4 Joe Beck is a master of rich chordal voicings, intricate contrapuntal playing and melodic improvisation, as he so ably demonstrates here on solo guitar intros to “But Beautiful” and “Cry Me a River.” He receives sensitive support on those gorgeous ballads from bassist Santi Debriano and drummer Thierry Arpino, who also make for an empathetic rhythm tandem on “My Romance” and “(I Don’t Stand) a Ghost of a Chance With You,” as well as on Beck’s elegant waltz-time ballad “Dancing to San Xavier.” But from there, the guitarist veers off the straightahead path. Purists will no doubt cringe when he cranks up his harmonizer effect on the trio’s expansive version of “Alone Together” or its rambunctious take on “You and the Night and the Music.” Their contemporary groove-oriented arrangements of Trane’s “Impressions” and “Laura” may further alienate the straightahead contingent. Nevertheless, there is no denying that Beck is a great guitarist, and an open-minded one at that. true 21 2008-07-10T15:19:02-04:00 false 19482 111 200708 true 71 2007-07-01T00:00:00-04:00

Joe Beck is a master of rich chordal voicings, intricate contrapuntal playing and melodic improvisation, as he so ably demonstrates here on solo guitar intros to “But Beautiful” and “Cry Me a River.” He receives sensitive support on those gorgeous ballads from bassist Santi Debriano and drummer Thierry Arpino, who also make for an empathetic rhythm tandem on “My Romance” and “(I Don’t Stand) a Ghost of a Chance With You,” as well as on Beck’s elegant waltz-time ballad “Dancing to San Xavier.” But from there, the guitarist veers off the straightahead path. Purists will no doubt cringe when he cranks up his harmonizer effect on the trio’s expansive version of “Alone Together” or its rambunctious take on “You and the Night and the Music.” Their contemporary groove-oriented arrangements of Trane’s “Impressions” and “Laura” may further alienate the straightahead contingent. Nevertheless, there is no denying that Beck is a great guitarist, and an open-minded one at that.

2009-03-02T00:27:06-05:00

4 A bona fide fusion guitar hero from the ’70s, Steve Khan has more recently re-invented himself as a practitioner of fluent, warm-toned, bop-informed single-note lines and deft fingerstyle chordal work. He hinted at a new Latin influence on last year’s The Green Field, which also featured drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist John Patitucci and percussionist Manolo Badrena (a member of Khan’s under-recognized and cutting edge Eyewitness band from the ’80s). That same stellar rhythm section is back for this superb outing, which pushes further into Afro-Cuban territory with a hip 6/8 guaguanco version of Monk’s “I Mean You,” a rumba rendition of “Have You Met Miss Jones,” his soulful bolero “Face Value,” which features bright, lyrical flugelhorn playing by longstanding colleague Randy Brecker, and a cha-cha version of McCoy Tyner’s “Hymn Song.” Khan also investigates some intriguingly “out” realms, as on a faithful read of the obscure Ornette Coleman tune from 1960, “Mr. and Mrs. People,” and on his expansive “El Faquir,” a world-music amalgam which blends the colors of Badal Roy’s tablas and Geeta Roy’s tamboura with Ralph Irizarry’s timbales and Roberto Quintero’s guiro and maracas, along with Bob Mintzer’s bass clarinet. Elsewhere, the guitarist turns in a beautiful rendition of the ballad “You’re My Girl,” written by his famous father Sammy Cahn and songwriting partner Jule Styne. And the core quartet indulges in some heightened, no-holds-barred swinging on Tyner’s “Blues For Ball.” true 21 2008-07-10T15:29:36-04:00 false 19483 111 200708 true 71 2007-07-01T00:00:00-04:00

A bona fide fusion guitar hero from the ’70s, Steve Khan has more recently re-invented himself as a practitioner of fluent, warm-toned, bop-informed single-note lines and deft fingerstyle chordal work. He hinted at a new Latin influence on last year’s The Green Field, which also featured drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist John Patitucci and percussionist Manolo Badrena (a member of Khan’s under-recognized and cutting edge Eyewitness band from the ’80s). That same stellar rhythm section is back for this superb outing, which pushes further into Afro-Cuban territory with a hip 6/8 guaguanco version of Monk’s “I Mean You,” a rumba rendition of “Have You Met Miss Jones,” his soulful bolero “Face Value,” which features bright, lyrical flugelhorn playing by longstanding colleague Randy Brecker, and a cha-cha version of McCoy Tyner’s “Hymn Song.” Khan also investigates some intriguingly “out” realms, as on a faithful read of the obscure Ornette Coleman tune from 1960, “Mr. and Mrs. People,” and on his expansive “El Faquir,” a world-music amalgam which blends the colors of Badal Roy’s tablas and Geeta Roy’s tamboura with Ralph Irizarry’s timbales and Roberto Quintero’s guiro and maracas, along with Bob Mintzer’s bass clarinet. Elsewhere, the guitarist turns in a beautiful rendition of the ballad “You’re My Girl,” written by his famous father Sammy Cahn and songwriting partner Jule Styne. And the core quartet indulges in some heightened, no-holds-barred swinging on Tyner’s “Blues For Ball.”

2009-03-02T00:27:06-05:00

4 Peter Leitch goes out on a limb with this intimate solo outing that showcases his graceful integration of chording, bass lines and melodic improvisation with an unerring sense of swing, in the great tradition of Joe Pass. Along with several intriguing originals like his Monk-ish “Brilliant Blue” and “The Woman From Lower Manhattan” (both utilizing a two-guitar overdubbed effect) and his bluesy “H&L” (dedicated to his former duet partner, the late John Hicks), Leitch turns in elegant renditions of harmonically rich fare like Mal Waldron’s “Soul Eyes,” Harold Arlen’s “A Sleeping Bee” and Jerome Kern’s “Yesterdays.” Other highlights include a Billy Strayhorn medley and another clever mélange that effectively joins Mingus’ “Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love” with Ellington’s “Reflections.” Leitch takes great liberties with “Darn That Dream,” deftly reharmonizing that Jimmy Van Heusen nugget while extrapolating on the familiar theme, and he similarly reconfigures “I Hear a Rhapsody” with harmonic abstraction while simultaneously burning single-note lines and swinging his ass off, a la Pass. Leitch’s 16th recording as a leader is his most daring and revealing to date. true 21 2008-07-10T15:33:52-04:00 false 19484 111 200708 true 71 2007-07-01T00:00:00-04:00

Peter Leitch goes out on a limb with this intimate solo outing that showcases his graceful integration of chording, bass lines and melodic improvisation with an unerring sense of swing, in the great tradition of Joe Pass. Along with several intriguing originals like his Monk-ish “Brilliant Blue” and “The Woman From Lower Manhattan” (both utilizing a two-guitar overdubbed effect) and his bluesy “H&L” (dedicated to his former duet partner, the late John Hicks), Leitch turns in elegant renditions of harmonically rich fare like Mal Waldron’s “Soul Eyes,” Harold Arlen’s “A Sleeping Bee” and Jerome Kern’s “Yesterdays.” Other highlights include a Billy Strayhorn medley and another clever mélange that effectively joins Mingus’ “Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love” with Ellington’s “Reflections.” Leitch takes great liberties with “Darn That Dream,” deftly reharmonizing that Jimmy Van Heusen nugget while extrapolating on the familiar theme, and he similarly reconfigures “I Hear a Rhapsody” with harmonic abstraction while simultaneously burning single-note lines and swinging his ass off, a la Pass. Leitch’s 16th recording as a leader is his most daring and revealing to date.

2009-03-02T00:27:06-05:00

4 Amanda Monaco’s second outing as a leader is chock full of thoughtful, provocative compositions rendered with strong conviction and fueled by a sense of group discovery. The session is underscored by the agile, multi-directional drummer Jeff Davis and anchored by acoustic bassist Fraser Hollins. Principal composer Monaco is a cliché-free, inventive player who doesn’t neatly fit into any of the usual modes of contemporary jazz guitar playing (i.e., post-Metheny, post-Scofield, post-Frisell). Her deliberate yet delicate approach is more about drawing out the drama of her harmonically sophisticated pieces. No chops grandstanding here, though she is quite capable of creating a fretboard fracas, as on tenor saxophonist Jason Gillenwater’s free-boppish romp “Resolution Lift,” her own swinging “Deadlines Looming” or her frantic, dissonance-charged “Old Skool Flava.” But what registers beyond the notes is the heart conveyed in affecting pieces like the pensive title track, her moody Middle Eastern-flavored paean “Tel Aviv I Love Her” and her sweet ode to her 90-year-old grandfather, “My Man Stan.” true 21 2008-07-10T15:43:35-04:00 false 19485 111 200708 true 71 2007-07-01T00:00:00-04:00

Amanda Monaco’s second outing as a leader is chock full of thoughtful, provocative compositions rendered with strong conviction and fueled by a sense of group discovery. The session is underscored by the agile, multi-directional drummer Jeff Davis and anchored by acoustic bassist Fraser Hollins. Principal composer Monaco is a cliché-free, inventive player who doesn’t neatly fit into any of the usual modes of contemporary jazz guitar playing (i.e., post-Metheny, post-Scofield, post-Frisell). Her deliberate yet delicate approach is more about drawing out the drama of her harmonically sophisticated pieces. No chops grandstanding here, though she is quite capable of creating a fretboard fracas, as on tenor saxophonist Jason Gillenwater’s free-boppish romp “Resolution Lift,” her own swinging “Deadlines Looming” or her frantic, dissonance-charged “Old Skool Flava.” But what registers beyond the notes is the heart conveyed in affecting pieces like the pensive title track, her moody Middle Eastern-flavored paean “Tel Aviv I Love Her” and her sweet ode to her 90-year-old grandfather, “My Man Stan.”

2009-03-02T00:27:06-05:00

4 Mike Moreno’s appealing tone, cascading lines and inherent sense of lyricism mark him as one of the most outstanding new guitarists since Kurt Rosenwinkel. The talented Texan (a classmate of pianist Robert Glasper at the Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts) has been an in-demand sideman since moving to New York in 1997. On his debut as a leader, he surrounds himself with some gifted youngbloods in drummer Kendrick Scott, saxophonist Marcus Strickland, pianist Aaron Parks and bassist Doug Weiss. While he exhibits remarkably agile lines, picking effortlessly over the changes on harmonically intricate pieces like “Forward and Back” and “Uncertainty,” it’s the depth of his composerly vision that truly impresses here. Pieces like “Road Song,” “World of the Marionettes,” the swinging title track and the stirring piano-guitar duet “Still Here” have a beautiful architecture about them and show an uncommon maturity for one so young. true 21 2008-07-10T15:47:59-04:00 false 19486 111 200708 true 71 2007-07-01T00:00:00-04:00

Mike Moreno’s appealing tone, cascading lines and inherent sense of lyricism mark him as one of the most outstanding new guitarists since Kurt Rosenwinkel. The talented Texan (a classmate of pianist Robert Glasper at the Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts) has been an in-demand sideman since moving to New York in 1997. On his debut as a leader, he surrounds himself with some gifted youngbloods in drummer Kendrick Scott, saxophonist Marcus Strickland, pianist Aaron Parks and bassist Doug Weiss. While he exhibits remarkably agile lines, picking effortlessly over the changes on harmonically intricate pieces like “Forward and Back” and “Uncertainty,” it’s the depth of his composerly vision that truly impresses here. Pieces like “Road Song,” “World of the Marionettes,” the swinging title track and the stirring piano-guitar duet “Still Here” have a beautiful architecture about them and show an uncommon maturity for one so young.

2009-03-02T00:27:06-05:00

4 On his ambitious solo debut, guitarist-composer Miles Okazaki has conceived a heady, extended work comprised of three organic suites of strikingly original material that draws on Hindustani classical, South Indian Carnatic, Iranian and Cameroonian music, as well as the influences of J.S. Bach, Steve Coleman and John Coltrane. And while these mathematically precise, chamber-like compositions operate with a strict internal logic based on 12-tone rows, cycles and myriad complex subdivisions, there is still room for improvisation by a crew of killer soloists, including saxophonists Dave Binney, Miguel Zenón and Chris Potter and bass clarinetist Christof Knoche. Drummer Dan Weiss provides an authentic Indian touch with tabla on “Invention” while also swinging deftly on the kit on “Momentum.” Okazaki contributes several tasty acoustic guitar parts throughout, stomps on the wah-wah and distortion pedals on the urgently slamming funk of “Howl” and the turbulent grunge manifesto “Volcano,” then goes toe-to-toe with Potter on the freewheeling “Improvisation,” based on the changes to Trane’s “Countdown.” A longstanding accompanist to jazz diva Jane Monheit, Okazaki has clearly had more things bubbling inside his brain than chordal voicings for a whole book of jazz standards. true 21 2008-07-10T15:53:16-04:00 false 19487 111 200708 true 71 2007-07-01T00:00:00-04:00

On his ambitious solo debut, guitarist-composer Miles Okazaki has conceived a heady, extended work comprised of three organic suites of strikingly original material that draws on Hindustani classical, South Indian Carnatic, Iranian and Cameroonian music, as well as the influences of J.S. Bach, Steve Coleman and John Coltrane. And while these mathematically precise, chamber-like compositions operate with a strict internal logic based on 12-tone rows, cycles and myriad complex subdivisions, there is still room for improvisation by a crew of killer soloists, including saxophonists Dave Binney, Miguel Zenón and Chris Potter and bass clarinetist Christof Knoche. Drummer Dan Weiss provides an authentic Indian touch with tabla on “Invention” while also swinging deftly on the kit on “Momentum.” Okazaki contributes several tasty acoustic guitar parts throughout, stomps on the wah-wah and distortion pedals on the urgently slamming funk of “Howl” and the turbulent grunge manifesto “Volcano,” then goes toe-to-toe with Potter on the freewheeling “Improvisation,” based on the changes to Trane’s “Countdown.” A longstanding accompanist to jazz diva Jane Monheit, Okazaki has clearly had more things bubbling inside his brain than chordal voicings for a whole book of jazz standards.

2009-03-02T00:27:06-05:00

4 One of the great jazz guitar records of the ’80s was Swinging Sevens by the father-son team of Bucky and John Pizzarelli. That seven-string encounter, recorded long before John would become the vocal star he is today, was strictly instrumental and imbued with an irrepressible spirit of swing. Nearly 25 years later, father and son reprise their swinging chemistry on Generations, which has 81-year-old Bucky and 47-year-old John on more equal footing. Playing seven-string guitars (each equipped with a low B string), they cover a wide tonal range from low-end walking bass lines to high-end streams of single notes and richly voiced chords. Some obvious influences are addressed here: Django Reinhardt on the buoyant swing-era vehicle “Avalon,” Charlie Christian on “Rose Room.” Bucky conjures up a touch of Les Paul’s giddy phrasing with his playful slurs and slides on “At Sundown.” They also turn in gorgeous renditions of the ballads “Darn That Dream” and “Early Autumn” and a relaxed, bluesy interpretation of “How Long Has This Been Going On.” John salutes “lap piano” innovator George Van Eps with beautiful solo renditions of “I’ll Remember April” and “The Way You Look Tonight,” while Bucky pulls out his nylon-string acoustic guitar for two solo classical interludes. A good-natured, old-school swing summit between master and pupil. true 21 2008-07-10T16:01:27-04:00 false 19488 111 200708 true 71 2007-07-01T00:00:00-04:00

One of the great jazz guitar records of the ’80s was Swinging Sevens by the father-son team of Bucky and John Pizzarelli. That seven-string encounter, recorded long before John would become the vocal star he is today, was strictly instrumental and imbued with an irrepressible spirit of swing. Nearly 25 years later, father and son reprise their swinging chemistry on Generations, which has 81-year-old Bucky and 47-year-old John on more equal footing. Playing seven-string guitars (each equipped with a low B string), they cover a wide tonal range from low-end walking bass lines to high-end streams of single notes and richly voiced chords. Some obvious influences are addressed here: Django Reinhardt on the buoyant swing-era vehicle “Avalon,” Charlie Christian on “Rose Room.” Bucky conjures up a touch of Les Paul’s giddy phrasing with his playful slurs and slides on “At Sundown.” They also turn in gorgeous renditions of the ballads “Darn That Dream” and “Early Autumn” and a relaxed, bluesy interpretation of “How Long Has This Been Going On.” John salutes “lap piano” innovator George Van Eps with beautiful solo renditions of “I’ll Remember April” and “The Way You Look Tonight,” while Bucky pulls out his nylon-string acoustic guitar for two solo classical interludes. A good-natured, old-school swing summit between master and pupil.

2009-03-02T00:27:06-05:00

4 Jimmy Ponder is a soul-jazz stalwart who occasionally crosses over into the straight-ahead side. His bluesiness is deep-seated and his Wes-inspired approach of playing octaves with his thumb lends a different kind of pop on this outstanding session, where he is accompanied by a talented crew of fellow musicians from his hometown of Pittsburgh, augmented by respected New York drummer Greg Bandy. Together they exude a hip sense of loose interaction on Woody Shaw’s modal masterpiece “Moontrane,” on a burning rendition of the Miles Davis-Victor Feldman vehicle “Seven Steps to Heaven” and on Bill Lee’s buoyantly swinging “Who Will Be the One” (from the film She’s Gotta Have It by his son Spike Lee). Ponder’s inherent blues sense comes to the fore on his opener “Kickin’ Da Bobo” and on a relaxed rendition of Pharoah Sanders’ “The Creator Has a Master Plan,” while his other compositional contribution here, the introspective ballad “Somebody’s Child,” highlights his gentle, lyrical side. And for something completely different, he joins with producer Douglas Malone (on a Brazilian-made nylon acoustic guitar called a violao) for a lovely, samba-fied duet on “There Will Never Be Another You.” true 21 2008-07-10T16:12:10-04:00 false 19489 111 200708 true 71 2007-07-01T00:00:00-04:00

Jimmy Ponder is a soul-jazz stalwart who occasionally crosses over into the straight-ahead side. His bluesiness is deep-seated and his Wes-inspired approach of playing octaves with his thumb lends a different kind of pop on this outstanding session, where he is accompanied by a talented crew of fellow musicians from his hometown of Pittsburgh, augmented by respected New York drummer Greg Bandy. Together they exude a hip sense of loose interaction on Woody Shaw’s modal masterpiece “Moontrane,” on a burning rendition of the Miles Davis-Victor Feldman vehicle “Seven Steps to Heaven” and on Bill Lee’s buoyantly swinging “Who Will Be the One” (from the film She’s Gotta Have It by his son Spike Lee). Ponder’s inherent blues sense comes to the fore on his opener “Kickin’ Da Bobo” and on a relaxed rendition of Pharoah Sanders’ “The Creator Has a Master Plan,” while his other compositional contribution here, the introspective ballad “Somebody’s Child,” highlights his gentle, lyrical side. And for something completely different, he joins with producer Douglas Malone (on a Brazilian-made nylon acoustic guitar called a violao) for a lovely, samba-fied duet on “There Will Never Be Another You.”

2009-03-02T00:27:06-05:00

4 The Slovanian guitarist gathers a cast of all-stars from New York’s alternative jazz scene—alto saxophonist Dave Binney, trombonist Josh Roseman, bassist Mark Helias and drummer Gerald Cleaver—for this potent and wide-ranging studio session cut in one day in December 2004. Samo Salamon shows adeptness at clever, contrapuntal writing on “The Bee and the Knee,” which has him exchanging edgy lines with trombonist Roseman. His gentle lyricism comes to the fore on the ballads “The Last Goodbye” and “Her Name,” then he reveals his rockier side on the turbulent “Eat the Monster,” highlighted by some intense exchanges between Roseman and Binney. “It Rains When it Falls” is jointly inspired by African music and Steve Coleman’s meta-rhythmic experiments, while the raucous, odd-metered closer “Up and Down” finds the guitarist teetering perilously close to Sonny Sharrock-style atonality. Not for everyone, but adventurous listeners will be intrigued by their collective daring. true 21 2008-07-10T16:16:24-04:00 false 19490 111 200708 true 71 2007-07-01T00:00:00-04:00

The Slovanian guitarist gathers a cast of all-stars from New York’s alternative jazz scene—alto saxophonist Dave Binney, trombonist Josh Roseman, bassist Mark Helias and drummer Gerald Cleaver—for this potent and wide-ranging studio session cut in one day in December 2004. Samo Salamon shows adeptness at clever, contrapuntal writing on “The Bee and the Knee,” which has him exchanging edgy lines with trombonist Roseman. His gentle lyricism comes to the fore on the ballads “The Last Goodbye” and “Her Name,” then he reveals his rockier side on the turbulent “Eat the Monster,” highlighted by some intense exchanges between Roseman and Binney. “It Rains When it Falls” is jointly inspired by African music and Steve Coleman’s meta-rhythmic experiments, while the raucous, odd-metered closer “Up and Down” finds the guitarist teetering perilously close to Sonny Sharrock-style atonality. Not for everyone, but adventurous listeners will be intrigued by their collective daring.

2009-03-02T00:27:06-05:00

4 The Slovanian guitarist gathers a cast of all-stars from New York’s alternative jazz scene—alto saxophonist Dave Binney, trombonist Josh Roseman, bassist Mark Helias and drummer Gerald Cleaver—for this potent and wide-ranging studio session cut in one day in December 2004. Samo Salamon shows adeptness at clever, contrapuntal writing on “The Bee and the Knee,” which has him exchanging edgy lines with trombonist Roseman. His gentle lyricism comes to the fore on the ballads “The Last Goodbye” and “Her Name,” then he reveals his rockier side on the turbulent “Eat the Monster,” highlighted by some intense exchanges between Roseman and Binney. “It Rains When it Falls” is jointly inspired by African music and Steve Coleman’s meta-rhythmic experiments, while the raucous, odd-metered closer “Up and Down” finds the guitarist teetering perilously close to Sonny Sharrock-style atonality. Not for everyone, but adventurous listeners will be intrigued by their collective daring. true 21 2008-07-14T16:07:50-04:00 false 19594 111 200708 true 71 2007-07-01T00:00:00-04:00

The Slovanian guitarist gathers a cast of all-stars from New York’s alternative jazz scene—alto saxophonist Dave Binney, trombonist Josh Roseman, bassist Mark Helias and drummer Gerald Cleaver—for this potent and wide-ranging studio session cut in one day in December 2004. Samo Salamon shows adeptness at clever, contrapuntal writing on “The Bee and the Knee,” which has him exchanging edgy lines with trombonist Roseman. His gentle lyricism comes to the fore on the ballads “The Last Goodbye” and “Her Name,” then he reveals his rockier side on the turbulent “Eat the Monster,” highlighted by some intense exchanges between Roseman and Binney. “It Rains When it Falls” is jointly inspired by African music and Steve Coleman’s meta-rhythmic experiments, while the raucous, odd-metered closer “Up and Down” finds the guitarist teetering perilously close to Sonny Sharrock-style atonality. Not for everyone, but adventurous listeners will be intrigued by their collective daring.

2009-03-02T00:27:10-05:00

4 Frank Vignola brings his considerable chops to bear on a set of Gershwin classics, accompanied by spirited brushmeister Joe Ascione (his drumming partner in the Frank & Joe Show), bassist Tom Kennedy and rhythm guitarist Corey Christiansen. A fluid player with great rhythmic drive, Vignola’s cleanly picked lines, swinging forward momentum, audacious filigrees and fretboard pyrotechnics are clearly coming out of the Django Reinhardt school. He shows remarkable command and a fertile imagination on bouncy, effervescent fare like “I Got Rhythm,” “S’Wonderful,” “Strike Up the Band” and “Fascinating Rhythm,” along with particularly Django-esque renditions of “Lady Be Good” and “Summertime.” For a change of pace, the group turns in a playful cha-cha arrangement of “Somebody Loves Me” and a samba-fied “But Not For Me,” both underscored by Ascione playing with hands on the kit instead of sticks or brushes. Vignola displays soulful restraint and deep feeling on ballads “The Man I Love,” bookended by the masterful solo guitar choruses, “Our Love Is Here To Stay” and “Embraceable You.” Good vibes and dazzling six-string work permeate this enjoyable session. true 21 2008-07-14T16:12:16-04:00 false 19595 111 200708 true 71 2007-07-01T00:00:00-04:00

Frank Vignola brings his considerable chops to bear on a set of Gershwin classics, accompanied by spirited brushmeister Joe Ascione (his drumming partner in the Frank & Joe Show), bassist Tom Kennedy and rhythm guitarist Corey Christiansen. A fluid player with great rhythmic drive, Vignola’s cleanly picked lines, swinging forward momentum, audacious filigrees and fretboard pyrotechnics are clearly coming out of the Django Reinhardt school. He shows remarkable command and a fertile imagination on bouncy, effervescent fare like “I Got Rhythm,” “S’Wonderful,” “Strike Up the Band” and “Fascinating Rhythm,” along with particularly Django-esque renditions of “Lady Be Good” and “Summertime.” For a change of pace, the group turns in a playful cha-cha arrangement of “Somebody Loves Me” and a samba-fied “But Not For Me,” both underscored by Ascione playing with hands on the kit instead of sticks or brushes. Vignola displays soulful restraint and deep feeling on ballads “The Man I Love,” bookended by the masterful solo guitar choruses, “Our Love Is Here To Stay” and “Embraceable You.” Good vibes and dazzling six-string work permeate this enjoyable session.

2009-03-02T00:27:10-05:00

4 Alameda, Calif., fingerstyle jazz guitarist Terrence Brewer launched his own independent record label with two separate self-produced CDs, each with a different rhythm section. A naturally gifted player with a beautiful, warm tone and a melodic penchant, his playing is eminently pleasing, if a tad too mellow and deliberate for fans of unadulterated burn. On Volume One he is joined by pianist Ben Stolorow, acoustic bassist Ravi Abcarian and drummer Micah McClain on 10 tunes that range from smooth, inoffensive offerings like “True to Form” and the delicate waltz-time number “All the King’s Horses” to the Latin-tinged romps “Murray’s Law” and “The Hands of Man” to more urgent numbers like “Ray of Hope” and the up-tempo swinger “Dedication.” Volume Two is an organ quartet date with drummer Derrek Phillips (formerly of Charlie Hunter’s trio), Hammond B3 player Wil Blades and tenor saxophonist Eric Drake. But like Volume One, there’s a certain mellowness and sheen cast over the proceedings (with the exception of the up-tempo burner “Sunrise Sunset”) that will appeal more to contempo fans than old-school jazz guitar aficionados. true 21 2008-06-24T19:02:50-04:00 false 18968 109 200705 true 71 2007-05-01T00:00:00-04:00

Alameda, Calif., fingerstyle jazz guitarist Terrence Brewer launched his own independent record label with two separate self-produced CDs, each with a different rhythm section. A naturally gifted player with a beautiful, warm tone and a melodic penchant, his playing is eminently pleasing, if a tad too mellow and deliberate for fans of unadulterated burn. On Volume One he is joined by pianist Ben Stolorow, acoustic bassist Ravi Abcarian and drummer Micah McClain on 10 tunes that range from smooth, inoffensive offerings like “True to Form” and the delicate waltz-time number “All the King’s Horses” to the Latin-tinged romps “Murray’s Law” and “The Hands of Man” to more urgent numbers like “Ray of Hope” and the up-tempo swinger “Dedication.” Volume Two is an organ quartet date with drummer Derrek Phillips (formerly of Charlie Hunter’s trio), Hammond B3 player Wil Blades and tenor saxophonist Eric Drake. But like Volume One, there’s a certain mellowness and sheen cast over the proceedings (with the exception of the up-tempo burner “Sunrise Sunset”) that will appeal more to contempo fans than old-school jazz guitar aficionados.

2009-03-02T00:26:46-05:00

4 For the past few years, postbop guitarist Giglio has been presiding over a regular Friday night series of duets at 107 West restaurant on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Aside from fellow guitarists like Jack Wilkins, Paul Bollenback and Vic Juris, his duet partners have also included violinist Rob Thomas and bassist Ron McClure. For this telepathic string-trio session, Giglio joins with both Thomas and McClure and the results are strictly swinging and first-rate. Thomas, a brilliant improviser who is also a member of the String Trio of New York and the thunderous Mahavishnu Project, summons up sprightly Joe Venuti-esque charm on the opener, Giglio’s “107WEST.” Elsewhere, the violinist acquits himself with elegance and grace on the enduring standards “My Romance” and “The Nearness of You,” both of which feature Giglio’s affecting vocals, and he traverses the tricky heads of Charlie Parker’s (or is it Miles Davis’) “Donna Lee” and Lennie Tristano’s “317 E. 32nd“ with relative ease in unison with Joe’s guitar. McClure, the savvy jazz vet with a list of sideman credentials going back to the early ’60s, provides unerring time and surging momentum throughout and gets off an impressive extended bass solo on Giglio’s swinging “Another Fall, Another Spring.” That tune also stands as a good vehicle for the guitarist’s accomplished chordal melody soloing style and bop-fueled single-note lines. Great playing by all the participants and a rare chemistry make this a highly recommended disc. true 21 2008-06-24T19:05:04-04:00 false 18969 109 200705 true 71 2007-05-01T00:00:00-04:00

For the past few years, postbop guitarist Giglio has been presiding over a regular Friday night series of duets at 107 West restaurant on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Aside from fellow guitarists like Jack Wilkins, Paul Bollenback and Vic Juris, his duet partners have also included violinist Rob Thomas and bassist Ron McClure. For this telepathic string-trio session, Giglio joins with both Thomas and McClure and the results are strictly swinging and first-rate. Thomas, a brilliant improviser who is also a member of the String Trio of New York and the thunderous Mahavishnu Project, summons up sprightly Joe Venuti-esque charm on the opener, Giglio’s “107WEST.” Elsewhere, the violinist acquits himself with elegance and grace on the enduring standards “My Romance” and “The Nearness of You,” both of which feature Giglio’s affecting vocals, and he traverses the tricky heads of Charlie Parker’s (or is it Miles Davis’) “Donna Lee” and Lennie Tristano’s “317 E. 32nd“ with relative ease in unison with Joe’s guitar. McClure, the savvy jazz vet with a list of sideman credentials going back to the early ’60s, provides unerring time and surging momentum throughout and gets off an impressive extended bass solo on Giglio’s swinging “Another Fall, Another Spring.” That tune also stands as a good vehicle for the guitarist’s accomplished chordal melody soloing style and bop-fueled single-note lines. Great playing by all the participants and a rare chemistry make this a highly recommended disc.

2009-03-02T00:26:46-05:00

4 On this superb outing, seven-string jazz guitarist Steve Herberman exhibits a vast harmonic palette involving uncommon stretches on the fretboard along with a real capacity to burn on fluent single note lines. Alternating between a deft fingerstyle approach on rich chordal melodies, a technique that allows for more contrapuntal voicings, and using a pick on accelerated single note runs, Herberman gets the best of both worlds on his instrument. Hearing his sheer command of the instrument on pieces like the burning bop-fueled “Cos’ Groove,” the darkly introspective “Negev Journey” and jaunty swingers like “Be Nimble” and “Sphericity” immediately puts one in mind of such jazz guitar masters as Joe Pass, Joe Diorio, Lenny Breau and Gene Bertoncini. His nuanced touch, excellent tone, tasteful, even phrasing and fresh writing style, particularly on delicate ballads like “Halcyon Air” and “Nearly Time,” the challenging intervallic vehicle “Snap!” or the angular boogaloo “Worry Not,” further elevates Herberman far above the pack of other talented Berklee grads now looking to find their place in the jazz world. The D.C.-based Herberman also excised good judgment in recruiting New Yorkers Drew Gress and Mark Ferber for his rhythm section on his project. Gress, a stalwart on New York’s downtown scene, is one reliable groovemeister and one of the most creative improvisers around. His tone is huge and his time feel on swingers like the up-tempo “Cos’ Groove” and mid-tempo numbers like “Shoutin’ Down” and “Sphericity” is solid and unerring. And his melodic solos on the bossa-flavored “Halcyon Air” and on “Nearly Time” contain rare beauty. Though highly regarded inside the alternative jazz circles, the largely underrated Ferber shows uncommon empathy throughout this session, along a relaxed, rhythmically assured sense of swing, as he aptly demonstrates on “Shoutin’ Down,” which features some hip exchanges between guitarist and drummer. Herberman’s follow-up to 2001’s Thought Lines is definitely worth checking out for fans of advanced jazz guitar. true 21 2008-06-24T19:07:19-04:00 false 18970 109 200705 true 71 2007-05-01T00:00:00-04:00

On this superb outing, seven-string jazz guitarist Steve Herberman exhibits a vast harmonic palette involving uncommon stretches on the fretboard along with a real capacity to burn on fluent single note lines. Alternating between a deft fingerstyle approach on rich chordal melodies, a technique that allows for more contrapuntal voicings, and using a pick on accelerated single note runs, Herberman gets the best of both worlds on his instrument. Hearing his sheer command of the instrument on pieces like the burning bop-fueled “Cos’ Groove,” the darkly introspective “Negev Journey” and jaunty swingers like “Be Nimble” and “Sphericity” immediately puts one in mind of such jazz guitar masters as Joe Pass, Joe Diorio, Lenny Breau and Gene Bertoncini. His nuanced touch, excellent tone, tasteful, even phrasing and fresh writing style, particularly on delicate ballads like “Halcyon Air” and “Nearly Time,” the challenging intervallic vehicle “Snap!” or the angular boogaloo “Worry Not,” further elevates Herberman far above the pack of other talented Berklee grads now looking to find their place in the jazz world. The D.C.-based Herberman also excised good judgment in recruiting New Yorkers Drew Gress and Mark Ferber for his rhythm section on his project. Gress, a stalwart on New York’s downtown scene, is one reliable groovemeister and one of the most creative improvisers around. His tone is huge and his time feel on swingers like the up-tempo “Cos’ Groove” and mid-tempo numbers like “Shoutin’ Down” and “Sphericity” is solid and unerring. And his melodic solos on the bossa-flavored “Halcyon Air” and on “Nearly Time” contain...

2009-03-02T00:26:46-05:00

4 Milwaukee guitarist Jack Grassel may be the best-kept secret in the jazz guitar community (although aspiring players may know him from an instructional column he contributed to Guitar Player magazine for many years). An astounding technician with remarkable fluency and speed on single note lines and an incredibly advanced harmonic vocabulary that is on par with the likes chordal geniuses like Ted Greene and Lenny Breau, Grassel has continued to fly under the radar while quietly putting out the occasional guitaristic gem from his home base in Brewtown. It’s About the Music is essentially a showcase for vocalist Jill Jensen that features Grassel, who studied with the likes of George Van Eps, Tal Farlow and Billy Bauer, in a mixed bag of small group settings with a core group and such special guests as Paul Wertico on drums, Howard Levy on harmonica, principal string players from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and a male choir from Georgia (formerly of the U.S.S.R., not the Deep South). While Grassel doesn’t exactly indulge in the kind of awesome fretboard grandstanding that has marked some of his previous solo and duet outings, melding his six-string prowess into the fabric of these vocal offerings with appropriate restraint, he does shine on his originals “After Orwell” (with the Male Choir of Zion Patriarchal Cathedral) and the up-tempo swinger “Gee Flat Blues.” Elsewhere, vocalist Jensen swings convincingly on a big band arrangement of the Bobby Darin classic “Beyond the Sea,” purrs seductively on Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” which is underscored by an earthy and inspired harmonica solo by the multi-instrumental Levy, and strikes a poignant note on a lush “Come In From the Rain.” She also delivers the bossa-nova-flavored “Song For Your Mother,” a humorous autobiographical ditty about Grassel’s early musical development, with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Grassell offers a clever twist here by combining Jobim’s “Girl From Ipanema” with Michael Franks’ “Lady Wants to Know.” And an added treat is a vocal rendition of Horace Silver’s melancholy “Lonely Woman” (with lyrics by Leonard Feather) that features Jensen accompanied only by string quintet. For sheer, unadulterated six-string burn, check out Grassel’s unaccompanied 2001 outing Guitar Smoke (available at jackgrassel.com). Meanwhile, It’s About the Music offers a taste of what this guitarist extraordinaire can do. true 21 2008-06-24T19:08:57-04:00 false 18971 109 200705 true 71 2007-05-01T00:00:00-04:00

Milwaukee guitarist Jack Grassel may be the best-kept secret in the jazz guitar community (although aspiring players may know him from an instructional column he contributed to Guitar Player magazine for many years). An astounding technician with remarkable fluency and speed on single note lines and an incredibly advanced harmonic vocabulary that is on par with the likes chordal geniuses like Ted Greene and Lenny Breau, Grassel has continued to fly under the radar while quietly putting out the occasional guitaristic gem from his home base in Brewtown. It’s About the Music is essentially a showcase for vocalist Jill Jensen that features Grassel, who studied with the likes of George Van Eps, Tal Farlow and Billy Bauer, in a mixed bag of small group settings with a core group and such special guests as Paul Wertico on drums, Howard Levy on harmonica, principal string players from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and a male choir from Georgia (formerly of the U.S.S.R., not the Deep South). While Grassel doesn’t exactly indulge in the kind of awesome fretboard grandstanding that has marked some of his previous solo and duet outings, melding his six-string prowess into the fabric of these vocal offerings with appropriate restraint, he does shine on his originals “After Orwell” (with the Male Choir of Zion Patriarchal Cathedral) and the up-tempo swinger “Gee Flat Blues.” Elsewhere, vocalist Jensen swings convincingly on a big band arrangement of the Bobby Darin classic “Beyond the Sea,” purrs seductively on Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” which is underscored by an earthy...

2009-03-02T00:26:46-05:00

4 The veteran West Coast guitarist exhibits a warm, inviting tone, remarkably fluid technique and sure-footed sense of swing on this effortlessly swinging session with bassist Harvey Newmark, drummer Jack Le Compte and the late, great pianist Ross Tompkins (pianist Marty Harris appears on two tracks). MacDonald displays some sophisticated chordal voicings and nimble single-note lines on a beautifully relaxed rendition of “Once in a While” and plays with rare finesse on the beautiful ballad “A Handful of Stars.” He burns a blue streak on up-tempo numbers like “Symphony” and “Idaho,” then demonstrates a real adeptness at unaccompanied solo guitar on the title track, an alluring Luis Bonfa samba. MacDonald’s nonchalant sense of swinging at easy mid tempos, as on “Baubles, Bangles and Beads” or “Sweet and Lovely,” is one of his strengths. And he plays with Jim Hall-like delicacy and empathy on a lovely, intimate duet with pianist Tompkins on “These Foolish Things Remind Me of You.” Nice touch by turning “Picnic,” the haunting theme from the steamy William Holden-Kim Novak film from 1955, into a buoyant bossa nova. And he caps it off with just a touch of grease by covering Jimmy Smith’s “Back at the Chicken Shack.” Although this is his ninth release as a leader, MacDonald remains largely unrecognized outside of the Los Angeles area. Fans of straight ahead swinging jazz guitar in the tradition of Joe Pass, Herb Ellis and Barney Kessel should pay attention to this guy. true 21 2008-06-24T19:17:09-04:00 false 18972 109 200705 true 71 2007-05-01T00:00:00-04:00

The veteran West Coast guitarist exhibits a warm, inviting tone, remarkably fluid technique and sure-footed sense of swing on this effortlessly swinging session with bassist Harvey Newmark, drummer Jack Le Compte and the late, great pianist Ross Tompkins (pianist Marty Harris appears on two tracks). MacDonald displays some sophisticated chordal voicings and nimble single-note lines on a beautifully relaxed rendition of “Once in a While” and plays with rare finesse on the beautiful ballad “A Handful of Stars.” He burns a blue streak on up-tempo numbers like “Symphony” and “Idaho,” then demonstrates a real adeptness at unaccompanied solo guitar on the title track, an alluring Luis Bonfa samba. MacDonald’s nonchalant sense of swinging at easy mid tempos, as on “Baubles, Bangles and Beads” or “Sweet and Lovely,” is one of his strengths. And he plays with Jim Hall-like delicacy and empathy on a lovely, intimate duet with pianist Tompkins on “These Foolish Things Remind Me of You.” Nice touch by turning “Picnic,” the haunting theme from the steamy William Holden-Kim Novak film from 1955, into a buoyant bossa nova. And he caps it off with just a touch of grease by covering Jimmy Smith’s “Back at the Chicken Shack.” Although this is his ninth release as a leader, MacDonald remains largely unrecognized outside of the Los Angeles area. Fans of straight ahead swinging jazz guitar in the tradition of Joe Pass, Herb Ellis and Barney Kessel should pay attention to this guy.

2009-03-02T00:26:46-05:00