MWE3.COM
MUSIC NEWS & NOTES
MARCH
2012 RECORD LABEL SPOTLIGHT
POP
& ROCK
BELLA
UNION - Here’s another wild pop-rock classic by a group that
sounds a lot like late ‘60s groups like Velvet Underground and
late period music from The Byrds. Produced by David Holmes,
and recorded in L.A., To The Death Of Fun introduces
the music of the cryptically titled band known as Cashier No.9.
Featuring the music and vocals of Daniel Todd, the band contains
a number of fine players including guitarist James Smith. In
early 2012 Cashier No.9 are currently supporting Noel Gallagher’s
High Flying Birds and you can also count the former Oasis band leader
as another big influence in the ‘60s strewn Cashier No.9 pop
mix. www.CashierNo9.com
BILLY SHERWOOD HQ - When Billy Sherwood left YES after
The Ladder it was a sad day in Yes-land. Having more or less
detailed the musical direction of the band with Chris Squire during
their very underrated late ‘90s Open Your Eyes era, Sherwood
may have left YES but you can still hear a lot of the vibe and musical
excitement from that ‘97-’99 era on the 2011 CD release
of What Was The Question? Playing all the instruments
and taking all the vocals on his latest solo album, Sherwood remains
a one man progressive rock wrecking crew. It’s worth noting that
What Was The Question? is even more YES sounding in places
than the band’s 2011 CD Fly From Here, which features
the vocals of ex-YES singer Benoît David. Also not to be missed
recently from Sherwood is the latest album from his band Circa.
Keeping the YES connection alive, the 2011 Circa CD, And So
On features Billy in the company of players including founding
YES keyboardist Tony Kaye. www.CircaHQ.com
BLUES EMPRESS RECORDS - Down under in Australia, singer-songwriter
Fiona Boyes has a bad case of the blues and she puts it all
into musical context on the 2011 CD release of Blues For Hard
Times. Released on the Australian Blues Empress label,
with ties to the U.S. label Vizztone, the 16 track CD covers a cross-section
of acoustic based blues, while offering a perfect showcase of Fiona’s
deep and spirited blues originals. In her liner notes, Fiona describes
her experiences in songs as a “travel through classic themes
of church house versus barrelhouse, drinking, lust, redemption and
fun”. She also cites blues icons Muddy Waters and Solomon Burke
as being key to the bluesy vibe in play here. Throughout the CD, Fiona
proves masterful at combining a wide range of bluesy jazz, ragtime,
Americana and much more. Blues For Hard Times is a solid showcase
for Fiona’s resonator slide guitar work and hard driving vocals,
and she sometimes echoes legends like Bonnie Raitt and Bonnie Bramlett.
Superbly packaged and recorded in Austin, Texas, the CD features contributions
from a number of players, including drummer Jim Bott, but the
spotlight is right on Fiona and her Blues For Hard Times. www.FionaBoyes.com
COW
ISLAND RECORDS - Specializing in country, rockabilly, swing and
R&B, Boston based record company Cow Island Music strikes country
swing gold with the 2011 CD release of On The Moon,
by new country trendsetters Li’l Mo And The Monicats.
By going back in time, singer-songwriter Monica Passin has
assembled a truly retro set of country purity that owes more to legends
like Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette than say Rosanne Cash. Although
she’s based her band in Brooklyn, Li’l Mo also sounds inspired
by West Texas legends like Buddy Holly, with Monica sounding like
a female Elvis, while not discounting the Wanda Jackson influence.
With its country rock rave up, the sound of On The Moon is
a real knees up event. Monica has written some fine tracks in the
spirit of the ‘50s Sun Records sound and the guitar work and
musicianship from her cohorts Hank Bones and guitarist Skip
Krevens is first rate. Further examining Cow Island’s 2011
roster, one also notes a new album from Vermont based retro rockers
Stone River Boys called Love On The Dial.
Described as a mix of hard country rock and Texas funk, the CD
is all over the map musically and the guitar work and vocals of group
founders Dave Gonzalez, Mike Barfield and steel guitarist
Dave Biller is excellent throughout. Also out on Cow Island
is a fine CD sampler called P.O. Box 1 - The Cow Island Music
Cattle Call. The 14 track CD features a variety of
Cow Island artists like Li’l Mo And The Monicats, Stone River
Boys, Teri Joyce, The Dixons and Starline Rhythm
Boys. www.CowIslandMusic.com
DROPTONE - The Minnesota-based 9Tomorrows band is making
waves with their 2011 CD debut Gravity In Love. Listening
to the CD, one minute a reggae type groove gives way to a soulful
post-New Wave Joe Jackson type pop sound 
with
a very made for MTV type synth pop beat. With a number of catchy,
stay in your head melodies, 9Tomorrows is the brainchild of producer
/ guitarist David Kellogg who enlisted the help of lead singer
Dax Young and guitarist / vocalist Stephen Helvig. Kellogg
also handles most of the drums and programming and he’s helped
out by bassist Jai Bowie. The reggae influences offer sonic
contrasts and color, but there’s a solid rock edge in play on
Gravity In Love and when they settle into a groove, 9Tomorrows
stakes out a rare musical universe all their own. www.9TomorrowsBand.com
ECC RECORDS - English folk music tradition is centuries old so
it’s really strange sometimes to listen to a CD of newly recorded
traditional music that sounds like it could have been written and
played three hundred years ago. That linkage where traditional music
and instruments meets the wonders of modern recording technology is
the story on the 2011 CD from English folk-singer and instrumentalist
Jackie Oates on her Saturnine CD. On the twelve
tracks of redone traditionals, Jackie features her vocals and 5-string
viola while receiving support from various players adding in accordion,
bouzouki, hurdy gurdy, guitar, English border pipes and more. With
its Donovan-like dreamy chords and multi-tracked vocals, track 11
“Brigg Fair” is a definite highlight. Encased in a colorful
multi-panel digi-pak case, the CD booklet features pretty in depth
track by track liner notes regarding these traditional folk song remakes
from Ms. Oates. www.JackieOates.co.uk
EVOLVER
MUSIC - There’s a heckuva lot more to Betty Moon then
meets the eye, even though as a visual artist she makes a sensational
sight. Coming out of the L.A. pop scene in 2011, Betty should appeal
to a wide range of pop fans who thrilled to bad girl punk rockers
The Runaways as well as the more sophisticated L.A. rock of the The
Doors. As a singer, auspicious and rising, Betty Moon makes some cool
moves on the 2011 CD release of Rollin' Revolution,
released on the Evolver label. Commenting on the making of her
5th album, Betty adds, ‘I had to become incredibly focused and
developed a very clear vision of what I wanted for Rollin' Revolution.'
With Betty taking lead vocals and adding rhythm guitar to her all
original fare, the CD features a solid groove from her backing band,
including top session players like Kenny Aronoff, featured
here on drums. www.BettyMoon.com
FLEDG’LING RECORDS - Back in the late 1980’s singer-songwriter
Anna Domino held sway over the indie pop scene in downtown
Manhattan. Album after album, mostly on import from the Crépescule
label from Belgium, Anna consistently reinvented her music and established
herself as one of the most unique voices during that heady mid to
late 1980’s period. Imagine a cross between Marianne Faithful
and John Cale and you get some idea of the depth of Anna’s music.
By the time of her 1987 album This Time, Anna had joined forces
with guitarist Michel DeLory and that long time recording bond
is reinstated in 2011 with the release of My Halo At Half-Light.
Recorded and released under their group name Snakefarm,
the ten track CD follows in the footsteps of the first Snakefarm album
from the mid 1990’s. As was with the first Snakefarm CD, the
accent here in on reworkings of songs based on original ballads in
the public domain. Of course this means Anna’s own great pop-rock
originals takes a back seat to music from the roaring ‘20s! (1820’s?)
Why am I not surprised? An ambient guitar master, DeLory remains one
of the finest guitarists of his generation. That Anna Domino is not
a household name is sadly a decades long fact now. Yet with this latest
sonic chain gang of a side-trip with Snakefarm, Anna and Michel continue
to put their unique musical stamp on music long ingrained in the American
musical psyche. Among the studio assistants here include time Anna
Domino percussionist Hearn Gadbois, drummer Al Pahanish
and bassist Sebastian Steinberg. www.annadomino.imnotafraidofyou.com
FUEL
RECORDS - Back during the late ‘70s New Wave craze, singer-songwriter
John Wicks and his band The Records came on the scene,
releasing three albums on Virgin through that amazingly raw and heady
early ‘80s era. Following periods of reissues and compilations
of different music over the past decades, Wicks returned in 2011 with
a new solo CD on L.A. based Fuel Records released under The Records
featuring John Wicks. Either way, as a guitarist and vocalist, Wicks
sounds kind of influenced by the Todd Rundgren late ‘60s school
of spontaneous pop sounds, stripped down to the bone yet rocking nevertheless.
Backed up by a number of musicians on different tracks, Wicks clearly
sounds like he still has great memories of that ‘77-82 punk era
and power pop time and you can almost relive the rare and raw groove
of 1981 again on Rotate. In addition to a bunch of new material,
the CD closes out with a superb remake of an early Records classic
called “Starry Eyes”, a track that the most astute power
pop mavens should remember. www.JohnWicksAndTheRecords.com
GAZELL RECORDS - In Sweden, Gazell Records has a cool 2011 CD
entitled In Love from singer-songwriter Sista Blue,
aka Lo Kivikas. Lo gets solid backing on her album, which is
tastefully produced by Swedish drumming legend Bosse Skoglund,
best known in international prog-rock circles as being the drummer
on those amazing Bo Hansson albums from the ‘70s. Also turning
in fine performances are Roland Nilsson (slide and electric
guitar) and Hasse Larson (bass). There’s a great hippie
vibe on the Sista Blue album, and Lo’s singing is reminiscent
of ‘60s folk-rock legends like Melanie and even Quicksilver legend
Dino Valenti. Sista Blue is pretty much out there, semi-psychedelic
hippie rock for the 21st century that’s enhanced by the expert
good vibes touch of the amazing Bo Skoglund. www.gazell.net
JEBO MUSIC - England has such a rich history of progressive rock
and fusion music, so it’s quite gratifying to see rising bands
of the 21st century picking up and carrying forth the mantle of the
great
legends of U.K. prog. Case in point is Settle Up Or Settle Down,
the 2011 CD from U.K. prog-pop sensation Jebo. Some music critics
and mags have compared them to mid-’70s pop-proggers Supertramp
while others have noted a late ‘90s YES influence in the mix.
Produced by John Burns, Jebo the band features a solid bunch
of musicians including singer Kevin Messinger, keyboardist
/ string arranger Nick O’Neill, chief songwriter Rob
Allen (guitars), Jeff France (drums), Gianfredo Konig
(bass) and more including string players and other guest musicians.
Perhaps with some further honing of their more hook-laden tracks,
Jebo will shine even brighter in the future. Either way, Settle
Up Or Settle Down is another step forward for a promising band
that sounds ready to achieve true musical greatness down the line.
www.JeboMusic.co.uk
MARY MUSIC - Over in Sweden, singer-songwriter Maria Rylander
has a fine new CD called Facing South. Released
on her own Mary Music, the 11 track CD presents a convincing cross-section
of jazzy pop tracks featuring Maria backed up by fine players like
Simon Westman (piano), Sebastiaan Kaptein (drums), Carl
Svensson (guitar) and more. Much of the CD is relaxing, lounge
jazz that borders on smooth as silk pop but when she cuts loose—as
she does here on track 11, a nearly 8 minute track, featuring her
cool multi-tracked vocals entitled “You Caught My Eye”—the
album takes off and soars into the jazz-pop stratosphere. www.MariaRylander.se
MOKSHA MUSIC LIMITED - A colorful amalgamation of progressive
rock, ‘60s beat group stylings and even horn laden Chicago style
groove, Las Vegas based Moksha steps into the light with Here
To Go. Released on their Moksha Music imprint, the
CD features some solid musicianship all around including keyboardist
Brian Triola, guitarist Jeremy Parks, singer Sam
Lemos with Pat Gray on drums and John Heishman on
bass. A full horn section arranged by Peter Apfelbaum adds
that big horn sound on several tracks. A few tracks echo early Traffic
and even ‘60s Al Kooper. Is it prog-rock, jazz-rock or instrumental
flamenco-reggae fusion? Give Moksha a spin and hear it for yourself,
you won’t be disappointed. www.MokshaTime.com
MOSTLY AUTUMN RECORDS - Groups such as Renaissance were huge between
1970 and 1972—the golden age of progressive rock. One 21st century
group sounding clearly inspired by the sound of that era is Mostly
Autumn—a band that already has a number of CDs out and that
is making inroads in the progressive rock scene. Following their 2010
album Go Well Diamond Heart comes a double live CD from
2011 entitled Still Beautiful - Live 2011, a
2 CD set that features this gifted U.K. band in fine form. Like Renaissance,
Mostly Autumn has a very Annie Haslam-esque singer in Olivia “Livvy”
Sparnenn, who get solid backing from guitarists Bryon Josh
and Liam Davison, the rhythm section of Andy Smith (bass)
and Gavin Griffiths (drums), along with keyboardist Iain
Jennings and Anne-Marie Helder (flute, keys and vocals).
Both Josh and Davison also take lead vocals at times so there’s
quite a varied approach on the vocals while, as their double live
set points out, the overall musicianship is truly first rate. The
group’s web site lists a number of albums that shows Mostly Autumn
is no flash in the pan in the prog-rock world. If you’re a fan
of Renaissance, Pink Floyd and even Genesis, Mostly Autumn makes for
an equally rewarding audio experience. www.MostlyAutumnRecords.com
RED RECORDS - Italy’s Red Records has a winner on their hands
with the 2011 CD release of Plays and Sings by Dida
Pelled. From Israel and living in NYC, Dida is both
a singer and jazz guitarist. Still in her early 20’s, Dida already
comes across as an accomplished music stylist. On her debut album,
Dida is backed up by a solid support band including Tal Ronen (bass)
and Gregory Hutchinson (drums), along with guest spots from
jazz legend Roy Hargrove (trumpet) and album producer Fabio
Morgera (trumpet). Recorded in Brooklyn, the Plays And Sings
album blends vocal tracks and 
instrumentals
featuring Dida reinterpreting timeless gems from the Gershwin brothers,
Wes Montgomery, Horace Silver and even The Four Seasons. Influenced
by both jazz singer Nancy Wilson and jazz guitar guitar great Wes
Montgomery, Dida puts it together with an appealing, multi-pronged
musical approach, encompassing both pop-jazz vocals and instrumental
jazz. www.RedRecords.it
ROUNDER / ZOË - There's some great songs and a solid pop-rock
approach in play on Voyageur, the 2011 CD from
singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards. Released by the Rounder
Records-related Zoë imprint, the Voyageur CD spotlights
a number of memorable pop and rocking folk style tracks and is performed
with solid musical skill and precision. A number of players help Ms.
Edwards flesh out her intriguing pop-rock palette, including guitarists
Gord Tough and Jim Bryson, drummer Lyle Molzan and
bassist John Dinsmore, with the CD featuring further contributions
from Norah Jones and Justin Vernon (who also co-produced
the album) and many more. Most important, Ms. Edwards’ pop-rock
mix of songs is quite convincing and some tracks really take off and
simply soar into the musical heavens. www.KathleenEdwards.com
RUBY STAR RECORDS - On her eighth album, entitled Lucky
Girl, singer-songwriter Jacqui Naylor returns
with another winning batch of tunes. Backed by some fine jazz musicians—including
Art Khu (keyboards, guitars), Jon Evans (bass, percussion,
lap steel) and Josh Jones (drums), the sound of Lucky Girl
is bluesy jazz played with style and verve. Compared by some in
the know jazz buffs to currently hot jazzer Diana Krall, Ms. Naylor’s
vocals are right on and her song writing is quite impressive as is
her choice of Lucky Girl covers, here written by Rogers &
Hammerstein, Neil Young and Henry Mancini. Seems whatever songs she
writes or picks out, Naylor makes them her own. As you spin this finely
recorded collection of breezy, jazz and smooth jazz flavors you might
find yourself grooving along and tapping your feet and you’ll
also be back for a second helping too. www.JacquiNaylor.com
SIX SHOOTER RECORDS - Guitarist Luke Doucet made lots of
guitar fans quite happy with the 2008 CD release of his solo album
Blood’s Too Rich and now he teams with singer Melissa
McClelland for the 2011 CD release of the self-titled CD debut
from Whitehorse. A roosty, pop-rock album that
skirts the edges of rockabilly and alt-country, Whitehorse features
8 memorable tracks and clocks in under 25 minutes yet it keeps your
interest throughout. With her sultry vocals, Ms. McClelland sounds
like the perfect foil for Doucet’s multifaceted pop project.
With the pair joined by a fine rhythm session, Doucet shares the vocal
chores, often harmonizing with Melissa but it’s really Luke’s
stellar electric and acoustic guitar work that seals the deal on an
album that begs you to come back for second helpings. www.whitehorsemusic.ca
STONY PLAIN - On the 2011 CD release of Low Down And Tore
Up blues belter and guitar ace Duke Robillard goes
back to his early blues roots. The CD features Duke & Co. cherry
picking blues classics from the pens of Guitar Slim, Tampa Red, 
John
Lee Hooker and more. From jump-jazz and boogie woogie to searing blues
rock, Duke has it all covered on Low Down And Tore Up. From
the extensive liner notes by blues producer and historian Dick
Shuman, and engineer / producer Jack Gauthier, Duke is
quoted as commenting, ‘The reason for this CD is basically, I
just wanted to go in the studio and record live and capture the real
feeling of lowdown blues in an off-the-cuff sort of way, the way singles
used to be made for small labels.’ Featuring Duke in the studio
with a tight band and a range of session players, the CD captures
the essence of Duke as he jumps, jives and wails the blues while showcasing
his always amazing electric guitar work, which skillfully spotlights
a composite of the rock ‘n’ roll, jazz and blues idioms.
www.StonyPlain.com
THE CONTROL GROUP - Welsh songstress Cate Le Bon strikes
a blow for pop originality with her 2012 album Cyrk
For a reference think Super Furry Animals and true to form Ms.
Le Bon has worked with Super Furry leader Gruff Rhys. Some of Cyrk
sounds like Lou Reed producing ABBA or Keren Ann for that matter.
Anyway, at least Kate sings in English and not in that wild Welsh
language called Cymraeg but have fun trying to read the credits! There’s
a definite Pink Floyd type of musical hypnosis in play on the CD which
comes in a quite amazing looking CD package. Cyrk is of the
wildest alt-rock albums of 2012 for sure. www.CateLebon.com
VERVE FORECAST - Back in 2011 Verve Forecast released an acclaimed
Buddy Holly tribute CD called Listen To Me.
Namesaked after one of Buddy’s greatest songs, and recorded
and readied to honor the anniversary of his 75th birthday, the 16
track album is one of the best ever Holly tributes. Only one thing
missing is someone you wouldn’t think would miss it: Beatle Paul
McCartney. McCartney, while owning the publishing of these tracks,
did appear on the other Buddy tribute from 2011 called Rave On
Buddy Holly, which did feature Macca with assorted cuts from Graham
Nash, Lou Reed, Fiona Apple and more. Listen To Me is another
amazing album but the key is the amazing production of Peter Asher,
himself one of the key players in the original mid 1960's British
rock invasion. The production has Asher’s sonic imprints all
around—revisiting the essential harmonies that underlies a fundamental
knowledge of songs that created the inspiration for British invasion.
Think Beatles, Stones, DC5 and yes Peter Asher’s Peter &
Gordon—who scored a massive U.K. hit with Buddy’s “True
Love Ways”. Of course, Asher stacks the deck in favor of Listen
To Me—featuring key Buddy covers by Brian Wilson,
Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne of the ELO, Chris Isaak,
Stevie Nicks, Imelda May and many more. Of course Ringo
nearly steals the show with his little skiffle off to Liverpool cover
of “Think It Over”, yet the award goes to Monty Python’s
Eric Idle, who does in fact steal the show with a CD closing
and very hilarious, Python-esque rendition of “Raining In My
Heart”—itself one of the last songs Buddy Holly completed
and recorded, just around the corner from the Dakota at the Pythian
Temple on West 70th St. during that Summer ‘58, with producer
Dick Jacobs. Listen To Me contributor Brian Wilson adds, ‘We
are trying to keep Buddy Holly’s name alive so younger generations
can appreciate it the way I do. Buddy is unique. He matters because
his music is timeless.’ In the superbly laid out 16 panel booklet
Asher goes on at length about the detailed history behind Buddy, his
songs and these artists that breath new life into them. www.ListenToMeBuddyHolly.com
/ www.BuddyHolly.com
/ www.BuddyHollyAndTheCrickets.com
INSTRUMENTAL
CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO - Although for years associated with
Robert Fripp and his famous league of crafty guitarists starting way
back in the late 1980’s, the group known as The California
Guitar Trio continues to break new ground with their 2011 CD entitled
Masterworks.
Just as the title implies, Masterworks features CGT reworkings
of classical masterpieces from giants like J.S. Bach, Rossini, Vivaldi,
Shubert, Beethoven and even modern classicist Arvo Pärt. As it
was from the start, CGT features a stellar interchange of guitar ideas
from founding members Hideyo Moriya, Bert Lams and Paul
Richards. The eleven cut, 55 minute CD was superbly edited and
mixed by Howard Givens at his famous Spotted Peccary studios
in Portland Oregon and also features guest appearances from prog-rock
legend Tony Levin (upright bass and cello) and Fareed Haque,
who adds in classical guitar to the Masterworks version of
Vivaldi’s “Winter” from the famous Four Seasons.
Although these pieces were recorded in different studios around
the U.S. at different times, between the early 1990’s and 2011,
the expert studio mixing by Howard Givens and the CD mastering by
Steve Hall at Future Disc, helps to give the Masterworks
CD an impressive and unifying clarity of sound and musical purpose.
www.CGTrio.com
CANDYRAT
RECORDS - The bizarre name of their record label aside, Candyrat
is making quite a name for themselves thanks to their quite beautiful,
instrumental acoustic based guitar recordings. Among Candyrat’s
2012 CD releases is From 1 To 8, the latest release
from Italian acoustic guitar specialist Pino Forastiere.
Back in 2004, Pino released his acclaimed Rag Tap Boom CD to
much critical acclaim. In the spirit of that album, From 1 To 8
is a another tasteful showcase for Pino’s acoustic guitar
instrumental tracks, which, while making fresh inroads for the acoustic
instrumental genre, still sounds honorably influenced by the guitar
icons of yesteryear. The perfect instrumental acoustic guitar soundtrack
for a rainy afternoon, the ten track From 1 To 8 is brimming
with atmospheric and meditative, yet cutting edge guitar soundscapes.
Over the past decade, Candyrat has literally become a one-stop shop
for guitar fans seeking out the latest, acoustic guitar instrumental
albums. Not only do their CD releases feature beguiling sonics but
they’re also superbly packaged and mastered and make for some
truly illuminating listening. Some of the other recent instrumental
acoustic guitar titles released in 2011-2012 on Candyrat are, Myriad—from
Australian guitarist Hunter Van Larkins, Blu—from
Sergio Altamura (produced by Will Ackerman), the self-titled
CD from solo acoustic guitarist Ewan Dobson III, Sound
Pictures—the fifth solo CD from Antoine Dufour,
...And The B.L.T.’s, the third Candyrat
CD from Craig D’Andrea, Urban Echoes Vol.1,
the first studio album from Gareth Pearson, All Time
High, the 2011 CD from session player / producer Jimmy
Wahlsteen and Entelechy the Candyrat debut
from Trevor Gordon Hall. These latest titles represent some
of the latest CD releases from Candyrat—clearly a label for acoustic
guitar mavens to keep an eye and ear on. www.candyrat.com
ECM
RECORDS - One of the more deep and meaningful ECM albums in the
past couple years is the 2011 CD release from Swiss piano virtuoso
Colin Vallon. The album, Rruga (paths or journey
in Albanian) features Vallon on concert grand piano backed up by his
trio band mates Patrice Moret (double bass) and Samuel Rohrer
(drums). Throughout the 11 cut CD, Vallon’s piano features
beautiful sustained notes and is quite mournful and somber at different
times. More concerned with cascading moods and ambiance as opposed
to virtuosic arpeggios, Colin Vallon achieves a rare musical chemistry
on Rruga. www.ColinVallon.com
HAMMOND
BEAT RECORDS - Based out in Oregon, the Hammond Beat label continues
on with some pretty amazing instrumental albums in the realm of keyboard
based, spy-fi type soundtrack music. An example of the label’s
devotion to truly 
unique
sounds can be heard on the 2011 CD release of Cobol from
Italian keyboard player Paolo Apollo Negri. Released at the
end of 2011, Cobol catches Paolo in rare form performing an
all original composite of instrumental music that sounds as influenced
by Booker T. & The MGs as it does by composers like Lalo Schiffrin
and, with some tracks adding in a solid funky, strut your stuff influence,
think Isaac Hayes too. With his swirling Hammond organ, grand piano
and ‘70s style moog / synth edges, Paolo is like a one man sonic
wrecking crew. With a large and colorful palate of sounds, a wide
range of players appear, including a trio of guitarists and many other
players helping make Cobol an impressive example of Euro flavored
spy/fi, instro surf jazz. www.HammondBeat.com
IDYLLIC
RECORDS - Back in the late ‘70s a group called Penguin Cafe
Orchestra, led by Simon Jeffes, created a uniquely entertaining and
mostly acoustic kind of modern chamber music. With their CD debut
of all instrumentals, another U.K. called Three Cane Whale mine
the same sort of musical genres as the Penguin Cafe Orchestra with
similarly successful results. Drawing on various folk based music
idioms as well as neoclassical minimalism, Three Cane Whale features
a splendid all around performance from group founders Alex Vann
(mandolin, music box), Pete Judge (trumpet, harmonium,
lyre) and Paul Bradley (acoustic guitars). www.idyllicrecords.co.uk
HATE LAUGH MUSIC - Brooklyn-based alto saxophonist and
composer Pete Robbins will make jazz fans very happy with his
latest sonic masterpiece, Live In Basel—performed
and recorded by The Pete Robbins Transatlantic Quartet.
Getting rave reviews from all the major jazz (print and online) publications,
the Live In Basel CD features an all original hot plate of
smokin’ instrumental jazz featuring Pete’s soaring sax backed
up by gifted players including Mikkel Ploug (guitars), Simon
Jermyn (bass) and drummer Kevin Brow. Captured in Switzerland
on the last date of a 2010 tour, Live In Basel is superbly
recorded (by Swiss radio) while CD mastering in Brooklyn, NYC adds
in the finishing touches on a truly adventurous album of innovative,
instrumental and mainstream global
jazz.
www.PeteRobbins.com
HOUSEHOLDER RECORDS - Featuring the guitar and compositions
of Michael Welch, NYC area instro rockers The Retroliners
strike instro-rock gold on their 2011 CD. Released on the Householder
Records label, At The Character Social Club walks a
tightrope between a number of musical genres—from West Coast
surf instro to a more soulful mix of Booker T. style Memphis hammond
organ / guitar twang. Recorded at The Pidgeon Club in Hoboken, the
CD is in essence a live recording although there’s no audience
present. Clearly, mix in a live crowd digging their music and it must
be amazing to watch the Retroliners blow the roof off with cuts from
this 15 track instro-rock masterpiece. The cover art is a bit drab
and gives little indication of the way-out rave ups inside the package.
Welch gets great support from his Retroliners group including one
time Paul McCartney drummer Steve Holley, who adds a
nice boogie bop beat into the mix. www.retroliners.com
LAZY BONES RECORDINGS - It’s probably because Bill
Bruford was such an all encompassing drummer, that Alan White never
got the credit for being the fantastic drummer he is. Providing the
big beat in YES since Bruford left to join King Crimson in late 1972,
Alan White comes alive as a drummer in his own right on the 2011 CD
release of Levin Torn White, released by the
Lazy Bones label. With Tony Levin keeping down the fort with
his legendary bass and stick sound and David Torn doing what
he does with electric guitar and “textural events”, it’s
up to Alan White to supply the mighty anchor of a beat and he does
just that on the 14 cut CD. Produced by Tony Levin and Scott Schorr,
Levin Torn White sometimes sounds like King Crimson and sometimes
sounds like YES circa Topographic Oceans. Either way the sound
of these players is pretty much unmistakable and overall, with it’s
all instrumental rock fusion approach, Levin Torn White yields
some mighty impressive sonic results. www.LazyBones.com
THE LEAF LABEL - Taking a cue from Bowie and Eno during
the Low, era, the instrumental electronic duo known as Roll
The Dice return with a modern masterpiece. Entitled In
Dust, the sound of the CD is haunting and very dark.
Consisting of the Stockholm based duo of Malcolm Pardon and
Peder Mannerfelt, the 11 cut all instrumental duo evokes the
sonic interplay of Tangerine Dream during their early days as well
as Swedish electronic music pioneers Anna Själv Tredje—another
‘70s era duo who morphed into post New Wave music pioneers Cosmic
Overdose. Roll The Disc are a kind of sonically cosmic overdose in
their own right. One spin leads to another as this album hangs together
fine in the ozone of your mind. www.TheLeafLabel.com
WOODVILLE RECORDS - Over in the U.K. jazz guitar ace Nigel
Price continues making inroads with his 2011 double CD set entitled
Heads & Tales. Heads as in the straight
ahead jazz term used for improvising upon a traditional popular track
by taking the same chord sequences and coming up with a completely
different song. Here on disc one are the alternates or “heads”,
including Price playing along with a tight band including organist
Pete Whitaker, drummer Matt Home, Snowboy on
conga and sax man Alex Garnett. Jazz players as adept
and knowledgeable as Price (think jazz fretboard giants from Django
and Wes Montgomery through to French prodigy Jean Pierre Llabador)
can do amazing things with traditional pop songs—in this case
so much so that the whole thing sounds quite “in the pocket”
(to quote another popular jazz idiom). With Price overdubbing himself
on acoustic guitars, Disc 2 in the double CD set feature the nine
originals standards—from the pens of George Gershwin, Cole Porter,
Charlie Parker and Frank Loesser—that inspired the “Heads”
part of these “Tales”. www.NigelPrice.biz
REISSUES & RETROSPECTIVES
ELEKTRA RECORDS - When it came out in 1971, L.A.
Woman became an instant rock album classic. In fact, that
entire late 1960's era of The Doors seems like just a dream
now. A good example of a band that had way too much talent in it,
The Doors eventually self-destructed with the death of Jim Morrison
but after making L.A. Woman, Jim went out with a bang.
Rhino’s 40th double CD set features the entire original album
inventively paired with an alternate version of the L.A. Woman
album that sounds as cool as the original album, with most tracks
one or two takes away from the official version. Topping the cake
is a newly found Doors track—featuring a raw, bluesy and gutsy
Morrison vocal called “She Smells So Nice” that, while not
a hit by any means, nevertheless starts rocking as the song gets going.
The double CD digi-pak design and packaging is okay while the booklet
features a new essay on the album from rock scribe David Fricke along
with all the album credits. www.TheDoors.com
SOFA
ENTERTAINMENT - Best known for their historic series of Ed
Sullivan Show DVD collections, SOFA Entertainment will make rock
music collectors happy with their 2011 double DVD release entitled
6 Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Rolling Stones.
Of course, after The Beatles, The Rollling Stones were the biggest
draw among the original British Invasion pop bands. It’s just
amazing that this 5+ hours, double DVD set features six complete Ed
Sullivan shows—including shows on October 25, 1964, May 2, 1965,
February 13, 1966, September 11, 1966, January 15, 1967 and November
23, 1969. Featuring amazingly clear black & white and color footage
of the Stones performing 17 of their greatest hits live on the Sullivan
show, which was broadcast live every Sunday night live from Manhattan
on CBS, the double DVD comes with a 24 page booklet, detailing the
Stones' appearances, as well as a 1966 replica ticket to the really,
really big Ed Sullivan shoe. Of course, containing the complete, original
TV shows, this isn’t only a Rolling Stones event. Yet, even with
the two DVD’s featuring additional performances from Dusty
Springfield, Petula Clark, Itzhak Perlman, The
Kim Sisters, Leslie Uggams, Totie Fields, Robert
Goulet, The Muppets, Alan King, Red Skelton,
Flip Wilson, Tom Jones, Rodney Dangerfield, Ella
Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Topo Gigio and more,
the spotlight and the central focus of the DVD package has got to
the raw energy and youthful exuberance the original Rolling Stones
brought to America way back during the heyday of the British Invasion.
www.EdSullivan.com
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