Whether you like rap, rock, classical or country, you’ll find your favorite music at the Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy, MA.
Posted in Jazz on Jun 1st, 2010
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“…One of the best (and certainly most underrated) live records in her discography. All of Fitzgerald’s hallmarks (technical wizardry, breakneck scatting, irrepressible humor and warmth) are on full display, with a small but expressive quartet backing her performance, including pianist Lou Levy, guitarist Herb Ellis, drummer Gus Johnson, and bassist Wilfred Middlebrooks.” –All [...]
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“From the sound of her music, Smith spent her years growing up in Canada listening to some combination of old Joni Mitchell albums and old 78s from the ’20s; occasionally, she may have tried applying a hip-hopper’s scratch technique to those records.” –All Music
Posted in Jazz on May 28th, 2010
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“Yesterday You Said Tomorrow is more than a collection of tunes; it’s a statement. It’s impossible…not to notice the tonal similarities to Miles’ work of the late ’60s in Scott’s trumpet playing, and the pacing and feisty overall attitude of several tracks is reminiscent of the more contemplative music of that time.” –All [...]
Posted in Jazz on May 27th, 2010
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“An homage to one of the longest-running musical institutions in the country and the important place it holds in keeping New Orleans jazz alive…as well as one heck of a great listen. Standout numbers come from artists like Chicago indie stalwart Andrew Bird, who delivers a loose and rambling version of “Shake It [...]
Posted in Jazz on May 15th, 2010
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“Tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm and keyboardist Bruce Katz pay instrumental tribute to the rhythm & blues tunes of pop icon Aretha Franklin in a manner that is removed from stock arrangements or rote interpretations. What is at hand makes this group stand alone as a unit dedicated to this music of their youth, [...]
Posted in Avant-Garde Jazz, Jazz on May 10th, 2010
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Recorded live at Vision XIII, June 2008, New York City.
“A consistently adventurous trumpeter who has stuck to playing avant-garde jazz throughout his career, Leo Smith’s dry, introverted style (which makes extensive use of space) is a strong contrast to the more jubilant flights of Lester Bowie.”–All Music Guide
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“A fine, high-powered tenor saxophonist with a tone influenced by John Coltrane, a mastery of chord changes, and a strong musical imagination, Jerry Bergonzi has long had an underground following in the Boston area.”–All Music Guide
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“Cullum anchors himself within melodic soft rock, providing a base for incorporating both his jazz and persistent electronica infatuations.”–All Music Guide
Posted in Jazz, Performed at the Crane, Vocal Pop on Apr 8th, 2010
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Join vocalist Lisa Yves with pianist Richard Rancatore and friends for a live concert of jazz standards from the 1930s. Songs include “On the Sunny Side of the Street”, “Anything Goes”, “A Fine Romance/Nice Work If You Can Get It”, “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)”, and more. [...]
Posted in Jazz on Apr 7th, 2010
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“Gretchen Parlato is a rising star in vocal jazz circles…Her singing is pure sterling silver, accented with just a hint of ethnic shadings and a big helping of modern style.”–All Music Guide
Posted in Jazz on Apr 7th, 2010
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“Vijay Iyer has mad skills…There’s no other single player who sounds even remotely like him, few who can match his inventive and whimsical sense of play or seriousness, and absolutely nobody who presents the stunning, highly intelligent music he dishes out. He’s also maturing at a rapid rate, while at the height of [...]
Posted in Jazz on Apr 2nd, 2010
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“This is Darius Jones’ first recording as a leader, and a very fine one it is. He comes through as a skilled composer, a hugely soulful saxophonist, and an assured leader. Man’ish Boy offers a superb listening experience that runs the gamut of human emotions, from the simple one-minute opener “Roosevelt” — a [...]
Posted in Jazz, Latin Jazz, Vocal Pop, World Music on Apr 2nd, 2010
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“The pairing of Afro-Majorcan vocalist Concha Buika and Afro-Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés has apparently been a long time coming. But they are here together on this lovely recording, featuring songs from a wide variety of composers, in a handful of duets, or with the Valdés’ band backing them…Clearly a chemistry exists here, beautifully [...]
Posted in Jazz, World Music on Apr 1st, 2010
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“Mwaliko is an excellent step forward for Loueke, who is quickly proving to be an innovative force in 21st century jazz.”–All Music Guide
Posted in Jazz on Mar 22nd, 2010
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“Joe Zawinul’s final edition of his Zawinul Syndicate band was a terrific ensemble that was perfect for any jazz festival…This live double-CD set perfectly exemplifies Zawinul’s personalized direction before he suddenly passed away, and exudes all of the energy the group produced in concert.”–All Music Guide
Posted in Jazz on Feb 23rd, 2010
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“The 50th Anniversary Edition of the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s bona fide classic, Time Out, was issued in May of 2009 by Sony Legacy…Its place in jazz history has been solidified by its being the first platinum-selling jazz album. For the real fan, it’s the bonus discs that warrant the attention here. First there’s [...]
Posted in Jazz, Movies, Soundtracks on Feb 23rd, 2010
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“The plot line of studious teenager Jenny, compelled to discover the larger picture of life through worldly suitor Peter circa 1961, only gets the ball rolling for the music in the soundtrack of the film An Education. Director Lone Scherfig and screenplay author Nick Hornby decided to base the backing music on jazz [...]
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“[Benson] is, after all, perhaps the greatest jazz guitarist of all time, as well as a soulfully groovy R&B and pop master. In truth, it’s time for his entire audience to realize he’ll probably never focus on just one aspect of his art any more, but this recording comes as close as [...]
Posted in Jazz, Latin Jazz, World Music on Jan 29th, 2010
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“It’s a serene, completely agreeable hour…. Chucho has a bit of an edge with speed, power and dexterity, but here and there, especially when they deftly switch roles of ostinato and soloing, it can become hard to guess who’s who. Bebo is an elegant musician, but also one who won’t be outdone; when [...]
Posted in Jazz on Jan 29th, 2010
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“This is yet another of the many triumphant recordings Tyner has given to the world, and though always challenging for any solo artist, he easily pulls it off with nary a hitch, much spirit, and a ton of soul.”–All Music Guide