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Pop
and Contemporary Music
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Beverley
Craven - Mixed Emotions
EPIC/SONY 494150-2 Reviewed
by RP
Nice eyes. Nice smile. Nice voice. Nice sentiments? Bev Craven's Mixed
Emotions are relentlessly nice! But do 1 care about the individuals who
populate all those terribly nice songs? 1 really think, not. They have
at their core an uncomfortable grain of selfishness which is, to my mind,
little more than suburban carping heard around Hampstead dinner party
tables. Take the career girl who is "poor dear" so dreadfully haunted
by a steady countdown of her biological clock. Well, love, welcome to
emancipation. You've made your choices. Stop the envious glances and,
for goodness sake, deal with it and move on. Then there are those songs
devoted to a mythical generation of women who seem unable to function
outside of a relationship. Surely they don't exist?'] Miss You', 'Afraid
of letting go' and 'Come to Me', possess these moments of unredeemable
banality. Give me pithy issues that matter - Cervical Cancer, drugs, or
even that old stalwart: a descent i nto prostitution - I'll empathise.
But please, please, please just cut out all that shallow, middle-class,
flannel. So why review it? People actually play this at shows, and 1 keep
getting asked for audiophile versions! Go figure.
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Tracy
Chapman - Telling Stories
ELEKTRA 7559-62478-2 Reviewed
by RP
Endless airplay of the eponymously titled debut LP eventually caused a
degree a listener fatigue which dramatically contributed to a spiralling
free-fall in popularity almost the equal of that meteoric rise in fortunes
following Chapman's appearance at Wembley for the satellite-linked Nelson
Mandela 70th Birthday Concert of 1988. It's now five years since the last
record, New Beginnings, her fourth, and for many this self imposed career
intermission could have continued indefinitely. An unkind aside, but one
not without substance. The pedestrian, coolly considered, folky-pop rhythms,
minus that tiresomely exaggerated "whoop" that characterised her delivery
in many of those early songs, are still present and correct, but gone
is that restless search for another flashy hit single to rival 'Fast Car'
or 'Talkin' Bout A Revolution'. Instead, this is a belt'n'braces album,
content to relay its themes of love, (spiritual and corporeal), through
eleven devotional tales in tracks like 'Unsung Psalm', 'Wedding Song'
and 'The Only One'. Reunited in this joint venture with the producer of
her first album, David Kershenbaum, Telling Stories is far from sedentary
as arrangements, mixes and Duane Baron's awesome sonics enliven the doleful
queen of guitar-playing singer-songwriters. An antidote to early over
exposure, if you feel up to it.
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Kirsty
MacColl - Tropical Brainstorm
V2-WRI009872 Reviewed
by RP
Fashionably late to the Latin party? Kirsty MacColl's unlikely voice,
dry sense of irony and intelligent lyrics contrast (sometimes uncomfortably)
with a deluge of hot-tempered rhythms found in Tropical Brainstorm. It's
an album title that might, just like her marvellously penned Electric
Landlady, stimulate a few remaining grey cells left after another heavy
night down the local Salsa bar. Easing into the idiom 'Mambo De La Luna'
and 'in These Shoes?' gently raises the spectre of feminism with colloquial
choruses and a Cuban beat that are, in their own way, as resonant as her
stirring 1984 single, 'A New England'. The high-heels of 'In These Shoes?'
is a wonderful image and metaphor for Western European foot binding that
a quick-witted MacColl, coolly and amusingly, turns in upon itself through
a strong message of sexual determination. Hard edged and humorous, she
tackles "ladism" and old-fashioned infidelity on 'England 2 Columbia 0',
while an ever topical 'Here Comes That Man Again', dispels that cosy Tom
Hanks/Meg Ryan" e-mail myth. "And through the cyberspace / watch the rapture
on his face / Yes while his girl is sleeping / His sexuality's peaking".
Full of these disparaging innuendoes, it continues with "He says it's
something he needs / He can't stop spilling his seeds" which is sure to
crack a few smiles.
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Paul
Mounsey - Nahoo3: Notes from the Republic
Iona Records IRCD 068 Reviewed
by RG
Ambient blues from an expatriate Sect living in Brazil; somebody's having
a laugh! Paul Mounsey, the exile in question, is actually a successful
composer for film and advertising with more than a few writing credits
for major pop hits in Latin America. Nahoo is his own project, personal
output from someone who spends most of his time writing for other people,
and this is the third album. Combining blues based rock, ambient electronic
programming, Brazilian percussion and the melodies of Scotland and South
America, you're unlikely to have heard anything quite like this before.
Beautifully put together, as you'd expect, this is music of evolving patterns,
rather like the soundscapes of Jocelyn Puck, but drawing on a wider and
more vivid palette of sounds and influences. Over it all, he lays the
familiar, repeating, shifting themes of his Celtic roots. This can be
a bit of a culture shock at first; shades of Kenneth McKellar tripping
on E. But the simple evolutionary patterns that define the repetitive
strands of Scottish and Irish pipe music fit the trance mode like a glove,
while guitar and myriad percussion provide the necessary texture and relief.
I still can't decide whether I'm fascinated by the music or the structural
symmetry, but I keep playing it so it must be doing something right.
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Shawn
Colvin - Fat City
COLUMBIA 467961-2 Reviewed
by RP
Once the New York drug culture and alcoholism were put firmly behind her,
Shawn Colvin's song writing blossomed. Critical acclaim for Steady On
culminated in the 1989 Grammy awarded for best folk album and, perhaps
unsurprisingly at thirty three, and with success coming this late in her
career, she aimed for a "banker` on the follow up release, Fat City. Recorded
under the auspices of Joni Mitchell's husband, Larry Klein, it strikes
a far more sophisticated pose, not least through a notable array of talented
guests - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Bruce Hornsby, Bela Fleck are all featured
- Joni, too, even lends a percussive hand in 'Object Of My Affection'.
Great, profile raising publicity for Colvin who, by the inclusion of several
crossover songs like 'Tennessee' and 'Round of Blues', showed that she
had the versatility to quicken the tempo in persuasive light rock numbers
as well. Over produced? Possibly, in that Klein (a great advocate for
the female voice) instrumentally supports Colvin to such startlingly good
effect that it's easy to forget there's a rootsy folksinger's message
about family, childhood, desire and suicide buried beneath electric, slide,
pedal, acoustic and bass riffs. But in the end, like everything else she's
done, this is "must have" music.
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Terry
Hall - Home
ANXIOUS RECORDS 4509-97269-2 Reviewed
by RP
Spearheading 2-Tone's political activities. Adopting that wry sense of
social observation and irony with the Fun Boy Three. Through Colour Field
days to a born-again romanticism as a solo artist: Terry Hall's languid
delivery and smart lyrics have always entertained. Home, released in 1994,
was intelligent Eighties pop crafted for the Nineties. Ten love songs
co-written with Nick Heywood, lan Broudie (Lightning Seeds), Andy Partridge
(XTC), and, Craig Gannon (Colour Field/Smiths) reach out and twist deeply
their double-edged blades through the immediacy of lines like "Uncertain,
coy and hard to please / she kisses me through gritted teeth" (FOREVER
J). Or, with a jarringly impersonal image of a lover: "it's got a name
/ but I prefer to call it nameless / it comes and goes / and leaves me
on a bed of splinters" (SENSE). Yet, often, you are intimately drawn amongst
these scenes by the very simplicity of an acoustic guitar intro, or Hall's
dead-pan voice, to be held there by a double embrace - an imaginative
marriage of words and sweet female backing harmonies, the Hall/Gannon
collaboration, 'No No No', with its platitudes and hesitancy, being a
real highlight.
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Tiny
Island - Tiny Island
Opus 3 CD 19804 Reviewed
by SG
Tiny Island were formed in 1989, but were only known to me by the name
"Needed Time" which they took for their 1993 recording, with Eric Bibb.
This is an album that is difficult to pigeonhole. On the whole it is acoustic
world music or folk, but there is so much more, with a hint of the blues
or even music reminiscent of the 17th century composer, Kapsberger. The
group composed all ten instrumental tracks, bar one, and play, among others,
guitars, mandolin, bouzouki, accordion, and double bass. Relaxing, yet
certainly not boring, the performance always keeps your mind focused on
the music. The production is exemplary. The players seem to appear in
front of you, spaced within the natural acoustic of the stone church where
the recording was made. Tonally it is right, and the CD does not sound
harsh or etched. As with the all recent Opus 3 releases the HDCD process
is utilised, adding extra resolution to the sound, even on my non-HDCD
player. One of the outstanding sounding discs I have heard. When first
hearing this album, the opening track, Le Valse Petit, a solo effort by
Goran Wennerbrandt on Weissenborn Hawaiian guitar, almost moved me to
tears with its beauty. Perhaps this album should be classified under soul.
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Eels
- Daisies of the Galaxy
450-258-2 Reviewed
by JH
The Eels, an interesting band who have now produced their third and probably
best album to date. The second album, Electro-Shock Blues, was very hard
to get into. This wasn't due to second album syndrome but the lead singer/songwriter's
understandable desolation at his sister' suicide and his mothers death.
This series of events was such a strong influence that the second album
was often unfathomably bleak and dark, despite the obvious genius which
can flow from great upset. I hope the album proved to be cathartic. This
album is a return to the sort of material which so impressed me from the
debut, Beautiful Freak, tunes and melody to die for, great depth and understanding
in song construction, and clever, well observed, emotional lyrics. Often
minimalist, where complexity and synthesizers are added it is for the
good of the song. The Eels will never be a great commercial success. They
are, frankly, far too good for that! Their songs still deal with the odd
side of life and are wistful, observant and frequently display large slabs
of tongue in cheek irony, while counter-pointing cheerful tunes with very
powerful lyrics. Along with the first album this is a must buy.
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Bap
Kennedy - Lonely Street
BMG/LSD712 Reviewed
by RG
When an album attributes its inspiration to Hank Williams and Elvis Presley
then you know that either the artist who produced it is deeply pretentious,
or you're onto a good thing. In the case of Bap Kennedy it is well and
truly the latter. Best known for his earlier output with the sadly defunct
Energy Orchard, now older and far more thoughtful, he ploughs an impressive
furrow in this , his third solo outing. Mr Kennedy lists some pretty high
profile fans amongst his following (Steve Earle and Nanci Griffiths to
name but two) and that's reflected by the quality of the musicians he's
gathered around him here, especially Herbie Flowers on Double bass and
Tuba!! The band is tight, and it needs to be, because this is some weird
hybrid of country and early rock and roll as only the Irish can. It's
a strange amalgam of upbeat tempi and downbeat lyrics, gentle melody and
languid playing. The compositions are so loose that if the playing wasn't
so good the whole thing could collapse into a shambolic heap. Instead
it flies, alternating hope and poignance as the songs rush helter skelter,
or glide, perfectly paced, to their conclusions. Great voice, great songs,
great playing and a pretty darn good recording. Recommended? At least
once daily until I can get the other albums.
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Brendon
Perry - Eye of the Hunter
4AD cad9015 Reviewed
by JH
Dead can dance mixed medieval, Indian, African and eastern musical influences
with modern western song construction, producing a sound that evolved
from album to album. This led to a large number of very enjoyable and
very different albums. So what has this got to do with Brendon Perry?
Well he was the one, that with Lisa Gerrard, wrote all of these fine albums.
So is this solo effort any good? Simply put, the answer is yes, and it
is also obvious who it is. Brendon Perry has one of those voices you can
always spot a mile off; sonorous, with great depth and capable of delivering
loads of emotion without any fuss. On several tracks he sounds not dissimilar
to Leonard Cohen, albeit a bit more expansive, but keeping that melancholy
delivery and pace. The music behind this voice is strongly orchestral,
not necessarily in terms of instruments but in construction, and not a
little gothic. Never less than large scale, which is just what is needed
to back this voice, with sweeping tunes and a certain majesty creating
a rich and darkly layered tapestry of sound, even with the simplest of
tracks. This album is a great success and delivers whenever I play it,
sweeping me away with the music, magical.
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Yes
- The Ladder
Reviewed
by DA
For this album Bruce Fairborn, the producer, told the gang 'make the best
Yes album you can' and to be fair they've had a pretty good stab. In doing
so I can hear distinct echoes of Tormato, especially in tracks such as
'Homeworld' and the excellent 'Face to Face'. Now Tormato may not be The
Yes Album or Fragile, but it marks the end of their most productive period,
and is pretty good, all things considered. 'If Only You Knew is one of
those lighter-aloft ballads that could have been produced by any of the
big-haired bands from the USA, whereas 'To Be Alive (Hep Yadda)' has some
really nice Relayer style guitar from Mr. Howe. All in all there's some
excellent moments to be found here but, and here's the rub, although Fairborn
wanted the band to produce their best album, he seems singularly incapable
of sensitive production. Take 'Lightening Strikes', a track that starts
with a distinct Latin American feel. Once the drums come in, the blunderbuss
production batters the listener into submission. What should have been
light and frothy instead becomes relentless, losing all subtlety in the
process. Throughout the album it's difficult to separate all the musical
strands which I suspect are hiding in the morass. Frankly, with another
producer The Ladder could have been so much more. Despite all this criticism
I still quite liked it, but definitely not an essential purchase.
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Camel
- Rajaz
Camel Productions Reviewed
by DA
In days of yore, Camel albums would appear on the market with full record
company backing. Nowadays their independently produced albums sort of
slide unheralded into the few shops that decide to stock them. Camel main
man Andy Latimer seems happy to produce what he wants, when he wants,
and sod the rest. The Camel trademark consists of soaring guitar sustain
laid over a joyous rhythm, but the last couple of albums have been pastoral
in extremis, with little to set the pulse racing. Despite some beautiful
moments, it wasn't exactly what the fans were looking for. Maybe Andy
has been listening to his audience, I don't know, but Rajaz is exactly
what I want to hear from Camel: lots of liquid guitar, a full rhythm section
on every track, and a general sense that the band are happy doing what
they do. The opening instrumental 'Three Wishes' sets the scene, jogging
along to an uneven beat with some synth sounds that I haven't heard since
the seventies. Rajaz celebrates the music written by poets to help the
weary traveller cross vast deserts, and lopes along like a fully laden
camel. Further Arabian visions are to be found throughout, and the whole
musical landscape drawn out by the band is huge and open, smooth and undulating,
like the namechecked 'Sahara'. More like this please Mr. Latimer.
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Violent
Femmes - Freak Magnet
cook cd 187 Reviewed
by JH
What a cracking album this is! An American band who have produced a few
LP's, this is the first I have heard, but I am definitely going to check
out their back catalogue. Punk influenced, they are lyrically very strong,
humorous and sometimes a little disturbing, observant and cynical. Perfect!
With a guitar driven sound which can switch with alarming speed from a
dreamy, almost background effect on one track, to a full on hard driving
sound with loads of pace and attack on the next, this is perhaps not the
best album to play in the car! But overall, the pace of the delivery,
fast or slow, seems to unerringly suit each song. Always full of good
melody, with the odd acoustic section adding variety, one track sounds
almost oriental in places. Most of the songs are less than 3 minutes long
and this helps to keep all that energy in place. You will never get bored
listening to this album, and each playing draws you deeper. The recording
is OK with little arsing about, just loads of energy and excitement. So
if you are after a good wake up call this could be just the thing.
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Catfish
Keith - "Twist it Babe!"
Fish Tail Records FTRCD005 Reviewed
by SG
Catfish Keith is one of those performers who come along once in a while,
grab your attention, and never let go. I cannot really say why I love
his strange mixture of delta slide guitar, hill country blues, Hawaiian
rhythms, and scat jazz, but I do. So does everybody else I know who has
come across Catfish's music. This is his fifth and most accessible recording
to date. Catfish does his own arrangements. He plays guitar, stamps his
feet, and sings an infectious mix of growls and falsettos. On a few tracks
Marty Christensen accompanies him on stand-up bass. The Catfish guitar
style is outstanding, with every noise made by the instrument a pre-planned
and rehearsed sound. He stretches and plucks at the strings to such an
extent that, when performing live his instrument quite often requires
re-tuning after each song. The recording is very good. Being simply recorded,
this CD has a very natural sound, vivid and detailed enough without sounding
harsh. Exactly the kind of demanding and rewarding disc that should be
played at hi-fi shows, but which so many manufacturers steer clear of.
A great place to start listening to Catfish's zany blend of the blues.
Give it a try. I did, and I am still tapping my foot.
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The
Bible - Dodo
havencd 11 Reviewed
by JH
The Bible produced a couple of albums in the eighties which were well
received but failed to become a great success. They split, and then reformed
to produce this album in 1994. Only recently released, it hasn't really
aged, but then it harks back further. Purveyors of good rock music are
two-a-penny, so what do The Bible bring to the party? Well not a lot that
is terribly new it has to be said. In fact at times you can almost play
guess the band here with shades of U2 and REM, although Lloyd Cole would
be the most similar performer in both lyrical sentiment and vocal sound,
which is no bad thing in my opinion. This album contains 10 well crafted,
enjoyable songs which use the usual suspects instrument wise: guitars,
acoustic and electric, drums and some synth input create songs that are
tuneful and simple with plenty of melody. They have been produced rather
than just recorded. The songs are very clean and structured, but at the
same time they can lack a little in excitement: a live sound this isn't.
Unfortunately like the name of the album The Bible are now extinct, but
this album isn't a fossil, and is well worth a look.
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Joni
Mitchell - Both sides now
Reprise 9362 47620 2 Reviewed
by DD
Whilst Mitchell's work has increasingly taken a strong jazz tinge, this
is only her second attempt at an all out jazz album, the first being the
enjoyable but slightly patchy 'Mingus' recorded back in '79. This time
she's got it dead right. Her voice has matured beautifully, it's much
more husky (a couple of decades of fags perhaps?) than her earlier album,
but much more expressive and much more capable of doing justice to the
standards she tackles. Joined by a stellar band including Wayne Shorter
and Herbie Hancock, along with full orchestral accompaniment, it's a lush
ride from start to finish. Along with the standards she throws in new
interpretations of two of her own numbers, the title track and 'A Case
of You: Current favourite track is 'At Last' which opens with a particularly
silky orchestral theme, which is then backed by the simplest of piano
triplets accompanying particularly heartfelt vocals. 'A Case of You' bears
the faintest trace of its folk origins, but is lifted by delicate soprano
fills from Shorter. The recording quality is outstanding, weighty and
expansive, better still on an HDCD equipped player. Whilst I wouldn't
pretend to rank Mitchell with the jazz gnats (she's no Holiday, Simone
or Fitzgerald), her enjoyment and passion come across clearly, making
this one of her very best albums.
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Jazz
Music
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The
Shirley Horn Trio - Violets For Your Furs
Steeplechase SCS-1164 Reviewed
by DD
Recorded back in '81 at the Northsea Jazz Festival in Holland, this is
one of those 'you are there' live recordings I treasure. Accompanied by
Charles Ables on bass and Billy Hart on drums, this is an involving set
right from the first notes. Opening with a fast-paced 'Our Love Is Here
To Stay' the trio is clearly laid out between the speakers. Horn's vocals
are well-projected centre stage and her piano work is crisply defined.
For once, something like the proper weight and definition is captured
in the double bass and this solid underpinning adds to the sense of realism.
The drums are set out well back in the stage, and whilst they lack a little
weight, cymbal work is nicely caught without any undue splashiness. Standout
out tracks include a sly and sexy 'Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You' and the
sensuous title number. There's just a touch of hardness to the recording,
and a low level hum, which hold it back from a top rating, but musically
this is as good an example as any of why I snap up every Steeplechase
LP I find.
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Mike
Nock, Marty Ehrlich - The Waiting Game
Naxos Jazz B6048-2 Reviewed
by DD
I've long respected Naxos for the way they've revolutionised accessibility
to a truly affordable, diverse and interesting selection of well recorded,
sometimes superbly recorded classical music. They are well positioned
to have a similar effect on the jazz scene if this and the accompanying
recordings I've received are any measure. Providing the opportunity for
lesser known names (I'd never previously hear of either Nock or Elrich
and my trusty MusicHound Guide also let me down) to gain a substantial
audience, and enriching the range of jazz available. Mike Nock it seems
has been around the scene for 25 years and has lived in Australia since
'85. He's known Ehrlich since the seventies when they first started playing
together in the States. This is their first recording together and it's
a peach. The all-digital recording sounds surprisingly analogue-like,
with a very natural warmth and spaciousness and no loss of detail. Every
note of Nock's piano playing is crisply captured, and his Glen Gould like
(but much less intrusive), 'singing' along just adds to the realism. Accompanied
in this series of 'conversations' by Erhlich on variously clarinet, bass
clarinet, alto and soprano sax, the standard of musicianship and shared
joy in their music making is totally convincing. A fine recording and
at the price, an absolute steal!
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Los
Angeles Jazz Quartet - Conversation Piece
Naxos Jazz 86045-2 Reviewed
by DD
Formed 6 years ago, the Los Angeles Jazz Quartet, as their name might
hint, play mostly around their hometown, although they ventured out of
the States and toured France in '98. Each member has an independent musical
career, their drummer regularly working with Art Pepper's sometime partner,
Milcho Leviev, and the band is about solid interplay rather than virtuoso
pyrotechnics. Running through a selection of self-penned compositions
along with their interpretations of a few standards including 'Round Midnight',
and a particularly crafty take on Kern's 'All The Things You Are' entitled
'All Things Waltz', this is an unflashy but thoroughly enjoyable set.
The latter number is a sly reworking of this hoary chestnut, and the more
than well-known tune only really begins to emerge along with the solo's
some way into the number, and after a time change from 4/4 to 3/4. The
recording quality is crisp clear and spacious. Not quite in the league
of the Nock, Ehrlich release reviewed elsewhere, but good nonetheless.
My one tiny criticism of this very enjoyable set is that it's a little
lacking in character, but at the bargain price you'd be right to call
me churlish.
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Bill
Evans with Philly Joe Jones - Green Dolphin Street
Riverside/JVC VICJ-60372 Reviewed
by DD
Recorded in New York '59, this is another great set from Evans along with
Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones -take care though, fm unreasonably
biased when it comes to his music making . It may not be amongst his finest
recordings, but this is a relaxed set that moves seamlessly through a
selection of standards. Taking in 'You and the Night and the Music', 'My
Heart Stood Still' and two takes on Gillespie's 'Woody'n You' before closing
with Evan's own composition 'Loose Bloose' (sic). The latter track makes
a fine closer since !t also features Jim Hall and Zoot Sims in a thoroughly
laid back approach to the blues. Opening with descending bass lines (from
Ron Carter this time) and fluttering tenor from Sims, the track takes
off with fine soloing from all concerned. Evans takes more of a back seat
this time content to be a part of a stellar band that even when it was
cruising as it does in this set, was in a different league from most of
the competition. The recording quality is fine, a little warm with cymbals
lacking a touch of bite and bass notes a tad soft, but generally clean
with Evan's piano coming over well. Recommended if like me you're a convicted
Evans nut. If not, start elsewhere (Everybody Digs or Explorations for
example) and sooner or later you'll want to own this too!
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Bill
Evans Trio - Explorations
Riverside/JVC VICJ-60140 Reviewed
by DD
This is one of Evan's very best albums and a welcome issue on XRCD. Recorded
in '61 with his classic trio, the outstanding bassist, Scott LaFaro and
the fine drummer, Paul Motion, they had then been together for a year
and were rapidly becoming one of the world's greatest bands. There's not
the merest hint of a weak number on the album, the standard is uniformly
excellent and it seems almost unnecessary to single out a particular track,
but why should that stop me? 'Haunted Heart' is a delicate and beautifully
played ballad that brings the best from Evan's tender side, supported
by delicately brushed cymbals and the gentlest bass lines. This is lovely
stuff that guarantees you'll chuck the cares of the day away within the
first few bars. Musical bars that is. Just listen to the complexity of
Evan's playing in 'Sweet and Lovely', and marvel at the complexity of
his playing and of the incredible integrity of the band, locked together
like a precision instrument but losing not a jot of emotional force. The
recording is fine spacious and open doing justice to this wonderful music
making.
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Mike
Melvoin with Charlie Haden, featuring Bill Henderson - The Capitol Sessions
Naim cd025 Reviewed
by DDMike Melvoin? Never heard of him
was my, and will probably be your immediate reaction. But he's certainly
paid his dues, playing organ on Pet Sounds, piano on Lennon's 'Stand by
Me' and even on 'ABC' by the Jackson 5' (now whatever became of them?).
Although Melvoin knew Charlie Haden, he had moved from New York to LA
in '62 and hadn't played with him 'til this session. Essentially the old
friends jammed in the studio, recording some 25 tracks in all, 13 of which
made it to the final album. Their friend Bill Henderson, who stopped by
the session, is featured on vocals on three tracks. It's a measure of
how good this recording is that some way into the instrumental introduction
to the second number 'I Think I Know', as Henderson's voice enters, I
jump. Time and time again, even though I know it's coming this entry gets
me. It's so tangible, so real and in the room, the shock value doesn't
diminish. The set is expansive and easy going, the few rough edges just
add to the easy atmosphere. The two standout tracks for me are the slightly
showbizzy aforementioned 'I think I Know', and the gorgeous walking bass
backed 'Blues for Leroy'. 9 minutes 15 seconds of sheer pleasure. What
more could you ask?
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