Kenny Chessny

First off, Kenny Wayne Shepherd was 33 years old at the release of this album, so he’s not a kid playing hot guitar anymore, he’s a grown man doing it. And he does play a hot lead guitar – that, in a nutshell, is what he does. But over the years he’s also learned that the blues isn’t just about blazing lead licks, it’s also about letting the song say its say – and on Live! In Chicago he does that. This is a concert full of songs and not just a bunch of guitar leads broken up by someone singing for a bit. Shepherd is also fully aware of the history of the blues and he honors some of his heroes here by playing with blues legends like Hubert Sumlin, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Bryan Lee and Buddy Flett and he doesn’t step all over them with his guitar playing – he supports them. The concert grew out of the tour Shepherd put together in support of 10 Days Out: Blues from the Backroads project, a DVD/CD documentary that featured Shepherd traveling around the country on a ten day trip interviewing and playing with icons from the blues world, including the surviving members of Muddy Waters' and Howlin' Wolf's bands, making this show, recorded at the House of Blues in Chicago, a kind of culmination.

2005 double-disc collection features Kenny's solo work as a Country Pop hit-maker including #1 hits 'Lucille' and 'Coward of the County' as well as coveted B-sides and album tracks. Also features notable collaborations with other country stars such as Sheena Easton, Kim Carnes and Dottie West.

There certainly has been no shortage of Kenny Rogers compilations over the years – some might even say there's been a surplus – all covering essentially the same territory, mixing up his solo hits from the late '70s and early '80s with cuts from the late '60s when he fronted the First Edition. Hip-O's 2004 collection 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection uses that same approach, but it's better than nearly all of the collections currently on the market since it contains nearly all the big hits – "Lady," "She Believes in Me," "You Decorated My Life," "The Gambler," "Lucille," "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town," "Ruben James," "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Is In)" – on an affordable single disc.

Kenny Drew (1928-1993) was an extraordinary bebop-oriented pianist who recorded with Howard McGhee, Buddy DeFranco, Charlie Parker and John Coltrane (the famous album Blue Train) before moving to Denmark in 1961. While he sacrificed much of the interest of the American jazz audience, he gained a wide following across Europe, and by extension, in Japan. Dark Beauty, recorded in 1974 with Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen and Albert "Tootie" Heath, became a break-out hit that helped advance Drew's acclaim. On this album he displays tremendous pianistic skills, intelligent and advanced harmonic sensibilities and driving sense of swing. Pedersen is featured throughout, and his solos demonstrate awe-inspiring technique and imagination…

Kenny Drew, with the assistance of bassist Paul Chambers (whose bowed solos are always welcome) and drummer Philly Joe Jones, explores six standards and two of his originals. Although Drew would have to move to Europe in the early '60s in order to get the recognition he deserved, it is obvious (in hindsight) from this enjoyable date that he was already a major improviser.

Always one of the most tasteful of musicians, guitarist Kenny Burrell is in fine form on this set from 1996. He is joined by a rhythm section led by pianist Sir Roland Hanna, trumpeter Jimmy Owens (who is in excellent form), either Steve Turre or Benny Powell on trombone and the underrated tenor-saxophonist and flutist Jerome Richardson. Burrell sings a heartfelt "Dear Ella" (his voice is just average) and there is a vocal apiece by Jeannie Bryson (a sensuous "I've Got A Crush On You") and Vanessa Rubin ("All Blues"). Other highlights of this relaxed bop set include Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer," Richardson's "Groove Merchant" and a medley of "Embraceable You" and Charlie Parker's "Quasimodo."

Although The Moment followed four years after Kenny G's blockbuster Breathless, the saxophonist didn't change his approach at all during his time off. Kenny G remains a sweet, melodic instrumentalist, who works entirely in lush, slick adult contemporary pop settings. His playing has improved somewhat in those four years – he soars and dives with effortless skill, and his vibrato remains fleet and elegant – yet after The Moment is finished, you wish that he had tried some new musical territories. That said, it is true that The Moment ranks second to only Breathless in terms of sheer consistency in Kenny G's catalog, thanks to the sustained vision of producer Babyface. Of particular note are the two vocal collaborations (Babyface's "Everytime I Close My Eyes," Toni Braxton's "That Somebody Was You"), which are the best duets to yet appear on any of Kenny G's records.