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Tool - Lateralus
EMI Virgin 9210132CD Reviewed by DA
What happens if you take a portion of King Crimson, season lightly with Pink Floyd, Metallica, and Gentle Giant, and bake in a crust of American commercial awareness? Answer: Tool's latest CD, Lateralus. In fact Tool have gone on record to say that King Crimson are their raison D'etre, and it shows. What's surprising is that Tool have managed to maintain some of KC's wilfully leftfield tendencies whilst reaching out to the masses in their native country. Here in the UK they seem to be a well kept secret, which is not helped by HMV squirreling their CDs away in the Heavy Metal section of their shops. If this is Heavy Metal, and I seriously doubt it, then it's Metal at it's most intelligent and interesting. Tool don't go for short stabs of fury, instead they create fairly lengthy pieces containing light and shade, throwing in the odd hefty guitar slab where it is felt to be appropriate. 'Ticks and Leeches' is a percussion led maelstrom, whereas 'Schism' dances to an unusually deft bass guitar line, but it's the trio of tracks: 'Disposition', 'Reflection', and 'Triad' that really grab the attention on early plays, moving from delicate acoustic song through a Floyd informed sweeping landscape to the guitar progression of 'Triad'. Together these tracks take up around 20 minutes of the CD, and it simply flies by. Impressive!

The Flatlanders - Now Again
New West: NW6040 Reviewed by AH
The Flatlanders is in essence a Texas supergroup comprising Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch Hancock, three of the Lonestar States most famous singer/songwriters. All three are revered as solo artists but have been coming together as The Flatlanders since 1971. Recorded output has been sporadic, although their debut More A Legend Than A Band is generally considered a lost classic and was reissued on the Rounder Label in 1990. The last recording from the band was a featured song on The Horse Whisperer soundtrack called 'South Wind of Summer' which surfaces again here. Recorded on the New West Label, currently home to the excellent Stephen Bruton and a revitalized Delbert McClinton, Now Again bristles with 14 sparkling songs, all written by Ely, Hancock and Gilmore except for Utah Phillips 'Gain Away' (featuring some lovely Dobro playing from Ely) and Butch Hancock's 'Julia', a catchy little number with a memorable chorus. Personal favourites are 'You make it look easy', a stop/start country rocker with some solid drumming and a fine Dylanesque vocal from Hancock: the twangy, swinging 'Pay the Alligator' and the afore mentioned 'South Wind of Summer' which features a lovely mandolin, fiddle and dobro outro from Lloyd Maines, Paul Glasse and Gene Elders. Clean, crisp production courtesy of Joe Ely adds the finishing touches to a fine album.

The Acoustic Folk Box
Topic Records TSFCD4001 Reviewed by AH
There have been some fine attempts at covering the electric side of folk and folk rock, but no one has attempted a comprehensive history of the acoustic side of the genre. Until now that is. The Acoustic Folk Box is a massive four CD, 85 track trawl through the finest folk talent to come out of the British Isles in the last four decades. The discs tackle one decade each and there are gems to be found in abundance. Skiffle king Lonnie Donegan rubs shoulders with the likes of Julie Felix, Bert Jansch, world pioneers The Incredible String Band and the amazing Sandy Denny on one disc. Disc two and three are crammed with exquisite performances from a diverse array of talent, ranging from Pentangle and June Tabor to the Bothy Band, Kathryn Tickell and the left of centre troubadour Rory McLeod. Disc four features Emmy Lou Harris, Dolores Keane and Mary Black's superb rendition of Cyril Tawney's The Grey Funnel Line; a live version of 'Beeswing' from the hugely underrated Richard Thompson; Shooglenifty's folk /dance fusion track Venus in Tweeds' and excellent tracks from Kate Rusby (the brilliant 'The Cobblers Daughter) and Eliza Carthy ('10,000 Miles'). A 56 page, fully illustrated booklet accompanies this lovely box of treasures, a set guaranteed to give the listener hours of pleasure.

Stewboss - Sweet Lullabye
Flying Sparks TDBCD064 Reviewed by RP
Business as usual on this, the second album from prototypical roots rockers Stewboss. Which is a good thing, believe me, 'cos last years Wanted A girl was one of my records of the year. This time round, settled into the three-piece format they've also settled into their style, making for a more uniform and consistent offering, devoid of the quirkiness of tracks like 'Good Morning: But the quality of the song-writing is just as high, and the recording a step in the right direction. Not that it will ever be an audiophile darling. That would constitute a complete loss of credibility for a band this real and gritty! The subject matter here is familiar: love, loss and hard livin', but all with the inimitable Sarfaty twist, perhaps best summed up by the winsome 'The Midnight Shift: Then there's the sardonic 'I Hope You Miss Me' (tellingly sub-titled "What we really mean when we say we wish them all the best"). The whole album is full of those double meanings and the shifting views that make the Stewboss version such a fascinating and thought provoking one. It's impressive and insightful stuff for ones so young. Oh, and the music rocks too! What America does best.

Doves - the last broadcast
Heavenly HVNLP35CD Reviewed by MC
A lot of people have been saying this album marks a departure for Doves, that it is a step back towards their dance roots, that its outlook is more positive, that it's a step away from Mane-rock. Put simply, they're wrong. The last broadcast sits so easily beside their debut that they could well be one seamless recording. In fact, when pondering what to write here it was tempting to simply say "see issue 7: Lost Souls". I could go even further and say that you can match the albums song for song. But don't get me wrong, this is not a criticism: their first album was perfect, not a single thing out of place. To create perfection twice is such an achievement we should be shouting it from the rooftops. The formula is simple: solid simple rhythms, chiming guitars, sparse strings, soulful vocals and inspiring lyrics. Then you can't go wrong, so long as you add a handful of epoch defining tunes. To go on and say that the whole thing is skillfully produced (if a little claustrophobic) puts a tick in the final box. The Doves make instant classics. If this album is really as good as their last then no matter how highly I praise the last broadcast here, I will look back in a few months and regret I didn't go further.

The Cinematic Orchestra - Everyday
Ninja Tune ZEN CD59/ZEN 59 Reviewed by JK
The Cinematic Orchestra is a 'jazz' band lead by Jason Swinscoe, a man with more than the usual enthusiasm for the film soundtracks of the fifties and sixties. TCO's second album comes some three years after the first. Motion, and develops the themes of late night jazz clubs and rich, textural ambience that first surfaced back then. Everyday incorporates the singing talents of Fontella Bass who had a hit with Rescue Me in the sixties and has worked with jazz giants The Chicago Art Ensemble among others, and UK rapper Roots Manuva, a man whose style is the antithesis of the gangsta braggadacio of mainstream rap. Despite these significant talents this album's high points lie in Swinscoe's instrumental pieces where his samples and effects are combined with drums, keyboard or sax, bass and turntables to produce rich, vibrant grooves with tremendous depth and power. The use of harp, percussion and double bass adds colour and variety to the mix and do nothing to detract from the contemporary feel of the music despite its early influences. Nothing sounds exactly like TCO but if you like Kruder and Dorfmeister, Bugge Wesseltoft or groove ridden, modal jazz tinged texturally and sonically dynamic music then I'd urge you to investigate this immediately.

Ikara Colt - chat and business
Fpcd005 fantastic plastic 2002 Reviewed by RG
As garage bands move into the chart it clears out space in the underground for younger, harder, more subversive groups. Groups like Ikara Colt. They appeared a few months ago with their single "Rudd" which is the second song of the superb opening one-two on this blistering album, exploding with huge sledgehammer guitars, earth-shaking drums and synchronised shouting. Possibly the most surprising aspect of the album is that it works so well. For a band that rely so heavily on the personal charisma of their front man, and the sweaty energy and intensity of the band as a whole, a debut album often sounds tired and considered. Instead this sounds like it was recorded in one incredibly violent and energetic session. Chat and business is a remedy, a shot in the arm to counteract the sugary aftertaste of Pop Idol. They should be huge, if there was justice in this world they would be huge, but chat and business for all its energy, for all its confidence and talent is not easy listening. If you look like Pete Townsend there are pretty much only two directions you can take in life. Luckily Ikara Colt chose to be in a band.

Eleanor McEvoy - Yola
Blue Dandelion EMCD1 Reviewed by RG
Eleven tracks, virtually all penned by Ms McEvoy herself is impressive enough: When one of the few co-writing credits goes to Lloyd Cole then I start to sit up and take notice. Play a track or two and she's really got my attention. Sparse, effecting songs, beautifully recorded and sensitively sung like these don't come along too often. Once in a month of Sundays is nearer the mark. The open recordings and uncluttered arrangements, revolving for the most part around acoustic guitar and piano, push her voice well to the fore, which is exactly where it deserves to be. Caramel smooth with a rich, slightly throaty tone, it speaks straight to you, delivering the lyrics with an ease and grace that belies their power. For make no mistake, these songs might cover the familiar territory of love and loss, emotional pain and vulnerability, but Eleanor McEvoy is no victim. There's an edge of steel, a hidden threat wrapped in the themes and words which hints at the emotional balance in relationships, the costs behind your actions. Combined with hauntingly catchy melodies and a flawless sense of musical poise, the end result is at once powerful and beautiful. Not since early Janis Ian has a record navigated the emotional minefield with such surefooted steps, and that's praise indeed. Yola slips on like a favourite jumper. It should become a classic (if only because it's the first great new recording on SACD).

Buddy Miles - Blues Berries
Ruf Records - RUF1073 Reviewed by AH
Some Artists earn the right to play the blues Buddy Miles is one such artist. Born in 1945, at 12 years old young Buddy was playing Drums in his father's jazz combo. He went on to tour with Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett before linking up with Mike Bloomfield's psychedelic blues band The Electric Flag. Work on Jimi Henrix Electric Ladyland was Miles next project, laying down the backbeat for 'Rainy Day' and 'Still Raining: After that he formed his own band before Carlos Santana whisked him away for a four year stint as lead singer in his band. Miles played drums on Muddy Water's Father and Son album and guested on albums by Bowie, Bootsy Collins, Stevie Wonder and a host of others before things started to go wrong and he ended up in San Quentin prison. Buddy's life has since come full circle and he makes a welcome return with Blues Berries, an album full of tough, uncompromising, rockin' blues. He's surrounded himself with a great band featuring Stevie Ray's old rhythm section and guitar hotshot Rocky Athas, once voted one of Texas' ten best guitarists. Highlights are many, but 'Texas Cannonball' (a tribute to legendary guitarist Freddie King) and the menacing 'Down At The Crossroads' are particularly fine, featuring some blistering guitar work from Athas.

Ben Allison and Medicine Wheel - Riding the Nuclear Tiger
Hi-Res Music HRM 2007 Reviewed by JK
Hi-Res Music is a Los Angeles based audiophile label which specialises in re-issuing existing recordings on two channel DVD-Audio, except that the material is not all classic from the vaults stuff. There's some new flesh coming through as well. To see the full range visit www.hiresmusic.com but if you want to hear what American jazz musicians are playing now look out for Ben Allison and Medicine Wheel. This album was released in 2001 on Palmetto Records and features Allison on bass alongside six cohorts. Their style is superficially a new slant on classic fifties artists such as Monk, Mingus or Dolphy in their less frantic moments, although this has a lot of depth and variety. You occasionally hear hints of Zappa in his Grand Wazoo period and the Lounge Lizards when they were not exploring the periphery -there's very little dissonance here. While different in style I imagine that fans of EST and Bugge Wesseltoft would appreciate the rhythmic innovation and groove oriented sound of this disc as much as those seeking new angles on classic rifts. Having only heard the DVD-A it's hard to say whether it represents a major improvement over the CD given that Hi-Res only had a 48kHz/20-bit original to work with, but more resolution will certainly be available from a decent A player.

Hundred Reasons - Ideas Above Our Station
508148 2 Columbia 2002 Reviewed by MC
2002 is rapidly proving to be the best year for music for a long, long time. Brilliant releases every month since the year began have made the record shops shelves look less like a seven year olds bedroom and more like a serious collection. But with the release of Hundred Reasons' debut the Surrey five piece have upped the stakes. Ideas Above Our Station peddles a well known brand of guitar rock, with big choruses and even bigger hair. But Hundred Reasons, do it better than anyone else. Big drums and crunched guitars form the mainstay of the record, with distinctive vocals adding a touch of style. The production rarely strays from the formulaic, but in doing so pulls the album into a single cohesive whole. But what really stands out about this album is that, for a debut release from a band placed into the spotlight and told to prove themselves, it never gets caught in the trap of seeming too considered. When a song demands chaos, chaos is what they deliver. The surprises of the album come in its quieter moments when the band prove they don't have to rely on sheer force of sound. Subtle dynamics and inventive harmonies make those slower numbers brilliantly dramatic and serve to control the albums direction perfectly. British rock at its best

Jim Suhler - Bad Juju
Lucky Seven: 9208 Reviewed by AH
A native of Dallas, Texas, Jim Suhler burst onto the blues rock scene in 1993 with his debut album Radio Mojo, a disc that traded heavily on Suhler's explosive slide playing and reminiscent of George Thorogood in his prime (Suhler's biggest musical hero and influence). The follow up Shake, produced by Terry Manning, was more riff laden with an almost ZZ Top feel, but was no less powerful. Fast forward to 2001 and Suhlers latest offering Bad Ju Ju, by far his most diverse and satisfying album yet Weighing in at 61 minutes and containing 14 tracks, it's a beautifully balanced album, excellently recorded by legendary producer Jim Gaines. The band is essentially a three piece, but for such a small band they create a big sound, moving effortlessly from full on slide rockers ('Under The Gun' and 'Deja Blue') to Meters style funk ('Chupacabra') and swampy acoustic slide ('i.o.u.'). Suhler also whips up a slide-soaked storm on 'Restless Soul', a glowing tribute to legendary Irish blues rocker Rory Gallagher and creates a wicked bo diddley groove on 'Don't Believe A Word' (not the Lizzy track!) If you are a purist I suggest you keep well clear but if you like diversity to your blues then seek this little gem out.

Ike Turner - Here and Now
Ikon Records CBHCD2005 Reviewed by AH
Much has been written about the darker side of Ike Turner's personality - the abusive relationship with Tina, the drugs, the prison sentence, that it becomes very easy to forget what a huge influence he has had on popular music. Way back in 1951 he cut 'Rocket 88' with the band The Kings of Rhythm, a song that rose to the top of the R&B charts and is widely considered to be at the forefront of the Rock n' Roll explosion. Ike met Tina and they went on to record some of the most memorable and super charged R&B ever to come out of America. After a long absence Ike returns with Mere and Now, an album full of pulsating R&B that goes to prove he's lost none of the musical brilliance he displayed throughout his turbulent career. It' a terrific little record, showcasing Ike's considerable musical prowess on guitar, piano and drums. His guitar playing is particularly impressive, especially on the instrumental 'Ike's Theme', where he demonstrates his unique approach to The Whammy Bar. 'Baby's Got It' features some wild boogie woogie piano, as does the saucy instrumental 'I Need a Nuddin'. Also included is a blistering remake of 'Rocket 88', sounding as fresh and vital today as it did 52 years ago. Well worthy of investigation.

Jazz Music

Wynton Kelly - Kelly Blue
Riverside/ JVC XRCD - JVCXR- 0050-2 Reviewed by DD
Justly famous as one of the very best pianists around, Kelly has accompanied many of the finest names in jazz history. He replaced Bill Evans in Miles Davis' greatest group and perhaps most famously played on just one track -but what a track -'Freddy Freeloader' on Kind of Blue. Kelly is joined on this set by the Davis rhythm section: Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb. And if that doesn't seem like enough talent, Nat Adderley, Benny Golsen and Bobby Jaspar are on board for two of the eight tracks: 'Kelly Blue' and 'Keep it Moving'. These sextet numbers are fine, particularly the title track, but the real strength of the set is in the trios. Here on numbers like 'Softly as the Morning Sunrise' and 'Do Nothin' 'til You Hear From Me', the powerful interplay between the three incomparable musicians is most telling and enjoyable. Crisp clear recording with a nicely wide staging it is marred slightly (most obviously in the sextet numbers) by the extreme left/ right/ hole in the middle fate of some early stereo recordings (this was recorded in '59), but this in no way detracts from the great musicianship on display here.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186

Scottish Guitar Quartet - Near the Circle
Caber Music - Caber 023 Reviewed by DD
Having heard a couple of these guys playing at this year's Bristol Show, I was intrigued enough to grab the CD for review. The quartet comprises Ged Bockie, Nigel Clark, Malcolm MacFarlane and Kevin MacKenzie who'd played and performed together for a year and a half at the time of the CD's release. All compositions are the band's own and given that they don't fit easily into any obvious category, it's not easy to pin their style down. It's not classical and it ain't jazz, so where does it fit? The opening title number is a little like Wyndham Hill with gonads, which given that label's tendency to the insipid is refreshing in itself, whilst later tracks like 'Denial' verge much more onto straight jazz territory. 'Forget me Not' is an extended workout that takes in classical influences and even (gasp) a faint whiff of prog rock. I guess the best category to fit this recording is the catchall 'eclectic', and why not? Anything this well played that kicks against the sameness of so much stuff out there today and does it so well - beautifully played throughout and well recorded - gets my vote. Recommended.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
Speakers Corner / Impluse AS-77 Reviewed by DD
There is little disputing that this is one of Coltrane's finest albums and the first where his spirituality really came to the fore. A read of 'Trane's liner notes and poem are enough to tell you this. It consists of a 4-part suite: 'Acknowledgement', 'Resolution', 'Pursuance' and 'Psalm'. The first side builds from what has become one of the most familiar opening figures in jazz, through vocal chanting of the albums title, through to a tearing solo from 'Trane driven hard by fabulous percussion from Elvin Jones. The pace picks up immediately in the third part which opens with some great piano work from McCoy Tyner before the number takes off at even greater pace than 'resolution'. The whole thing is brought together in the final piece the very powerful ballad 'Psalm' which contains superb bass playing from Jimmy Garrison and some of Coltrane's most beautiful playing. At the close, Coltrane is briefly joined by another saxophonist (no one seems to know quite who but Archie Shepp is the front runner here), before restating the opening bars and closing the circle. This pressing is a vast improvement over the bog standard MCA CD I've been using 'til now, adding warmth and layers of subtlety to this essential recording.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186

Lisa Ekdahl / Peter Nordahl Trio - Back To Earth
RCA 74321 61463 2 Reviewed by RG
The head of an audiophile record label once asked me why I never reviewed the discs of their young jazz chanteuse singing standards. "Because I prefer to listen to Ella, Dinah and Sarah" I replied. "But you can't hear them live" he objected. "But we're talking about listening at home" I responded, and that just about sums up my views on the traditional jazz repertoire. I'd rather hear it in its original form than in modern imitation. Which is what makes Lisa Ekdahl such a delicious surprise. Her fragile looks are matched by an equally fragile voice, but one which she wields with absolute certainty. Superb accompaniment from the Peter Nordahl Trio, along with imaginative arrangements make for a compelling and decidedly different performance in which soloist and backing for once appear in perfect balance. The recording adds to the event with explosive small group dynamics when demanded, an intimate, slightly spot-lit voice and excellent acoustic bass. High points include the up-tempo 'Now Or Never' and 'I Get A Kick Out Of You' where the vocal manages to be both deadpan and staccato at the same time! But it's almost churlish to pick favourites from a disc which is consistently excellent, inventive and beautifully played.

John Etheridge - Chasing Shadows
DYAD Records 023 Reviewed by DD
My immediate impression within a few bars of the opening number was that here was another Reinhardt/Grapelli re-creation (Etheridge fronts a quartet comprising Chris Garrick on violin and viola, along with Malcolm Creese on bass and Dave Kelbie on rhythm guitar), but after the first few numbers things change. Sure the music's still perfectly amiable and carries a trace of the Hot Club about it throughout, it's just that with Grolnick's'Nothing Personal' the material gets a bit more challenging. And although the set includes a number of Hot Club favourites, the band have no compunction in stepping outside the box whenever they feel like it. Standout examples are their lovely, rolling take on 'Blue Moon', where the main melody is carried by Creese's bass, and perhaps the most unexpected choices; Coltrane's 'Giant Steps' and 'Moment's Notice' the latter demonstrating some particularly fine playing from Etheridge. Another gem that does real justice to a fine tune is Bernstein's lovely 'Some Other Time: A warm, natural recording - not a trace of top end emphasis, with real body to the instruments - perfectly sets of a very desirable disc. Staying firmly away from the muzak zone it's easy to share the enjoyment in hearing a bunch of virtuosi having a great time.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186

Eddie Henderson - Oasis
Sirocco Jazz SJL 1015 Reviewed by DD
Henderson grew up surrounded by the likes of Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan, and Dizzy Gillespie who were all frequent visitors to his parents house - his mother was a Cotton Club dancer and his father a singer for Bill Williams band. He went on to pursue a dual career in medicine and in music, first getting really turned on to jazz when Miles Davis visited his parents house. From the late '60's Henderson played with the likes of Joe Henderson and Philly Joe Jones, and later most notably with Herbie Hancock. He also recorded and performed with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers as well as cutting his own albums. He didn't finally give up his medical career until the late '80's. Since then Henderson has been a solid and prolific sideman supporting many great players as well as contributing some fine releases of his own including many for Steeplechase. This album is his fourth with Joe Locke (vibes), Kevin Hayes (piano) and Ed Howard (bass), and his second with Billy Drummond (drums). This experience tells in the easy confidence of the playing of this set which comprises a mix of the bands own compositions along with some modern classics like Hancock's 'Canteloupe Island' and my favourite, Lee Morgan's 'Melancholee'. Here the band really get into the laid back groove of this gentle, evocative number.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186

Various Artists - Both Sides of Midnight
Sirocco Jan SJL 1011 Reviewed by DD
Oh great, a jazz sampler I thought as this one was unpacked. Just what I need, another set of dinner party noodlings. But fate was smiling on me this day and I was spared. From the opening number 'Twilight' from Joe Locke's album Burning Beauty with it's powerful percussive drive and sheer energy, through to the closer, Craig Handy's 'It's Up To You', the collection delivers just what it says on the sleeve, "Great Grooves and Beautiful Ballads" with not a duff track in earshot. Standout ballads include 'Peri' from the Peterson/ Kikoski/ Cannon album Triangular 2 which features some lovely full-bodied bass work underpinning great piano from Peterson (I think; the sleeve notes are sparse!). Also the haunting 'Soldier in the Rain' from the New York Connexion album. The Latin flavoured 'Surrender' from Robin Eubanks is another strong contender in the mix of faster paced tracks, but for me this is beaten by 'Prince of Jade' from Kenny Drew, with cracking percussion work and deep, deep (feel them) bass lines. Great stuff throughout and a fine and generally very well recorded introduction to an interesting label - and at an absolutely bargain price.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186

Chris Anderson - From the Heart
naim - naimcd 035 Reviewed by DD
Recorded in '98 live to a two-track Nagra tape machine by Ken Christianson at Cami Hall, New York, this solo set couldn't be more aptly titled. Suffused with feeling, it is a gentle and contemplative stroll through a selection of standards by a master musician. Self-taught, Anderson has played with many greats over the years including Sonny Rollins, Max Roach and Dinah Washington. His experience tells and whilst at times there are echoes of Ellington, particularly in his feel for melody, Anderson is very much his own man with his own very individual style: Powerful, confident and yet constantly surprising and full of feeling. My favourite track is the lengthy (11m 26s) 'There's a Lull in my Life' which is perhaps the most contemplative and gentle of the set, but very affecting. Marred only by a faint touch of Jarrett like grunting that I could live without but many may find only adds to the realism, this is a fine CD. His one vocal track 'In Love, In Vain' is also a bit of an acquired taste - he's no Jimmy Scott in the elderly vocal stakes -but there's no denying the feeling.

Duke Ellington / Louis Armstrong - Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington
Classic Records/Roulette SR 52074 Reviewed by DD
I always keep a beady eye out for Roulette labels when scouring second hand record bins-they've always seemed to combine, whether in mono or stereo releases, an unforced naturalism and dynamic heft that sets them well apart from the masses, particularly in their Basle recordings. This Classic re-issue is no exception and the bonus of the Classic luxury treatment further gilds what was obviously a pretty near perfect lily in the first place. Two of the greatest names in the jazz firmament backed by a selection from Ellingtons band rattling through a selection of Ellington's choicest numbers including 'Duke's Place', 'Do Nothin' 'til You Hear From Me', and 'The Mooches. For me the album really comes alive when Armstrong eases on the vocals and picks up his trumpet, just listen to 'Mood Indigo' for a flavour of this. This is a fine, uplifting album, superbly recorded and pressed and guaranteed to bring a smile to all but the most churlish of faces. What are you waiting for?
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186

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