Yellowjackets: The Best Of (1999)

The Yellowjackets began their recording career on the Warner Brothers label in 1981, recording three albums before moving to GRP where the band found commercial success during a ten-year stay. In 1995, they returned to the Warner fold to produce some of their best, maturest music. Dreamland, Blue Hats, and Club Nocturne found the band presenting contemporary jazz music of the highest caliber. However, this music had too much depth to qualify for the smooth jazz radio playlists of the late 1990s. As the year 2000 dawned, Warner released this fine compilation of Yellowjackets' work for that label. It's an interesting musical document which shows the beginnings of the band in their original incarnation with L.A. Express guitar alumnus Robben Ford, and later finding their voice after his departure. Then there's a ten-year quantum leap to the unmatched musical sophistication of the latter trio of classy recordings with Bob Mintzer in the sax chair. The producer's choice not to arrange the tracks in chronological order is probably a smart one from a listening standpoint. Still there's quite a juxtaposition between the rich complexities of the opening "New Rochelle" and "Spirit of the West," and the pop-styled '80s fusion/funk of "Daddy's Gonna Miss You" and "Matinee Idol" that follow. The pleasures of both eras cannot be denied, however, and this disc is rewarding from start to finish. "The Chosen" and "Summer Song" from Dreamland remain superb, and Kurt Elling's vocal on Mintzer's "Up From New Orleans is a classic awaiting discovery. Samurai Samba's "Homecoming" should be familiar, and the previously unreleased "Theme From Il Postino" provides a reason for the Yellowjackets completist to own this disc. Taken with Collection from the GRP era, The Best of Yellowjackets gives a tiny glimpse at the music of this excellent group, priming the pump for further exploration of their recorded legacy. ~ Jim Newsom

Personnel: Bobby McFerrin (vocals, percussion); Robben Ford, Carlos Rios (guitar); Bob Mintzer (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Marc Russo (alto saxophone); Ernie Watts (tenor saxophone); Russell Ferrante (keyboards); Ricky Lawson, William Kennedy (drums); Lenny Castro, Luis Conte, Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Rory Kaplan (programming)

Tracklist:
01. New Rochelle
02. Spirit Of The West
03. Daddy's Gonna Miss You
04. Matinee Idol
05. The Chosen
06. Homecoming
07. Imperial Strut
08. Claire's Song
09. Top Secret
10. Up From New Orleans
11. Summer Song
12. Theme From Il Postino
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Chris Cain: So Many Miles (2010)

I’ve always liked the way Chris Cain sounds. It’s as if he grew organically from the worn floor boards of any random bar around the globe that fills up at night and creates the stories that become our lives. So many musicians take the stage every night and play the same old Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf songs, and I can imagine a young Cain doing that as well, but he evolved into a musician that has so much depth and perception that he has to share it with a wider audience.

Cain has a big loud voice that is full of charisma. His guitar playing is very clean with a tone that reminds me of B.B. King but with a style more along the lines of Larry Carlton, who plays on one song of this album. Cain’s phrasing is equal parts blues and jazz with an even portion of human soul and sweat. The crisp tone is so tight and has a perfect complement in second guitarist Robben Ford. This pairing is like having Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen together. You can’t lose.

Now sometimes songwriters in blues get a little simple with songs about love and blah, blah, blah. Cain on the other hand tells stories of people whom I believe he sees in the crowd. Every face has its own unique road that led them to that particular barstool. A great writer can look in those eyes and pull that story out without a word spoken.

“So Many Miles” is a great song about the gravel Ike (President Eisenhower) laid around the U.S. This is another great traveling song. Remember this song when you start your next road trip. It sucks you into the album and there is no reason to stop the album at any point. There is the slower, swanky horn-infused “Late Night Jungle Dreams,” which sounds like a classic 1970′s flick. “Interplanetary Jam” is my favorite song on the album. The character in the song is so crazy and the guitar is so to stinging that you just get lost. The organ adds some swirling aura to the soundscape as well.

This album really has a little of everything on it: great lyrics, horns, organ, and a healthy dose of guitar, but nothing is overdone; it is all done with taste. Cain is a talented musician who has a large following, but who couldn’t use a larger one? I always liked him better than say Joe Kubek, but Kubek seems to be more popular. I’m not at all knocking Smokin’ Joe, but they could be considered for the same fan base and I think Chris Cain has always put out more solid albums through time than many musicians.

Tracklist

01. So Many Miles

02. Tomorrow’s Gonna Be A Better Day
03. Late Night Jungle Dreams
04. Down At Dinos
05. Interplanetary Jam
06. Til The Morning Light
07. The Decline Of Golden Boy
08. While the City Sleeps
09. East Foothill Fingerprints
10. Something Just Won’t Let Me Turn Around
So Many Miles
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Nils Gessinger: Burning (2006)

Burning - The fourth album from composer, arranger and Rhodes-virtuoso Nils Gessinger blows Funk, Soul and Jazz in your ears. Again it's the mixture of groove and perfection that makes the characteristic Gessinger sound. The musical claim is based on the colourful diversity of the compositions, the powerful soul voices of the singers, the arrangements with incisive horncharts as well as the playful joy of a big ensemble.

The technical claim becomes manifest in the virtuosity of soloist like Peter Weniger (sax) or Joe Gallardo (tb) as well as Gessinger being flying to Los Angeles just to record six tracks with drum legend Vinnie Colaiuta. This formula of passion and accuracy led to invitations to big festival stages like North Sea Jazz Festival The Hague or Montreux and sharing the stage with Spyro Gyra or George Benson. Not to mention his dexterity at the piano being engaged by greats like Patti LaBelle, Dee Dee Bridgewater, the NDR BigBand or Herb Geller. „Burning“ continues the line of successful albums like „Ducks'n'cookies“ (feat. Herb Geller - sax), „Scratch Blue“ (feat. Robben Ford - git) and „Jam It Up!“ (feat. Dave Weckl - drums). Nils Gessinger's tunes can easily be recognized but still take you by surprise with their stylistic variety.

Tracklist:

01. Burning (3:55)

02. Holiday Me (4:01)
03. Cuna (6:24)
04. Cicale (5:09)
05. Double Threat (5:24)
06. Star Crazy (4:51)
07. Flap (4:56)
08. Frozen (4:04)
09. Stepping Along (5:30)
10. In Sight (4:41)
11. Slam (4:46)
12. Integrity (4:42)
13. Get That Lick, Attig! (5:38)
Burning
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