The album's 12 tracks are a quite delightful mix, with one song especially outstanding in its beauty: 'Made in the Shade', devoted to Sara K. 's fellow artist and kindred spirit Chris Jones who died in 2005. This album is surely one of her very best, maybe THE best. It is certainly no less than sensational.
Japanese Jazz legend Tsuyoshi Yamamoto's new album, A Shade Of Blue, undoubtedly reflects his love of the piano trio, a group configuration that in jazz history began in the 1940s with Nat King Cole and then was developed in the 50s by innovators like Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal, and Bill Evans. Yamamoto's highly experienced trio - which has a combined age of 215 years - features bassist Hiroshi Kagawa and drummer Toshio Osumi. A Shade Of Blue reveals the three musicians' incredible musical chemistry; listening to the ten tracks they've recorded together, it's as if they breathe, think, and feel as one person; such is the musical empathy between them.
James LaBrie, known internationally as the vocalist for progressive metal icons Dream Theater, embarks on uncharted waters with his fourth solo album, titled Beautiful Shade of Grey. The new endeavour sees him traverse personal maturation, loss, a myriad of complex relationships, and most importantly – LaBrie’s burning passion for music. On paper, the latest studio offering from the Canadian singer first took shape shortly after the global pandemic began to emerge. But in reality, LaBrie formed a bond with his fellow collaborator, bassist Paul Logue, nearly a decade earlier. On Beautiful Shade of Grey the end goal isn’t creating something that meets a certain genre characterization, but rather being informed by decades of finding beautiful expression across a wide swath of musical artists, and knowing that veering away from familiar habits is a part of creative growth.