Racha Fora play jazz their own way on Happy Fire
Hiroaki Honshuku jazz combo Racha Fora combines elements of jazz traditions from America, Brazil, and Japan. To say this kind of jazz is different would be an understatement. While Racha Fora has the fluidity, freedom, and discipline of jazz, its mesh of styles and influences on Happy Fire make it cry out to be heard as […]
Connecticut’s Brian Larney offers strong melodies, harmonies, engaging vocals on White
Connecticut recording artist Brian Larney’s White CD stays within lovely patterns of melodies, harmonies, and pop perfection song craft. That is an approach that works wonders for Larney’s songs. His voice is another part of his magic. It’s so refreshing to hear a pop singer carry so much of the song with his vocal. There […]
Someone You Can XRay come up with fine weave of instruments on Hot ‘N Fresh
The funky roots band Someone You Can XRay from Connecticut have dropped their third CD titled Hot ‘N Fresh. Blending electric and acoustic instruments in songs that have a lot of moving parts, this band proves it can groove while keeping a fine weave of many emotive melody lines. Opening cut “Brimstone & Perfume” offers […]
Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers offer fun, bluesy holiday cheer with The Christmas Swing
Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers turn the holiday season into a grand party vibe with their new CD The Christmas Swing. You’ve got to hear this combo of original, traditional, and blues standards to believe how well this band has meshed credible blues idioms to Christmas themes. Opening theme “Jingle Bells” turns the familiar […]
Tokyo Tramps outdo themselves with impressive If I Die Tomorrow; crisp production makes it drip with quality
Tokyo Tramps have released their latest of several studio albums If I Die Tomorrow, and it features many of their original tunes that their vast fan base has heard they play live in the last few years. Recorded by Ducky Carlisle and produced by Carlisle and Peter Parcek at Carlisle’s Ice Station Zebra studio in […]
Henley Douglas RnB offer up huge swells of good music on Vital Signs 2 Amore’s Prayer
Henley Douglas RnB play with instrumental wizardry on Vital Signs 2, Amore’s Prayer. Named after Henley’s daughter, this double disc masterpiece offers many different approaches to the funk-jazz match up. The listener feels he received a huge meal that satisfies on many levels. Along for the ride with saxophone man Douglas Jr. is trumpeter Garret […]
Jay Psaros reflects depth, subtle skill on The Trees Beyond The Town
Jay Psaros, in his new CD, The Trees Beyond The Town, shines with an ineffable charm. Psaros has a light touch that is inexplicably appealing, something in between the notes that is unique to him. He keeps it politely understated, allowing his backing musicians to offer fine swells of sound around him that perfectly match […]
Willie J. Laws scores high marks for Black Maria
The largeness of sound and the largeness of purpose on Willie J. Laws’ new CD Black Maria cannot be overstated. This is a big album and it’s a big deal. Laws’ vocals, guitar, and his friends on their supporting instruments all weave a masterpiece of sound. This beautiful disc opens with the wide ranging, free […]
Anthony Geraci brings blues to a higher level with Why Did You Have To Go
Anthony Geraci has really come into his own the last few years with his layered, sophisticated blues albums. This keyboard player, usually with Sugar Ray And The Bluetones, is a brilliant songwriter and composer as well as an A list musician in the greater-Boston/New England blues scene. What he offers here on Why Did You […]
Wildcat O’Halloran Band offers strongest CD yet with the impressive New York City Chill
Wildcat O’Halloran Band recently released another of their very strong blues CDs. Titled New York City Chill, it’s loaded with tasty blues songs composed, arranged, and performed by O’Halloran and his usual suspects Emily Duff, Kathy Peterson, and Mark Chouinard. Its variety of blues styles is only one of its strengths. Each tune, well fleshed […]
