And The It Rained, the fifth and newest release by reed master Michael O’Neill, is a beautiful compilation of original compositions brought to life by some of the best musical talent around. O’Neill, who is a mainstay on the San Francisco Bay Area jazz scene, is a creative improviser with a warm, robust sound. He has been composing for many years, but this is the first recording featuring his original compositions. O’Neill’s music has an expressive quality, as if each note were a song lyric that told a story. His compositions have that same quality. O’Neill’s considerable technical prowess helps deliver the strong emotional impressions evoked in this unique musical montage. Personnel: Michael O’Neill, tenor, alto, soprano saxes, clarinet / Michael Bluestein, piano / Dan Feiszli, bass / Jason Lewis, drummer.
Smooth Jazz Kiwi alert! Eleven years and countless international performances after winning “Most Outstanding Young Musician” at the New Zealand Youth Jazz Competition, Auckland born saxophonist Alex Churchill breaks ground in the genre with a hypnotic, silky and simmering funky twist on Anthony Hamilton’s 2013 hit “Best of Me.” Vibing dynamically with and improvising off the cool, crisp guitar of New Zealand sensation and longtime collaborator Andrea Lisa, Churchill underscores his vibrant up-tempo take with a reminder to always give our best to each other (especially to strangers) and truly embrace each moment. ~ smoothjazz.com
The San Gabriel 7 is a group that has been flying under the radar for far too long. The band has been gigging around Southern California since its inception in 2006 and is now releasing Red Dress, their tenth album. Chris Gordon, the album’s producer, says, “The group has grown and changed over the years, and we felt it was time to bring our music to a larger audience outside of the region.” The musicians on Red Dress each have a long list of professional credits playing with some of the biggest names in the music business. Their newest album features singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and voiceover actor Femi Knight, AKA Dawn Bishop. Knight is perhaps best known for her long association with Sergio Mendes. Red Dress features seven songs composed by Knight and two live performances of Knight and the SG7 recorded at the Cal Tech Jazz Festival. There is real synergy between Dave Cushman’s fun and engaging arrangements and The San Gabriel 7, a high energy band of top-notch players. Knight has a smooth, flexible, and warm voice, and the music on Red Dress is swinging and suffused with toe-tapping funkiness, aided and abetted by Knight’s intelligent, sensitive lyrics.
No comments:
Post a Comment