The New York City based duo of guitarist Tom Dempsey and bassist Tim Furguson hae been playing and recording together for close to 20 years. While they have performed together in various formats from trio to sextet, including Dempsey’s 1988 recording Blues in the Slope and their co-led 2002 Quartet CD Perspectives, the foundation of this musical relationshiphas always been playing duo.
For their new recording What’s going on?, Tom and Tim return to this unique format for a collection of stellar performances.The CD features a rich array of compositions from some of the jazz world’s best loved composers, as well as two originals penned by Dempsey and one by Furguson.
“What a marvelous duo! Great tunes, terrific solos and careful listening to each other. Tom Dempsey and Tim Ferguson do it all and SWING!”
- Jim Hall
With all of these years behind them it’s obvious that the two have a unique identity as a duo. From a standard like Stardust, to Strayhorn’s Isfahan and Marvin Gaye’s anthem What’s going On? each performance is approached with insight, sensitivity and a lot of swing. Just how I like it.
Check them out at thereMySpace
timfergusonmusic.com
tomdempseymusic.com
Get it at cdbaby.com
In 1963, a young South African singer named Beattie Benjamin, living in exile in Zurich, catches Duke Ellington after his own performance and convinces him to come to hear her her boyfriend, Dollar Brand, perform. Duke not only agreed to hear Dollar, he also insisted that Beattie sing for him. Enthralled by what he heard, Duke sent the musicians to Paris to record for Reprise Records. While Dollar’s recording became an instant classic, Beattie’s were mysteriously never released and until the mid-90′s, thought to be lost.
Ekapa Records has reissued A Morning in Paris for us all to rediscover, and I for one am thankful. With a session includeing Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, and Abdullah Ibrahim (her would be future husband) as pianists, you know your in for a listening treat.
This is a joy to listen to from start to finish. The opening track Darn that Dream introduces the sultry, smoky tone of Benjamin that immediately draws you into the smoky speakeasys of Paris 1963. From there your taken through a series of standards including Your Love Has Faded, The Man I Loved, I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good) and Solitude. These last two being the ones in which Ellington’s piano is present.
sathimabeabenjamin.com
iTunes
Eddie Daniels latest offering Homecoming – Live At The Iridium is a two disk collection with which he marks his return to New York.
“I’m back in New york after living in New Mexico for more then 15 years.”
Daniels plays both tenor sax and clarinet, but its the later that remains his bread and butter and reminds listeners with tracks like That’s for Afta and Deja Vu MJQ, why he’s been one of the top jazz performers on the instrument for a very long time.
Homecoming is a great collection of songs that I’m sure will be spending a long time in rotation in my CD player. To boot, the gatefold packaging is spot on with the requisite abstract art covers that make this release so distinctly one belonging to the IPO family.
Well one!
eddiedanielsclarinet.com
iporecordings.com
So I just got back from a week up north recharging the batteries and wanted to just let you all know that I finally found the time to read Michelle Mercer’s great bio on Wayne Shorter Footprits.
This one should be required reading for any jazz fan, or fan of music for that matter.
Onstage and off, Wayne wants every note to count, to push the story ahead. “Miles used to bring up Humphrey Bogart in those mystery movies he played in,” Wayne said. “Miles would say, ‘You see the way Humphrey threw that punch?,’ and I said, ‘Yeah,’ and he said, ‘Play that.’”
“Well, I like to make music like that,” he continued. “Musical motion pictures without movies. And life has become my own motion picture. That’s some thing.” That’s a jazz musician’s ultimate act of improvisation.
Anyways, I hope any of you that haven’t read it will take the time to check it out.
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Daniel Smith -The Swingin’ Bassoon
I’m not going to lie to you, I cracked a smile when Daniel Smith’s The Swingin’ Bassoon arrived in my mail box. Truthfully, my experience of the Bassoon in the past has pretty much started and ended with the recording of Peter and the Wolf that we listened to to in the forth grade.
However I resigned to come to this with an open mind, and after doing a little research online began to realize just how unique the concept of improvising on the bassoon is.
â€I believe that the main reason for jazz on the bassoon being such a rarity lies in the very nature of the instrument. Not only is it difficult to master, as most woodwind players would readily acknowledge, but in addition one would have to shed all preconceived notions as to how to successfully play jazz on the instrument. Assuming someone is already an accomplished player, in essence they would have to wear two ‘hats’, that is to keep a legitimate or conservatory trained concept in place when performing in an orchestra or ensemble, and then switching over to another way of thinking and playing when entering the world of jazz.”
The Swingin’ Bassoon is Daniels follow up to Bebop Bassoon and for this recording Daniel takes the listener through standards including I’m Getting Sentimental Over You, Scrapple From The Apple, St. Thomas and A Night In Tunisia, and along the way does a pretty convincing job of setting the standard for any future jazz on bassoon. Yes this bassoon is swingin’ and the party is just qetting started.
danielsmithbassoon.com
Refraction of Light – Robert MacGregor
Black Tri Records
Robert MacGregor is a young saxophonist with ability, maturity and a approach to composition that seems beyond his years. His debut CD Refraction of Light doesn’t disappoint. MacGregor has written every track and pulled together a formidable group consisting of Miro Sprague on piano, drummer Will Clark, and Perry Wortman on bass to bring each composition to life.
One of the very few good young saxophonists developing his own sound…the debut recording, Refraction of Light, is highly recommended”.
Steve Slagle – Stryker/Slagle Band, Mingus Big Band
This one is pretty solid across the board but if I had to choose a favourite track… it would probably be R.S.V.P. There are lot’s of great little twists and turns on this album and R.S.V.P is a great example of that. Refraction of Lightpositions young Mr. MacGregor as definitely one to watch.
robertmacgregor.net
If Dreams Come True is the latest album from New York based George Gee and orchestra the Jump Jivin’ Wailers. 2007 marks the 27th year for the Gee orchestra and George is happy to report that “we’re still swingin’ steady!”
I didn’t know what to think when this particular disk came through the slot in the door, but after a spin on the player I can honestly say that if your looking for some Swing to round out your CD collection, this might be just what your looking for. These vetrans of swing deliver a polished, fun, and totally hip selection of tracks that are sure to keep your toes a tappin’.
In addition to Mr. Gee, Walt Szymanski plays the role of music director to the 10 piece band. Along with playing the trumpet and occasionally singing, Walt crafts custom-tailored musical arrangements that allow this “small big band” to retain the full, classic and swingin’ sound.
Get the low down on all things Gee at georgegee.com
Refraction of Light – Robert MacGregor