Posts Tagged Jazz
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August 3, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band: Body and Shadow
Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band Body and Shadow Blue Note I was first hipped to Brian Blade some 20+ years ago – he was playing with Joni Mitchell so, sure, I might well have liked just about any drummer doing that then, but it didn’t take long to absorb Blade’s amazing approach and unique […]Archive
August 2, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Walter “Wolfman” Washington: My Future Is My Past
Walter “Wolfman” Washington My Future Is My Past Anti/Epitaph The New Orleans soul and blues man is in devastatingly fine form here without his regular band, opening with a slug from (presumably) a whisky tumbler and then just his own voice and acoustic guitar. Next up he’s joined by the great Irma Thomas and it’s […]Archive
July 22, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Al Fraser / Phil Boniface: Ponguru
Al Fraser / Phil Boniface Ponguru Rattle Al Fraser and Phil Boniface first worked together some 20 years ago, both were studying jazz performance at Massey University’s Conservatorium of Music – now known as the NZ School of Music. They’ve taken different paths since – Al is now one of the leading performers of traditional […]Archive
July 12, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Songs For Nobodies: Theatre
Songs For Nobodies Direction: Ross Gumbley (written by Joanna Murray-Smith) Circa Theatre; Circa One (July 7 – August 4) [Ali-Cat Productions Ltd] Ali Harper here performs ten roles, a dozen voices, as – variously – the famous singers Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday and Maria Callas. But she is also the “nobodies”, […]Archive
June 30, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 72: Willie Colón & Rubén Blades – “Siembra”
As good as it is to hear albums I’ve heard of, know of, know about and by bands or artists I know and perhaps have collected up – but just not the one album mentioned as ‘The Classic’…it’s better, more interesting, more exciting, when I hear the albums I didn’t even know about. Like this. […]Archive
June 11, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Chris Dave & The Drumhedz (June 10, Wgtn)
Chris Dave & The Drumhedz Opera House, Wellington (7pm) Sunday, June 10 Chris “Daddy” Dave and his Drumhedz closed out the Wellington Jazz Festival’s main events for 2018. And it was a celebration – at least for the most part.Archive
June 11, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 400
Bobby McFerrin, Spontaneous Inventions (1986) I’ve loved Bobby McFerrin and I’ve hated him too – and just recently I’ve decided the guy might be a genius. Yes, it’s hard to give his career an appraisal that’s fair because Don’t Worry Be Happy gets in the way. But I was taken with this album – and […]Archive
June 10, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: John Beasley’s MONK’estra (June 9, Wgtn)
John Beasley’s MONK’estra Opera House, Wellington (8pm) Saturday, June 9 John Beasley’s MONK’estra is a big band dedicated to playing the music of pianist/composer Thelonious Monk and for this performance the core of the America group was augmented by some local players including Rodger Fox and members from his jazz orchestra.Archive
June 7, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Christian McBride’s New Jawn (June 6, Wgtn)
Christian McBride’s New Jawn Opera House, Wellington (8pm) Wednesday, June 6 Opening night of this year’s Jazz Festival saw a new thing (or “New Jawn”, in Philly-slang) from legendary bassist, band-leader and session-star across jazz and pop, Christian McBride.Archive
May 10, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Van Morrison and Joey DeFrancesco: You’re Driving Me Crazy
Van Morrison and Joey DeFrancesco You’re Driving Me Crazy Sony Legacy Van Morrison is sure making up for some recent lost time. He took four years off there – though no one probably noticed. And when he returned – in 2016 – it was with his strongest collection in 20+ years. That was no fluke […]Archive
April 30, 2018 by Simon Sweetman