Point in Time is the exciting and engaging debut recording of Puerto Rico based guitarist Gabriel Vicéns. While most players his age are either still in school or cutting their teeth in jam sessions and the woodshed, Vicéns has already completed a degree in Jazz Performance from the Puerto Rican Conservatory, where he studied with some of the biggest names in the genre, including Jon Faddis, Miguel Zenón and Kenny
It was during my junior high school year that my mother gave me my first Wes Montgomery album. She didn’t know who Wes was, but she was able to redeem some S&H Green Stamps from the grocery store to get it for me. It had his picture on the front with a guitar, so she thought I’d be interested. The album was So Much Guitar, and being a Chet Atkins fan at the time, it seemed very strange to me musically. A couple of years later a best friend, drummer Steve Campbell, called me to join him at a local music store. He was excited for me to hear a recording that featured Wes playing “Caravan.” From that day forward, my musical direction shifted; I ran home to pull out my one album of Wes and give it another try.
Duke Robillard has been a prominent figure in the American music scene since the 1960s. He has been nominated multiple times for Grammy awards and is truly a chameleon when it comes to his capabilities in many styles and myriad of musical interests. From traditional blues to mainstream jazz and swing, Robillard has solid footing and an authentic approach, which makes him a pleasure to hear. This new recording, entitled Wobble Walkin’ encompasses both bluesy jazz guitar and the music of Tin Pan Alley.
Along with Antonio Carlos Jobim, João Gilberto and a handful of other young composers, Oscar Castro-Neves emerged in the early 1960s as one of the founding figures of the musical movement that became known worldwide as Bossa Nova. In 1962, a year before “The Girl From Ipanema” became a Top 10 hit, he helped lead the bossa nova invasion of the U.S., playing a central role as a performer and accompanist for other noted Brazilian musicians at the historic presentation of Brazil’s new music at Carnegie Hall. Since then, his distinguished career has included performances with Stan Getz, Sergio Mendez, Yo Yo Ma, and even Michael Jackson and Barbara Streisand.
Canadian guitarist and composer Alex Goodman has released three CDs as a leader. He completed his Bachelor of Jazz Performance degree at the University of Toronto, where he was honored as the first jazz musician to receive the William and Phyllis Waters graduating Award. The award goes to the student deemed to have the greatest potential to make an important contribution to the field of music.
Growing up in Berlin, and Conservatory trained, bassist Frank Herzberg moved to Brazil 14 years ago. After living in the South American nation for four years, the bassist began a musical partnership with drummer Zé Eduardo Nazário and pianist Alexandre Zamith, one that continues to this day and can be heard on the trio’s latest recording, Handmade. The album, a collection of eight tracks, is a mix of modern jazz, Brazilian grooves and American funk. No matter where the trio takes the music, one thing remains the same, the high level of creativity, musicianship and interaction that these three musicians bring to the table.
Overall, Songbird’s Prayer is a strong statement for the Montreal pianist. With such a heavy tradition of Montreal jazz pianists behind her, Rudolf steps up and stakes her claim as a name to watch for in coming years. Leaving the audience wanting more, this record is the perfect introduction to Rudolf’s musical world, and a welcomed addition to the modern jazz piano library.
When one thinks of Brazilian guitar, the soft sounds of a classical guitar playing Bossa Nova or Samba usually comes to mind. But, there is a new generation of Brazilian guitarists that are stepping beyond expectations, branching out to the modern Jazz-Rock-Funk Fusion genre and taking Brazilian guitar into new and exciting directions.
John Medeski (keyboards), Chris Wood (bass) and Billy Martin (drums and other percussion) have reunited with guitarist John Scofield on MSMW Live: In Case The World Changes Its Mind. Their first collaboration was on Scofield’s album A Go Go and later on Out Louder, which was released in 2006. This recording is a live collection of twelve tracks featuring songs from those two previous efforts.
Boston jazz artist Gerry Beaudoin has distinguished himself in many ways the past several decades. He has been a mainstay in jazz clubs of Boston and New York City. Beaudoin is also well respected as a teacher, which is one of the most admirable parts of his career. He is making sure that a new generation of jazz guitarists understands the roots of where we are today. Explaining and demonstrating the form and complexity of playing through advanced chord changes is a true gift, and one that needs to be shared freely.
