By Roger Crane, the Song Scout Wait. Why is a book of poetry being reviewed on the IROM site. After all, that “M” stands for “music” – – right? Well, writer Michael C. Ford is a most enthusiastic jazz fan staying up too late in many a jazz venue with a smile on his friendly… Read More “Women Under the Influence” –a Book Review
By Don Heckman Renaissance Man is a label that’s been associated with Herb Alpert’s diverse career for years. And with good reason. How better to accurately describe Alpert’s mastery of skills reaching from the deep, often dark, complexities of the music business to his imaginative accomplishments as trumpeter, song writer, composer, band leader, producer, philanthropist… Read More CD Review: Herb Alpert’s “Come Fly With Me”
By Don Heckman Fifty three years ago this month, Sheila Jordan’s first album, Portrait of Sheila, was released on Blue Note Records. In the same month, I wrote a story/conversation about Sheila and her new album for Down Beat magazine. We’ve been good friends ever since, often encountering each other in different parts of the… Read More Throw Back Thursday: Remembering Sheila Jordan
By Roger Crane, the Song Scout Background/Discussion Jazz players have an expression “too hip for the room,” meaning the music is too good to be commercial. Popularity and quality are separate attributes and, only occasionally, mesh, especially in the world of music. Hoagy Carmichael had already proven 15 years earlier with “Stardust” that he could… Read More Keeping the GAS (Great American Songbook) Flame Burning: “Skylark”
By Devon Wendell So much is written about the life and music of John Coltrane. Everyone has their favorite Coltrane period. Most fans and journalists focus on the ‘60s modal and “free” Coltrane eras. My favorite music of “Trane’s” career is his rebellious hard-bopper faze of the late ‘50s, when he was playing with Miles… Read More Doc’s Prescription for ‘Trane: John Coltrane-The Believer
Give It Back to You (Concord) By Devon Wendell Way too many rock fueled blues bands of today are still hell bent on copying Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, Albert King, and Stevie Ray Vaughan but not Los Angeles’ own The Record Company (Chris Vos, guitar, lead vocals, harmonica, Alex Stiff, bass, guitar, vocals,… Read More CD Review: The Record Company
The International Review of Music 