Alex Sipiagin is a jazz trumpeter and composer who built an impressive thirteen-album catalog as a leader. His thirteenth album is titled Mel’s Vission and is being released on the Criss Cross label. The ensemble is Sipiagin on trumpet, tenor saxophonist Chris Potter, pianist David Kikoski, bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Johnathan Blake. The set has three originals, a Ukrainian folk melody, and seven other songs from the jazz catalog.
The title track, “Mel’s Vision,” opens the project with the ensemble creating a beautiful modern jazz setting. Kikoski’s shifting chords set the tone in the intro before the two horns enter with the melody. [...]
Paul “Hollywood” Litteral has been an in-demand trumpeter for decades, appearing on over 150 albums. Litteral founded the Uptown Horns with saxophonist Arno Hecht in 1978, and he has since worked with many rock and soul groups (including J. Geils, the Rolling Stones, Robert Plant, Tom Waits, Joe Cocker, James Brown, Pat Benatar, and Ray Charles). In addition, Litteral’s work as a trumpeter, arranger-composer, and musical director resulted in him gaining the nickname “Hollywood Paul.” He currently performs with Angela O’Neill and the Outrageous8, and many others. Litteral is releasing his debut album as a leader titled Legacy, on which [...]
The Winery Dogs are back after a seven-year pause with their latest full-length studio album Called III. The Winery Dogs comprises Ritchie Kotzen on guitar and vocals, Billy Sheehan on bass, and drummer Mike Portnoy. This power rock trio will not disappoint; if you are a long-time fan, you will love III. However, prepare to be rocked out of your seat if this is your introduction to The Winery Dogs. This power trio has virtuosity, great vocals, and well-written songs. In addition, Jay Ruston did a beautiful job mixing the album.
“Xanadu,” the opening track, starts with a bang. The song brings the trio’s talents together in a joyous sound of a catchy [...]
François-Frédéric Guy is releasing his firsrt recording of the music by Chopin. Secret Garden is Guy’s poetic imagination that combines fantasy and consistency in his phrasing in dialogue with his instrument’s unique and charming timbres. This recital, paying homage to the master pianists of the early twentieth century, revives an art of singing in a way that seems utterly natural, such as the clarity and fluidity of the playing. Secret Garden was recorded on a 1905 Pleyel piano, a sublime instrument restored at the workshop of Pianos Balleron.
Nocturne in B-Flat Minor, Op. 9 No. 1, opens the recording. The warm and [...]
