In this column, I feature reviews of three wonderful new releases.
Artist: George Benson
Title: Live at Montreux 1986 (Mercury Studios)
You might like if you enjoy: George Benson, Jeffrey Osbourne
Tell me more: A frequent performer at the Montreux Jazz Festival (held every July in Switzerland), George Benson performed a particularly special set in the summer of 1986; indeed the celebrated artist selected this concert as the first of his Montreux performances to be released as a commercial live set. While the performance was released on DVD in 2005, Mercury Studios' newly-issued Live at Montreux 1986 marks the first time the audio-only portion has been available; the DVD+2CD title is an exciting celebration of Benson's astounding talents as singer, guitar virtuoso and band leader. Blending jazz, pop, soul and R&B during the fast-moving performance, Benson's incredible vocals and lead guitar work impress across the concert recording. While songs such as "Feel Like Making Love," "The Greatest Love of All" and "Turn Your Love Around" focus on his amazing talents as an R&B singer, an equal number of other selections — including the instrumental "Off Broadway," "Love X Love," "Weekend in L.A." and "Affirmation" — demonstrate Benson's incredible artistry as a guitar master. Other highlights include "Love Ballad" showcasing his scat vocals, "My Latin Brother" featuring some notable flamenco-meets-jazz fret work, the dance-fueled "20/20" and an extended version of his timeless hit "On Broadway." Live at Montreux 1986 is a marvelous performance to be sure, with the Pittsburgh native performing a mix of hits and deep cuts before an enthusiastic audience. Information: amazon.com.
Title: Dying of the Light (Kool Kat Musik)
You might like if you enjoy: Badfinger, The Beatles, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Tears For Fears, Blur
Tell me more: It's hard to believe, but The Parlophonics' wonderful new album Dying of the Light was recorded without the benefit of Dresden, Germany-based Robert Horvath (guitars, bass), North Hollywood-based Fernando Perdomo (guitars, drums) and London resident Hugh Macdonald (lead vocals) ever working together in the same studio! The three artists came together virtually during the global pandemic to release their 2021 debut A Day In The Life, an effort that set the stage for their new Kool Kat label debut; the new title features the contributions of singer Marcella Detroit as well as original Wings drummer Denny Seiwell, Rudy Fantin (Hammond organ) and Max Tovstyi (bass). The brilliant Dying of the Light recalls melody-minded greats from the 1960s and early '70s to be sure, with fans of The Beatles, The Hollies and Raspberries sure to dig the marvelous 11-track disc. The hypnotic opener "Fill My Sky," buoyant "Reading Kerouac" (the latter my favorite song on the album), introspective folk rock-flavored "Believe in Something" and Beatlesque harmonies-adorned title track are early gems on the masterwork. The magic continues via standouts like the mood-swept "Underneath the Blue Sky," the sumptuous "Only A Lie," beautiful "Paper Smile" and breezy "These Days." In addition to the wealth of potent original songs showcased on the album, the band offers up their affecting take on Badfinger's "Song for a Lost Friend." What's more, the Parlophonics even commissioned the legendary Klaus Voormann (best known for his iconic Beatles' Revolver LP cover) to create the compelling album cover. Information: koolkatmusik.com.
Title: Idiomatic (Kool Kat Musik)
You might like if you enjoy: BoDeans, Tom Petty, Psychic Rain
Tell me more: Dan Kibler took a decidedly unique approach when he began working on Idiomatic in early 2019 — just prior to the arrival of the pandemic. He recruited Michael Giblin (The Split Squad, Parallax Project) as engineer, mixer and bassist; he also enlisted Tom Kristich of The Jellybricks to play drums. The approach in recording the album involved the band arriving at the studio without having heard the songs they would work on that day. Kibler would introduce the song to the musicians by playing the original on his acoustic guitar for them, and from there they would begin to play and collaborate on the finished arrangement before the track was recorded. This process was repeated for all 10 songs on Idiomatic. The winning approach taken by Kibler and company resounds strongly across the disc. The rollicking "This World," melodic folk rocker "Rail Me Down," rousing "Don't Go For The Money," infectious "Mystery Girl," driving power pop gem "Fear What You Know" and luxurious "Words" are among the infectious and stellar songs on Idiomatic. Information: koolkatmusik.com.
Robert Kinsler
No comments:
Post a Comment