Dave Brubeck

     Upon hearing of Dave Brubeck's passing this December, I really felt a pang of musical emptiness envelope me.  Rather, it was a realization that a huge body of work would see nothing new, a massive amount of original jazz pieces would cease to be continued.  Granted, there will undoubtedly be many posthumous releases, as record companies rarely see an end to the possibilities (doesn't Elvis have a new album coming out in 2013?) and i will surely check out all those that are offered.  Having been a bit of a jazz-man in my early years, playing alto sax and other woodwinds in my youth, Brubeck's compositions were always a staple; especially the always distinguishable Take Five.  It is with a level of sadness that I write this month's review, but even more so it's an enjoyable trek down memory lane, prompting a bevy of emotions from a storied past.

    1:  Tis the season for a wonderful Christmas album that appeared in 1996, "A Dave Brubeck Christmas", a great collection of classic re-workings and even a couple originals.  Classic pieces like Jingle Bells which have been made much more bouncy than could have been thought with a piano plinking out the notes.  The tickled ivories give great flavor to all the songs here and along with the Vince Guaraldi "Charlie Brown Christmas" this is a must-have for fans of jazz, fans of history, fans of Christmas music and fans of all-around pure musical talent.

    2:  In 1972, the Dave Brubeck Quartet found itself adding an original member to a European tour, the altoist Paul Desmond, who was with Brubeck for 16 years, very early on.  This quintet, heard here, again, for the first time was really on.  Dead on.  The tightness of the band was impenetrable, riffing off each other, soloing with fervent gusto and just truly enjoying themselves.  Though Gerry Mulligan with his bari-sax is the woodwind in the group, he and Desmond play wonderfully together adding in that extra element of spice that jazz bands so often captured.  Desmond is also featured on a few tracks, but this whole record is a delightful masterpiece.

    3:  1959 saw the release of Brubeck's masterpiece, the timeless "Time Out" on which one of my all-time favorite jazz songs appeared: Take Five.  The year before this release, the Newport Jazz Festival took place on the shore in Rhode Island.  My father was there and he has since remarked how unbelievable the performance was.  I can only imagine!  The Brubeck Quartet out there, perhaps playing some of these tunes only a handful of times before, there, in front of thousands, pounding out these memorable tunes, amazing!  Without going into much detail I will say simply this: if you must buy one jazz record this year or this decade, make sure that this one is it.

Ryan Bingham - Tomorrowland

   His first album since the magnificent 2010 release, Junky Star,  and the first on his own label and also without his usual backing band, The Dead Horses, I was definitely very interested to put my ear to this.  The first song is a frolicking Americana tune whipping some strings into a frenzy, as his gravelly chords churn up the dust from the floor of a lonesome saloon.  A little angry in this first cut, perhaps socially as well as politically, he rips into each transition with fervor.  The second cut starts out and dances along at a more steady, melodic pace, urging one to sing along.  The amount of layering in this 6-minute cut drives it through the mountains and valleys and over the streams and scrubby wasteland, but you won't notice as you'll be inspired to shut your eyes and listen intently.

    Chunky guitars fraught with reverberation and twisted knobs open up the punk attitude-soaked Guess Who's Knocking, a song the Ramones could have easily sung.  I think my favorite song comes in at a funky rockabilly cut with lifting old-school country lyrics about loving a little honey while loving all the amazing great music found in these parts.  A jumping juke, this song really shows the versatility of this amazing showman and songwriter.  Bluesy guitars open up the next tune and a thumping drum and bass-line drive it along.  Wonderful tunes continue to spit out of my player, one after another.  Slowed-down acoustic pieces that explore a very talented songwriter who, maybe, really was finding himself on this record.  he seems to pull from other genres more-so than his more straightforward alt-rock country twists.  Strings, keyboards, blues riffs, rockabilly- it's all here and it's all great.  This young man will be around for a nice long time, living in a place of yesterday, today and Tomorrowland.

   

Easy Star All Stars - Thrillah

    Their first release, Dub Side of the Moon back in 2003 was hugely successful and was followed by the massive Radiodread a few years later.  In 2009 I thought for sure they had outdone themselves with the first of its’ kind that I had seen- a reggae-covered Beatles record; Lonely Hearts Dub Band.  Here we are, 3 years later and yet again I am just completely amazed at the talent that the core band has and the very talented additional group members they culled for this, their latest installment.  Covering Michael Jackson in any sense is a daunting task, but to try to mirror the best-selling album of all time from start to finish?  In a rub-a-dub reggae stylee?  Are they crazy?  Indeed.

    Right out of the cannon, the swirling horn section accompanied by the usual heavy riddim bass-driven beat will instantly capture you on the cut “Wanna’ be Startin’ Somethin’.”  I have to keep listening to the tremendously well done “Thriller”, repeatedly, due to the growling Spragga Benz’s channeling of Vincent Price.  So unbelievably cool that I would be willing to bet that Mr. Price, part of the afterlife after-party, stopped for a second and smiled a sinister sneer.  The song builds and builds just like the original version with fat crescendos, this time consisting of thumping bass, blaring keyboards and brassy horns giving the zombie-tune a Jamaican flair never before created.  Michael “Grammy” Rose (of Black Uhuru fame) offers his slick vocals and trademark scatting over the fierce “Beat it” and I know Michael would have been proud of Michael’s performance.  Luciano takes the beat to half of its’ original speed on “Billie Jean” making it sultry and soulful as only he can do.  And Michael Jackson’s voice is replicated very nicely on “P.Y.T.” and the groove just jumps along urging one’s footwear to festively frolic to & fro.

    The production value is always well done at Easy Star, the music never takes a back seat to the singing and nor does it happen the opposite of that.  It’s a really nice mix making it very pleasing to the aural cavities, the mind, the heart and the soul.  With a gaggle of wonderful singers & musicians jumping on board to assist the already amazing band, this record was most assuredly going to be a home run.  Just in time to reggae-cize your All Hallowed’s Eve with a version of “Thriller” your friends have never heard before.  Jacko would have been proud, maybe even thrilled.

Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas

 

 

Artist: Leonard Cohen

Album: Old Ideas

Label: Columbia

Release date: 31st January 2012

Rating: 4.5 / 5

 

    Speaking to himself in the first cut made me chuckle a bit; "I love to speak with Leonard/He's a sportsman and a shepherd/he's a lazy bastard/in a suit"  A frail cut with not much life beyond that lyric, stripped to the bone musically, however, haunting backing vocals make every second worth it.  Almost like Tom Waits on quaaludes, (my description for new listeners to Mr. Cohen), the second track burrows its way into my brain.  Accompanied by those same haunting voices, an archilaud, a violin and a cornet, his lyrics dance and turn into my brain- a slave to his tongue twisting. "Amen" is a great tune, really capturing his songwriting and arrangements.  At 78 years young and perhaps one of the greatest songwriters the past five decades have seen, he certainly doesn't disappoint.  His usual topics of love and loss and lust and rage and betrayal and depression are ever present.  With assistance from many talented musicians, these songs are just more and more fun with each listen.  This is a great album for those who have loved Leonard in the past and for new listeners looking for impeccably written songs.  A lot of people look for new artists, new styles and new things to emulate, copy or harness, but sometimes, all you need is a few fantastic old ideas.

   

Ruthie Foster - Let It Burn

Artist: Ruthie Foster

Album: Let It Burn

Label: Blue Corn

Release date: 31st January 2012

Rating: 3.5 / 5

    An anticipated release by this reviewer, I was hoping for more, but this album still is very far from disappointing.  The first cut opens with huge voices, pulling me in- the Blind Boys of Alabama with their signature sound underneath Ruthie's amazing voice and the killer pedal steel of Dave Easley.  The variables in this equation are far from formulaic and thus, a stellar blues record has been born.  I love the big Hammond B3 all over this record, seldom heard these days, but my ears enjoyed being enveloped by its warm, rich sound.  Ruthie's powerful voice is almost too much for the music at times, the accompanying musicians kick it up a notch to keep up.  She does multiple cover tunes on this, her 7th record, (plus a handful of originals), and she pulls parts from many of the different tributaries of the huge musical river.  On the Black Keys' "Everlasting Light" she adds her own take to the already phenomenal tune, slowing it down a tad, stripping away the grit and adding a feminine perspective.  Other covers from the likes of June Carter, Pete Seeger and David Crosby also get twists and turns added to them, almost completely making them her own.  (The sax on Seeger's "If I Had a Hammer" is simply delicious!)  A more contemporary blues record, filled with Gospel and slowed-down jams, Ruthie swings really hard and just about knocks it out of the park, but not quite.

Amy Winehouse - Lioness: Hidden Treasures

Artist: Amy Winehouse

Album: Lioness: Hidden treasures

Label:  Island

Release date: 5th December 2011

Rating: 4 / 5

    A waltzing rock-steady romp starts out this first of (presumably many) posthumous releases from the young songstress.  Heavy saxes and organ set the tone for what is a great compilation album of miscellaneous recordings.  The following track brings me back to a Motown-esque, sultry, seductress speaking of her trials and tribulations of love.  Her cover of Carole King's Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow is amazingly well done and maybe a prophetic question asked of her legions of fans.  The next cut features a duet with lingual rap master NAS and may have some fans shy away, but give it a chance!  The words that flow forth from his fast delivery are intelligent, playful and will grasp your attention fully.  Later it gets jazzified and soulful when Tony Bennett joins in for a sweet collaboration.  This record is great, though not as solid as her previous releases, seemingly pieced together quickly with a somewhat scattered feeling.  What a terrible loss, though, that we have witnessed- at least she left behind some amazing music.  The lioness!