jazz2love

Album:  Up and Gone Artist: The Moore-McColl Jazz Society Label: Madison Records Website: www.mooremccolljazz.com In the vane of jazz fusion combos like Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and Sly and the Family Stone, the music of The Moore-McColl Jazz Society has a jam session vibe, acting as a conduit of the present phase of bluesy, grooving, strutting, cool jazz along the time continuum.   As time moves forward, so too does the music of The Moore-McColl Jazz Society.  Comprised of Beth Moore (vocals, piano, Rhodes, and organ) and Chance McColl (electric guitar and vocals), the duo exhibit a bond that enthralls the listener.  Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the pair's third recording Up and Gone fuses a modern panoply of blues, funk, and contemporary hues of jazz. The opening track, “What’s Still Happening!!” has a ‘70s-inspired buoyancy, accentuated by the lobbing arcs of the alto saxophone and the gritty blues features of McColl's guitar riffs.  Moore's gr...

Album:  Perseverance Artist:  Melvin Smith Label Name: MISMWO Music Website: melvinsmithsax.com Leader and saxophonist Melvin Smith has honed his chops on both commercial and spiritual recordings and performances.  The jazz improviser in him comes through on his latest offering Perseverance from MISMWO Music.  Produced by Smith, the recording has the liberating spirit of John Coltrane fused with a warm sizzle slanted to instill an after-hours decompression in the listener.  Smith's music fits into one's lifestyle as a way to unwind and soak up the peaceful aesthetics he offers. The calming atmosphere of "Letter to the Ancestors" is bolstered by the buttery texture of Smith's whimsical musings as organist Greg Lewis embellishes the track with teased knots and loose furls etched along the melodic patterns.  “Beatitudes - Interlude,” a Bobby Watson original, has a soothing sonorous that caresses the listener with a pure tenderness.  "One By One," an Art ...