Bob James Trio | Take it From The Top

Tags

Bob James, Jazz, Piano

Bob James Trio | Take it From The Top – [Koch Records, 2004] – Music Review | The Weekend Spin

Bob James Trio, Take it From The Top

Many of us was caught off guard by timely introduction of the BJ series on CTI Records, since then I’ve grown to admire the proficiency in the unrivaled voice of Bob James as being a permanent fixture in contemporary jazz community. As you know, due to various label changes over the years he transformed his compositional style to fit the smooth jazz radio format to broaden his appeal. Therefore, in doing so to the dismay of his CTI and Tapanzee fans he attracted a new fanbase with tightly package sound, henceforth his record and concert revenue grew at an impressive rate.

That said, I applaud him for stretching out to revive his acoustic piano work with less profitable offering such as his latest Trio recording on Koch Records called “Take it From The Top.” In a sense, with this type of record James inapt nature proves that his versatile prowess as a player garners him greater respect among his contemporaries. ~ The Urban Flux

Ronny Jordan | The Rough and The Smooth

Tags

African American, British, Guitar, Jazz

Ronny Jordan | The Rough and The Smooth – [Private & Public Music, 2009]

Ronny Jordan, The Rough and The Smooth

“The Rough & The Smooth” is the fulfillment of a long held dream of mine to add “my two cents” to the timeless legacy of Soul Groove Jazz. This CD is not only a personal tribute to my primary jazz guitar heroes – the late Wes Montgomery, the late Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, George Benson and not to forget, the lesser known masters like the late Thornel Schwartz, Jimmy Ponder, Melvin Sparks, the late Ted Dunbar, Wilbert Longmire, Eric Gale and many others – but also to the jazz organ legends such as the late Jimmy Smith, the late Larry Young, the late Brother Jack McDuff, the late Jimmy McGriff, the late Richard “Groove” Holmes, the late “Big” John Patton, Rueben Wilson, Melvin Rhyne, Dr Lonnie Smith, the late Charles Earland, Booker T. Jones and others, the many great drummers, percussionists, horn men and the other great musicians, all too numerous to name, who each made, in their own very unique way, a massive contribution to Soul Groove Jazz Music .

Leroy Campbell | Good Hair

Tags

African American, Art, Leroy Campbell

Greeting’s fellow music & art aficionados, TGIF! Today, I taught it would be cool to share a piece by artist Leroy Campbell titled “Good Hair.” That said, a new movie/documentary narrated by comedian/actor Chris Rock “Good Hair” begins today in a theater near you. The movie references the struggle African American Women have with managing their hair on a daily basis. Good Hair, the movie should be quite entertaining!

Now, onto our featured artist Leroy Campbell.

A self-taught artist, he is influenced by his birthplace, Monk’s Corner, South Carolina. Campbell revisits the rural South in his “Neck Bone” series, inhabited by Joe-Neck Bone, Joe Neck Bone, Jr., and Grandma Corrie. His subjects, proud, God-fearing, and self-reliant, are the backbone of the African-American community. —Grandpasart.com

Leroy Campbell | Good Hair – [Hand Embellished Giclée]

Leroy Campbell, Good Hair