SOUND CHECK.JAMES BOOKER: ``A Taste of Honey: Live in New Orleans (1977)'' (Night Train/Tuff City) - Four stars Booker was among the greatest pianists New Orleans ever produced - and that's saying something. His idiosyncratic id·i·o·syn·cra·sy n. pl. id·i·o·syn·cra·sies 1. A structural or behavioral characteristic peculiar to an individual or group. 2. A physiological or temperamental peculiarity. 3. style was a crazed mix of rhumba, funk, bebop bebop or bop Jazz characterized by harmonic complexity, convoluted melodic lines, and frequent shifting of rhythmic accent. In the mid-1940s, a group of musicians, including Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, and Charlie Parker, rejected the conventions of , classical and anything else that slipped into his cranium cranium: see skull. . He was also a spectacularly twisted individual, a plot point that shines through loud and clear on this stunningly good solo set recorded throughout 1977 at the Maple Leaf, the still-standing bar where the criminally under-recorded Booker performed. In a two-disc set packed with jaw-dropping displays of Booker's surreal way with a keyboard (Chopin into standards into blues into bebop in a single song), a 10-minute reading of ``Classified'' takes the crab cake. Here, after just part of his supremely funky showpiece, Booker decides to sermonize ser·mon·ize v. ser·mon·ized, ser·mon·iz·ing, ser·mon·iz·es v.tr. To deliver a sermon to (someone). v.intr. To deliver or speak as though delivering a sermon. , stopping just short of lapsing into tongues in a head-on collision of genius and madness that will leave you reeling. Other reasons to seek out this treasure include two versions of Allen Toussaint's gorgeous ``Life,'' a couple of great takes of ``Junko Partner'' and Booker's own ``Papa Was a Rascal.'' - Fred Shuster THE MAMMALS: ``Rock That Babe'' (Signature Sounds) - Three stars Fronted by scions of acoustic royalty - picker Tao Rodriguez is Pete Seeger's grandson, fiddler Ruth Unger's bow-slingin' daddy Jay owns a Grammy - these hard-playing critters work an eclectic mix of folk/rock/bluegrass/Cuban soul. The folkie folk·ie also folk·y n. pl. folk·ies 1. A folk singer or musician. 2. One who is an enthusiast of folk music. adj. influence is most prominent, represented not only by renditions of ``John Henry'' and Grampa gram·pa n. Informal A grandfather. [Alteration of grandpa.] Pete's lovely, relevant-yet-again anthem ``Quite Early Morning,'' but also a trio of new protest songs with snotty wordplay that could've used a few more rewrites. That noted, ``Babe'' spreads exuberant, hootenanny hoot·en·an·ny n. pl. hoot·en·an·nies 1. An informal performance by folk singers, typically with participation by the audience. 2. Informal An unidentified or unidentifiable gadget. glee around a monkey barrel full o' genres. - Bob Strauss DAVID David, in the Bible David, d. c.970 B.C., king of ancient Israel (c.1010–970 B.C.), successor of Saul. The Book of First Samuel introduces him as the youngest of eight sons who is anointed king by Samuel to replace Saul, who had been deemed a failure. BECKER TRIBUNE: ``Where's Henning?'' (Paras) - Three stars Local yokel Becker split to Germany a decade ago and recorded infrequently thereafter. Those familiar with the guitarist's previous rock-tinged fusion efforts might be surprised by this straight-ahead trio date. Here, Becker joins studio ace Tom Lilly on bass and brother Bruce Becker on drums for some musical telepathy telepathy, supposed communication between two persons without recourse to the senses. The word was formulated in 1882 by Frederic William Henry Myers, English poet, essayist, and a leading founder of the Society for Psychical Research in London. (Exhibit A: a reading of Rodgers-Hart's ``If I Could Write a Book.''). Four other standards join seven Becker originals for an intriguing platter that exudes warmth. Becker performs Monday at the Jazz Bakery. - Glenn Whipp GARY JULES: ``Trading Snakeoil for Wolftickets'' (Universal) - Three stars It truly is a mad world if one of the strongest singer-songwriters to emerge from L.A. lately remains known only for his hauntingly spare cover of the Tears for Fears-penned title track. Although Jules' version, which improbably went to No. 1 in the U.K. last winter, is included here, his own striking originals overshadow it. The album's standouts all feature a little something extra, be it the harmonies on ``DTLA DTLA Digital Transmission Licensing Administrator DTLA Digital Transmission Licensing Administration DTLA Digital Transmission Licensing Authority ,'' the mandolin on ``The Princess of Hollywood Way'' or the barroom piano of ``Barstool bar·stool n. A usually high stool with a cushioned seat, used chiefly as seating for patrons at a bar. barstool n → taburete m (de bar) barstool .'' Nice one. - Chad Greene CAROLYN DAWN JOHNSON: ``Dress Rehearsal'' (Arista Nashville) - Three stars Carolyn Dawn Johnson's sophomore CD is a bit of a mixed bag, musically speaking. The 12-song set opens with the title track, an Alanis Morissette-inspired rocker, and goes frolicking through bluegrass territory in ``Simple Life.'' In that song she conjures up perfectly quaint images of small-town America, with its gravel roads, serene creeks and starry nights. But as you're bound to find, it's her tear-jerking ballads like ``Die of a Broken Heart,'' ``Just Another Plane'' and ``I'll Let You Go'' in which she really shines. You'll need a handkerchief on that last one. - Sandra Barrera CAPTION(S): 6 photos Photo: (1) no caption (JAMES BOOKER) (2 -- 6) no caption (CD covers) |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion