Jazz & Blues > Piano Jazz & Blues > after 2000 > 25 GBP and more

Advantages: Good tunes
Disadvantages: Looses the atmosphere of the original

Bullitt is one of my favourite films and no small part of that is Lalo Schifrin’s jazz flavoured sound track. However it’s not a particularly straight form of jazz. My father is a large fan of jazz and yet couldn’t name any other artist who has produced music similar to Lalo’s sound track. The overall tone of the music is darker than ‘normal’ jazz, reflecting the less than cheery outlook of the movie. However, ...
...are quite a few Bullitt CD’s floating round and this one, released in May 2001 is somewhat obviously not the original original sound track. Instead it’s a re-recording supervised by Lalo and performed by the musical talents of the WDR orchestra, “Bullitt – Music recreated from and inspired by the motion picture”, to give it it’s full title features several versions of songs from the soundtrack as well as a few ... Read review

Advantages: Guitar work, vocals
Disadvantages: None

...and of course this one Bring Em In from 2005. **Bring Em In** Bring 'Em In features collaborations with various artists, the artists who feature are Carlos Santana (guitar), Tracy Chapman (vocals), John Mayer (guitar), Anthony Hamilton (vocals), Robert Randolph (pedal steel), and Keith Richards (guitar). The album features mostly covers of classic blues tracks but there is one Buddy Guy original which is the hugely impressive What Kind of woman ...
...penned by Buddy Guy on Bring 'Em In and In my opinion it is one of the best on the album, This melodic blues track moves along with guitar licks with such passion and vigour that you are transfixed by it all. Everything about this track is outstanding and needs to be heard. 4.) Somebody's been sleeping in my bed A track that gives goosebumps and shivers down the spine with the blues melody. The guitar work is superb and his vocals are strong and ... Read review

Advantages: Very, very different.
Disadvantages: None for me.

Polar Bear - Held on the tips of fingers The UK Jazz scene is thriving lately, especially the fusion jazz/acoustic/electronica/dance styles. This album released in 2005 has nine tracks only, but when you consider that most of them are five minutes long at least, that aint bad. Who are Polar Bear? Drummer Seb Rochford Tenor & Baritone Sax, Pete Wareham Tenor, Mark Lockheart Double Bass, Tom Herbert Leafcutter John (cool name), Mandolin and ...
...good stuff 9/10. 5. Held On The Tips Of Fingers. The title track. This has more of a feel of bebop influences, yet somehow it isn't, and again, expecting the unexpected it gets a little weird and experimental, in a good way. 7/10. 6. Argumentative. We start this track with a real bebop/swing feel and then it changes to become almost Coltrane 'esque in the sax playing or maybe even Albert Ayler, it certainly that end of the (Modal?)spectrum. Lots ... Read review

Advantages: Experimental jazz
Disadvantages: Might be too inaccessible for some

Sex Mob are a jazz quartet based in New York who made a name for themselves by presenting exciting live shows and pop song improvisations. The band is led by trumpeter Steven Bernstein and have performed as the house band for the Leonard Cohen tribute project featuring Nick Cave and Rufus Wainwright. In addition to Bernstein, Sex Mob features altoist Briggan Krauss, bassist Tony Scherr and drummer Kenny Wollesen. They offer their own personal brand ...
...and trumpet they have managed in the past to deconstruct songs by Abba, Cobain and Brubeck. They have also applied the same formula to a James Bond compilation. With the recording of 'Sexotica' Sex Mob have produced a sultry tribute to the 1950s 'exotica' pioneer Martin Denny. "Exotica" was an urban pastiche of South American, Caribbean, and Hawaiian music originated by Denny. Denny's method was to employ a small group with a large amount of percussion ... Read review

Advantages: A WELL PUT TOGETHER LIVE ALBUM
Disadvantages: THEY COULD HAVE ADDED A FEW MORE TRACKS TO ALBUM

"BOLLA,KEYBOARD BLUES" is one of those albums that you can listen to time and time again and you never get board with it.Perhaps its not only the quality of musicians playing on the album but the treatment of the tunes.They seem to have really enjoyed the live session recording the album taking it like a normal good gig having a lot of fun.You can even hear it in singer Louise Markham's voice at times that they were probably cracking a joke or two ...
...so relaxing to listen to.The selection of tunes and songs was also interesting and were placed in good order for listeners.Ed Bentley of course is the master of the Hammond Organ and seeing him live and hearing him play on the album is expresses the same mode.He is always so layed back pedaling the bass,using nice chords on the left hand and blasting out solo riffs with the right hand without even showing and expression of toil.He could as well be ... Read review