Album & Artist Reviews

DELMARK - 60 YEARS OF JAZZ - Album Review by Benjamin Franklin V of Music Charts Magazine®Date = 2 February 2014

Genre = Jazz

Title = Delmark: 60 Years of Jazz

Record Company = Delmark

 

Review =

I admit to fondness for samplers, albums containing selections from various LPs or CDs released by a single company.  They are compiled to present highlights from the catalogue, or at least to provide representative selections, in the hope that listeners will buy the albums from which the selections come.  Among the many impressive ones are Jazz at Columbia—Swing (1956); The Blues in Modern Jazz, which Atlantic issued in 1961; and Blue Note Gems of Jazz (1967).  A decade after its two-CD 45 Years of Jazz and Blues (1998),  Delmark released 55 Years of Jazz and 55 Years of Blues.  Its 60 Years of Jazz appeared in late 2013.  This sampler reminds listeners that Delmark is one of the few jazz record companies active in the 1950s that is still in business as an independent concern.   Atlantic, Blue Note, Contemporary, Fantasy, Prestige, Verve—these and other venerable labels continue operating, but as parts of conglomerates, such as Universal Music.  Appealing music, though, is the major reason for purchasing this CD. 

Born in 1932, Bob Koester founded Delmar Records in St. Louis in 1953, naming the business for its location, Delmar St.  Sometime after moving to Chicago in 1958 to be near a thriving blues scene, he renamed his label Delmark.  It is noted for a strong blues catalogue featuring recordings by Jimmy Dawkins, J. B. Hutto, Magic Sam, Otis Rush, Speckled Red, Junior Wells, and Big Joe Williams, among others. In jazz, it is important as the first company to record musicians affiliated with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Music (AACM), which did, indeed, advance creative music; Delmark also distributed early recordings by Sun Ra.  Though it remains independent, Delmark has become something of a mini-conglomerate as a result of Koester’s having bought the recordings of other labels, including Apollo, Paramount, Parkway, Pearl, Regal, Sackville, States, and United.

Nine of the twelve selections on Delmark: 60 Years of Jazz were recorded in this century; the others are from 1947 (Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis), 1952 (Dewey Jackson), and 1969 (Sonny Stitt).  The Davis recording, an alternate take, is issued here for the initial time, as is a tune recorded in 2013 by the Fat Babies. Koester is partial to early jazz, which is represented here by trumpeter Jackson (a professional by 1912) and the Fat Babies.  Musicians associated with AACM are not present, but Jason Adasiewicz’s trio plays in what might be called a quasi avant-garde mode. Groups led by Ernest Dawkins, Red Holloway, Rob Mazurek, Nicole Mitchell, and Ira Sullivan perform more traditionally.

Two selections combine free and more restrained playing.  One, Kahil El’Zabar’s “Crumb-Puck-U-Lent,” has a steady beat, but the solos by tenor saxophonist Ari Brown and violinist Billy Bang are somewhat “out.”  The other, cornetist Josh Berman’s “Sugar,” is, to me, the most impressive performance on the CD.  Composed in the mid 1920s by Maceo Pinkard, Edna Alexander, and Sidney D. Mitchell, “Sugar” has been recorded hundreds of times and was the signature song of Lee Wiley.  Berman’s version is unlike any I have heard.  Initially cacophonous and halting but settling into a groove behind the gritty soloing of tenor saxophonist Keefe Jackson, the group plays largely “out” for two-and-a-half minutes before introducing the melody, which it plays in unison for only sixteen bars.  Bass clarinetist Jason Stein begins soloing at the start of the bridge and dominates for most of the remainder of the performance.  Drummer Frank  Rosaly solos briefly before the group concludes not with a restatement of the melody but rather by reverting to the manner of the long introduction.  This is a daring, thrilling recording during which the leader does not solo.

This CD will interest people curious about the history of independent record companies and listeners who enjoy stimulating improvised music.  Concurrent with this release, Delmark issued Delmark—60 Years of Blues, though I cannot comment on it because I have not heard it. 

 

Author = Benjamin Franklin V

 

 

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The Ali Ryerson Jazz Flute Big Band - Game Changer

 

Date = January 24th, 2014           

Artist Name = Ali Ryerson      

Genre = Jazz

Title = Game Changer

Record Company = Capri

Review =

For at least six decades, some jazz recordings have featured multiple instruments of the same family.  Beginning in the mid 1950s, for example, a vocal group released albums titled The Four Freshmen and Five Trombones, The Four Freshmen and Five Trumpets, The Four Freshmen and Five Saxes, and The Four Freshmen and Five Guitars.  In 1956, Columbia released J. J. Johnson and Kai Winding’s Jay & Kai +6, with eight trombonists.  The next year, Art Blakey recorded an album (Orgy in Rhythm) featuring nine percussionists. A few years later, Warner Brothers issued LPs by groups known as Guitars, Inc; Saxes, Inc.; and Trombones, Inc.  The first includes five guitarists; the second, thirteen saxophonists; the third, twenty trombonists, though only ten play at a time. Beginning in 1977, Odean Pope released several albums by his saxophone choir, usually consisting of nine saxophonists.  At a session presumably led by Jane Bunnett, the Havana Flute Summit recorded an album with four flautists (1996). This number of flutes is modest when compared with the nineteen on Ali Ryerson’s Game Changer (2012), possibly the most recent recording featuring many musicians playing the same kind of instrument, or variations of it. 

Ryerson had to confront the issue of how best to attain tonal diversity in music played by a band of flutes.  She did so by employing several types of the instrument: C, alto, bass, and contrabass.  One musician doubles on piccolo.  She engaged six arrangers who helped provide variety by writing engaging voicings and occasionally dividing the flutes into two sections, with one playing the melody while the other supports it, as frequently happens between reeds and brass in a typical big band.  Ryerson and the arrangers added texture by allotting solo space to members of the rhythm section--pianist Mark Levine, bassist Rufus Reid, and drummer Akira Tana. These tactics help—and the multitude of flautists adds body--but the overall sound remains, understandably, thin. It seems less so when the band backs a soloist, primarily because the large group is then of secondary interest. Sometimes, it rests during a solo.     

Despite this issue, Ryerson’s CD has much to recommend it, including the hip tunes it plays.  Aside from Gabriel Fauré’s Ali Ryerson - Game Changer Music Charts Magazine Album Review by Benjamin Franklin V“Pavane” (which has been recorded by Bill Evans and other improvisers), they are all by jazz musicians: Clifford Brown’s “Daahoud,” Wayne Shorter’s “Ana Maria,” Oliver Nelson’s “Stolen Moments,” Herbie Hancock’s “Speak Like a Child,” Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma,” John Coltrane’s “Impressions,” Tom Harrell’s “Sail Away,” and Neal Hefti’s “Girl Talk” and “Lil’ Darlin’.”

While hip tunes appeal, what matters is how they are interpreted and performed.  Because the band plays what the arrangers wrote, they are the major interpreters, and their creations are uniformly attractive.  Ryerson employed six of them: Billy Kerr (who also performs on flute), Mark Levine, and Steve Rudolph, who were responsible for one tune each, plus Michael Abene (two tunes), Bill Cunliffe (two), and Mike Wofford (three). Consider “Ana Maria.”  On Shorter’s original recording, the soprano saxophonist is the only soloist, and mostly he plays the melody.  Wofford’s lush arrangement emphasizes the tune’s chords and inherent loveliness while allowing for solos by bassist Reid and, on alto flute, Marc Adler. Wofford’s interpretation is every bit as valid as the composer’s version and is, if anything, more pleasing, at least to me. Or consider “Con Alma,” for which Cunliffe provides a new introduction (new to me, anyway). About half-way into the piece, following Nestor Torres’s solo on C flute, the performance all but stops, then resumes with original Cunliffe material played in a more sprightly manner than the first part. Following a brief solo by drummer Tana, the music again halts before returning to Gillespie’s melody. That is, Cunliffe offers an idiosyncratic version of “Con Alma” that keeps the listener expecting the unexpected.  In other words, these and the other arrangements are inventive and well suited for the group that plays them. And the musicians perform the arrangements as directed: they never falter; they are professionals.  Plus, the three guest flute soloists—Holly Hofmann (C flute), Hubert Laws (alto), and Torres (C), each of whom solos once—are good improvisers. At least I assume they improvise, as opposed to playing written solos.

Because of Ryerson’s musical vision for this band of odd instrumentation, because of the excellent arrangements of attractive tunes, because of the musicians’ ability to perform well, and because of the nature of the solos, I recommend this CD.  Ultimately, the unavoidable thin sound—which is ameliorated somewhat by strategic planning--matters little. 

Author = Benjamin Franklin V

 

Music Charts Magazine ™ - Album & Artist Reviews

Ed Reed - Im A Shy Guy - A Tribute to the King Cole Trio and Their Music

 

Date = 18 January 2014

Artist Name = Ed Reed

Genre = Jazz

Title = I’m a Shy Guy

Record Company = Blue Shorts

Review =

Many jazz musicians have had odd careers. Active in the 1930s, alto saxophonist Boyce Brown left music to become a friar; as Brother Matthew, he recorded once, in 1956. Trumpeter Don Joseph recorded off and on during the 1950s, but only once subsequently, in 1984, presumably because of poor health.  Frustrated with his playing, Sonny Rollins took two sabbaticals, one in 1959 to practice for three years, and another in the early 1970s to study Eastern thought.  Craig Hundley (now Huxley) had an acting career before leading his first recording session at age fourteen; he became a classical pianist, composer, and film producer.  One of the strangest careers is that of singer Ed Reed.  Though born in 1929, he did not record until 2006.  This delay occurred partly because he was a junkie for forty years, beginning in the 1940s, and was incarcerated during the 1950s and 1960s; he sang in a prison band.  As best as I can tell, he was musically inactive during the 1970s and 1980s, possibly because of drug problems.  Clean since 1986, he resumed singing in the early 1990s.  Despite his age and the toll drugs doubtless took on him, his voice seems unaffected.  I would characterize it as robust and supple, free from the thinness and quavering that often affect an octogenarian. Someone listening to Reed without knowing his age might think him in his forties.

On his four CDs, Reed performs good tunes that typically have not been overworked.  Ed Reed Sings Love Songs (2006) features pieces associated with Duke Ellington (“A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing,” “Daydream”), Thelonious Monk (“Ask Me Now”), and Billie Holiday (“If the Moon Turns Green,” arranged by Carmen McRae).  It concludes with an a cappella version of “Motherless Child,” on which he stays in tune. The Song Is You (2007) is jazzier than the first CD because of the space allotted to the Peck Allmond Sextet, which backs the singer, as it does less prominently on Ed Reed Sings Love Songs.  Of the eleven selections on The Song Is You, four are by Ellington (“All Too Soon,” “Don’t You Know,” “I Didn’t Know about You,” and “It Shouldn’t Happen to a Dream”).  Yet the brief “I’m Through with Love” (2:22) is perhaps the most impressive track because Reed, backed only by guitarist Jamie Fox, sings it through but once, letting simplicity, vocal quality, and emotion make it moving and memorable; anything additional would be superfluous. He sings three songs recorded by Bill Henderson, who influenced Reed (“Don’t Like Goodbyes,” “It Never Entered My Mind,” and the title tune); he performs another one, “Never Kiss and Run,” on his next release, Born to Be Blue (2010).  On it, his song selection is typically attractive, though he sings one tune that is grittier than his usual fare, Big Joe Turner’s “Wee Baby Blues.”  These three CDs have been warmly received by the jazz press, as, probably, will be his most recent release, I’m a Shy Guy (2013). 

Despite critical acclaim, Reed seems little known outside the cognoscenti, possibly because he sings old songs (mostly standards) in an old style when listeners, especially young ones, favor the new:  he respects lyrics, enunciates clearly, and improvises by taking melodic liberties. These are, though, desirable, admirable qualities, ones well suited for the kinds of songs Reed prefers, including those on I’m a Shy Guy, on which he sings tunes recorded by Nat Cole’s trio in the 1940s, plus two pieces Cole recorded with the backing of large groups, “’Tis Autumn” (1949) and “Unforgettable” (1956).

Reed follows Cole’s example by taking most of the songs at a relaxed medium tempo.  Because of his playfulness and solos by saxophonist Anton Schwartz, pianist Randy Porter, and Fox, the bouncy “Straighten Up and Fly Right” is one of the least restrained performances.  “That Ain’t Right” is a blues.  The longest track, its amusing lyrics about a gold-digging woman might have inspired Ray Alfred’s lyrics for “I’ve Got News for You” about a two-timing woman. On “That’s the Beginning of the End,” Reed makes believable the advice of a former lover to a woman’s current one.  “This Will Make You Laugh” and “I’m Lost” feature Reed backed by a single instrumentalist—Fox on the first, bassist John Witala on the second.  Because of the intimacy of each, these two performances are highlights.

The rueful “Baby Baby All the Time” reminds listeners that Bobby Troup wrote a successful song other than “Route 66” (several of his compositions endure, including “You’re Looking at Me,” which Reed performs on Born to Be Blue). It is the sole tune Reed sings on I’m a Shy Guy that Diana Kral sings on her CD of Cole material, All for You (1995).  This release, her third, catapulted her to fame in her early thirties.  I hope that Reed’s CD of music associated with Cole serves him similarly in his mid eighties.

Author = Benjamin Franklin V

Parmalee "Feels Like Carolina"Almost everyone who listens to country music will not only recognize the song “Carolina,” but they will most likely be able to sing every word from the first note to the last. The song has been filling the airwaves of country music radio stations from coast to coast for several months now, and has climbed into the Top 5 on national charts. The song is by Parmalee, a new country group from North Carolina.

This isn’t the first time we’ve had Parmalee in the Top 40. The debut single for the group barely made it into the Top 40 back in 2012. The song was called “Musta Had A Good Time,” and I was actually surprised that it didn’t get up into at least the Top 20. That is especially surprising considering “Musta Had A Good Time” spent four straight weeks at No. 1 on SiriusXM The Highway’s fan-voted “Hot 30 Live” Countdown. The band has selected that fan-voted favorite the lead track on their debut album, “Feels Like Carolina”, set to release on December 10, 2013.

I listened to the review copy, and while I did like what I was hearing, I had a little trouble considering this ‘country’ music. I’m sure that is because my preference has always been real country music – the kind of music we now refer to as ‘classic country’ or ‘traditional country’ – the kind I still call just country.

“Close Your Eyes for This” sounds like much of what we are getting on today’s Top 40 stations. It is a good song. Probably one of my favorites on the entire CD. Of course, “Carolina” is among the 12 songs on this album, and I think it is the best one. For the most part, I don’t have anything bad to say about any of these songs. My only complaints are that the music really country, and it all sounds a lot like everything else that is on the radio today. The songs seem to lack originality.

Matt Thomas, lead singer for the group, had a hand in writing seven of the songs on the CD. And, he was teamed up with some of Nashville’s best writers. Bobby Pinson, Kyle Jacobs and Chris Janson are a few of my favorite writers, and you will find work by all of them on this new album. Preston Brust, half of the duo LoCash Cowboys, was one of the writers on “Back in the Day", and if it gets released as a single, I believe that one would be a hit for Parmalee. If I could pick for them, I would choose “Already Callin’ You Mine” to be their next single.

Parmalee is a family band comprised of brothers Matt and Scott Thomas (lead vocals/guitar and drums), cousin Barry Knox (bass), and life-long best friend Josh McSwain (guitar). They said their music was heavily influenced by musical heavyweights such as the Allman Brothers, Travis Tritt and Bob Seger. Their name is derived from the small town of Parmele, N.C., which has a population of 262, and is home to a small tin-roofed barn dubbed Studio B, where the band practiced on any given evening.

The songs you’ll hear on the new album are Musta Had a Good Time, Day Drinkin’, Move, Close Your Eyes For This, Dance, Carolina, Think You Oughta Know That, Back in the Day, My Montgomery, Already Calling You Mine, I’ll Bring the Music, and Another Day Gone.

For all the latest news about Parmalee, visit www.parmalee.com, and follow them on Twitter @parmalee. For all of your country music news and reviews, visit our web site at www.countryschatter.com, and follow us on Twitter @countryschatter.

 

A Music Charts Magazine - MusicChartsMagazine.com - Country Music Album Review by CountrysChatter.com ( Country's Chatter - Your #1 Pit Stop for Everything Country Music  )

Vincent Cross - A Town Called Normal - Album Review by Mark Raborn from Prescription BluegrassThese days the term “Bluegrass” encompasses a broad range of musical expressions. From the down home, gutsy realism of first-generation entertainers like Ralph Stanley, Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs to the more refined sounds of Alison Krauss to the outer fringes of what is technically and musically possible and still retain some semblance of the core sound. It is indeed a broad genre that continues to give birth to new broods.

All that said, “A Town Called Normal,” in my opinion, does not fit into any honest, objective interpretation of Bluegrass music. Does it have a banjo on most cuts? Yes. Is there a mandolin? Sometimes. However, those characteristics alone do not a bluegrass band make.

There is a ton of music here, but not an ounce of genuine Bluegrass. There is absolutely no “drive,” no cohesive “bounce,” no emphasis on the downbeats. Even to the most liberal Bluegrass listener, the vocals have the wrong feel. There are drums on several cuts and that certain “tightness” we’ve come to expect from better Bluegrass groups never comes into focus…it never even comes into view. 

These things are not necessarily bad, however. There is some good music here, as well as some excellent writing and Vincent Cross is a fantastic vocalist. He has a talent for choosing material that is well-suited for his vocal range and he knows how to sing with passion. Pieces like “Sometimes” seem like they could easily fit into a Pop/Folk Top 40 scenario. The overall feel on this project is like Bob Dylan meets Jimmy Buffet meets banjo, except Cross has a better voice than either one. It makes me wonder why he chose to use banjo, mandolin, acoustic bass, resonator-guitar, etc. as the instrumentation backdrop for this material. Personally, I’m thinking a string-orchestral sound with lots of bows creating the tension and mood would help establish a more rich presence, along with the gravitas and ambiance to properly accentuate his voice.

To read this Bluegrass Album Review in it's entirety please click the below link and visit our friends at the Prescription Bluegrass website:  http://prescriptionbluegrassreviews.blogspot.com/2013/05/prescription-bluegrass-cd-review.html

 

Music Charts Magazine Bluegrass Album Reviews are done by Prescription Bluegrass - www.prescriptionbluegrassblog.com - ( Your #1 Pit Stop for everything Bluegrass )

 

Gretchen Wilson - Christmas In My Heart - Music Charts Magazine Country Music Album ReviewDepartment stores all over the country have already let us know it is not too early to start thinking about Christmas. For those of you who like listening to Christmas music sooner than the week of Christmas, the new holiday albums started coming out early in October. One of my favorite new albums comes to us from Gretchen Wilson, and is called “Christmas in My Heart”. While the album does contain the Christmas carol “Silent Night”, the other nine are Christmas songs, not traditional carols, and include the title track, “Christmas in My Heart,” “Santa, I’ve Been Naughty,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “If You See Rudolph,” “Nuttin’ For Christmas,” “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Christmas Song,” “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,” and “Blue Christmas”. Seriously, how can you not love an album with the ‘hippopotamus’ song on it!

This is the first Christmas album from Gretchen, who introduced the world to her “Redneck Woman” side in 2004. It took a song like “Redneck Woman” for the country music world to notice Gretchen. However, that song did nothing to show us how talented she really is. “Redneck Woman” was a catchy tune with lyrics that seemed to please not only the folks in the south, but everyone who listened to country music, no matter where they lived. Since that time, Gretchen has released four studio albums, one live album, and two compilation albums (Greatest Hits and Playlist: the Very Best of Gretchen Wilson). The 20 singles she has released over the years were slow, fast and mid-tempo, and gave fans an opportunity to listen to her vocals, and discover she was far more talented than her performance of ‘Redneck Woman” might have led them to believe.

On the new album, she turns the Elvis hit, “Blue Christmas,” into a very bluesy number, and probably the only song on the CD that comes close to what could be called country music. “Christmas in My Heart “is the sweet song you might expect it to be with a title like that. She sings “Silent Night” the way it was written, and once again gives us an opportunity to hear that her vocals are not only powerful, but beautiful.

When you listen to her rendition of “The Christmas Song,” it will be very easy to close your eyes and picture the fireplace, over-stuffed furniture, a crowded room, and a very large piano. She does this entire number accompanied only by a piano, and this arrangement includes a nice piano solo in the middle. Mixed in with the traditional holiday tunes, you will find three original songs, written for Gretchen for inclusion in her first Christmas album. Those songs are “If You See Rudolph” written by Trent Willmon, Jenee Fleenor and Rob Byus, “Christmas in My Heart,” written by Greg Barnhill, and “Santa I’ve Been Naughty,” written by Rob Simbeck and Frank Michels. Check out Gretchen’s facebook page, and follow her on Twitter @gw27.

Later!   Country

 

Music Charts Magazine Country Music Album Reviews by Country of www.CountrysChatter.com

Chris Lane Band - Let's Ride - Album ReviewIt's not often that I get to review an album and introduce you to a new artist in the same article. But, I have that opportunity with the Chris Lane Band. This group has been around for a little while, putting their first full-length album out in the spring of 2012. They haven't done much on radio, and most people still consider this a new group.
 
It is also not often that a new artist has a chance to bring his band to a venue where 65,000 people are in attendance to watch him open for a group like Florida Georgia Line. Chris Lane and his band got to do that on Thursday night, Aug. 22, at the Appalachian Fair in Gray, Tenn. Everyone knows Florida Georgia Line, everyone pretty much knew what to expect from them, and from their music. The surprise that night came from The Chris Lane Band. They not only opened the show for Florida Georgia Line, they did it effortlessly.
 
Chris Lane's voice was meant to do country music. And, he had a hand in writing eight of the songs on the band's debut full-length album. He is also a talented musician. All that, added to his very polished stage presence, and fan-friendly personality, puts Chris right where he needs to be to make it in the very crowded country music arena. And we have to mention, as one of his young fans was quick to point out to me, 'he's pretty easy on the eyes, too'.
 
The group has a second full-length CD in the works, but fortunately for country music fans, the first one is still available. The album is called "Let's Ride," and about 99.9 percent of this album is just what today's country music fans are looking for. The one-tenth of one percent that may not be is his rap version of the title track, "Let's Ride". He has that song on the album twice, once with the rap, once without. I obviously like the one without better. With the way rap music has been finding its way into mainstream country, I understand why Chris chose to do that to one of his songs. And, while there are fans out there who will like it, I probably never will.
 
I do need to tell you about everything else you are going to hear on this CD. Chris is giving us a nice mix of country, country/ pop, and country rock. His ballads are romantic,  his country is fun, upbeat, feel good, his country/pop is as unquestionably right up there with anything you get on today's radio (from artists like Lady Antebellum, Gloriana or Carrie Underwood). His song, "Alone," features Chelsea Sorrell, and when I first heard this song I wondered why it hasn't already found its way to country radio. If I were a program director at any top 40 country station, I wouldn't hesitate getting "Too Tennessee" on the playlist. And keep in mind, these are all songs from the first album, we have another one that will be released, hopefully, very soon.
 
A lot of the music we hear on country radio seems to be geared to younger listeners. Chris Lane hasn't forgotten the older country music fans. His music speaks to all of us. I don't think we will ever get country back the way it was from 1950-1980, but Chris Lane Band is doing their part to bring us back to a little of what we remember about country music. He's making it modern, while at the same time keeping it country.
 
The 14 tracks on the "Let's Ride" Deluxe Edition are "I Go Back," "All I Ever Needed," "Let's Ride," "Starting Tonight," "More Than That," "Harder Thank it Should Be," "Just Like You," "Carolina Kiss," "Alone" (featuring Chelsea Sorrell), "Too Tennessee, "Chasin' the Sun Down," "Let's Ride (rap version), "All I Ever Needed (acoustic) and "Georgia" (Bonus Track). This album is still available on iTunes, and you can listen to some of the songs on the Chris Lane Band web site.
 
Learn more about Chris and the band at www.chrislaneband.com. Visit his facebook page, and follow him on Twitter @chrislaneband. Be sure to go to www.countryschatter.com for more reviews of albums and shows, and for all the latest country music news. Follow us on Twitter, too, @countryschatter.
 
 
Music Charts Magazine Album Reviews - in partnership with CountrysChatter.com - Your #1 Country Music Source -

 

 

Date = 8 October 2013

 

Musician’s Name = Wadada Leo Smith

 

Genre = Jazz/classical

 

Title = Ten Freedom Summers

 

Record Company: Cuneiform

 

Review = Wadada Leo Smith initially recorded in the late 1960s with the likes of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony Braxton, and other musicians associated with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Music (AACM).  He has participated in more than a hundred recording sessions and has released over twenty albums as leader.  Yet despite his decades of activity, the number of his recordings, and the awards he has won, including a Guggenheim, Smith is not widely known, possibly because his music is generally considered avant-garde, a mode that attracts few listeners.  Ten Freedom Summers (2011) has increased his visibility.  A four-CD set, it has been much touted in the jazz press. Largely as a result of this release, Musica Jazz (Milan) designated Smith the 2012 international jazz musician of the year.

Francis Davis has compared Ten Freedom Summers with John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme; Thom Jurek, with Duke Ellington’s Black, Brown, and Beige and Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite.  I think Wynton Marsalis’s Blood on the Field is the best comparison.  Usually considered a jazz oratorio, Marsalis’s work, which focuses on the lives of two slaves, lasts for over three hours.  Presumably offering musical interpretations or depictions of key events in the history of civil rights in the United States, Smith’s composition requires almost five hours to perform.  (Its premiere in Los Angeles was spread over three evenings; recording it took three days.)  In both pieces, writing is more important than soloing, though musicians improvise on both.  Despite probably being technically ineligible for the award, Blood on the Field won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Music; a finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer, Ten Freedom Summers did not win the award. Yet it strikes me as more listenable and possibly more ambitious, though less jazzy, than Marsalis’s work.  Divided into nineteen sections—each a discrete piece–Smith’s composition is performed by two groups:  Southwest Chamber Music, a nonet conducted by Jeff von der Schmidt, and the Golden Quartet/Quintet (trumpet plus rhythm section, with a second drummer sometimes added), though members of the latter occasionally play with the chamber group. 

Smith focuses mainly on events that occurred during the decade following the 1954 Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education, but does not limit himself to this period: He ranges chronologically from Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) to the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.  Among the selections are “Emmett Till: Defiant, Fearless,” “Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, 381 Days,” and “Martin Luther King, Jr.: Memphis, the Prophecy.”  Smith advises that “none of these pieces are meant to simply be listened to.”  Matthew Sumera, who wrote the notes to the CDs, interprets Smith’s comment as meaning that this music “is not intended for disinterested listening—it is a demand to America to fulfill its democratic promise.”  What does this mean?  What is America’s democratic promise? “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”? “Liberty and justice for all”?  While these are fine, noble ideals, is attaining them within the realm of possibility?  Will we know if the democratic ideal has been attained?  And precisely how does Smith’s music demand fulfillment of this promise? What kind of action does it propose? Or does the nature of the action matter?  Neither while listening to the music nor when pondering it later did I feel inspired to become a social activist or to assist people less fortunate than I more than I do already.  Though I support everyone’s civil rights and at one time belonged to groups that also do, and though I am frequently moved by music, I am unmoved by the supposed call of Ten Freedom Summers for political action, probably because I do not comprehend such a call. Does this mean that Smith’s music has failed?  Does it mean that I have not listened to it as I should?  Both?  Does Sumera interpret Smith’s words correctly?

Smith explains his goal in other terms: “In composing Ten Freedom Summers, I tried to achieve a creative expression through music of the psychological impact of the Civil Rights movement on American society.” This statement—as much aesthetic as political–is different from demanding fulfillment of the democratic ideal. Though Smith correctly observes that the civil rights movement affected the America psyche profoundly—could anyone disagree?–I cannot say that this music reminds me of the civil rights movement generally or of any of its events, even though I recall many of the events vividly because I was sympathetic to the cause as an adult the 1960s. Yet the composer characterizes his ultimate goal as “creative expression.” Without question, he expresses himself creatively; but after listening to this music I perceive no connection between it and the civil rights movement or the movement’s impact on American society.  Two selections illustrate the nature of his work.

“Black Church” surprises.  I would characterize this piece played entirely by the Southwest Chamber Music string section as intellectual rather than emotional, though it is not without feeling.  It is, as the name of the group indicates, chamber music. Totally absent from it is even a hint of raucousness, of foot stomping, of passion, of letting loose.  The church depicted here is not sanctified.  Instead, this selection apparently portrays a church that is subdued, reflective, and dignified, a place where a tambourine is not played.  In popular culture, this schism between the unrestrained and the sedate black church is central to the plot of the movie St. Louis Blues(1958), for example. So what does Smith intend to suggest about the black church?  Might he mean that there are many kinds of churches patronized by blacks and that in “Black Church” he characterizes one that values somberness and quiet reverence, one that is more passive than active? Does he imply that, to him, at least some black churches favor, say, Thomas A. Dorsey’s “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” or even Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s cantata “The Atonement” rather than Edwin Hawkins’s “Oh, Happy Day”?  I do not understand how this piece constitutes a call to political action, nor do I see how it reflects “the psychological impact of the Civil Rights movement.”  Attractive music?  Yes.  Political music inspired by an institution or a historical event?  Not that I can tell.

“The Freedom Riders Ride” also surprises, but not to the degree that “Black Church” does.  Knowing the title and that freedom riders, black and white, rode interstate buses in 1961 to challenge Jim Crow laws in the South, one can imagine historical events while listening to it.  About half this piece performed by the Golden Quartet is tranquil, especially for four minutes at the beginning.  Does this seeming serenity suggest the activists’ mood at the start of the ride? I would expect these people to have been tense, even afraid. Do the somewhat hectic final four minutes represent confrontations between the riders and their adversaries, including beatings?  How is one to know?  Does knowing matter?  As with “Black Church,” “The Freedom Riders Ride” does not move me to political action; without knowing what this piece is about, I would not have been able to identify the event the composer intended to commemorate, to sense that it concerns any aspect of civil rights, or to think that it has to do with anything at all.  

If one listened to Ten Freedom Summers ignorant of its political context, it would please on a strictly musical level.  It may be enjoyed in the same manner as A Love Supreme and Black, Brown, and Beige when the listener is unaware that Coltrane’s performance reflects his spiritual questing and that Ellington intended his composition to suggest aspects of blacks’ history in the United States. Response to Freedom Now Suite is necessarily different from that to these two pieces, though, because its beauty and meaning are inextricable, and the message is obvious because of the screaming of Abbey Lincoln and the words she sings. On a strictly musical level, I, unlike the Pulitzer committee, find Blood on the Field ponderous, all but unlistenable; it strikes me as an example of a political message explaining and conceivably redeeming uninspired music, of politics trumping aesthetics.  Despite Smith’s comments about Ten Freedom Summers and Matthew Sumera’s explanation of them, this work may be enjoyed, as I appreciate it, as a composition of various parts mainly in the classical mode.  If listeners find a correlation between it and extra-musical events, fine; if not, then also fine. Smith writes attractive music that at least in this case does not warrant the term avant-garde.  It might not even warrant the term jazz, as traditionally defined, because it lacks such elements as a driving rhythm section, backbeats, soloists’ interplay, blues feeling, and so forth.  What matters is the music, not the label attached to it.  The music speaks for itself. Trust it, not the words of its creator or his interpreter.

 

Author = Benjamin Franklin V

Things have not been easy for Chuck Wicks. The artist quickly rose to instant stardom with the release of his debut single, “Stealing Cinderella”, back in 2007. The song peaked at No. 5 on country charts, and the album it was from, “Starting Now”, rose to No. 7 on the Billboard Country chart back in 2008.
Since that fast start back in 2007, Chuck has found only moderate success with the release of singles “All I Ever Wanted,” in 2008, and “Man of the House,” in 2009. He achieved even less success with and “Hold that Thought” and “Old School,” in 2010. All of those singles were from the only studio album he recorded.
Chuck Wicks has recently released his second album. This one is actually an EP (extended play). An EP is a musical recording that contains more than just one single, but it is really too short to qualify as a full studio album. Chuck’s new EP contains just five songs, and is titled “Rough”. When you listen to the songs, they don’t sound like the artist has been going through rough times. Every song sounds like it was written by someone who is very happy with the way things are going in his life. Chuck had a hand in co-writing all of the songs on the new EP. “The music has been a long time coming,” Chuck said. “I believe this EP reflects the steps I’ve taken to grow, not only as an artist but as a writer as well. And now I couldn’t be more excited about the release of this new music, and I hope people enjoy it as much as I do,” he said.
“Salt Life” has a guy on a boat, watching the sunset, putting footprints in the sand, and dropping an anchor for a fun afternoon at sea. “Saturday Afternoon,” says it ‘feels like the whole world shining down me’. It has a nice rhythm and acoustic guitar, and is a fun song.
“Always” was my favorite on this five-track EP. This one is a powerful ballad, with a strong piano influence, and memorable lyrics. More than any of the others, this song definitely lets you hear how strong Chuck’s vocals are.
The five songs you will find on this EP are “Fix Me,” “Whole Damn Thing,”  “Saturday Afternoon,” “Always,” and “Salt Life”. Every one of the songs will remind fans why they like Chuck Wicks, and will probably make them wonder why it has been so long since his last album was released.
Even though he has not been recording, or putting new songs out on the radio, the artist has been keeping busy. In addition to songwriting, he has shows scheduled in Nashville, as well as other parts of the country.
Fans can keep up with Chuck Wicks by visiting his web site, www.chuckwicks.com, and following the artist on Twitter @chuckwicksmusic. He keeps fans up-to-date with posts on facebook at www.facebook.com/chuckwicks. There you can find photos he has added, as well as tour information.
 
Music Charts Magazine Country Music Album Reviews in cooperation with Country’s Chatter “Your Country Music News Source” – CountrysChatter.com

Kim Robins project, “40 Years Late”, is a breath of fresh air.

It appears that Kim has spent her time not only honing her craft, but also finding her voice and knowing exactly who she is as a singer.

You will not hear someone trying to imitate other female singers, or singing in the rafters, on this recording. Instead, you will hear a woman with a mid-range, bluesy, voice that puts you in the mood for some good traditional bluegrass and classic country.

Kim has surrounded herself with an ensemble of, to say the least, solid musicians. Appearing on the project are Don Brummett, Michael Cleveland, Mike Curtis, Jeff Guernsey, Nathan Livers, Lynn Manzenberger, Seth Mulder, Butch Robins, Mark Stonecipher, and Richard Torstrick. Providing harmony vocals throughout the project are fellow Indiana residents Misty Stevens, singer, songwriter, and leader of her own band, and Kent Todd, singer and fiddle player with Blue Mafia.

The title cut of this project, written by Kim, is so well penned that many listeners will easily relate to the song. The lyrics of this song are honest and will hit home with, not only singers that are chasing the dream of success later in life, but also everyone that has had to put their dreams on hold for other choices.

While I cannot pick one song to call my favorite, because I actually have quite a few on this project, I enjoy Kim’s upbeat tribute to Connie Smith with “I’ve Got My Baby On My Mind”. Kim states that she spent many hours trying to imitate Smith’s voice until her Dad told her to “sing like yourself”. Advice many singers should follow and advice I am glad Kim took.

Another song on the project that caught my attention is the duet “The Last Thing On My Mind” that Kim performs with Jeff Guernsey. While many artists have recorded this song, Kim and Jeff’s voices complement each other so well, that I found myself replaying this tune numerous times and just enjoying the harmony.

Read the rest of this CD review at Music Charts Magazine’s favorite Bluegrass website here:  http://prescriptionbluegrassreviews.blogspot.com/2013/05/prescription-bluegrass-reviews-kim.html#more