jazz2love

Album:  And Then It Rained Artist:  Michael O'Neill Label:  Jazzmo Records Websites:  Mosax.com                   facebook.com/michael.oneill.505960 A collection of all original compositions by bandleader, reed player and saxophonist Michael O'Neill, And Then It Rained blends big band swing, straight-ahead jazz, and tuneful improvisation into a tight union.  Produced by O’Neill and co-produced by his bass player Dan Feiszli, the recording displays O'Neill's intrinsic understanding of earthy tones and warm atmospherics.  His repertoire canvasses multiple facets of cool jazz idioms from the frenzied squiggles of "One For Kenny Washington" to the balmy bliss of "Early Spring."  An easy listening program on first take, the tracks slowly seep deeper into its audience, revealing intricacies and maze-like chord patterns that demand more than a surface glance. The expressive voicing in O'Neill's saxophone curls and...

Album:  Fierce Heart Artist:  David Bach Label:  Integrity Music Website:  www.davidbachmusic.com Fierce Heart, the sixth outing from keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader David Bach is a Disneyland-esque fantasy for the ears.  The lush landscape of Pocahontas ' enchanted forest can be imagined through "Serenade."  The frolicking prancing of Mowgli's animal friends from The Jungle Book is relatable to the buoyant swells of the title track.  And the glittering notes sparkling across "Taylor" extol a Pinocchio -like wonder experiencing new sights for the first time.  Although Disney's adaptations may have not been the inspiration for Bach's music, the scenes projected through the music will sweep listeners away into a fantasy world much like a Disney production.  Featuring several original compositions written by Bach and three cover tunes, Fierce Heart enchants and entertains in a similar manner to a Disney film. Bach's keys p...

Album:  Moonflower Code Artist:  Andrei Lanes Label:  Self-Released Website:  https://www.andreilanes.com/ Electronica-infused soundscapes meet experimental jazz-inspired improvisations on Andrei Lanes's new self-released recording Moonflower Code .   The sonic passages are a welcoming massage on the aural senses while they enthrall the mind.  Bright, glittering notes dazzle the listener like a kaleidoscope of hues on the opening track "Laissez-Faire," transitioning into the sci-fi imbued escapes of "Darlene."  Track after track, the listener is mesmerized by the sonic clusters whose cosmic jaunts are so finely orchestrated and choreographed that they manifest into a breathtaking landscape.  Like a Monet painting whose finely painted dots produce an eye-catching image, Lanes's use of computer generated music crafts ear-catching figments. A master at forming galactic-like silhouettes that move with the ease of ghostly figures, Lanes once a...

Album:   Discovery Artist:   Marton Juhasz Label:   Self-Released Website:   www.martonjuhasz.com Working with a diverse palette that consists of jazz-inspired motifs, guitar fusion chord patterns, and inventive improvisations, drummer and bandleader Marton Juhasz takes travelers across a broad spectrum of soundscapes on his CD Discovery, merging eastern and western influences.   For example, the dark and ominous tone of Olga Konkova's piano keys make divots along "Industry," displaying a western influence reminiscent of jazz noir, which fuses with the eastern influences of tribal chants and tingling chimes of the guitar strings.   The two diverse worlds collide, and form contrasting colors that are sonically dissonant and complementing, achieving an attractive balance. The R&B grooves strung along "Stino" support the soaring aerials of Yumi Ito's scatting vocals as Sergio Wagner's improvisations on the horn weave i...