 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| |
|
| What's
on Disc by Thomas Schulte |
|
| |
|
NEWS
AND VIEWS *****
LADIES OF JAZZ
Dynamic and versatile vocalist Mayra Caridad
Valdés has a warm and ebullient album available, La Diosa
del Mer (Jazzheads Records; http://www.jazzheads.com).
This goddess of jazz song is sister to Cuban jazz pianist Chucho
Valdés and there is a strong Latin jazz feel to this album,
as on "Drume Negrita." However, the sax lead on "Mambo Influenciado"
is an arty, angular melody that suggests as much in common with
the No Wave school on this varied and sophisticated album…  Pixyish
Eden Atwood also mixes exotic styles on her vocal jazz album
Waves: The Bossa Nova Sessions (Groove Note; http://www.groovenote.com).
Including the classic "Girl from Ipanema," this album is tropical
warm and moonlight soft. A stand out track is her Bossa take on
the Lennon-McCartney song "Fool on the Hill"… On Kelly Sings
Christy (CMG; http://www.chasemusic.com)
Julie Kelly uses patient and precise phrasing in delivering
a selection of songs also sung by June Christy. Christy is
know for her cool, Billie Holiday-esque delivery, but Kelly's is
much brighter as she delivers her renditions of songs Christy recorded
with the Stan Kenton Orchestra… Riding a Zephyr
is the vocal jazz Soul Note album from Judi Silvano (http://www.judisilvano.com)
solely accompanied by pianist Mal Waldron. Waldron was in
Billie Holiday's band for her final two years. She gives her music
a tasteful sprinkling of scat on a collection of delightful originals
from the duo…
SOUNDS OF THE NORTHLANDS
Including three new tracks, On Reflection
(Gadfly; http://www.gadflyrecords.com)
from Eliza Carthy and Nancy Kerr compiles tracks from
four of the duo's albums. Each grew up in musical families and this
compilation of mostly early work is a fiddle-focused combination
of instrumentals and duets varying from soulful English folk to
vivid technical displays… From Bukkene Bruse we get Norwegian
vocal music with a typically Celtic feel on The Loveliest
Rose (NorthSide; http://www.noside.com).
Recorded in an Oslo church, this warm and intimate recording features
traditional Norse Christmas melodies and the voice of Annbjørg
Lien… Also yuletide is A Winter's Night: Christmas in
the Great Hall by Ensemble Galilei.  Available
on Maggie's Music (http://www.maggiesmusic.com),
this 16-track disc presents instrumental renditions of some chestnuts
along with noel melodies from Scotland and Ireland as well other
Gaelic Christmastime tunes from Galicia… More from Maggie's Music
is Bonnie Rideout Scottish Reflections. Rideout is
one of the premier Scottish fiddlers of the day, but this album
is now mere exercise in technique and flash. The instrumental album
features her on fiddle and viola and is a tranquil, reflective album
for unwinding in a Highlander style… |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| DECEMBER
2002 REVIEWS >>>>>>>>>> |
|
| |
|
Roberta
Piket & Alternating Current
I'm Back in Therapy and it's all Your Fault
Thirteenth Note Records
http://www.AlternatingCurrent.Info
http://www.RobertaJazz.com
Pianist and composer Roberta Piket, steps out of her successful
acoustic form with the electric project Alternating Current on I'm
Back in Therapy and it's all Your Fault. Her combination of
a vintage Wurlitzer electric piano with an array of effects pedals
makes for a warm, personal sound on this instrumental album. (3.5)
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
The
Laura Blackley Band
When a Woman…
Greenhat Music
http://www.laurablackleyband.com
From Blacksburg, VA and now in Asheville, NC, Laura Blackley offers
a strong, leather-and-lace Southern folk-rock. With a proud, bluesy
voice she leads her group through tough, soulful country rock. (3.5)
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
Tangerine
Dream
Inferno
TDI Music
http://www.tdi-music-mall.de
This live album is the first album of all-new material to come from
the German electronic pioneers in two years. Beside new material,
the group portrays a new sound incorporating post-classical choral
elements and ethereal female voices. This is Tangerine Dream's vision
of Dante's "Inferno." In that choral element is Iris Kulterer, who
also performs on percussion and kettledrums marking this album as
the first recording with a live drummer since Force Majeure
(1979). Of a crystalline and pristine beauty, Inferno is
sonic stained glass. (4) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
Nana
Daughters of the Sun
Na Records
http://www.nana.net
This shrinking world fusion of pan-ethnic sounds is derived acoustically
and layered into an enticing global reverie. Lead vocalist Nana
Simopoulos is accompanied for the third release in a row by Indian
sarangi master Ustad Sultan Khan. This is a very fitting
union, the sarangi and Nana's smooth, enticing vocals in
Greek, English, Yoruba and Hindi. Indian music culture has honed
the sarangi as an ideal accompaniment to the human voice
through its imitative qualities. Such is the mechanics of the instrument
is that it produced voice-like phrasing. This acoustic world music
is highly sophisticated and includes a bevy of talented players
on a wide array of instruments. (4) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
 Chip
Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez
Let's Leave this Town
TMG/Lone Star Records
http://www.lonestarrec.com
http://www.TrainWreckRecords.com
Knowing that Chip Taylor wrote the "Angel of the Morning" as well
as the Troggs hit "Wild Thing," one can be prepared for the excellent
songwriting on this album with singer-fiddle player Carrie Rodriguez.
Because of the recent version of "Angel of the Morning" by Shaggy,
Taylor now has written the longest string of #1 hits in U.S. music
history. However, on this recording Taylor takes us back to a pristine,
rooted folk song with the emerging talent Rodriguez that he discovered
at the South by Southwest music festival. This shining example of
country-folk brilliance exquisitely unites Carrie's natural charm
and raw talent with the elegant, experienced songwriting one should
expect from master of the art Chip Taylor. (5) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
The
Syndicate
The Official Story
Fringe Element Records
http://www.FringeElementRecords.com
This all-female trio performs a rugged, vintage Goth sound like
a trebly equivalent to Siouxsie & The Banshees. This debut is refreshingly
primitive and nostalgic. Beside the interesting tonal qualities
of this clamorous noise-punk, The Syndicates offers its sociological
views aiming for a "breakdown of the political/personal dichotomy"
as they work past their "complex sexual identities" and "class backgrounds"
to find union as a spirited combo with radicalized lyrics. (3.5)
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
 Ani
DiFranco
So Much Shouting,
So Much Laughter
Righteous Babe
http://www.righteousbabe.com
After much forgettable experimentation with hip-hop sounds, Ani
largely returns to the music that was documented on the peerless
Living in Clip. Like that album, this recording is a two-disc
live compendium and it rivals its predecessor for excellence. Again
through the personal pictures included in great number in the 28-page
booklet, we seemed to be invited to join the band on a personal
level in this set of music where Ani's charm comes through, as it
does on her live shows. This captures here sextet on several locations
through the 2000-2002 tours. The over two hours of music over two
dozen tracks includes an easy twenty DiFranco tried-and-true songs,
such as "Napoleon" and "Dilate." (4.5) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
Satoko
Fujii
Bell the Cat!
Tokuma Japan Communications
Pianist Fujii continues to work with her New York trio including
Mark Dresser (bass) and Jim Black (drums). The group has reached
such a sophisticated plateau with their group cooperation that they
are able to achieve here pieces like the opening "Silence". This
album is more of that - silence - than sounds as it really depends
on the group's discipline and mutual reliance to construct a piece
with more apertures and architecture. Black's drumming is definitely
a standout here. Far from merely being a supporting percussive role,
Black contributes structure and shape to these wise and witty avant-jazz
pieces that blend classical elements. (4) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
_________________________________
|
|
| |
|
DID
YOU MISS ANY OF TOM SCHULTE'S REVIEWS?
BACK ISSUES:
1999
| JULY |
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER
| OCTOBER | NOVEMBER
| DECEMBER
|
2000
| JANUARY
| FEBRUARY
| MARCH | APRIL
|
MAY | JUNE
|
2000 |
JULY | AUGUST
| SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER
| NOVEMBER | DECEMBER
|
2001 | JANUARY | FEBRUARY
| MARCH | APRIL
| MAY | JUNE
|
2001 | JULY | AUGUST
| SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER
| NOVEMBER | DECEMBER
|
2002 | JANUARY | FEBRUARY
| MARCH | APRIL
| MAY | JUNE
|
2002 | JULY | AUGUST
| SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER
| NOVEMBER |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
_________________________________
|
|
| |
|
Outsight
brings to light non-mainstream music, film, books, art, ideas and
opinions.
Published, somewhere, monthly since July 1991. Feel free to re-print
this article.
Ratings are (1) = :(, (5) = :)
"Don't be normal, be natural!"
Visit or Join Outsight's Web ring: http://d.webring.com/hub?ring=music1432
Outsight Radio Hours Webcasts
Sundays 6pm-8pm EST @
http://www.outsight.mu
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
Tom 'Tearaway' Schulte,
5224 Shoreline Blvd.,
Waterford, MI 48329-1670
E-mail Outsight at: outsight@usa.net
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
_________________________________
|
|
| |
|
Get audiobooks through http://www.audible.com.
If you sign up, tell 'em "tearaway" sent you so I get a free book!
|
|
