The Jazz.com Blog
April 30, 2009 · 0 comments
The Best Jazz Tracks of the Month
As regular visitors know, we feature an outstanding recent track on the jazz.com site five days per week, as part of our Song of the Day feature. Today we look back at the recordings highlighted during the last month.
You will note the famous names on the list below . . . Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea, Diana Krall, John McLaughlin. But it is worth your time to explore some of the lesser known artists whose work you might otherwise miss. Although Krall’s CD is getting most of the press, two other vocal albums came out recently (by Tierney Sutton and Claudia Acuña) that are worthy of a place in your virtual shopping basket. You probably won’t hear the self-produced CD by pianist Kait Dunton unless you seek it out, but it is also an outstanding release. Bill Barnes, our resident expert on Gypsy jazz, sings the praises of the indie release by keyboardist Jermaine Landsberger, and gives the track "Babik" a 99 score on our scale of 100. He describes it as "Joey DeFrancesco on steroids."
Along the way, we also highlighted a cover version of “I'm Popeye the Sailor Man” by Gene Perla, with Elvin Jones on drums—yes, you can bet everyone in the band ate their spinach. Speaking of striking cover versions, check out Gaucho's updating of "Darktown Strutter's Ball" and Shemekia Copleand’s very bluesy take on Joni Mitchell. I also call attention to an intriguing release by guitarist Mikkel Ploug that Mark Saleski calls his “favorite record of the year so far.”
To read about these (and other) featured tracks, click on the links below. As always, jazz.com’s reviews come with full recording info, a ranking from 0 to 100—with no payola taken or asked for—and a pithy appraisal by a resident critic. You will also find a link for fast (and legal) downloading.
Happy listening!
Featured Songs: April 2009
Wynton Marsalis: The Sun and the Moon
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Jermaine Landsberger: Babik
Reviewed by Bill Barnes
Gaucho: Darktown Strutter's Ball
Reviewed by Mark Saleski
Gene Perla: I'm Popeye the Sailor Man
Reviewed by Bill Barnes
Five Peace Band: In a Silent Way / It's About That Time
Reviewed by S. Victor Aaron
Mikkel Ploug: Cathedral
Reviewed by Mark Saleski
Claudia Acuña: El Cigarrito
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Justin Vasquez: Triptych
Reviewed by Bill Barnes
Rudder: Jackass Surcharge
Reviewed by S. Victor Aaron
Kait Dunton: Phase/Faze
Reviewed by Mark Saleski
Mel Martin: Rhythm Man (Do Not Disturb)
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Corey Wilkes: Rain
Reviewed by S. Victor Aaron
Dan Adler: All Things Familiar
Reviewed by Bill Barnes
Julian Lage: Familiar Posture
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Avery Sharpe: Boston Baked Beans
Reviewed by Walter Kolosky
Tiptons Sax Quartet: The Shop of Wild Dreams
Reviewed by S. Victor Aaron
Tierney Sutton: Cry Me a River
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Daniel Sadownick: Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
Reviewed by Scott Albin
Shemekia Copeland: Black Crow
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Frank Wess: Lush Life
Reviewed by Chris Kelsey
Linda Presgrave: Evening in Concert
Reviewed by S. Victor Aaron
Diana Krall: Too Marvelous for Words
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
This blog article posted by Ted Gioia.
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