GA Russell

As I said in the "What are you getting for Christmas?" thread... Nnenna Freelon - Blueprint of a Lady A few years ago when I lived in the Atlanta area, I had the opportunity to chat briefly with a fellow generally regarded as that area's best jazz pianist, Gary Motley. I remember him telling me that he enjoyed Nnenna Freelon's singing. This is my first Freelon album, and because of his recommendation I had a very positive attitude about hearing this tribute to Billie Holiday. The album is made up of standards once sung by Holiday. The songs are beauties like I Didn't Know What Time It Was, Don't Explain, God Bless the Child, Them There Eyes, You've Changed, Lover Man and All of Me, among others. I don't think it's fair to an artist to criticize an album when you disagree with the premise. Freelon has a good voice, but I disagree with what she is doing here. She never sings a song straight. Many of the songs she "interprets" the melody beyond recognition, and the remainder she messes with the rhythm. In the case of Willow Weep for Me, she changes both the melody and the rhythm, leaving only the lyrics to lead you to believe that you have ever heard the song before. Obviously somebody thought this was a good idea, because the album has been nominated for a Grammy. If this is your cup of tea, go for it! I can't recommend this one. Dianne Reeves - Good Night and Good Luck Good Night and Good Luck is a different story. The purpose is to invoke the ambience of small smoky clubs of the fifties, and Dianne Reeves and the band do it well. The band is a piano trio, plus Matt Catingub occasionally adding phrases on tenor sax. Six of the songs are from the movie. The other nine were recorded for the album. Reeves sings every song straight, and nearly all of them romantically. I believe that all songs but one are standards. This would make an excellent Valentine's Day present. I suppose that typically one's opinion of a vocal album depends mostly on whether one likes the singer's voice. I'm not the biggest fan of Reeves' voice, but I like the album more than I like her voice. I can recommend this one. Edit: I should add, for those who have forgotten, that both of these albums received Grammy nominations for Best Jazz Vocal.

RIP. My favorite of his was Just Like a Natural Man. Maybe one year I'll pick up his Christmas album. I have a few selections from it on various compilations, and they're all great!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!

Here's the Your Music link to Gemini: http://www.yourmusic.com/browse/album/Sean...CO_31098_ALBUMS

When I think of bossa nova guitarists, I think of Charlie Byrd, Baden Powell, Luis Bonfa, Laurindo Almeida and Brasil '65's Rosinha de Valenca. I've got a new name for the list - Romero Lubambo. I was given the new CD by a group called Trio Da Paz entitled Somewhere. It was a pleasant surprise to receive it, because the fellow who reviews jazz for my local newspaper the Raleigh News & Observer (and also for Downbeat), Owen Cordle, gave it a rave review when it came out in September, and named it the #2 new album of the year on his year's Top Ten list. I opened it up the day after Christmas, and listened to it on the drive home from my sister's in Pennsylvania. Although I wouldn't necessarily give it the greatest-thing-since-sliced-bread treatment, it's a very good album. The great ones make it look easy, and although Lubambo may seem to be putting a little more effort into it than the greats from the 60s did, he still deserves to be given the thumbs up for this album. Every song is good, and to my taste the title track is the least interesting of the bunch. Lubambo is backed by bass and drums in the trio, both very competent. The players are not young. The liner notes say that the group has been together for fifteen years, and as a group have recorded and performed with Charlie Byrd, Herbie Mann, Lee Knoitz and Kenny Barron. Lubambo has performed with Dianne Reeves, Michael Brecker, Grover Washington, Jr., and Kathleen Battle. Bassist Nilson Matta has performed with Joe Henderson, Don Pullen, Yo-Yo Ma and Oscar Castro Neves. Drummer Duduka Da Fonseca is a Grammy nominee who has performed with Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, John Scofield and Tom Harrell. For those of you who like bossa nova, I can recommend this one. Here's the CD Universe link: http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...297753001&BAB=M

Two Gerald Wilsons in two weeks!

AAJ and Doug Ramsey's Rifftides blog.

Happy New Year everyone! Whoopee! Now I'm going to bed.

One of my very favorites in college, Steve Marcus.

Mike Marshall. Mandolin. I've been meaning to start a thread about him. I'll do it in the next few days.

Here's the Your Music link to this album: http://www.yourmusic.com/browse/album/Ron-...CO_31097_ALBUMS I note that the price is only $5.99 despite including the bonus disc's material.

Happy Birthday and Happy New Year! Ever spend your birthday with a hangover headache???

I have enjoyed both halves much more since I split this into two discs. Here is the Your Music link to this album: http://www.yourmusic.com/browse/album/Gera...=SEARCH_ARTISTS

Annelies, thanks for the heads up about this new album. I always think it's great when young cats like Justin show an interest in jazz. The more the merrier, and good luck to them all! Maybe over tiime Justin will establish himself as a jazz singer and be able to support himself as one for the rest of his life.

Here's the Your Music link to the album: http://www.yourmusic.com/browse/album/Terr...CO_31101_ALBUMS

Last night I spent the evening listening to the Miles and the Kessel, and confirmed my feelings about both. I needn't say more about the Miles, except to point out that 8 of the 12 songs are by The First Quintet. I really like a few of the Kessel tracks, such as You Go to My Head and I'm Through with Love, but most of the album I can't get excited about. I suppose it would be okay for $5.99 if nothing in your queue strikes your fancy one month. Here's the Your Music link for the Barney Kessel: http://www.yourmusic.com/browse/album/Barn...e=SEARCH_ALBUMS

I see that the Miles, Coltrane and Kessel are still available from Your Music. Here's the link to the Miles: http://www.yourmusic.com/browse/album/Mile...e=SEARCH_ALBUMS As I said above, I enjoy this one. I have all but the earliest Miles on Prestige, so there were no surprises here. I don't really expect surprises on a ballads compilation. For $5.99, it's money well spent to give to your significant other. I gave it to my girl friend, and she enjoys it as well.

Ed, did you get XM or Sirius?

Dave, the cover artwork of flowers on these suggests to me that what the company has in mind is a Valentine's Day present. Just guessing. I can imagine there are a lot of women who already have a Kenny G album, and whose boyfriends would like to buy them somebody else for a present. If that's the case, I applaud a jazz label that seeks to introduce the smooth jazz set to some real jazz.

You will remember a thread on Concord/Fantasy's 2006 releases, which is found here: http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...c=23590&hl=2006 First up is a batch of eight compilations called Plays For Lovers, which is due out January 10. I enjoy compilations of ballads. My favorite is a set of four CDs put out by EMI (Blue Note) called 60 Great Jazz Classics for Lovers. I picked that up at Best Buy for $20 in '95, and still play the four all the time. In 2003, Fantasy issued its first CD batch of Plays For Lovers. I got two - Miles Davis and Barney Kessel. I enjoy the Miles. I like everything he did for Prestige during the 1954-56 period. I was disappointed in the Kessel. Maybe I was expecting too much, or maybe I just don't like the guy as much as others do. On Jan. 10, the Miles and Coltrane discs will be reissued, along with Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, Stan Getz, Dave Brubeck, Chet Baker and Bill Evans. Tonight I went to the CD Universe website and found the Tony Bennett here: http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...296673504&BAB=M CDU's site says that the list price will be $11.98, their price will be $9.75, and their pre-order price is $8.39. I'm going to order a number of these. When they come in, I'll report back and let you know if they are as good as I expect.

I can't give you any advice, Berrigan, but I believe in the power of prayer, so I'll say a prayer for you tonight. It might help!

Happy Birthday Moose!

Thanks for that insight, c-a! I have two friends who have XM, and they both love it. I don't know anyone who has Sirius. Maybe next year will be the satellite radio Christmas, just as the past two years have been the iPod Christmas.

I'll be headed first thing in the morning to my sister's in Pennsylvania to enjoy Christmas with her family. There will be three generations there. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, and that everyone's holiday is safe and healthy!