in 1955) and“Over the Rainbow,” recorded in Italy(1962). Baker had been early on inspiredby Dizzy Gillespie and the dawn of bebopand tunes such as “Love Nest” (whereBaker plays muted trumpet) with L.A. stal-warts and “Well You Needn’t” recorded inRome in 1962, demonstrate his superiorchops.

Disc Two focuses on Baker’s softlycrooned, emotionless vocals and spot-lights gems such as “Let’s Get Lost,” re-corded in 1955 with Bud Shank, RussFreeman and strings; “Everything Hap-pens To Me,” captured the same year inParis; “It Could Happen To You,” recordedwith Kenny Drew (piano); Sam Jones(bass) and Danny Richmond (drums) inNew York in 1958, and more.

Mostly self-taught, Baker began hiscareer at the top and, after a stint in theArmy, gigged with Charlie Parker on theWest Coast in 1952 and with the GerryMulligan Quartet. He helped popularizethe West Coast style but his growing druguse began to affect his career. By 1960he was arrested and jailed in Italy. He madea few worthy recordings during the 1960sbut bottomed out in 1966 when his teethwere knocked out in a mysterious assault.The remainder of the decade was capped

with numerous arrests. In the 1970s, Bakerbegan a comeback but was plagued byhis same demons and, in his later record-ings, his playing and singing seem to di-minish in quality.

Included in the attractively packagedbox is a 46-page booklet with photos andbiographical liner notes by Ernest Hardy,and personnel listings and original sourcesfor each tune. Compilation producerPatrick Milligan has done an admirable jobof selecting many Baker favorites.

Nancy Ann Lee

ERNEST RANGLINSurfin’TELARC

The legendary Jamaican sessionguitarist turned leader here brings forthanother mellow set fusing jazz and reggae.

Ranglin belongs to the brotherhoodof players such as James Blood Ulmer andSonny Sharrock that have fused a jazzperspective onto root forms. With Blood itmay come from Ornette, with Ranglin it’smore like Wes.

His uncomplicated lyricism andearthy approach highlight a string of mel-low tracks that periodically surprise in theirinventive cross-breeding.

The fat “island” production is just thething to cut through late-summer heat andcool ones mood. Duane Verh

WAYNE SHORTERBeyond The Sound Barrier

VERVETaken from live performance record-

ings made between 2002-2004, Beyondthe Sound Barrier offers over 60 minutesof energized music from the well-oiledWayne Shorter Quartet.

Shorter was a member of the incred-ible Miles Davis Quintet in the ’60s, whichalong with the Coltrane Quartet, ModernJazz Quartet and several others wereamong the finest working units in the his-tory of the music. Shorter might just becoming up with another such unit.

After the tragic loss of his wife who ason TWA 800’s ill fated New York to Parisflight in 1996, shorter recorded and touredin a duet format with Herbie Hancock. In2001 he formed this band, consisting ofhimself on tenor and soprano saxes, pia-nist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucciand drummer Brian Blade. They’ve beentogether ever since, and they certainlysound like it.

The eight songs here are mostlyShorter originals, although the opener is

a 1941 movie theme by Arthur Penn,“Smilin’ Through,” and there are a couplewith some classical leanings - a versionof Mendelssohn’s “On The Wings Of Song”and another penned by the quartet titled“Tinker Bell.” There are three new shortercompositions and two acoustic versionsof songs that were on his 1988 fusion al-bum Joy Rider.

The interplay and improvisation heardhere are at such a high level that I’m in-clined to think that one day this band justmight go down as among the music’s bestunits. That said, note that this music is notfor everyone. If you are expecting the lyri-cal sounds heard on albums such as Na-tive Dancer, you won’t find it here. Let’sjust say it is not music for the uninitiated.If you, like I, can remember and miss thedays when energized bands played longmusical excursions like this in night clubs- this is for you. Now you only find that inNew York and overseas, which is why thismusic was recorded in North America,Europe and Asia - and I would assumemostly the latter two.

I believe the last time Shorter playedCleveland was at JazzFest in 2002 - andit was with this very band. Before that itwas Peabody’s Downunder in the mid-eighties. I know..because I booked theshow. That was when you could still heartop flight, energized jazz in a nightclubsetting in Cleveland.

This is powerful stuff here. Makes youwish you were there. Bill Wahl

PAUL OSCHERDown In The Delta

BLUES FIDELITYThe first Caucasian to be a member

of Muddy Waters Band as well as playingand recording with such other bluesgreats as Earl Hooker (and arguably hewas the most interesting of the guests onHubert Sumlin’s recent album), PaulOscher has had a distinguished career inthe blues, although not perhaps havingthe name recognition his talent merits.

His last recording was among thebest blues of 2003 and his latest

Down in the Delta will be on manyBest Blues of 2005 lists. Oscher is amultiple talent who can play guitar likeMuddy Waters or John lee Hooker, pi-ano like Otis Spann and harmonica likeLittle Walter while convincing sing in anatural manner. He doubles on guitarand harp on a number of tracks and onewill be astonished by his phenomenalplaying. He evokes Muddy’s classic

July/August 2005 • Issue 275 PAGE NINE

early recordings with bassist Big Crawford on the CharlesBrown classic Driftin’ Blues, with Ronnie James playing bassas Oscher lays down some mean slide. Solo, he handles W.C.Handy’s St. Louis Blues as an instrumental before turning topiano on the original Blues and Trouble. There is a nod toRobert Johnson on 32-20 Blues, where his mix of guitar andharp lends the song a different flavor, while on Leory Carr’sBlues Before Sunrise he plays Melodica and is joined by pia-nist David Maxwell, bassist Calvin Jones and drummer Willie‘Big Eyes’ Smith with a vocal suggestive of Pinetop Perkins,and Deborah’s Baby has a folk-country flavor. His renditionof Sugar Mama is a fine rendition of the John lee ‘Sonny Boy1’ Williamson songbook, while he provides a very individual-ist take on Robert Lockwood’s Take a Little Walk, then hedoes a harmonica solo on the Mercer Ellington swing ballad,Things Ain’t What They Used to Be. Then there are a couplemore originals - a personal reading with small band backingof Chuck Willis’ You’re Still My Baby (learned from the lateNY blues man Bobby Gaddy) and some Piedmont flavoredguitar on a traditional gospel hymn before he closes with somefine harp and guitar on Hoagy Carmichael’s immortal Geor-gia.

This is a superb follow-up to Alone in the Blues and is highlyrecommended. Ron Weinstock

HANK JONESFor My Father

JUSTIN TIMEOne of the most lyrical pianists ever, veteran jazz pianist

Hank Jones is joined by bassist George Mraz and drummer Den-nis Mackrel on this heartwarming 12 tune studio recording madein New York City in 2004.

Jones is in best form, lightly tickling the ivories, as the trioworks through lovely gems such as the Thelonious Monk’s,“Bemsha Swing,” Ellington-Strayhorn classics, “SophisticatedLady” and “Prelude To A Kiss,” Cole Porter’s “Easy To Love,”and more. Jones also includes some seldom heard numberssuch as Milt Jackson’s bluesy “SKJ” with a walking bassline,Tom Harrell’s melodious “Because I Love You,” and HaroldMabern Jr.’s tune, “Grace of God,” which Jones launches with achordal approach before setting a lightly swinging, single-linetempo. Also appealing is their catchy reading of Strayhorn com-position, “Johnny Come Lately.”

Throughout, Mraz is an expressive match for Jones’ ear-appealing lyricism and Mackrel plays the tidy set with easy tem-pos. For A-one musicianship and attractive selections, this CDwill be one of those benchmark trio sets that you’ll want to playover and over. Nancy Ann Lee

MEM SHANNONI’m From Phunkville

NORTHERNBLUES Cab drivers get the blues? How about ex-cab drivers from

New Orleans? I’m sure they get the blues, which leads us toMem Shannon’s latest, I’m From Phunkville, his fifth disc sinceShannon stopped hacking around in the Big Easy. Ah, but be-ing from New Orleans, it isn’t just the blues here as I’m FromPhunkville is a smorgasbord of sounds and, if you don’t likewhat’s going on during the track you are listening to, it won’ttake long for Mem Shannon to change direction and style.

Few complaint songs have ever been written about bad ser-

vice in fast food restaurants, but “The Reason” qualifies as thefirst I’ve heard as “Swing Tiger Swing” is the tip of Mem’s hat toa certain golfer with a touch of swing and jazz running throughthe tune’s underbelly. “The Lights Of Caracus (I Didn’t Know)”has Shannon on guitar spitting out some Flamenco licks with anassist from Robert “Rhock” Dabon’s piano. “No Religion” issome high powered R&B, though Shannon turns The Beatles’“Eleanor Rigby” into a slow funk exercise, with help from JasonMingledorff’s sax.

My favorite has to be the lyrics of the tender love ballad “I’llKiss A Pitbull,” which starts out with a Barry White-styled introfollowed by a funky jazz riff that starts out “I’ll kiss a pitbull in hismouth for some of your love.” Turn the lights down low on thisone, ladies, it’s snuggling time.

Not sure what Mem Shannon’s full first name is, but if it ismemory, then I’m From Phunkville is a good recollection tohave in your music collection. PeanutsMem Shannon will be performing at The Savannah in Westlakeon Wednesday, July 20

DAVE BRUBECK QUARTETLondon Flat, London Sharp

TELARCAt 80, pianist Dave Brubeck has lost none of his innovative

edge, as he demonstrates on this 10-tune set with his long-timecolleagues, saxophonist Bobby Militello, bassist Michael Mooreand drummer Randy Jones. This is a lively set featuring attractiveBrubeck originals, accessible melodies and swinging tempos.

Right out of the gate, the quartet sets the tone for the albumwith their energetic romp on the title tune, named for the time

July/August 2005 • Issue 275PAGE TEN

they stayed in a London flat during their 1998 U.K concert tourthat produced their album, The 40th Anniversary Tour of the U.K.

For this outing, Brubeck has selected new songs and someold songs that he’s recorded on previous occasions. “The Time ofOur Madness,” one of three tunes lasting about seven or eightminutes, is a cheerful, melodic highlight with tasty tango beats.Among the selections are “Forty Days” (one of Brubeck’s most-recorded tunes), the rhythmically challenging “Cassandra,” a re-worked 1963 tune “Unisphere,” and a high-spirited, boogie-woogietinged “Mr. Fats,” which features Moore’s catchy arco solo andprobably Brubeck’s best piano solo.

Brubeck, in A-one form, frequently defers to Militello, yield-ing plenty of space for the alto sax/flute player to embellish tuneswith his skillful solos. Moore and Jones provide tidy timekeepingthroughout and get their moments in the spotlight, too.

An engaging, upbeat album, London Flat, London Sharpshould long be considered one of Brubeck’s ear-pleasing best.

Nancy Ann Lee

JOHN MAYALL & THE BLUESBREAKERSRoad Dogs

EAGLE RECORDSNow in his seventies, John Mayall continues to forge ahead

as a main force in the realm of blues-rock. As a bandleader forover 40 years, his various incarnations of the Bluesbreakers havespawned a host of successful musicians in their own right. Someof the best-known former Bluesbreakers are Eric Clapton, JackBruce, Mick Taylor, Peter Green, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood.And there are dozens of others, including Ansley Dunbar, Larry

Taylor, Harvey Mandel, Jon Mark, Johnny Almond, CocoMontoya and Walter Trout. Sax players Ernie Watts and RedHolloway have also worked with Mayall.

Road Dogs is a worthy follow-up to his 70th Birthday Con-cert DVD (2003), which also included Clapton and Mick Taylor.The same band (sans Clapton & Taylor) is on hand here on a setof 13 Mayall originals plus two from guitarist Buddy Whittington,drummer Joe Yuele and bassist Hank Van Sickle - all in theband’s current lineup. Whittington is a standout on guitar, as hewas on the concert DVD.

Another fine chapter from Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. Bill Wahl

DIZZY GILLESPIECareer 1937—1992

SHOUT! FACTORYThis two-disc career retrospective spotlights legendary trum-

peter-composer-bandleader Dizzy Gillespie ( b. 1917- d. 1993)from early stints with the orchestras of Teddy Hill, Cab Calloway,Billy Eckstine and leading his own small groups and big bandsfrom 1945—1992. The compilation features tracks from a vari-ety of original labels.

Disc one contains 21 numbers, including Gillespie originalssuch as “Groovin’ High,” “Oop-Bob-Sh’Bam,” “Blue ‘N’ Boogie,”“Dizzy Atmosphere,” “Cubana Be/Cubana Bop,” “Manteca,”“Birk’s Works,” and “Salt Peanuts.”

Disc two features Gillespie performing 11 tracks, includingdates with Stan Getz, the Modern Jazz Sextet and his own groupsand includes gems such as “Perdido,” “It Don’t Mean A Thing (IfIt Ain’t Got That Swing),” “I Remember Clifford,” “A Night InTunisia,” “Woody ‘n’ You,” “Bebop, and more.

Considering the age of some of these recordings, produc-tion quality is fairly good. Only one track, the scratchy versionof “I Can’t Get Started” extracted from a 1945 Manor single, isparticularly annoying. A host of historic top soloists contributeto the enjoyment of this two-disc set. The accompanying 46-page booklet contains historic photos and extensive biographi-cal notes by Neil Tesser, greatly enhancing this enjoyable com-pilation produced by Patrick Milligan. Nancy Ann Lee

WILLIE KINGJukin’ At Betty’s

FREEDOM CREEK MUSICWillie King received acclaim for his raw southern juke joint

blues that also manifested a strong political consciousness insome of his lyrics.

Jukin’ at Bettie’s is King’s latest effort, recorded live atBettie’s Place in Prairie Point, Mississippi. Opening with a mes-merizing groove on the title track, King, on It Takes a Real Woman,then pays homage to his mother who made him grow up to beman after his dad died, telling him he might not have fine clothesor shoes to wear and he may have to wear cut-off boots, but toldhim “I wanna you to make a man out of yourself,” as the bandlays down a simple, propulsive backing.

After recounting how his father taught him That’s What theBlues is All About, King evokes the late John Lee Hooker on theslow, deep Troubles to the Wind, which includes some powerfulguitar in a Hooker-ish vein, while the walking tempoed Don’tBlame It on Me is directed to his former woman who is having atough time. The closing Back to the Woods is a powerful HowlinWolf-styled number with King’s gravelly vocal and some sting-

July/August 2005 • Issue 275 PAGE ELEVEN

Got Keys!!Keyboard player to complete

established trio.Must be comfortable withFusion/Blues/Rock styles.

Call 216-470-3570 or emailmartin@jazz-blues.com

30676 Detroit Road Westlake (440) 892-2266 www.TheSavannah.com

It’s More Than Just a Club

July

August

FRI 1 .......... TIME WARP BAND (CLASSIC ROCK)

SAT 2.......... DUKE SHERMAN BAND (ERIE, PA)

FRI 8 .......... SWAMP BOOGIE BAND

SAT 9.......... MIKE MILLIGAN & STEAM SHOVEL (INDIANAPOLIS)

FRI 15 ........ DAMON FOLWER BAND (TAMPA, FLA)

SAT 16........ BECKY BOYD & REAL LIFE

FRI 22 ........ ARMSTRONG BEARCAT BAND

SAT 23........ TRAVIS HADDIX BAND

FRI 29 ........ HIPNOTIC DOG (SOUTHERN ROCK)

SAT 30........ ACES & EIGHTS

FRI 5 .......... BIG DADDY & HODOO MEN

SAT 6.......... HOT SOUSE (BLUES)

FRI 12 ........ WYNG IT (ROCK-N-ROLL)FRI 19SAT 13........ MARY BRIDGET DAVIES GROUP

FRI 19 ........ TUMBLIN’ DICE (ROCK-N-ROLL)

SAT 20........ TRAVIS HADDIX BAND

FRI 26 ........ FORTE’ (DANCE & PARTY)

SAT 27........ WALLACE COLEMAN BAND

Serving Fine Food & Great Music, with no cover daily till closing

TUESDAYS

WEDNESDAYS

THURSDAYS THE SAVANNAH JAM WITH BAD BOYS OF BLUES

MONDAYS

AUGUST 6 MY THREE SONS (ROCK-N-ROLL)13 T & RICH (DUELING PIANOS)20 MEM SHANNON & MEMBERSHIP

(NEW ORLEANS)27 SOUL’D OUT (R&B, SOUL, ROCK)

JULY

3 11TH CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY

STONE BERMUDEZ (ULTIMATE PARTY BAND)10 KRACKER BROTHERS (BLUES)17 MALKUM GIBSON BAND (CHICAGO)24 SLIM GOODIE BAND (BLUES)31 STEVE JOCHUM & BIG ZIPPER

(FUNKY POODLE)

AUGUST 5 BLUE LUNCH12 KENTUCKY THUNDER (COUNTRY)19 TIME TRAX (DISCO)26 ERNIE KRIVDDA & THE FAT TUESDAY BAND

JULY 2 BLUE LUNCH 9 KENTUCKY THUNDER (COUNTRY)16 TIME TRAX (DISCO, OLDIES)23 DUKES OF WAIL (SWING)29 ERNIE KRIVDDA & THE FAT TUESDAY BAND

JULY 3 CITY HEAT JULY10,30 & AUG 28 RONNIE HOWARD & CRUISIN’ 5PMSUNDAYS

EDDIE & THE EDSELS

ing guitar along with a saucy organ solofrom Rick Asherton.

Having seen Willie King, I know howpotent his live performances, especiallyin a club or juke joint setting, can be - andthis disc captures the steamy grit of themquite well. Ron Weinstock

BILL CHARLAPBill Charlap Plays George

Gershwin: The American SoulBLUE NOTE

George Gershwin’s songs are imbed-ded in the jazz tradition and, in variousmusician settings, pianist Bill Charlap andhis cohorts deliver 10 tantalizing standardsby the composer.

Together for ten years, Charlap’s coretrio features bassist Peter Washington anddrummer Kenny Washington, with thegroup expanding to as much as a septetfor some tracks when the eloquent Nicho-las Payton (trumpet), Slide Hamilton(trombone), Phil Woods (alto saxophone)and Frank Wess (tenor saxophone) joinin.

In the septet setting, Charlap totallyremakes the 6:37-minute gem “Some-body Loves Me,” which features fine so-los from all and top-notch horns passages.Other tunes include, “How Long Has ThisBeen Going On?,” “A Foggy Day,” “’SWonderful,” “Nice Work If You Can Get It,”and other Gershwin favorites.

Charlap’s vision works. Listenersshould find his versions of these classictunes are tasty fare from start to finish.Everyone shines in the spotlight and indi-vidual and group highlights abound.

Nancy Ann Lee

RORY BLOCKFrom The Dust

TELARCLooking more like a hot soccer mom

I just passed in the supermarket yester-day, Rory Block will surprise some peopleon a couple levels here. Unlike most ofher other releases, she’s been recordingfor around 20 years, this disc goes strictlyacoustic blues, a mix of her originals andfour cover tunes by some blues masters.

While laid back, tunes like “Big AsTexas” will relate to any long distance driv-ing you’ve ever been forced to do and thereligious overtones of “Remember” makefor an interesting change of pace from therest of the project. The liner notes explainin detail about Rory Block’s love of dogs,which shouldn’t make the theme of “Run-away Dog” a surprise, although the lyricsare ambiguous enough to make me won-der if she’s talking to her pet or her boyfriend. Gives a whole new meaning to theterm, “get down on your hands and kneesand bark like a dog.”

As for the cover songs, they conveythe tone and spirit that the authors in-

tended, especially Robert Johnson’s“Stones In My Passway” and Muddy Wa-ters “I Be Bound.” There are no pyrotech-nic guitar solos here, just crisp playing byBlock, armed with only her slide andacoustic Martin guitars.

For those who are only familiar withBlock’s more electric stuff, like Ain’t I AWoman from 1992, this one will be a bigchange of pace. For those who have al-ways liked Bonnie Raitt before she leanedinto her pop tendencies, you’ll like FromThe Dust even more. Peanuts

NEAL SCHONi on u

FAVORED NATIONSFans of guitarist Schon should find this

outing to their liking. The Santana andJourney alumnus sounds in fine form ashe soars, glides and burns through this set

July/August 2005 • Issue 275PAGE TWELVE

of fusion-rock vignettes. The dozen tracks on i on u are fairlyuniform in length- four to five minutes each. This time factor isnot conducive to “jam” environments but serves well for show-cases of Schon’s energy and prowess. The backdrops vary incolor and mood, thanks in large measure to keyboardist IgorLen and Schon adapts inventively to each change-up. Nice work.

Duane Verh

JOHN SCOFIELDPlays The Music of Ray Charles

That’s What I’d SayVERVE

I approached this tribute CD the same way as always - witha lot of skepticism. Guitarist John Scofield, however, has indeedcome up with a fitting tribute to the late, great Ray Charles.

Scofield’s band consists of Larry Goldings on HammondB3 organ, Willie Weeks on bass and Steve Jordan on drums.They are all on most of the tracks and some are not on a few,such as the opener “Busted” on which Weeks is out and Goldingskicks bass. Some of the guests on various tracks include MavisStaples, Dr. John, Aaron Neville, John Mayer, David “Fathead”Newman and Howard Johnson.

The thirteen songs here, all associated with Ray, include thetitle track, “Cryin’ Time,” “Hit The Road Jack,” “The Night TimeIs The Right Time” and Georgia On My Mind.” Then, you’ve gotto hear Dr. John taking the lead vocal for “Talkin’ About You/IGot A Woman,” and Aaron Neville on mic for “You Don’t KnowMe.” And check out John Mayer’s vocal and guitar on “I Don’tNeed No Doctor” and all the guest singers on “What I’d Say.”

There is without a doubt some excellent stuff happeninghere. I can easily imagine Ray’s head bobbing back and forth upthere grooving to the soulful, funky music laid down by Scofieldand his cohorts. And the B3 is just perfect for the mood. Defi-nitely recommended. Bill Wahl

THE LOVE DOGSLive And On Fire

T-RAY RECORDSRecorded live before an adoring audience in their East

Coast stomping grounds, this disc represents the Love Dogsat their howling best.

Fronted by a top notch horn section the band spendsthe majority of the disc traveling that thin line between bluesand jazz. While the lyrics come straight from the “baby’sbeen cheating/ friend’s been lying/ life is tough” blues versebook, the music has a glorious swing and jazz roots under-pinning which finds its way into virtually every cut with theexception of the slow steamy soul blues of Keep On Lying.What really makes the Dogs stand out from any number ofblues bands with a horn section is that they don’t simplyrecycle jump and swing classics in order to show off thehorns. Instead they play mostly original tunes by head DogEddie “Duato” Scheer and add interesting twists with lots ofsyncopated percussion, scat vocals and heavy doses of se-cret weapon Alizon Lissance who contributes dead on NewOrleans style piano and accordion as well as slinky late nighttorch vocals on Only Time Will Tell.

With a rollicking set list that surely filled the dance floorthroughout the evening this disc could easily ignite your bluesparty as well. This is one pack of hounds that you’ll be gladfound their way into your living room. Mark Smith

CHET BAKERLove For Sale

JUSTIN TIME

The musicians recording with trumpeter Chet Baker onthis five-tune disc worked with him for about four years in thelate 1970s and early 1980s. Recorded on March 7, 1978 at theRising Sun Celebrity Jazz Club in Montreal, Baker is joined bypianist Phil Markowitz, Roger Rosenberg (soprano, tenor andbaritone saxes), John Burr (bass) and Jeff Brillinger (drums).

Baker frequently did tunes by one of his inspirators, MilesDavis, and this disc launches with a nearly 18-minute versionof “Milestones,” featuring lengthy piano and bari sax solos.Baker sings and plays on a 16-minute version of one of histrademark tunes, “There Will Never Be Another You,” offeringa long scat solo after delivering the lyrics. Baker leads off onthe almost 19-minute “Snowbound,” a less-familiar tune thatfirst appeared as the title song of a 1962 Sarah Vaughan al-bum. “Love For Sale” and “Oh, You Crazy Moon” are aroundfour minutes each.

Unfortunately, sound re-production is not the best and thiswas a time in Baker’s career where he was on a downhill slide.The sidemen are amply featured and there are some finer mo-ments, especially where Baker’s muted trumpet harmonizeswith Rosenberg’s soprano sax on the churning “Snowbound.”

Nancy Ann Lee

EUGENE ‘HIDEAWAY’ BRIDGESComing Home

ARMADILLO MUSICIt is unfortunate that artists often have to expatriate them-

selves to receive the recognition of their music that they donot receive at home. The son of a Houston blues artist, Eu-gene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges has just issued his third CD for theEnglish Armadillo Music label (which has US distribution),Coming Home.

Bridges, who participated in the Workshops at the 2003DC Blues Festival, is a compelling singer-guitarist that mixessoul and blues quite naturally. His vocals often evoke thelate Sam Cooke, while his fluid guitar suggests T-Bone Walkerand B.B. King. He is backed by a fine band and the DC area’sown Seth Kibel leads the horns that appear on about half ofthis disc as well as provide the strong horn arrangements.Bridges also penned all twelve songs here.

The opening track I’m Going Back illustrates the rea-sons of his appeal as he sings about finding his true love inMyrtle Beach. Featuring a soulful vocal and a nice guitarbreak, the track is taken at such a nice tempo, which prob-ably explains Bridges’ growing following among swing danc-ers and the like. Giving Up on Love is a medium tempo soulbreakdown with some stinging guitar as he deals with hisheart being broken too many times with the horns crisplyriffing in the background. In Your Arms Tonight is a veryengaging love ballad about falling head over heels and want-ing to look after his girl ‘til the end of time.

The title track is a gospel-tinged celebration of Bridgesplaying blues and coming home (“tell all my friends I am onmy way, you can meet at the airport but I won’t be there tostay”) - a lyric that hopefully suggests that he will be basedback in the USA again. The jubilation of that track is fol-

July/August 2005 • Issue 275 PAGE THIRTEEN

lowed by the down-in-the-alley feel of I Wish Someone WouldHave Told Me, a superb slow blues in a late sixties B.B. Kingvein as he sings about how bad love can hurt and on whichhe really blasts out a searing solo.

The remainder of the album is equally varied and enter-taining. Hideaway Bridges really impressed me the times Ihave seen him perform and his earlier recordings still soundfresh to me. His latest disc is on that same level and hopefullywill enable him finally to receive a level of acclaim enjoyedby lesser artists. Eugene’ ‘Hideaway’ Bridges is appearing atthe Pocono Blues Festival where he will be playing in the TentStage twice on Sunday, July 31. I think he belongs on themain stage and will likely demonstrate that. He is that good,and his recording is that good as well. Ron Weinstock

CLAYTON-HAMILTONJAZZ ORCHESTRA

Live at MCGMCG JAZZ

Drummer Jeff Hamilton has always been known to swinglike mad. He has adeptly driven this big band since 1985when he joined forces with bassist-conductor John Clayton.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary with this live-recorded,11-tune disc made during a four-day “residency” atPittsburgh’s Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild following their 2004tour, the band shows what it can do with standards such as“Nature Boy” (featuring Clayton’s gorgeous arco solo), “MoodIndigo” (a lush, bluesy arrangement that spotlights pianistTamir Hendelman, trombonist Ira Nepus, and tenor saxmanCharles Owens), and a jumpin’ finale remaking JohnnyHodges’ “Squatty Roo” (featuring Hendelman, tenormanRickey Woodward, trombonist George Bohanon, trumpetersClay Jenkins and Gilbert Castellanos, as well as Hamilton’strapswork), and other toe-tapping tunes.

The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra is a polished unitwith superb soloists (some of them recording leaders) thatserved as the in-residence ensemble at the Hollywood BowlJazz Series from 1999-2001. This CD adds nicely to theirdiscography for the Capri, Qwest, and Fable/Lightyear labels.

Nancy Ann Lee

WILLIE WALKER & THE BUTANESRight Where I BelongONE ON ONE RECORDS

I had been hearing good things about this CD by WillieWalker & the Butanes . When I was down in New Orleans andsaw it at the Louisiana Music Factory, I picked it up, not evenhaving heard itÖalthough later that day when they startedplaying it over the store’s audio system.

I was quite pleased with my purchase. I was familiar withthe Butanes; a Minneapolis band that I had seen backing thelate Earl King while Willie Walker was a new name to me.Getting back home after JazzFest, I have had a chance tosavor it. Walker is himself a soul-blues vocalist based out ofMinneapolis with a terrific voice suggestive of Otis Clay witha touch more vibrato in his voice.

The Butanes’ guitarist and leader, Curtis Obeda, contrib-uted the fourteen originals as well as the band and horn ar-rangements on a recording that evokes the feel of so manyclassic Memphis soul recordings, although occasionally, as

on the title track, the use of a vocal chorus is perhaps over-used - mostly, like on the blues-tinged

Sometimes Love’s Not Enough, or the pleading soul-bal-lad I Don’t Know If I Can Make It Through, as Walker deliversthe lyrics with quite a punch as Obeda tosses in some nicesingle-string blues magic or some well-placed riffs ala SteveCropper as the Horns riff behind almost perfectly.

Still this is a very minor flaw on a superb new recording.Anyone who enjoys the classic sounds of Al Green, SylJohnson and others will dig this.

I am not sure how well distributed this import is, but youcertainly should be able to get it from the better mail ordervendors like www.louisianamusicfactory.com, orwww.bluebeatmusic.com, or contact The Butanes directly atwww.thebutanes.com. Ron Weinstock

Over 2,500 CD& DVD Reviews

At Your Fingertips!Plus all issues since October 2003

available as PDFs.www.jazz-blues.com

July/August 2005 • Issue 275PAGE FOURTEEN

Latin Jazz MusicCamp Concert

featuringRoberto Ocasio'sLatin Jazz Projectwith special guests

Friday, July 296:30 p.m.

Lake Erie CollegePainesville, OHFree Admission

Bring the Family!!!

Mem Shannion DrivesBlues from Phunkville

to WestlakeEx-cabbie hits the roadin support of new CD

New Orleans bluesman Mem Shan-non, praised by Times Picayune as “anunflappable singer and wryly observantlyricist,” celebrates the release of I’mFrom Phunkville on NorthernBlues Mu-sic. Mem Shannon & The Membershipperform an all-ages show at The Savan-nah on Wednesday, July 20 at 9 pm.There is no cover.

For table reservations and additionalinformation call 440-892-2266 or visitwww.thesavannah.com. See the reviewof his new album in this issue.

MIKE GULDINRoadhouse Rhythm

WAH WAH BOY RECORDSA two-time finalist at the Blues

Foundation’s International Blues Chal-lenge, MIke Guldin & Rollin’ & Tumblin’hail from nearby Pennsylvania. Thisnew CD release illustrates the range ofhis style, which is a mix of modern ur-ban blues with Delbert

McClinton-tinged roadhouse rock.Guldin himself wrote a good portion ofthis including the amusing SnuggleMan and The Cost of Goin’ Broke andshares the credits with guest

EG Knight on the closing South-ern Woman and a Northern Man. Healso has an ear for good songs includ-ing the rowdy Memphis Women andChicken, the Motown classic 25 Miles,Delbert McClinton’s I Wanna Love You,and the deep soul classic You Left theWater Running. Rollin’ & Tumblin’ is atight backing group with Allan Howetaking a fair amount of the guitar so-los, Karl Frick laying down the B-3,Tim Hooper pounding on the 88s andCJ Clark laying the bottom down onbass. Clark also takes the strong vo-cals on 25 Miles and I Wanna Love You.

Guldin’s raspy vocals have a cer-tain appeal, especially on the humor-ous The Cost of Goin’ Broke, where hetalks about it killing him with a nicejazzy backing and a tasteful trumpetsolo from Terry Towson. Guldin andband are perhaps too restrained onLittle Richard’s Lucille, although thetrack features a guest solo fromTommy Castro.

Don’t take it wrong, as this is avery enjoyable, if not great, recording.I can see that this band can really rocka club or festival live with its funky,bluesy and brassy sound.

JEREMY BAUMLOST RIVER JAMSFLYING YAK RECORDS

With the exception of the B.B. clas-sic Rock Me Baby which features BillPerry on vocals this disc consists en-tirely of Hammond B3 driven instru-mental jams that cover a pretty broadsonic spectrum.

Highlights include Liberty Street,which has a Latin/calypso groove andtasty guitar that wouldn’t be out of placeon a Santana disc, Oasis Jam which hasa cool, almost icy cold feel to it,Stoopid, which dips into light funk, thecorrectly but goofily named, BillShowed Up, which features the sting-ing guitar chops that have sold plentyof discs for Bill Perry over the years,Autumn Leaves which has a nice con-temporary jazz feel to it and AmazingGrace, which is given a simple, straightforward reading that drips with feeling.

Other tracks delve into melan-choly blues, Goin’ Home, straightshuffle blues, JB Shuffle, which issaved from sliding into oblivion by wellplaced tenor sax and guitar breaks, andstandard issue blues rock, Rock MeBaby which features lots of guitar butis otherwise pretty unexceptional whencompared to the dozens of covers ofthis classic.

Overall, a safe play if you’re look-ing for a B3 disc that has no mid-songsurprises or forays into space.

Mark Smith

Waterbury

Coach House

in Lakewood

Wednesday Nights

6-10 PM

You can order this fromwww.cdbaby.com or contact the labelat www.burnsaudio.com. HopefullyMike and Rollin’ & Tumblin’ will gig abit around Baltimore and Washingtonwhere their roadhouse roots musicwould be well received. Ron Weinstock

July/August 2005 • Issue 275 PAGE FIFTEEN

By Mark Smith

Weekend Shows 9:30; Weekdays 8:30

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 20ROD PIAZZA AND THE

MIGHTY FLYERS

THURSDAY, JULY 21CURTIS SELGADO

The soul man returns full of blues,rockabilly, even reggae-infused R&B.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5CJ CHENIER AND RED HOT

LOUISIANA BANDZydeco party time!

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19 CHRIS CAIN

Jazz-tinged, blues soaked guitarand deep, warm vocals .

FRIDAY, AUGUST 26MAGIC SLIM & THE

TEARDROPS

New Release Blues.... As the tem-perature heats up, so does the new re-lease schedule. Here’s the scoop on thediscs you’ll be hearing all summer, manyof which are already released: MarciaBall- Live! Down the Road; Li’l Ronnieand the Grand Dukes-do what’cha do;Little Charlie and the Nightcats-NineLives; John “Juke” Logan- The TruthWill Rock You; Bryan Lee- Live and Dan-gerous; Chris Beard- Live Wire; FinisTasby-What My Blues Are All About;Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne- Let ItLoose; Robert Cray- Twenty; LittleMilton- Think of Me; Walter Trout- DeepTrout; Jimmy Thackery- Healin’ Ground;James “Blood” Ulmer- Birthright; RodPiazza & the Mighty Flyers- For theChosen Few; Eugene “Hideaway”Bridges- Coming Home; Miss Angel-That’s The Way I Tumble; Larry McCray,Carl Weathersby, Bernard Allison andLucky Peterson- Triple Fret; MichaelHill- Black Gold & Goddesses Bold!;Deitra Farr- Let It Go!; Terry Robb-Resting Place; Chris Cotton- I Watched

Verve recording artist Susan Tedeschi willbe appearing at House of Blues Cleve-land on Sunday, August 14. Jazz & BluesReport photo ©2005 by Ron Weintock onthe Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise

the Devil Die; Calvin Newborn- NewBorn; Nick Moss & The Flip Tops-SadieMae; Easy Bill & The Big Beat- StayTuned!; Michelle Shocked- MexicanStandoff; Harper- Down to the Rhythm;Popa Chubby- Big Man Big Guitar:Popa Chubby Live; The Vipers featur-ing Deb Cleveland- Tickle My Toes....Watch ‘em blues.... Just in time to pro-vide an alternative to summer re-runs onthat big screen you had to buy there’s awhole slew of blues dvds hitting theracks. The Shanachie label has a hugeseries all with the name “Masters of theCounty Blues” and all featuring two art-ists including releases by Big BillBroonzy and Roosevelt Sykes, Eliza-beth Cotton and Jesse Fuller, Rev.Gary Davis and Sonny Terry; JohnLee Hooker and Furry Lewis, Lightnin’Hopkins and Roosevelt Sykes, ManceLipscomb and Lightnin’ Hopkins,Fred McDowell and Big Joe Williams,Bukka White and Son House. Also hit-ting the shelves are dvds by MuddyWaters- Got my Mojo Working- RarePerformances 1968-1978 and BonnieRaitt- Live at Montreux 1977, 1991 and2003....Festival Blues.... If you can tearyourself away from the tube, here’s a fewgreat regional blues festivals (other thanthe Mohican Blues Festival which iswell covered in this issue): KalamazooBlues Festival- July 7-9 call 269-381-6514 or log onto www.kvba.org for info;Old Town Blues Fest- Lansing, MI, Sep-tember 19-20. Call 517-349-0006 or logonto www.cabsblues.org for info; AnnArbor Blues and Jazz Festival- AnnArbor, MI September 19-21. Call 734-747-9955 or log ontowww.a2blues.jazzfest.org for info; Chi-cago Blues Festival- Chicago, IL, June9-12. Call 312-744-3315 or log ontowww.cityofchicago.org for more info.Blues on the Fox- Aurora, IL, June 13-14. Call 630-897-4372 or log ontowww.foxvalleyblues.org/bluesonthefoxfor info. .... Award time Blues.

The 26th annual W.C. Handy Awardsceremony took place in Memphis in May.Big winners included Mavis Staples whotook home four awards and CharlieMusselwhite who took home three withblues harmonica, contemporary bluesalbum and contemporary blues artist forMusselwhite and soul blues album, soulblues artist and album of the year andsong of the year for Staples. Also pick-ing up two awards was Pinetop Perkins(traditional blues album and artist). Onthe label front...Alligator was the big win-ner with 11 awards for artists on its ros-ter...... That’s it for this month. See ya!

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July/August 2005 • Issue 275