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Music Reviews

Leos Janacek

Tom Manoff has a review of a new CD of piano music by Leos Janacek, a Czech composer who lived and composed in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It's called Leos Janacek, A Recollection. Janacek was known for infusing his classical compositions with the folk music of his native Moravia. This new recording features pianist Andras Schiff. It's on the ECM label.

Leos Janacek

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Evan Ziporyn's 'This Is Not a Clarinet'

Colin Berry reviews the CD This is Not a Clarinet, by Evan Ziporyn. The album offers incredible insight into the kinds of sounds the clarinet can deliver. The album has been released by Cantaloupe Music.

Evan Ziporyn's 'This Is Not a Clarinet'

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'Rocket House'

Scott Aiges reviews Rocket House, the latest album from Chris Whitley. Whitley's debut album a decade ago was called a masterpiece in postmodern blues. On this record, he mixes songs that are firmly rooted in the blues with hypnotic futuristic sound effects. The highly stylized sound doesn't obscure the solid foundation of the songs, and Aiges says the album is both rootsy and experimental.

'Rocket House'

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Cannonball Adderley: 'Somethin' Else'

Basic Jazz Record Library

Cannonball Adderley: 'Somethin' Else'

Alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, nicknamed "the New Bird" for his ability to play fast leads a la Charlie "Bird" Parker, swept on the jazz scene in the mid-1950s. On Somethin' Else, Adderley teamed with Miles Davis to create an album that jazz commentator Murray Horwitz calls "near perfect."

Cannonball Adderley: 'Somethin' Else'

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Mose Allison: 'The Sage of Tippo'

Basic Jazz Record Library

Mose Allison: 'The Sage of Tippo'

Born in Tippo, Mississippi, Mose Allison, known as the "William Faulkner of Jazz," grew up playing a piano in back of a gas station — and never stopped. Allison, a prolific songwriter, pianist and singer, brought his down-home Southern bluesy style to jazz. This album illustrates the versatility of a man said to play "blue-eyed soul."

Mose Allison: 'The Sage of Tippo'

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Basic Jazz Record Library

Gene Ammons: 'All-Star Sessions with Sonny Stitt'

Gene "Jug" Ammons played bebop and R&B with equal skill. As the founder of the "Chicago School" of tenor sax, he performed with the Woody Herman and Billy Eckstine orchestras. He and his saxophonist friend, Sonny Stitt, often seemed to be in competition when they played together, as they do in this album.

Gene Ammons: 'All-Star Sessions with Sonny Stitt'

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Louis Armstrong: 'The Complete Hot Five & Hot Seven Recordings'

Basic Jazz Record Library

Louis Armstrong: 'The Complete Hot Five & Hot Seven Recordings'

Louis Armstrong, one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th Century, exuded joy and exuberance as a trumpet player and singer. He rose from poverty in New Orleans, before achieving worldwide fame. In this 1928 album, a young Satchmo shows the extraordinary inventiveness that put him on the map.

Louis Armstrong: 'The Complete Hot Five & Hot Seven Recordings'

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Basic Jazz Record Library

Louis Armstrong: 'The Best of the Decca Years, Vol. 1'

In 1956, Louis Armstrong was an international star at the height of his popularity. He also was one of the first to sing in "scat" style, essentially trying to sound out the notes instead of the words. Among many treats, The Best of the Decca Years has one of the best scat solos of all time — "Up a Lazy River."

Louis Armstrong: 'The Best of the Decca Years, Vol. 1'

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Basic Jazz Record Library

Mildred Bailey: 'That Rockin' Chair Lady'

Mildred Bailey found fame after signing on with Paul Whiteman's national dance orchestra in 1929. Dynamic and plucky, she married xylophonist Red Norvo, and the couple became known as "Mr. and Mrs. Swing." On That Rockin' Chair Lady, her sweet and flexible voice sparkles.

Mildred Bailey: 'That Rockin' Chair Lady'

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Basic Jazz Record Library

Count Basie: 'Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings'

Count Basie broke up his band in 1950 because of financial considerations, but later reorganized and embarked on a series of recording sessions that solidified him as an American jazz institution. This album focuses on the post-1954 period, when vocalist Joe Williams gave the band new popularity with such hits as "All Right OK, You Win."

Count Basie: 'Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings'

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Basic Jazz Record Library

Count Basie: 'The Essential Count Basie, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2'

In the late 1930s, big bands frequently vied for the greatest applause in "ballroom competitions." According to commentator A.B. Spellman, "the Basie band was never beaten" in these competitions." This two-volume set showcases Basie at the height of his ballroom success, and features his renowned rhythm section, "the Kansas City Walk."

Count Basie: 'The Essential Count Basie, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2'

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Basic Jazz Record Library

Sidney Bechet: 'The Sidney Bechet Story'

In the 1920s, Sidney Bechet developed a distinctive, vibrato style on soprano saxophone that won him wide acclaim. His career lagged until 1949, when he went to a jazz festival in Paris and became an overnight sensation. His skilled improvisation is highlighted in this box set, which covers 1923 to 1950.

Sidney Bechet: 'The Sidney Bechet Story'

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