Robert Cray Releases “In My Soul”, Featuring Richard Cousins
Guitarist Robert Cray is back with his blues/soul sound on his 17th studio album, . This time out, The Robert Cray Band includes Cray’s childhood friend Richard Cousins on bass, along with Dover Weinberg on keyboards and Les Falconer on drums. Cousins first played with the band from 1979-1991 and rejoined in 2007. Weinberg is also an early member who...
Tim Wolfe, Jr. Releases “Topics of Conversation”
Tim Wolfe Jr., who we featured in our Reader Spotlight in 2013, has released his first album as a band leader and composer, . As jazz bassist working and teaching in central/southeast Pennsylvania (as well as the grandson of two jazz musicians, including one bassist), Wolfe’s album nods to the East Coast hard-bop tradition. His band on the record hails...
Isaias Elpes Releases Self Titled Album
Brazilian bassist and composer Isaias Elpes has released a self-titled album that reflects both his Latin heritage (one track is even titled “Born in Brazil”) and his continuing education as a jazz/jazz fusion player. Elpes finished his master’s degree in music from Shepherd University in Los Angeles last year, where he studied under legendary session bassist Abraham Laboriel, who was...
Freekbass Returns with “Everybody’s Feelin’ Real”
You wanna get funky? Then it might be time to check out the latest album from Freekbass, Everybody’s Feelin’ Real. The album’s being billed as offering retro-modern funktronica grooves, and Freekbass cites everyone from David Bowie to Sly & the Family Stone to Dr. Dre as inspiration for the record’s sonic qualities. Horns on the record are handled by Les...
Metal Icons Contribute to Dio Tribute Album, Cancer Fund
Legendary metal vocalist and band leader Ronnie James Dio died in 2010 after a battle with stomach cancer, but his legacy lives on, through not only his music, but also the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund. Both have come together in the the compilation album, , which features metal luminaries performing Dio’s songs from all eras...
Asia Releases “Gravitas”
Asia’s 14th studio album, , is a pure expression of the progressive rock band, according to lead vocalist and bassist John Wetton (formerly of King Crimson). “It conveys the spectrum of emotion and color from real life agonies to ecstatic fantasy of escapism. Great songs, fabulous performance. Gravitas is ASIA by ASIA. At last.” Asia is best known for its...
The Bad Plus Reimagines Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring”
The Bad Plus has redefined Stravinsky’s classical piece for ballet, , as a work for an acoustic jazz trio of piano, bass and drums. The group’s version of Stravinsky’s composition debuted in 2011 and the trio has performed it live in the years since. Now the interpretation from the group — known for its inventiveness and predilection for the avant...
“Miles at the Fillmore: Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3” Released
presents the fully unedited version of the live experience of Davis and his band at a turning point in the legendary trumpeter’s career. This music comes from the Bitches Brew era, in which Davis worked with a band that included bassist Dave Holland, regarded as a jazz great in his own right. The 4-CD box set features 100 minutes of...
Nathan East Releases Debut Solo Album
Nathan East. You know him. You most likely love him. He’s the bass sideman to the stars — over his 40-year career, he played with everyone Barry White to Eric Clapton to Phil Collins to George Harrison to Michael Jackson. He’s also a member of Fourplay and bassist Daft Punk (that’s his line you hear on “Get Lucky”). Now he...
Taking Back Sunday Releases “Happiness Is”
Taking Back Sunday’s sixth album isn’t just the rock group’s sixth album — it’s also the second with its revived original lineup, which features bassist Shaun Cooper. The album, which was made with no record label involvement (a first since the band’s debut album) is on that reveals the band’s shared experiences, some of which are harrowing, according to Cooper....
The Crimson Projekct Releases “Live in Tokyo”
So, anything associated with King Crimson isn’t going to be simple — that’s just a given. So, it should follow that the Crimson offshoot band, Crimson ProjeKCt isn’t one band, it’s two. One is Stick Men, featuring Crimson bassist/Chapman Stick player Tony Levin and drummer Pat Mastelotto (another Crimson alum) with multi-instrumentalist/Chapman Stick player Markus Reuter. The other is the...
John McLaughlin and The 4th Dimension Release “The Boston Record”
John McLaughlin and The 4th Dimension’s shows in 2013 showcased not only music from guitar great McLaughlin’s last two albums with the band, but a new take on the Mahavishnu Orchestra’s classic “You Know, You Know.” reveals the group at its live best on the final show of the tour, at Berklee College of Music. The 4th Dimension — including...