Posts Tagged Vocalist
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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
May 26, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Madison McFerrin: Finding Foundations, Vol. II (ep)
Madison McFerrin Finding Foundations, Vol. II (ep) 630113 Records DK Yes, she is the daughter of the legendary vocalist Bobby McFerrin. That means she’s also the brother of Taylor McFerrin – and their grandfather was the opera singer, Robert McFerrin; the first African-American man to sing at the famed Metropolitan Opera in New York City. […]Archive
March 16, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Cécile McLorin Salvant & The Aaron Diehl Trio (March 13, Wgtn)
Cécile McLorin Salvant & The Aaron Diehl Trio MFC Tuesday, March 13 This was always likely to be one of the festival highlights – Miami-born, New York-based jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant and backing band The Aaron Diehl Trio.Archive
October 15, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Grady Tate
The American jazz drummer and vocalist Grady Tate has died. He was 85. The cause: complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He was one of my favourite drummers. There’s a good chance he was one of your favourite drummers too – even if you think you didn’t know his playing there’s every chance you did. He played […]Archive
September 18, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 498
Anita O’Day, Anita & Rhythm Section (1971) I love Anita O’Day – so much! So much! And I found this record on a recent trip to Auckland, bargain bin – it’s from the early 70s but it’s pretty great still. Not Anita at her absolute best but still worth hearing and having. That same weekend […]Archive
August 30, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 8: Miriam Makeba – “Miriam Makeba”
I have no idea when I first heard Miriam Makeba – but I know I was quite young. Her nickname was “Mama Africa” and I remember being hooked on African music at a fairly young age – quite possibly as a result of Paul Simon’s Graceland which arrived at the right time for me; music […]Archive
June 10, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Dianne Reeves (June 9, Wgtn)
Dianne Reeves Opera House, Wellington Friday, June 9 Dianne Reeves returned to New Zealand for this year’s Jazz Festival, first time for her wonderful band though – long-serving pianist Peter Martin and guitarist Romero Lubambo joined by the rhythm section of Reginald Veal (bass) and Terreon Gully (drums).Archive
December 8, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
Thinking of Sinead O’Connor: Happy 50th
Just as I think about the album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got – the breakthrough, the first Sinead O’Connor record I heard – I go back to the album before that, The Lion And The Cobra. And then I think about 1992’s set of torch ballads and jazz standards, Am I Not Your […]Archive
November 12, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
On: Billie Holiday’s Voice
I was re-reading These Lives I Have Buried by Lindsay Rabbitt the other day, an excellent short book, an essay from the Four Winds Press series. And in and around stories of struggle and loss, heartache, pain, grit and soul there was a mention of Billie Holiday. An all but parenthetical mention – but I […]Archive
July 21, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
Born To Be Blue: Film
Born To Be Blue Director: Robert Budreau New Real Films/Lumanity Productions/Black Hangar Studios This impressionistic biopic of Chet Baker largely succeeds where the other recent impressionistic biopic of a legendary jazz trumpeter was just ludicrous, insulting, absurd. So why does Born To Be Blue work? For a start it actually makes sense. Miles Ahead played […]Archive
September 1, 2015 by Simon Sweetman