Brudywr December Moon (2012)

On "Fire Red Moon", it’s full-on kick ass time again. The blues-heavy set features vocalist Rolf Hartley wailing on a mix of tunes co-penned by Chaquico and-standard-but-never-old covers like "Born Under a Bad Sign", "Rollin’ and Tumblin" and "Crossroads." Those who miss his softer side can find traces of it in the instrumental "Blue on Blue," but Fire Red Moon leaves no doubt that this always-masterful player has returned to plugged-in mode for real.

Following the success of his 2011 album Rose of Sharon a celebration of 18th Century American music that landed on Billboard s classical chart and critics year-end lists the latest project by Joel Frederiksen and the Ensemble Phoenix Munich takes them all the way back in time to… 1972. That was the year the late British troubadour and cult favorite Nick Drake released his third and final album, Pink Moon. Initially, the album garnered a small amount of critical attention, but it was not until decades after Drake s death that it received widespread public and critical acclaim. Today, the sparse and unadorned tracks of Pink Moon are regarded by many fans and music critics as the greatest efforts of a tragically short career.

Still going strong at the age of 81, legendary jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal's love letter to his favorite Broadway, Hollywood, and Great American Songbook classics, Blue Moon, is arguably one of his most accomplished efforts since his Chess/Impulse! heyday. The Pittsburgh virtuoso, once credited by Miles Davis as a major influence on his career, shows that age is no barrier to invention with six exquisite reworkings of postwar standards.