SOUND CHECK.JOHN LEGEND: ``Once Again'' (Sony) - Three stars Exactly like his award-winning debut, Legend's latest blend of contemporary gospel and hip-hop will have broad crossover appeal. Resisting, for the most part, the impulse to use programmed drums and samples, the ambitious 27-year-old protege of Kanye West evokes the traditional r&b of Motown and Sam Cooke, but with a slightly grittier edge in places. Although the list of credits on ``Once Again'' is almost as long as the government's No-Fly list, Black Eyed Peas' frontman front·man n. 1. also front man A man who serves as a nominal leader but who lacks real authority. 2. Music A leading singer with a group. will.i.am is the set's production hero, bringing forth the most effective tracks -- the stirring ``Coming Home,'' which deals with a family praying for the return of their soldier son; the Motown-styled ``Each Day Gets Better''; and ``Save Room,'' which should probably pay royalties to the writers of the '60s hit ``Stormy.'' Legend's pretty, yearning voice continues to please, proving once again that Marvin Gaye Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr.) (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American singer-songwriter, musician and performer who gained international fame as an artist on the Motown label in the 1960s and 1970s. and Donny Hathaway Donny Hathaway (October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979) was an American soul musician. He signed with Atlantic Records in 1969, and with his first single "The Ghetto, Part I" (1970), Rolling Stone magazine "marked him as a major new force in soul music. are influences that never go out of style. -- Fred Shuster DEFTONES: ``Saturday Night Wrist'' (Maverick) - Three stars Deftones have conjured the ghost of Smashing Pumpkins on its first release since 2003. And Billy Corgan had nothing to do with it. For ``Saturday Night Wrist,'' the Sacramento-based fivesome fronted by Chino Moreno Chino Moreno (born Camilo Wong Moreno June 20, 1973) is an American musician. He is the lead singer and back-up guitarist in Deftones and Team Sleep. Moreno was born in Sacramento, California to a Mexican father and a Mexican/Irish/Native American/Chinese mother; worked with Bob Ezrin Bob Ezrin (born 1949 in Toronto, Ontario) is a musician and record producer. Professional background Bob Ezrin attended Oakwood Collegiate Institute High School in Toronto, graduating in 1967. (who produced Pink Floyd's ``The Wall'') with help from Shaun Lopez (formerly the guitarist for Far). The result is a melodic, industrial rocker forged out of loud guitars, chaotic beats and tortured vocals that often recall those of Corgan. A standout is the album opener and lead single ``Hole in the Earth,'' described as a soundtrack to a vivid dream in which Moreno gasps and gets all choked up. Elsewhere the set thrashes (``FM''), knaws (``Rats!'') and grooves (``Pink Cellphone (CELLular telePHONE) The first ubiquitous wireless telephone. Originally analog, all new cellular systems are digital, which has enabled the cellphone to turn into a smartphone that has access to the Internet. ,'' featuring the seductive vocalist Annie Hardy of Giant Drag). And speaking of guests, System of a Down's Serj Tankian makes a cameo in ``Mein'' on this moody, atmospheric set that rocks harder than ``Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (sometimes abbreviated to Mellon Collie or MCIS) is a double CD and triple LP that was released on October 24, 1995 by The Smashing Pumpkins through Virgin Records. .'' But not by much. -- Sandra Barrera MICHAEL LINGTON: ``A Song for You'' (Rendezvous) - Three stars Tenor saxophonist Lington can certainly play. Plus, he has an affinity for this album's set of 11 covers: ``All in Love Is Fair,'' ``Still Crazy After All These Years'' and ``Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word'' among them. While the solos are smooth-jazz short, there's real energy -- and the occasional bop lick. A fine band that includes Dean Parks play it refreshingly straight, while a guest spot from altoist Dave Koz shows Lington where he should be going. Catch Lington next week at The Wave's Live Jazz Thursdays gig at the Vault 350 in Long Beach. -- Steven Rosenberg STEFON HARRIS: ``African Tarantella tarantella (târ`əntĕl`ə), Neapolitan folk dance that first appeared in Taranto, Italy, in the 17th cent. It had rapid 6–8 meter with an increasing tempo and was thought to cure the bite of the tarantula, which supposedly ... Dances With Duke'' (Blue Note) - Four stars With his latest adventure, vibraphonist Harris finds inspiration in Duke Ellington and comes up with one of the great albums of his career. The disc features compositions from three suites of songs -- the Ellington-Billy Strayhorn ``New Orleans Suite,'' Ellington's meditative ``Queen's Suite'' and Harris' own energetic ``The Gardener Meditations.'' The overall vibe is soothing chamber jazz, made with an ensemble that includes flute, cello and the great trombonist Steve Turre. Harris' gift for writing extended compositions continues to deepen with a grace and beauty that is, at times, breathtaking. Harris performs at the Jazz Bakery in Culver City tonight through Sunday. -- Glenn Whipp VARIOUS: ``Old Town School of Folk Music The Old Town School of Folk Music is a Chicago teaching and performing institution that launched the careers of many notable folk music artists. Founded by Folk musicians Frank Hamilton and Win Stracke, the School opened in Old Town in 1957 offering guitar and banjo lessons in a Songbook Vol. 1'' (Bloodshot blood·shot adj. Red and inflamed as a result of locally congested blood vessels, as of the eyes. bloodshot Vox populi adjective ) - Three and one half stars A Chicago institution that celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, OTSOFM preserves and teaches all the classic forms of American folk. This first in what is projected to be four volumes of new recordings is nicely balanced between pieces done by the Bloodshot label's ``insurgent INSURGENT. One who is concerned in an insurrection. He differs from a rebel in this, that rebel is always understood in a bad sense, or one who unjustly opposes the constituted authorities; insurgent may be one who justly opposes the tyranny of constituted authorities. country'' roster (Jon Langford, Robbie Fulks) and the school's talented instructors. Twenty-three faves from all the subgenres -- ``Shady Grove,'' ``I Know You Rider,'' ``Wayfaring way·far·ing n. Traveling, especially on foot. [From Middle English waifaringe, journeying, from Old English wegfarende : weg, way; see way + farende Stranger,'' Goodnight Irene,'' etc. -- are enthusiastically picked, endearingly mispronounced and generally given a simultaneously timeless and modern spin. -- Bob Strauss CAPTION(S): 6 photos Photo: (1) no caption (John Legend) (2 -- 6) no caption (CD covers) |
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