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Music reviews

Rory Block: Last Fair Deal

Telarc

The cover of this hybrid SACD modestly states that Rory Block is ‘widely regarded as the top female interpreter and authority on traditional country blues’. I am sure she could well be, though some of her tracks such as Hallelu or Look What the Lord has Done I would classify as Gospel. I think my problem with this album is that it comes across as a collection of pieces rather than a well themed and developed album. I enjoyed some of the more obviously blues tracks and certainly her instrumental guitar tracks such as Amazing Grace show why she has such a strong following. Over all however I found that there was sameness to her interpretation of material that had a tired quality to it. Don’t bother with this album unless you are already a fan. John Groom

Blue Note Trip: Sunrise Sunset

Blue Note

This second 2CD volume from Dutch DJ and collector Maestro has the ability to almost miraculously combine the finest in classic jazz and Latin funk, while keeping the package fresh by including remixes and contemporary material. Split into Sunset and Sunrise discs, Maestro has managed to make the compilation work as both a DJ mix and a fantastic overview of all the things that make Blue Note such a legendary label. A great way to discover some legends of the most famous jazz label in the world in the hands of a knowledgeable and respectful keeper of the Blue Note flame, a collector let loose in the vaults who feels the music as much as anyone, and it's that love that comes across in this wonderful collection. Highly recommended. Allan McFarlane

Donald Byrd: Free form

Blue Note/EMI

A single day in a New Jersey studio, December '61...Take a handful of diverse original compositions from Byrd and a fledgling Herbie Hancock, add an equally youthful Wayne Shorter plus the Higgins/Warren rhythm partnership into the mix and the outcome is another classic Blue Note session, rich with poise, muscle and soul.

Nat Hentoff's original liner notes pay homage, in characteristic period lit.crit. style, to the "probing lyricism" and "lucidity" of this quintet's frontmen - qualities ascribed to a "process of self-testing" which he sees in action here.And who are we to disagree when there's such a sense of conviction and intent in the playing. The ensemble explore styles ranging from the bright & boppy ebullience of the opener Pentecostal Feeling, through the meditative ballad delivery of Night Flower, on to improvisational territory with the title track 'Free Form'. This is studied, fluent stuff. What a day it must have been. Paul Green

Carousel: Carousel

Available through www.smokecds.com

It's amazing who you find on street corners... musically I mean. While back in Nelson in January my son and I stumbled on Wellington-based Carousel playing at just such a corner. Lachlan seemed interested so we sat and watched for while and then I grabbed a CD before we left. Good move, Craig.

Carousel are Francesca Mountfort on cello, Susan Colien-Ried on violin, guitar and vocals, Eli Mrkusich and mandolin and banjo, and Peter Mrkusich on guitar. This interesting combination of instruments works wonderfully well together on material, which seems to be influenced by Eastern European classical and folk music plus the Gypsy spirit and vitality. Carousel is quite dark at times but always lyrical. The three words I ended up with on top of my notes were energy, heart and power which sums the album up well for me. 

The tracks are original (except for one small Prokofiev except) with all members of the band getting pen to paper somewhere. (I would suspect that there's a fair bit improvising going on here as well.) From the disquieting opening piece Chucky's Big Day Out to the gently swinging Conversations In The Park to the strikingly powerful Carnival I was struck by the rhythmic insistence that is common through the tracks.

The songs paint solid images with broad brushes, but then someone will step forward to add the fine, subtle detail. Susan's violin has a plaintiff voice and Francesca plays the cello boldly producing a deep, rich tone. Peter's guitar is often found driving the music but he breaks out into some excellent finger picking as well, while Eli's expressive mandolin adds texture and light to the picture.

I like to try to bring different albums to the fore and this certainly qualifies. I can't find a pigeonhole for it no matter how hard I try. Who's this going to appeal to - classical listeners, lovers of European jazz, and those just looking for music that is original, inventive, well played, and heart felt. That's most of us isn't it? Craig Fenemor

Dirty Dozen Brass Band: We got robbed - Live in New Orleans

RCD

Not quite a dozen, but it sure sounds like it. Boasting a line-up of trumpet, trombone, sousaphone, fluglehorn and three forms of saxophone, this is a brass extravaganza that tries to allow everyone a piece of the action - too often at the same time. From the opening gambit, when the raucous greeting goes out to their home-town Noo Owleearnz fans, this is unrelenting flexing of funky horn muscle with the band offering constant competing flourishes which weave and squeal around each other as tune after tune gets the extended workover. Their web-site describes them as a world famous music machine (27 years, 10 albums, studio liaisons with Bowie, Costello, Dr John) whose name is synonmous with with genre-bending romps and high octane
performance. Well, yes, it's spirited, it's vigorous and there's an abundance of enthusiasm (a good bunch of guys grafting together etc), but ultimately it too frequently borders on the frazzled and repetitious as the impression sets in that they are too many trying too hard. Paul Green

Jacques Loussier: Best of Play Bach

Telarc

Some music is a complete joy to review. This is such. To mark Loussier’s 70th birthday Telarc released this hybrid SACD. Having based his amazing 45 year career around the works of Bach, Loussier has an intimate knowledge of the structures and has chosen well for this ‘Best of’ as well as writing the linear notes. The recording is clear and intimate. The playing is exquisite. The selection includes the well-known favourites such as Air on a G String, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, Pastorale in C minor and Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Though very worthy of close listening, this is a good background sound to work to or for dinner parties. Don’t just sit there go and buy it. John Groom

Lyle Lovett: My Baby Don’t Tolerate

Curb

This is classic Lyle. Lyrically superb, Lovett has stripped the sound down allowing the natural rhythmic swing of the instruments to the fore, giving the songs themselves an enjoyable openness. The result is a stylish album that fans will love and newcomers will embrace. While an initial listen may have you thinking this is a rehash of previous outings, repeated listening finds considerable merit in the new material, successful without the need to venture into any new diversions. If you have enjoyed Lyle's music in the past, you will find much to appreciate here. Recommended, this will definitely be in high rotation in my collection. Allan McFarlane

Jackie McLean: Right Now

Blue Note

A relatively ignored Blue Note artist, alto-saxophonist Jackie McLean has always enjoyed a strong “underground” following among jazz aficionados. This re-entry into the catalogue (recorded 1965) is as good as place as any to find out why. The mesmerising Poor Eric (for Eric Dolphy) is amongst the most unerringly simple yet highly moving tracks you’ll encounter, while the title track is as infectious as anything in the Blue Note vault. A discovery for this listener is the superb work from pianist Larry Willis. Advice – snap this up now, right, before it leaves the catalogue again. Allan McFarlane

George Michael: Patience

Ægean/Sony/Epic

Intriguing release this. The voice is fully intact (and what a voice), the (self)-production is just fine if a little heavy on the drum machine and while some tracks grow in stature with repeated listening, the more obvious singles risk fading rapidly. So, is there a hesitation? The lyrics.

Given the amount of time George Michael has been on the planet and given what he’s been through the last five years since the last CD (Older), the banality of the lyrics amazes this listener. But I guess I’m no longer in the target market, age-wise that is.

Had anyone else come up with this as a debut album the international critics would be climbing over each other themselves to be the first to tell the world about this extraordinary voice and gifted writer. Personally I’m left thinking it’s time he moved on from the pure pop-pap and maybe a collaborative project could be a welcome next step. Allan McFarlane

Oi Va Voi – Laughter Through Tears

Outcaste Records

The name of this British group gives away its Jewish influences, which might not seem much of a musical selling point unless you’re a hardcore kletzmer fan. In fact this six-piece band lends a thoroughly contemporary sound to songs rooted in various musical traditions. These are credited as Armenian, Serbian Gypsy, Crimean Tartar, Hungarian, Sephardic, and Yemenite Jewish. Oh yes, and kletzmer. 

This might all sound a bit of a jumble, or just plain disturbing, but the instrumental line-up tells a different story. Drums, guitars, bass, keyboards, male and female vocals, all nicely mixed, looped, and massaged with the latest studio effects, yet without losing any of the careworn immediacy of the folk styles that imbue each track.

This a very likable album that pushes all the right buttons from the first listen. Oi Va Voi won’t be found playing cousins’ Bah Mitzvahs at the local community hall. This is smart stuff, with a jazz/funk sensibility that fuses successfully with the traditional sounds of bazaars, feast days, and celebrations like, well, Bah Mitzvahs. Avoid if you think music died with Mozart, Elvis, or John Denver. If you suspect otherwise, seek this one out.  Brent Burmester

Rosa Passos & Ron Carter: Entre Amigos

Chesky

The best way I can capture the mood of this album is to ask you to think of intimate, late night conversations with your lover. Such are the seductive, tender emotions conjured up Entre Amigos (among friends). Here is traditional Brazilian music presented superbly and captured beautifully by the good folk at Chesky. Gentle bosa nova's sung entirely in Portuguese complemented by Ron Carter’s impeccable, wonderfully rich, woody bass and a band of guitar, percussion, sax and clarinet. Actually Lula's guitar solos rival Ron Carter’s contributions and are a treasure of their own.

Rosa Passos' girlish voice is a subtle instrument. With her delicate presentation the joy is that even though I don't understand a word she says I can fully understand what she means and feels. (It would be nice to have the odd song in English.) There's no real surprises and within defined borders there're no jarring changes of pace (relaxed) or content through the album, something that I generally find frustrating and boring. Here though the feeling is so genuine and the emotional power so strong that I find myself wanting even more of the same. Hell, when the Girl From Ipanema sounds fresh, interesting and worth repeating then somebodies doing something right. Listening to the moving Por Causa de Voce which features just voice and bass is an experience I can't recommend strongly enough.

For lovers of Brazilian music, or those looking for a foil for all the aggression in today's world this is a must have. The travesty is that it's so suited for background music that some won't ever give Entre Amigos the full credit it's due. Buy it, really listen to it and then enjoy the mellow, relaxed feeling that ensues. This has very quickly become a treasured disc in my collection and as such it's very highly recommended. Craig Fenemor

Kelly Joe Phelps: Slingshot Professionals

Rykodisc

"This makes as much sense as a frog on a chain." You said it, Kelly Joe. I'm in a bit of a quandary with Slingshot Professionals. The music is great country blues, the vocals a lovely blend of honey and whisky, and the playing from all concerned is absolutely first class.

So why the quandary? Well, for me the lyrics are simply impenetrable. In an effort to bring texture and depth to his songs Kelly Joe seems to collect vignettes of different stories, put the together and then leaves it up to the listener to try valiantly to join the dots. Slingshot Professionals worlds are populated by people such as Ginger (who "dyed her hair red to fit her name" - great line), Burny Arms and Double R.J and I get the idea that life's fairly hard in these parts.

On a couple of songs the pretences are dropped and all that's left is a penetratingly real story. Circle Wars and Waiting For Marty are great human studies and show that there's an awful lot of talent here. In his voice I hear a countrified early Tom Waits and in the music there's a genuine feeling for the blues coupled with country sensibilities.

Elsewhere this month I comment that I'd love to hear Rosa Passos singing in English, well if Kelly Joe had picked Portuguese I wouldn't have any reservations. Still, I can't help but recommend the album as I enjoy it so much. But, you've been warned. Craig Fenemor