Hank Marvin

Recorded when he was 63, After Dark finds Hank Crawford excelling by sticking to what he does so well: uncomplicated, blues-drenched, gospel-minded soul-jazz. Warmth and accessibility continued to define the veteran alto saxophonist, who sounds like he's still very much in his prime on everything from "Amazing Grace" to W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" and the standard "T'aint Nobody's Business If I Do." Crawford reminds us how appealing and sentimental a ballad player can be on "That's All," and he demonstrates that Ruby & The Romantics' early-1960s soul-pop gem "Our Day Will Come" can work quite well in a jazz setting. The saxman's noteworthy support includes producer Bob Porter (who, true to form, is smart enough to step aside and let Crawford do his thing), guitarist Melvin Sparks and drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie. It's been said that Crawford is jazz's equivalent of a charismatic soul singer like Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye or his former employer Ray Charles, and After Dark makes it very hard to disagree with that assertion.

The Shadows have gotten a magnificent sendoff with this concert DVD from their final tour, undertaken in 2004 and featuring Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, and Brian Bennett, supported by Mark Griffiths on bass and Cliff Hall on keyboards…

The Shadows have gotten a magnificent sendoff with this concert DVD from their final tour, undertaken in 2004 and featuring Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, and Brian Bennett, supported by Mark Griffiths on bass and Cliff Hall on keyboards…

Hank Snow had three hits in 1965, but none of them are on Sings Your Favorite Country Hits. The album was aimed at Snow's fans, who would happily consume his versions of recent hits and older favorites because they enjoyed his voice and were familiar with many, if not most, of the songs. The then-"current" hit songs (all from 1963) include "Six Days on the Road," "Mary Ann Regrets," and "From a Jack to a King," while the oldies feature Marvin Rainwater's "Gonna Find Me a Bluebird"; the ever-popular "White Silver Sands"; and Jimmy Dean's first hit, "Bumming Around."

Among the unique aspects of Greg Marvin’s style is his sound. Combining the ethereality of early Getz with the gritty mid-range of, say, a Sims, Marvin uses the entire range of his horn with great dramatic and emotive finesse. Also amazing is the superb chemistry achieved by Marvin and his all-star rhythm section of pianist Hank Jones, bassist George Mraz and either Billy Higgins or Mel Lewis on drums.