The Rifftides staff has done exhaustive auditioning, winnowing and selecting from among hundreds of CDs, DVDs and books hoping to be chosen. The result: a new batch of recommendations. They are compact discs by a pianist and a trumpeter who love Mingus, musical portraits of the seven deadly sins, a … [Read more...]
Archives for June 29, 2011
CD: Knuffke & Stacken
Kirk Knuffke & Jess Stacken, Orange Was The Color (Steeplechase). Balancing daring and restraint, Knuffke and Stacken address 11 of Charles Mingus’s compositions. Knuffke sets aside his trumpet in favor of cornet to intertwine, contrast and parallel his lines with Stracken’s piano. He … [Read more...]
CD: Joseph Daley
Joseph Daley Earth Tones Ensemble, The Seven Deadly Sins (Jaro). Inspired by Wade Schulman paintings, Daley wrote orchestral impressions of the sins. To the veteran composer and tubist, earth tones mean low notes. Anchored by tubas, bass saxophone, contrabass sax, contrabass clarinet, contrabass … [Read more...]
CD: Nat Cole
Nat King Cole, The Forgotten 1949 Carnegie Hall Concert (Hep). Cole’s trio and the Woody Herman Second Herd teamed up for a successful concert tour, with Carnegie Hall a high spot. It was recorded but never before issued. Now, here it is, with Cole’s singing and piano playing at a high … [Read more...]