Record Reviews

ADAM BALDYCH & HELGE LIEN TRIO ~ BROTHERS ACT 9817 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the second album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist recorded with the Norwegian piano trio led by pianist Helge LienFind albums by this artist, with bassist Frode BergFind albums by this artist and drummer Per Oddvar JohansenFind albums by this artist. They are joined by Norwegian saxophonist Tore BrunborgFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine pieces, eight of which are original compositions by Baldych and one is a classic standard by Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist. The music presents another step in the coherent development in Baldych´s musical path, which has been taking shape in the last few years, leading him away from "conventional" Jazz idiom into contemporary Neo-Romantic Classical Music. Although the element of improvisation is still very prominent, the melodic themes, mostly deeply lyrical and introvert, touch deeply with the characteristic elements of Polish Classical Music and Polish Folklore, somewhat parallel, or rather in continuation of the great Polish Classical tradition going back to Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist. Perhaps the reference to Chopin might sound a bit over the top here, but people familiar with Chopin´s music will note how Baldych is skillfully able to pluck the soul´s strings that move the Polish People. The Norwegian musicians playing with Baldych are his soul brothers, providing the ideal companionship needed for this delicate journey. The intrinsic melancholy of the Scandinavian (and especially so Norwegian) music goes ideally hand in hand with the direction Baldych intends to put forward. Of course the fact that they are brilliant and highly intelligent musicians also adds to final result. Together they are able to make this by and large minimalist and introvert music sound complete and highly expressive. Overall this is a mature and focused statement by a great composer and a superb performer, which clearly affirms his status as one of the leading European musicians today. The music requires attentive listening, but for open-minded and music-living listeners it offers layer over layer of wonderful musical journeys into the world of contemporary Classical Music, Folkloristic motifs and Jazzy improvisations, all wrapped up in an elegant, highly aesthetic and moving "package". Well done Maestro!

Updated: 22/07/2017Posted: 22/07/2017

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS ~ CANADIANA ANTOINETTE 039911033821 (Barcode: 039911033821) ~ CANADA ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is a studio album by Canadian vocalist / songwriter David Clayton-ThomasFind albums by this artist, primarily known as the charismatic frontman of the legendary Brass Rock ensemble Blood, Sweat & TearsFind albums by this artist, recorded with a great team of musicians: keyboardist Lou PomantiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Eric St-LaurentFind albums by this artist, bassist George KollerFind albums by this artist, drummer Ben WittmanFind albums by this artist and others, and featuring brass section and string section on selected tracks. The album presents thirteen songs, all by Canadian songwriters, as diverse as Neil YoungFind albums by this artist, Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist, Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist, Gordon LightfootFind albums by this artist and others and one original song by Clayton-Thomas. The solo recording career of Clayton-Thomas was revitalized near the turn of the Millennium, when he was nearing the age of sixty, which is quite remarkable and unparalleled. He recorded (so far) thirteen albums since 1996, this being the eleventh of them, more than twice the number of albums he recorded beforehand since the start of his career. The album is a tribute to the Canadian contribution to Pop / Rock songwriting, which is obviously very significant artistically. The songs are beautifully arranged and Clayton-Thomas performances are brilliant as always. His feeling and his idiosyncratic voice, charisma and love of music remain intact and for his many fans this album is strong as everything else he ever recorded. The accompanying musicians are all pros and the album offers superb soloing from start to finish. After being a great fan of Clayton-Thomas for over five decades, it is great to hear him carrying on with what he loves to do taking us along on a wonderful ride.

Updated: 12/08/2020Posted: 12/08/2020

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

LEONARD COHEN ~ THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA ALBUMS COLLECTION SONY 886978718426 (Barcode: 886978718426) ~ CANADA ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1967 - 2009 Released: 2011 America didn´t really need another Jewish Prophet… Zimmerman created enough mayhem as it was, protesting out loud, corrupting the youth and what have you. Just look what happened: the god-fearing American Folk music went electric and turned into Rock, to be followed by the Summer Of Love and later Woodstock! Sodom and Gomorrah! And on top of all this another Jewish poet / singer / songwriter arrives from the north and adds oil to the fire… The connection between Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist and Bob DylanFind albums by this artist is obvious; they both deal often with the same subject matter and similar modus operandi, cleverly crafting revolutionary ideology and dressing it up with music. In many respects Cohen arrived on the scene just after Dylan peaked, and whereas Dylan never managed to recreate the golden era of his youth, Cohen aged well, continuously producing new albums, which were always up to date, both musically and intellectually. These collected recordings are a staggering monument presenting Cohen´s talent. Everybody knows some of his songs, which in time became timeless anthems, but listening to these sixteen (one double) albums chronologically and in full is a true mind-blowing experience. He is a Prophet, a Sage and a great Artist indeed and what is amazing is the simplicity and honesty of his artistic way, devoid of any trickery (studio or otherwise), with minimal orchestration and shunning unnecessary camouflage, just straight to the point riding on the strength of his expressive vocals and heartfelt melodies. In retrospect Cohen is a symbol of minimalism at its most effective. Of course the "completeness" status of this Box Set has been undermined by the fact that Cohen released already two additional studio albums, after this Box Set was assembled and released: the 2012 "Old IdeasFind albums with this title" and the 2014 "Popular ProblemsFind albums with this title" and two live albums. Future edition of this Box Set might rectify this hitch. This Box Set is a capsule of good taste, healthy mind and aesthetic symbolism of a time, none of which are to be found today anywhere. An absolute must and an essential piece of what we (still) call Culture, which is disappearing as these words are being written…

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 18 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

LEONARD COHEN ~ THE COMPLETE STUDIO ALBUMS COLLECTION SONY 886979617728 (Barcode: 886979617728) ~ CANADA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1967 - 2004 Released: 2011 America didn´t really need another Jewish Prophet… Zimmerman created enough mayhem as it was, protesting out loud, corrupting the youth and what have you. Just look what happened: the god-fearing American Folk music went electric and turned into Rock, to be followed by the Summer Of Love and later Woodstock! Sodom and Gomorrah! And on top of all this another Jewish poet / singer / songwriter arrives from the north and adds oil to the fire… The connection between Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist and Bob DylanFind albums by this artist is obvious; they both deal often with the same subject matter and similar modus operandi, cleverly crafting revolutionary ideology and dressing it up with music. In many respects Cohen arrived on the scene just after Dylan peaked, and whereas Dylan never managed to recreate the golden era of his youth, Cohen aged well, continuously producing new albums, which were always up to date, both musically and intellectually. This collected studio recordings are a staggering monument presenting Cohen´s talent. Everybody knows some of his songs, which in time became timeless anthems, but listening to these eleven albums chronologically and in full is a true mind-blowing experience. He is a Prophet, a Sage and a great Artist indeed and what is amazing is the simplicity and honesty of his artistic way, devoid of any trickery (studio or otherwise), with minimal orchestration and shunning unnecessary camouflage, just straight to the point riding on the strength of his expressive vocals and heartfelt melodies. In retrospect Cohen is a symbol of minimalism at its most effective. This box is a capsule of good taste, healthy mind and aesthetic symbolism of a time, none of which are to be found today anywhere. An absolute must and an essential piece of what we (still) call Culture, which is disappearing as these words are being written…

CD 11 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

FAIRPORT CONVENTION ~ FAIRPORT CONVENTION (EXPANDED EDITION) POLYDOR 044006829128 (Barcode: 044006829128) ~ UK ~ Folk-Rock Recorded: 1967 - 1968 Released: 2003 This is the debut album by the legendary British Folk-Rock group Fairport ConventionFind albums by this artist, which was one of the pioneering and groundbreaking recordings of that genre in Britain. The group was a sextet at the time and comprised of lead vocalist Judy DybleFind albums by this artist, vocalist Ian MacDonaldFind albums by this artist, guitarist Richard ThompsonFind albums by this artist, vocalist / guitarist Simon NicolFind albums by this artist, bassist Ashley HutchingsFind albums by this artist and drummer Martin LambleFind albums by this artist. A band fronted by a female vocalist was a novelty on the British scene. The debut album presented twelve songs, seven of which were originals and five were American Folk-Rock songs. The musical setting of the debut album clearly shows the band influenced by American Folk-Rock, especially early American Electric Folk-Rock bands like Jefferson AirplaneFind albums by this artist, ByrdsFind albums by this artist, Left BankeFind albums by this artist etc., and singers / songwriters like Bob DylanFind albums by this artist, Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist, Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist, Tim HardinFind albums by this artist and others. Created at the very peak of Flower Power, the album was also influenced by Psychedelia, Avant-Garde Jazz and contemporary Classical music, as appropriate for the period. These influences are much more subtle that those of the American Electric Fork-Rock, but they are the reason why this album is not a stylistic carbon copy but an original attempt to find their own artistic expression and in many respects is much more complex than albums by their American counterparts. The album was almost completely ignored at the time of its release, which prompted the band to switch to Island Records, where they subsequently released the bulk of their legendary classic material, with Dyble being replaced by the superb Sandy DennyFind albums by this artist. In retrospect the album sounds a bit naïve today, but all things considered it still is a great piece of music and a wonderful document of the times, definitely worth revisiting. This remastered and expanded edition adds for bonus tracks, which include a rare studio track, the band´s first single and a couple of live French TV recordings as well as a nice booklet with rare photographs and informative comments by Hutchings. This is a first rate treat for the band´s many fans.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

HERBIE HANCOCK ~ RIVER: THE JONI LETTERS VERVE 744826 (Barcode: 602517448261) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 Released: 2007 Jazz legend Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist finally repays the debt the Jazz world owes to Rock legend Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist. Joni’s 1979 album MingusFind albums with this title stands out to this very day as one of the greatest tributes ever made to Jazz by a non-Jazz musician and I always wondered when is someone going to settle the score. Well better late than never and better still if the musician to do so is someone of Hancock’s statue and sensibility. For me Joni’s music always had subtle jazzy undertones, even if she didn’t use Jazz musicians as her backing band (like on “Mingus” and a few other albums), and therefore this project sounds completely natural and perfectly matched. Hancock assembled a superb quintet for the job, with Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist (soprano and tenor saxophone), Dave HollandFind albums by this artist (bass), Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist (drums) and Lionel LouekeFind albums by this artist (guitar). The ten tracks, combined and arranged to constitute a continuos suite-like experience, include eight Joni’s songs and two Jazz standards. Several vocalists were invited to interpret the vocal parts on six of the tracks and these include Norah JonesFind albums by this artist, Tina TurnerFind albums by this artist, Corinne Bailey RaeFind albums by this artist, Luciana SouzaFind albums by this artist, Joni Mitchell herself and Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist, who recites rather than sings. The overall effect is absolutely beautiful and deeply moving. The musicians are all Masters of their trade and they are amongst the most sensitive accompanist, as well as first rate soloists. Hats off Mr. Hancock and thanks for this wonderful gift of music and thank you Joni for bestowing your great talent on all of us – you truly deserve this tribute. Essential!

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend

STILLS & COLLINS ~ EVERYBODY KNOWS SONY 190758010625 (Barcode: 190758010625) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is a sensational album by two of the American Folk / Rock icons: vocalist / guitarist / songwriter Stephen StillsFind albums by this artist (born 1945) and vocalist / songwriter Judy CollinsFind albums by this artist (born 1939), making an album together for the first time, which is hard to believe but true. They are accompanied by organist Russell WaldenFind albums by this artist, bassist Kevin McCormickFind albums by this artist and drummer Tony BeardFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten exquisite songs, three by Stills, two by Collins and five (one each) by other Pop / Rock icons: George HarrisonFind albums by this artist, Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist, Tim HardinFind albums by this artist, Bob DylanFind albums by this artist and Sandy DannyFind albums by this artist. The music is everything one might expect from these two legends – wonderfully melodic, mostly melancholic and low key, full of brilliant harmonies and accompanied by elegant instrumental work, which is simply perfect for this kind of atmosphere. The arrangements of the five songs, which most music lovers are familiar with in their original versions is fresh, intelligent and truly inspired. Both Stills and Collins sound surprisingly fresh and clear, as if untouched by the tides of time, and Stills delivers some sweet solo guitar work, which remains unparalleled. The closing track of the album sounds as strong as the best work of Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist, but the entire album is completely coherent and absolutely top notch both vocally and instrumentally. Although "instant classic" is a much overused term these days, if any album deserves to be called that – this is the one. Could have been (or perhaps should have been) recorded in the 1960s, but here and now, fifty years later, it is definitely better late than never! A complete unadulterated delight from start to finish!

Updated: 01/04/2018Posted: 01/04/2018

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

NORMA WINSTONE ~ IT`S LATER THAN YOU THINK PROVOCATEUR 1037 (Barcode: 5038491103721) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2004 Released: 2006 British singer Norma WinstoneFind albums by this artist has been my favorite Jazz singer for almost 40 years now, ever since I heard her performing in the late 1960s in the midst of the burgeoning British Jazz scene at the time. I always followed her extraordinary career closely and of course collected all her recordings, which in retrospect constitute a massive body of marvelous music. At the peak of the British Jazz scene in the late 1960s – 1970s she sang with the best: Michael GarrickFind albums by this artist, Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist, Michael GibbsFind albums by this artist, John SurmanFind albums by this artist and many others, contributing not only her extraordinary vocal performances but also her talent as a lyricist. With the decline of the local scene she continued on the European scene, both as a soloist and with the trio AzimuthFind albums by this artist (with her husband, pianist John TaylorFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist). She is an enormously versatile performer, feeling at ease in any environment, from classic Jazz standards to Avant-Garde explorations. I always found her to be the most sensitive, highly musical and open-minded interpreter of both the music and the lyrics, which turn everything she touches into High Art. Happily for the music lovers, her talent and abilities seem to be untouched by time and she’s able to deliver her best up to this very day, which is well documented on this album as well. Accompanied by the splendid NDR Big BandFind albums by this artist (Northern German Radio Big Band resident in Hamburg), one of the best Jazz Big Bands in the world today, Norma delivers a wonderful set of songs, all brilliantly arranged by Colin TownsFind albums by this artist, who also conducted the band. The choice of material is fascinating and quite challenging as well, as Norma performs songs written by such dissimilar composers as Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist, Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist, Randy NewmanFind albums by this artist and Jaco PastoriusFind albums by this artist. Her highly personal delivery and the beautiful arrangements metamorphose these songs into completely new musical vistas, to the delight of any sensitive listener. The Big Band is used intelligently and skillfully, to serve as a perfect companion to her vocal delivery, without being overwhelming, in spite of its inherent might. The musicians are all virtuosi and highly experienced soloists, which is clearly evident from the instrumental solos, and include such renowned Jazz musicians as saxophonist Christof LauerFind albums by this artist and pianist (and my dear friend of Polish origin) Wladyslaw SendeckiFind albums by this artist. The recording and sound quality are stunning and resemble the sonic excellence of other European labels like ECMFind albums on this label Records. For me this is a great example of a perfect album – the music, the musicians and a voice of a Diva – what else can one ask for? Essential food for the soul.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend