Flea Association

Oct 13,2011
If you were to imagine Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to be a passionate, intense, high-energy dynamo of a person, you’d be right—to a point. Of course, as anyone who has seen him on stage can attest, the man plays with the More...

Jeff Berlin, High Standards [M.A.J. Records]

Nov 1,2010
With his first disc of all covers and the fourth with his versatile trio (featuring drummer Danny Gottleib and pianist/upright bassist Richard Drexler), Jeff Berlin’s turn toward straightahead jazz comes full swing (no pun) More...

Dweezil Zappa, Return Of The Son Of… [Razor & Tie]

Nov 1,2010
With this double-disc live album, prodigal son Dweezil Zappa isn’t just honoring his legendary father, Frank, as a guitarist. He’s following in his footsteps as a virtuoso bandleader, field-marshaling a formidable group of More...

Ray Riendeau, Atmospheres [Groove Theory]

Nov 1,2010
If you only knew Arizonabased Ray Riendeau from his main sideman gig of recent years—as the touring/recording bassist for Halford, the Judas Priest vocalist’s solo project— you’re in for a shock. But even those who know of More...

Saul Zonana, Phatso [20and20 Music]

Nov 1,2010
Who is Saul Zonana? There’s no short answer. A longtime New Yorker now based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee; a former sideman bassist for Ace Frehley of Kiss; a mix engineer on Adrian Belew’s most recent live album; a More...

Trey Gunn & Marco Minnemann, Modulator [7d Media and treygunn.com]

Aug 31,2010
The back cover of this disc reads as follows: “This recording was composed and produced on top of a single, 51-minute live drum solo by Marco Minnemann.” Minnemann, one of a spare few drummers who could make such a More...

Esperanza Spalding, Chamber Music Society [Heads Up]

Aug 31,2010
Esperanza Spalding certainly has got the world on a bass string these days. With a fresh sound and a fearlessness to match her considerable gift, she continues to turn up on a wide array of artists’ CDs contributing More...

Garaj Mahal, More Mr. Nice Guy

Jul 1,2010
Garaj Mahal, More Mr. Nice Guy [Owl Studios]The term “world music” gets tossed around a lot, and the instrumental rock/jazz/funk/dance fusion on Garaj Mahal’s fourth album could qualify as such, with Indian, Middle Eastern More...

Stephan Crump with Rosetta Trio, Reclamation

Jul 1,2010
Stephan Crump with Rosetta Trio, Reclamation [Sunnyside]Five years after recording music in the wake of 9/11, New York bassist Stephan Crump’s Rosetta Trio offers a stirring encore, an intimately recorded collection of music More...

Dave Sharp’s Secret Seven, 7

Jul 1,2010
Dave Sharp’s Secret Seven, 7 [Vortex Jazz 1969]Ann Arbor, Michigan doubler Dave Sharp stays sharp on this recorded debut of his band Secret Seven. He’s a serious groover, as the lilting Afrobeat “Africano” demonstrates, but More...

Meshuggah, Alive

Jul 1,2010
Meshuggah, Alive (CD and DVD) [Nuclear Blast]With a conceptual opening video sequence and a richly detailed color booklet that pay explicit homage to Ridley Scott’s classic space-horror movie Alien, Meshuggah’s live CD/DVD More...

John Blackwell Project, 4ever Jia

Jul 1,2010
John Blackwell Project, 4ever Jia [JBP]For his wide-ranging solo debut, powerhouse Prince drummer Blackwell makes the sage choice of Will Lee as his co-anchor. In addition to his pocket prowess, Lee serves as co-writer on More...

The VW Brothers, Muziek

Jul 1,2010
The VW Brothers, Muziek [Patois Records]The Amsterdam-born Van Wageningen brothers have been tearing it up as sidemen since the ’80s—Paul as an L.A. drummer, and bassist Marc Van Wageningen as a Bay Area badass with everyone More...

William Parker and Giorgio Dini, Temporary

Jul 1,2010
William Parker, Giorgio Dini, Temporary [Silta]Two avant-leaning upright jazz bassists veteran musical provocateur William Parker and classically trained Italian player Giorgio Dini meet for five open improvisations that are More...

Mike Stern, Big Neighborhood

Sep 8,2009
Mike Stern, Big Neighborhood [Heads Up] Jazz/fusion über-guitarist Mike Stern throws caution to the wind, assembles a highly unlikely cast of A-listers, and aggressively submerges himself in their divergent timbres and styles More...

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