Roberto Occhipinti | The Cusp

Tags

Acoustic Bass, Bass, Jazz, Roberto Occhipinti

Roberto Occhipinti | The Cusp – [Alma Records, 2007] – Weekend Spin – [Music Review]

Roberto Occhipinti, The Cusp

As I mature, it seems in my listening habits, curiosity, and hunger for jazz and whom it derives from has a tendency to lean in the direction of fascinating new artists like acoustic bassist, composer and arranger Roberto Occhipinti. That said, the Toronto, Canada born musician stirs up a tasteful blend of music on his 2007 offering titled “The Cusp” which brings relevance to this music I dearly love called jazz.

On “The Cusp,” out of the box Occhipinti shakes things up with the intoxicating, and relentless Rumba titled “David’s Onda.” Occhipinti cleverly challenges you with the attractive timbre of his voice throughout “The Cusp.” Underneath it all, his acoustic voice is warm, brisk and inviting as he draws from an immeasurable palette of Latin laced jazz compositions, lush arrangements with his indelible interpretation of [“Ana Maria“] he stretches, and bends your imagination with a unending stream of enchanting melodies and savoring tempos flow generously without boundaries.

In retrospect, what we have here is a satisfying collection of great songs performed by an impeccable ensemble joined with 13 piece orchestra. Exciting, now that’s what’s up! If you love jazz with heavy Latin influences, then this gem which also compliments his previous Grammy winning project “Yemaya” … both recordings are worthy and highly recommended. Therefore, in a sober mind and spirit the “The Cusp” easily quenches my thirst and hunger for great jazz.

Absolutely, that’s what jazz is all about … well at least for me it is!

Jowee Omicil -|- Roots & Grooves

Tags

Afro-Haitian, Haitian Jazz, Jowee Omicil, Saxophone

Jowee Omicil -//- Roots & Grooves – [Bbjuiss Record, 2009]

Jowee Omicil, Roots & Grooves

Jowee Omicil, a native of Montreal, Canada with roots of the island of Haiti plays the saxophone-alto, tenor, soprano- flute, and clarinet. He plays his wind instruments in a poetic and harmonious style couple with a stance that makes one wonder if he is equipped with Òfour lungs.Ó Kenny Garrett and many other Jazz greats such as Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane and Miles Davis influenced his sound.

An alumnus of the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston where he majored in Music Education, Jowee Omicil brings to his craft, innovation and a new development in the music that he creates. He later went on to further his education as he entered the Thelonius Monk Institute among the 20 “hand-picked” around the US and was featured on BET Jazz. After Berklee, Jowee began his work in Music Education as Chair of the Music Department at Mission Hill School, Boston, MA. He held this position for four years while performing with his group “The Core” during his free time. He also created and developed the curriculum for the woodwind and brass instruments for the Musical Department at Bronx Preparatory Charter School and taught for 3 years.

..:: Source: Jowee Omicil.com ::..

Brian Culbertson | Live from the Inside

Tags

African American, Brian Culbertson, Keyboards, Trombone

Brian Culbertson | Live from the Inside – [Verve, 2009]

Brian Culbertson, Live from the Inside

On June 3rd, 2009, Brian Culbertson and a small army of well respected musicians in the Smooth Jazz community, descended upon the legendary Capitol Studios in Hollywood to film and record a live career retrospect of well loved tunes from his GRP and other labels’ catalogs.The resulting session is presented in full on a DVD directed by filmmaker Joey Castro and on a CD with 12 of the songs they performed including the brand new song “Go.”

Musical guests includes Ray Parker Jr., Dave Koz, Michael Lington, Eric Marienthal, Eric Darius, Jim Culbertson and Sheldon Reynolds. The band consists of Lenny Castro, Chris Miskel, Lamar Jones, Eddie Miller, Michael Stever, Rob Schaer, Nick Lane, Wayne Bruce and Marqueal Jordan. Get a sneak peak of the new album at Brian’s website.

“I think it’s important to make this available to people because this DVD is definitely a milestone for me,” Brian comments. “It’s just something special with all these legends and great musicians getting together in the studio at the same time. I just really felt like I had to document this and let everyone else see the energy and the magic that was created with all of us together.”

Live from the Inside is scheduled for release on November 10, 2009.

..:: Source: Smooth Jazz Daily ::..

Steve Khan | Got My Mental

Tags

Guitar, Jack DeJohnette, Jazz, John Patitucci, Steve Khan

Steve Khan | Got My Metal – [Evidence, 1997]

Steve Khan, Got My Mental

The problem with assessing the quality of cd’s is that artists often have different phases in their career, or different kinds of output for their talent. Khan, for example, had a “fusion” phase (early Khan material and the band Eyewitness), has a Latin jazz side, is a superlative sideman and session player (look at, e.g., Steely Dan’s Gaucho album), and has real bonafides as a “straight ahead” jazz player.

My favorite format in jazz is the trio, particularly the jazz guitar trio. Khan has done several albums in this vein and Got My Mental is my favorite (it’s more or less a trio). The songs are perfect examples of trio playing where the interactivity is so complete that one almost forgets there are separate players. Khan’s melodies are sing-able (a forgotten art in so much guitar jazz) and his solos speak with phrases both lovely and enigmatic. (Is Khan the Wallace Stevens of the guitar solo? Not a bad analogy.) Here, too, John Patitucci really shines; one of the first albums where he leaves the “hot shot fusion bass player” thing behind and lets Khan’s melodism guide him beyond his technical habits. And Jack DeJohnette–what can be said? He is a drummer’s drummer, the perfect third point in this triangle.

Without a doubt, this is a “Desert Island Disc.” Check it out and you’ll be singing it for the rest of the month. —David Hildebrand

..:: Source: Amazon.com ::..