Posts by Doug Collette

A rare mutual enthusiasm developed during this late winter/early spring night in New Hampshire while John Hiatt and The Combo played their extended single set. The group nurtured an exceptional bond of musical comradeship and community within the vintage Lebanon Opera House, the result of which was a palpable warmth in the room that had nothing to do with the temperature.

The greatest virtue of bassist Dave Holland's recordings, whatever the size of the ensemble he leads, lies in how directly the compositions evolve from the improvisation(s) of the players.    The key may be that Holland writes with his players in mind. As exhibited on the title song to this live recording from Birdland in 2009, that's clearly a consummate talent in itself. But the band's still got to execute and it's only a matter of moments before the Octet is in full flight for close to eleven minutes on "Pathways." 

Valleys of Neptune is a sixty-minute collection of never-before-released tracks recorded during the transition phase of The Jimi Hendrix  Experience in 1968 and 1969. In the course of a dozen cuts, the CD vividly illustrate the restless creative urge of the late guitar icon and augurs well for the next phase of archival releases.

Jeff Beck stole the show from Eric Clapton at Madison Square Garden February 19th. Or he would have if Slowhand had deigned to compete with him for the spotlight. But in a magnanimous gesture of generosity, similar to that which EC tender Steve Winwood two years ago around this time, the archetypal guitar hero preferred to let his successor in The Yardbirds take front and center the second of their two NY shows together. And to his tremendous credit, Jeff Beck made the most of his opportunity.

The 60's are commonly regarded as a period of unparalleled artistic adventure, but, for both rock and jazz, the foundation for experimentalism was solidly laid in the previous decade. Each of these double-CD 'Legacy Editions' comprehensively documents what a crucial year 1959 was for the world of jazz;  not concieved merely for holiday sales, these deluxe packages capture the historical significance of the work and reaffirm the timeless quality of truly great music of any genre.

When Stefon Harris joined Imani Wnds on the Mainstage of the Flynn February 5, he helped crystallize the intensity of their playing and  at the same time, elicited a greater level of improvisation from their playing.The effect of the collaboration might well have been even greater had Harris' own band been present, but even so, the performance was impressive.

If you've never succumbed to the earthy yet cerebral  music of The Doors, you're not likely to plunk down big bucks for a multi-CD box set, even if you find it  half-price off or more  at your local mega retailer. but if you know someone who got it as a Christmas present, take a listen to any one of the six CDs and see if the performance doesn't radically alter your perception and pre-conception of Jim Morrison and company.

Charlie Hunter has certainly proved he's his own man during the course of a career that's found him working as parts of solos, duos, quartets, quintets and larger ensembles both as frontman/bandleader and collaborative participant. He is comfortable with himself to the extent his self-description as a 'boutique' artist sounds both pragmatic and proud.

Gov't Mule extended their New Year's tradition to eight years December 30 and 31, 2009, returning to the Beacon Theatre in New York after a year's sabbatical at the Angel Orensanz and Hammerstein Ballroom in 2008 while the Broadway venue was being refurbished.

What John Coltrane ultimately did with the lessons he learned and taught himself, for the period from 1956 through 1958, is what elevated him to the jazz pantheon. The previously-released companion piece “Fearless Leader” arguably illustrates that aspect of his career more fully than this five CD box set, but this set demonstrates how even as he honed his chops, Coltrane was a commanding presence. Virtually all the music contained in this package is vintage jazz of the highest order, but when that readily-identifiable horn begins to sound, the music ceases to become mere background.

Christian McBride & Inside Straight,  Mike Mainieri-Marnix Bussier Quartet & more

Two additional performances are the extent of the bonus material on Cabin Fever, but then, like the music itself, this item is executed perfectly succinctly  right down to the stylized cover art and DVD package design. The Black Crowes have set the stage to celebrate their twentieth anniversary in 2010 at the absolute apex of their career.

Charlie Hunter has used horns on a number of past projects, but he's never used them quite like he does on his latest studio effort. Gentlemen I Regret to Inform You You Will Not Be Getting Paid is an example of the seven-string samurai's ingenuity as a musician and recording artist.

Medeski Martin and Wood have never enjoyed themselves so much in Vermont as on their Higher Ground appearance December 3rd. Perhaps it's a comfort level arising from nearly annual visits to the Green Mountains for a decade or more, but just as likely, the trio's obvious delight derives from  a sense of renewed pleasure in playing together in the wake of the recently-completed 'Radiolarians Series.'

The latest edition of Neil Young's Performance Series, Dreamin' Man, is a composite of a number of liver performances Neil Young gave prior to the 1992 release of Harvest Moon, his return to Reprise Records after a tumultuous stint on the Geffen label.

Both in their recordings and stage performances, Los Lobos take a child-like pleasure in their playing, so it makes perfect sense for them to produce a CD exclusively devoted to music from Disney movies. Los Lobos Goes Disney is not a children's album, however, but rather an album for the inner child–and music lover– in all of us.

With Power Patriot, the realigned Garage a Trois attempt to answer the musical question: "Is there life after Charlie Hunter?" The seven-string samurai has been part of this band's lineup since its inception a decade ago and his replacement by Marco Benevento fundamentally alters the sound of the quartet. This music is definitely less dependent on groove though it carries just as much visceral impact (and in your face, not through insinuation).

Some four years in the making, Mark Karan's Walk Through The Fire nevertheless sounds like it was recorded in a single inspired yet relaxed moment of inspiration. The songs, the arrangements and the musicians are all in sync and the combination of Karan's self-production and Gavin Lurssen's mastering preserves the warmth as well as the clarity of the album's sound.

No live recordings can truly capture the cumulative effect of the famed festival, but these five selections illustrate the range of performance from brilliant to mediocre.

The rudimentary recording technique and amateurish quality of the audio/video content on this DVD is perfectly in keeping with the rough-hewn nature of John Lennon's performance with his pickup band at the 1969 Toronto Peace Festival. Even though the segment in which he appears constitutes less than half the running time of the disc, the Beatle's first solo performance in public is nevertheless a riveting experience to watch.