No Problem - Chet Baker Quartet

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...~ ~ So what’s this, you may well ask? A music review from the “mad cabbie”!!!! Am I seeing right? Well, believe it or believe it not, the only reason I have never written in this category before is because no matter how hard I try to attempt to get across what I want to convey, it all seems to come out all cock-eyed. But listening to one of my favourite singers on the CD-Rom last night while I surfed around the Web, I realised that I couldn’t put off the evil day any longer. ~ ~ Some of you will probably remember a song from the late 1970’s called “Baker Street”, by a Scot’s singer called Gerry Rafferty. If you listen to the radio at all you can hardly have missed it, as even now there is hardly a day passes that it is not played at some point. I believe there was even a cover... Read review

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Advantages: Driven by musical passion. Great Jazz structures (+ lack of)
Disadvantages: All tracks are very similar (no variation)

...A must have for all JTQ fans. This album incorporates acid jazz with the classic James Taylor quartet sound. Opening with Joe's Diversions, the hammond organ sound takes lead throughout the album. Vocals from new singer Yvonne Yanney bring new light to the quartet - the most prominent track being 'It's all over'. For all jazz, and especially acid jazz fans, this album provides complex melodies and harmonies, whilst capturing the unusally simple structures of acid. The album is well produced, and the selection of tracks (11 in total) are well chosen. I would recommend this album to all fans of JTQ and jazz, and to those who are willing to try something new in their musical tastes. Truly a great album, full of musical passion.... Read review

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Advantages: A good range of music is presented here
Disadvantages: Not so good for new Reich fans

...The main piece on this CD is Triple Quartet, a work written as recently as 1999. It has a strident and pungent sound but features Reich's famous driving, pulsing rhythms that are really captivating. Unlike his earlier works, the harmonies are stronger and less lush and there is a constant sense of drama and a surprisingly high level of passion. It took me some time to warm to the piece but now it is very high on my list. The slow movement is particlarly beautiful. Next up is a reworking of Violin Phase for electric guitar. An odd concept but it does work. However i prefer the original, its hard edge tone may not be to everybodys liking. Music for a large ensemble follows next and flows along at fast pace with interlocking patterns. There were moments when the mix seems to lose its way, and some of the textures seem to collide a little... Read review

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