Twilight (1998)

Drawing on his experience as an abstract painter and his influences from impressionist and expressionist masters, Mark Rownd works his compositions much like art on canvas: he pulls melody and theme forward from background to create depth of field and movement from what might appear still and flat. This sonic palette, so deftly wielded, produces profound vignettes of color and light that transcend many musical boundaries.

It's an event when AACM members collaborate on disc. The former Art Ensemble stalwart Jarman (alto sax, flute, ) and the incendiary tenor saxophonist McIntyre team up to form a most powerful and prolific front line as you'll ever hear in creative music. Colson's rarely recorded piano, the always joyous Favors on bass, and El'Zabar's African informed percussion wizardry provide the ideal backdrop for the countless bright moments heard on this CD…

German guitarist Axel Rudi Pell is one of heavy metal's masterminds, thanks to his spiraling playing techniques, which helped Pell remain a mainstay in the hard rock genre for decades. His first band, Steeler, kicked off a career in Europe during the early part of the '80s, issuing three albums (1984's Steeler, 1985's Rulin' the Earth, 1986's Strike Back) prior to 1987's Undercover Animal, which signaled the beginning of Pell's solo career. This professional jaunt allowed Pell to fully expose his riveting playing power and collaborations between he and other musicians. His 1989 album Wild Obsession showcased ex-Steeler bassist Volker Krawczak and vocal charm from Charlie Huhn, but 1991's sophomore effort proved Pell's determination.

The Microscopic Septet - Take The Z Train (1983) {Koch Jazz - KOC-CD-7863 rel 1998} (Phillip Johnston)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 287 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 100 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 33 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1983, 1999 Press / Phillip Johnston / Koch Jazz | KOC-CD-7863
Jazz / Progressive Jazz / Modern Creative / Post-Bop / Saxophone

The quirky music of the Microscopic Septet defies classification, other than it is swinging jazz blended with R&B and a host of other influences, full of twists and turns, yet remaining very catchy and accessible. Their debut LP originally came out on the Press label and was finally reissued as a Koch CD in 1998. Much like the musicians that made up Spike Jones' City Slickers in the 1940s, only some very talented players could follow these demanding charts; yet unlike the comparison to Jones' records, there is nothing that is obviously or purely cornball about this music.

CLUB NOCTURNE was nominated for a 1999 Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album.

The third in a series of Charlie Haden duet projects for Verve in the 1990s finds the increasingly nostalgia-minded bass player working New York City's Iridium jazz club with pianist Kenny Barron. Moreover, it is entirely possible that we are getting a skewed view of the gig; according to Haden, he and his co-producer wife Ruth tilted this album heavily in the direction of romantic ballads, eliminating the bebop and avant-garde numbers that the two may have also played at the club. Be that as it may, this is still a thoughtful, intensely musical, sometimes haunting set of performances, with Barron displaying a high level of lyrical sensitivity and Haden applying his massive tone sparingly…

Undisputed kings of symphonic power metal BLIND GUARDIAN have been beavering away at a brand new project, and it is finally here for all to enjoy. But know this, true believers: the new project isn’t the same epic power metal band we know and love. It is, instead, the BLIND GUARDIAN TWILIGHT ORCHESTRA. It’s a whole new thing, and in collaboration with celebrated German fantasy author Markus Heitz, they have brought to light a fantasy tale of epic proportions in the form of Legacy of the Dark Lands…