Read PopMatters on your Kindle

Robert R. Calder

Reviews

Music

Hot Club Sandwich: Green Room

[23.Jan.08] :. The best gypsy swing is full of local accents, with a strong indentity, cosmopolitan and not monotonous. It is rare, and it is here.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music

Corey Harris: Zion Crossroads

[7.Jan.08] :. Corey Harris sings and plays Rasta Reggae hymns while offering spiritual assurance and giving musical insight.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music

Alvin Queen: I Aint Lookin At You

[3.Jan.08] :. Very energetic quintet date led by the young veteran European-exiled sometime Horace Silver and Oscar Peterson drummer. Stirring.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music

Jim Mize: Release it to the Sky

[19.Dec.07] :. Broad mood music for a southern joint, to be danced or swooned to, over the talk and drink.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music

James Booker: Manchester '77

[18.Dec.07] :. An inspired gig by the late celebrated genius of New Orleans piano.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music   Various Artists: Rough Guide to African Blues

Music   Matt Shulman: So It Goes

Music   Phil Woods Quintet: American Songbook II

Music   Avishai Cohen with Lionel Loueke: After the Big Rain

Music   Gerry Mulligan and Billy Taylor: Live at MCG

Music   Andre Ceccarelli: Golden Land

Music   Romanian Jazz: Jazz from the Electrecord Archives 1966-1978

Music   Gaudi and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: Dub Qawwali

Music   Eldar: Re-Imagination

Music   Andrew Violette: Rave

Music   KCP 5 featuring Charlie Mariano: Many Ways

Featured Article

Music

Booker Ervin: The Freedom Book

[28.Sep.07] :. A real master cut off in his prime, an individual tenor saxophonist mature beyond his years and in an ideal quartet.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music   Luis Salinas: Solo Guitarra

Music   Carl Allen and Rodney Whitaker: Get Ready

Music   Evelyn Glennie: Touch the Sound

Music   Jazz O'Maniacs: Sunset Cafe Stomp

Music   Charlie Haden / Antonio Forcione: Heartplay

Music   Billy Bang Quartet featuring Frank Lowe: Above and Beyond

Music   The John Hemmersam/ Dom Minasi Quartet: The John Hemmersam/ Dom Minasi Quartet

Music   Grant Green: The Finest in Jazz: Grant Green

Music   Nigel Kennedy: Blue Note Sessions

Music   Various artists: Think Global Tango

Music   Daniel Smith: The Swingin Bassoon

Music   Led Bib: Sizewell Tea

Music   Joel Frahm: We Used to Dance

Music   Hillstomp: After Two but Before Five

Music   Akiko Tsuruga: Sweet and Funky

Music   Various Tango Performers: Think Global Tango

Music   Michel Camilo: Spirit of the Moment

Music   Acoustic Alchemy: This Way

Music   Hector Martignon: Refugee

Music   Cliff Eberhardt: The High Above and the Down Below

Music   Mark Soskin: One Hopeful Day

Music   Joey Calderazzo: Amenecer

Music   Jason Lindner: Ab Aeterno

Music   Sylvain Luc: Joko

Music   Charles Davis: Land of Dreams

Featured Article

Music

Cowboy Roy Brown: Street Singer

[4.Jun.07] :. Eleven points for charm; ace pre-blues, street-singing songster-guitarist -- gentle, comic, recorded in 1960 at age 85, a miracle!

Recent Music reviews

 

Music   Oscar Peterson, Roy Brown, Milt Jackson: What's Up?: The Very Tall Band

Featured Article

Music

Barrelhouse Buck McFarland: Alton Blues

[25.May.07] :. Unique! A major discovery: Barrelhouse blues piano like nobody does now.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music   Omar Sosa and Greg Landau: DO

Music   Jeff Lorber: He Had a Hat

Music   Biréli Lagréne: Djangology / To Bi or Not to Bi

Music   Andy Narell: Tatoom

Music   Ned Goold: March of the Malcontents

Music   J.J. Grey and Mofro: Country Ghetto

Music   Florian Ross: Big Fish and Small Pond

Music   Mel Davis: Its About Time!

Music   Bebo Valdes: Bebo

Music   Peter Primamore: Grancia

Music   Watermelon Slim and the Workers: The Wheel Man

Music   John Lindberg, Karl Berger: Duets 1

Music   Richie Barshay: Homework

Music   Big Pete Pearson: Im Here, Baby!

Music   Brian Bromberg: Downright Upright

Music   John Patitucci: Line by Line

Music   Jimmy Burns: Live at B.L.U.E.S.

Music   Elliott Sharps Terraplane: Secret Life

Music   Bob Margolin: In North Carolina

Music   The Soul of John Black: The Good Girl Blues

Music   Sauce Boss: Florida Blues

Music   Al di Meola: Consequence of Chaos

Music   The Bad Hand: This Is No Time for Modesty

Music   ari hoenig: Inversations

Music   Hendrik Meurkens: New York Samba Jazz Quintet

Music   Dewey Jackson featuring Don Ewell: Live at the Barrel

Music   Third World Love: Sketch of Tel Aviv

Music   Dirty Dozen Brass Band: Whats Going On

Music   Junior Wells: Live at Theresas 1975

Music   Bela Lakatos, and the Gypsy Youth Project: Introducing Bela Lakatos & The GYP

Books   The Testament of Gideon Mack by James Robertson

Music   John Lee Hooker: Specialty Profiles: John Lee Hooker

Music   The Frank Hewitt Trio: Fresh from the Cooler

Music   Ben Rileys Monk Legacy Septet: Memories of T

Music   Pete Zimmer Quintet with George Garzone: Judgment

Music   Various Artists: New Orleans Reborn!

Music   Michel Camilo and Tomatito: Spain Again

Music   Count Basie: One Oclock Jump: The Very Best of Count Basie

Featured Article

Music

Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band: Dizzys Business

[19.Dec.06] :. Serious attempt at the best that can be done. Dizzy Gillespie would certainly have been very proud of some of this.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music   Stephan Crump: Rosetta

Music   Michael Powers: Prodigal Son

Music   Nils Petter Molvaer: Streamer / ER

Music   Roy Milton: Specialty Profiles: Roy Milton

Music   Rez Abbasi: Bazaar

Music   The Jeff Gauthier Goatette: One and the Same

Music   Dexter Romweber: piano

Featured Article

Music

Chico Hamilton: Juniflip/ Believe/ 6th Avenue Romp/ Heritage

[17.Nov.06] :. Force of music slightly disguises this set's 85th Birthday element. It's not about how long Chico Hamilton's been here, but what he does and why he's here!

Recent Music reviews

 

Music   Billie Holiday: God Bless the Child: The Very Best of Billie Holiday

Music   The Uptown Quintet: Live in New York

Books   Does It Matter? by Graham Dunstan Martin

Music   Skip Heller: Mean Things Happening in This Land

Music   Yellowjackets: Twenty Five

Music   Walter Trout: Full Circle

DVDs   Various Artists: Jazzin' the Black Forest [DVD]

DVDs   The Red Shoes (2005)

Music   The Roger Kellaway Trio: Heroes

PopMatters Pick

Music

Kansas City Frank Melrose: Bluesiana

[17.Oct.06] :. The jazzman Frank Melrose was possibly murdered by the mob. His cornet partner Pete Daily fled to Canada after testifying at the inquest. In 1940, they'd recorded demo discs of their dream band, playing Chicago jazz. 66 years passed...

Recent Music reviews

 

Music   Magic Slim & the Teardrops/ Joe Carter with Sunnyland Slim: That Aint Right

DVDs   Harry Connick, Jr. / Branford Marsalis: A Duo Occasion

Music   Caribbean Jazz Project: Mosaic

Music   Sean Jones: Roots

Music   Hot Club of Detroit: Hot Club of Detroit

Music   Guitar Shorty: We the People

Music   Jimmy Thackery with the Cate Brothers: In the Natural State

Music   Shawn Glyde: Alternate Rhythm

Music   Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials: Rattleshake

Music   David Kimbrough Jr.: Shell-Shocked

Music   Tom Lellis: Avenue of the Americas

Music   cephas and wiggins: Shoulder to Shoulder

Music   Eri Yamamoto: Cobalt Blue

Music   Bill Coon and Oliver Gannon: Two Much Guitar

Music   Rory Block: The Lady and Mr. Johnson

Featured Article

Music

Winard Harper Sextet: Make it Happen

[9.Aug.06] :. Modern mainstream jazz at its broadest and deepest, African currents, After Hours, Amen!

Recent Music reviews

 

Music   Cordovan: Highway 10 Blues

PopMatters Pick

Music

Elliott Caine: Blues from Mars

[31.Jul.06] :. High-class hard bop such as can happily be found nowadays, but Caine's an exceptional trumpeter, hot but also a ballad master.

Recent Music reviews

 
Featured Article

DVDs

Biréli Lagrène and Gypsy Project: Live in Paris (DVD)

[19.Jul.06] :. Jazz guitarist Biréli Lagrène steps onto a Paris stage to perform a set as part of his 2004-2005 world tour, and -- Wow!

Recent DVD reviews

 

Music   Pete Zimmer Quintet: Burnin Live at the Jazz Standard

Music   Brad Goode: Hypnotic Suggestion

Music   Skeriks Syncopated Taint Septet: Husky

Music   Matthias Lupri Group: Metalix

Music   Daniel Smith: Be Bop Bassoon

Music   Bill Evans and Randy Brecker: Soul Bop Band Live in New York

Music   Shot X Shot: Shot X Shot

Music   Tab Benoit: Brother to the Blues

Music   Harvie S.: Funky Cha

Music   Mac Arnold: Nothin to Prove

Music   Willie Big Eyes Smith: Way Back

Music   The Jaco Pastorius Big Band: The Word Is Out!

Music   Taylor Eigsti: Lucky to Be Me

Music   Dafnis Prieto: Absolute Quintet

Music   John Long: Lost and Found

Music   Charnett Moffett: Internet

Music   Jimmy Cobb: Marsalis Music Honors Jimmy Cobb

Music   Hillstomp: The Woman That Ended the World

Music   Michael Coleman and the Delmark All-Stars: Blues Brunch at the Mart

Music   Ari Roland: Sketches from a Bassists Album

Music   Cyrus Chestnut: Genuine Chestnut

Music   Ben Goldberg: The Door, the Hat, the Chair, the Fact

Music   Pat Martino: Remember: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery

PopMatters Pick

Music

Duke Robillard: Guitar Groove-a-Rama

[20.Apr.06] :. This is the rare guitar CD that displays both virtuosity and a sense of history and style, performed with class and substance.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music   Dennis Chambers / Jeff Berlin / Dave Fiuczynski / T. Lavitz: Boston T Party

Music   Andre Ceccarelli: Avenue des Diables Bleus

Music   Dan Treanor and African Wind: Mercy

Music   Tineke Postma: For the Rhythm

Music   Art Lillard's Heavenly Band: Reasons to Be Thankful

Music   Christopher O'Riley: Home to Oblivion: An Elliott Smith Tribute

Music   Gonzalo Rubalcaba: Solo

Music   Neal Caine: Backstabber's Ball

Music   Frank Hewitt: Four Hundred Saturdays

Music   Mississippi Heat: One Eye Open

Music   Big Mama Thornton: Sassy Mama

Music   Bill Rhoades and the Party Kings: Voodoo Lovin'

Music   Otis Rush: All Your Love I Miss Loving

Music   Sonny Rollins: Essential Sonny Rollins: The RCA Years

Music    Denny Zeitlin: Solo Voyage

Music    Various Artists: Progressions: 100 Years of Jazz Guitar

Music    Tommy Dorsey: The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing: Centennial Collection

Music    Richie Hart Trio: Greasy Street

Music    Bucky Pizzarelli / Frank Vignola: Moonglow

Music    Paul Oscher: Down in the Delta

Music    Nachito Herrera: Bembé en Mi Casa

Music    Teddy Wilson: Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz

Music    Various Artists: Def Jazz

Music    Gerald Wilson: In My Time

Music    Kip Hanrahan: Pinero

Music    Richard Galliano New York Trio: Ruby, My Dear

Books   The Knife Man: The Extraordinary Life and Times of John Hunter, Father of Modern Surgery by Wendy Mo

Music    Robert Glasper: Canvas

Music    Arturo O'Farrill: Live in Brooklyn

Music    Hendrik Meurkens: Amazon River

Music    Moutin Reunion Quartet: Something Like Now

Music    Sacha Perry: Eretik

Featured Article

DVDs

Dizzy Gillespie: A Night in Havana: Dizzy Gillespie in Cuba [DVD]

[7.Oct.05] :. DG can also mean Deo gratias, and this, by the grace of God, is Dizzy Gillespie in terrific trumpet form when not bringing together his verbal reflections on jazz, its African cultural roots, and continuities across political boundaries and stormy, oily seas.

Recent DVD reviews

 

Music    Bob Rodriguez: Corridor

Music    Russ Freeman: Safe at Home

Music    Various Artists: Swing Around the World

Music    Dexter Gordon: Manhattan Symphonie

Music    Bob Brookmeyer: Bob Brookmeyer and Friends

Music    Gerry Mulligan: Jeru

Music    The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra: Live at MCG

Music    Philip Catherine, Bert Joris, Brussels Jazz Orchestra: Meeting Colours

DVDs    Eric Lewis: Hopscotch [CD and DVD]

Music    Dexter Gordon: Jazz Moods: 'Round Midnight

Music    Billy Butterfield with Andy Bartha: Take Me to the Land of Jazz

Music    Billy Bang: Vietnam: Reflections

Music    Various Artists: Rockin' the Spirit: Piano Blues, Boogie and Spirituals

Music    Ahmad Jamal: After Fajr

Music    Bill Charlap: Plays George Gershwin: The American Soul

Music    Chet Baker: Jazz Moods: Cool

Music    Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra: A Love Supreme

Music    Various Artists: Jazz Moods: Sounds of Spring

Music    Jimmy Thackery: Healin' Ground

Music    Kelly Joe Phelps: Tap the Red Cane Whirlwind

Music    Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne: Let It Loose

PopMatters Pick

Music

Debashish Bhattacharya: Calcutta Slide-Guitar, Vol. 3

[27.May.05] :. Debashish no doubt has the fingers for a lot of things.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music    Various Artists: Once More: Music of Thad Jones

Music    Johnny Maddox: Dixieland Blues

Music    Marian McPartland and Friends: 85 Candles -- Live in New York

Music    Various Artists: Billy Crystal Presents the Milt Gabler Story

Music    Sonny Stitt: It's Magic

Music    John Ellis: One Foot in the Swamp

Music    Kurt Rosenwinkel: Deep Song

Music    Paul Motian Trio: I Have the Room Above Her

Music    David Weiss: The Mirror

Music    Charles Lloyd: Jumping the Creek

Music    Various Artists: The Future of the Blues, Vol. 2

Music    Various Artists: Harold Arlen Centennial Celebration

Music    David Sanborn: Closer

Music    The Jim Seeley / Arturo O'Farrill Quintet: The Jim Seeley / Arturo O'Farrill Quintet

Music    Frank Hewitt Trio: Not Afraid to Live

Music    Monty Alexander: Live at the Iridium

Music    Fred Hersch / Kurt Elling / Kate McGarry: Leaves of Grass

Music    Various Artists: Putumayo Presents New Orleans

Music    Various Artists: This Is the Blues Harmonica: Vol. 2

Music    Frank Jackson: New York After Dark

Music    Miles Davis: A Tribute to Jack Johnson

Music    Detroit Jr.: Blues on the Internet

Music    Kermit Ruffins: Putumayo Presents Kermit Ruffins

Music    Roger Davidson Trio: Rodgers in Rio

Music    J.B. Hutto: Stompin' at Mother Blues

Music    Stefano di Battista: Parker's Mood

Music    Monk's Music Trio: Think of One

Music    Richie Hart: Blues in the Alley

Music    Renaud Garcia-Fons: Entremundo

Music    Wynton Marsalis: Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson

DVDs    Dizzy Gillespie: Jivin' in Bebop [DVD]

Music    Clark Terry & the Chicago Jazz Orchestra: Porgy and Bess

Music    The RH Factor (Roy Hargrove): Strength EP

Music    Michel Portal / Richard Galliano: Concerts

Music    Bud Powell: Eternity

Music    Gonzalo Rubacalba: Paseo

Music    Vic Juris: Blue Horizon

Music    George Gee Big Band: Settin' the Pace - the Music of Frank Foster

Music    Herbie Hancock: The Piano

Music    Herbie Hancock and VSOP: Live Under the Sky

Music    Charlie Haden / Gonzalo Rubalcaba: Land of the Sun

Music    Louis Armstrong: The Essential Louis Armstrong

Music    Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey: Walking with Giants

Music    Duke Ellington: Centennial Collection

Music    Coleman Hawkins: Centennial Collection

Music    Oscar Peterson / Herb Ellis / Ray Brown / Bobby Durham: The Legendary Oscar Peterson Trio: Live at

Music    Branford Marsalis Quartet: Eternal

Music    Groundtruther (Charlie Hunter / Bobby Previte / Greg Osby): Latitude

Music    Benny Golson: Terminal 1

Music    Shilelagh Law: Good Intentions

Music    Benny Green / Russell Malone: Bluebird

Music    Thelonious Monk: Monk 'Round the World

Music    Denny Zeitlin: Slickrock

Music    Terry Gibbs: 52nd and Broadway: Songs of the Bebop Era

Music    Steve Swallow Ohad Talmor Sextet: Histoire du Clochard (The Bum's Tale)

Music    Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls: Breeding Resistance

Music    John Stetch: Exponentially Monk

Music    Carla Bley / Steve Swallow / Andy Sheppard / Billy Drummond: The Lost Chords

Music    Michel Petrucciani: So What: The Best of Michel Petrucciani

Music    Bobby Watson and Horizon: Horizon Reassembled

Music    Roy Haynes: Fountain of Youth

Music    Geri Allen: The Life of a Song

Music    Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez: Italuba

Music    David Sanchez: Coral

Music    Mulgrew Miller: Live at Yoshi's, Vol 1

Music    George Shearing: Like Fine Wine

Music    Duane Thamm with the Chuck Hedges Swingtet: Tribute to Hamp

Music    Tethered Moon: Experiencing Tosca

Music    Curtis Fuller: Up Jumped Spring

Music    Courtney Pine: Devotion

Music    Count Basie: Jazz Moods -- Hot

Music    Billie Holiday: Jazz Moods -- 'Round Midnight

Music    Duke Ellington: Piano in the Background

Music    Duke Ellington: Piano in the Foreground

Music    Duke Ellington: Blues in Orbit

Music    Greg Osby: Public

Music    Dave Liebman: In a Mellow Tone

Music    Hiromi: Brain

Music    Charnett Moffett: For the Love of Peace

Music    Abdullah Ibrahim: African Suite

Music    Charles Lloyd and Billy Higgins: Which Way Is East

Music    Fats Waller: Centennial Collection

Music    Reverend J.M. Gates: Are You Bound for Heaven or Hell?: The Best of Reverend J.M. Gates

Music    Various Artists: Happy Birthday Newport: 50 Swinging Years!

Music    Ingrid Jensen: Here on Earth

Music    Dave Brubeck: Private Brubeck Remembers (Solo Piano)

Music    Abdullah Ibrahim Trio: Cape Town Revisited

Music    Akira Tana (The Asian American Jazz Trio): Moon Over the World

Music    Bill Charlap: Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein

Music    John Pizzarelli: Bossa Nova

Music    John Abercrombie Quartet: Class Trip

Music    The Claudia Quintet: I, Claudia

Music    The Rob McConnell Tentet: Music of the Twenties

Music    Monty Alexander and Ernest Ranglin: Rocksteady

Music    Al Ashley: These Are Them

Music    George Cables: Looking for the Light

Music    Bennie Wallace: The Nearness of You

Music    Carla Bley: Rarum: Selected Recordings, Vol. 15

Music    Marty Ehrlich: The Long View

Music    Various Artists: The Rough Guide to Gypsy Swing

Music    Dave Holland: Rarum: Selected Recordings, Vol. 14

Music    Various Artists: Africa Straight Ahead

Music    Preservation Hall Jazz Band: The Best of the Early Years

Music    Preservation Hall Jazz Band: Shake That Thing

Music    Preservation Hall Jazz Band: Hot 4 - with Harold "Duke" Dejan

Music    Mike Stern: These Times

Music    John Surman: Rarum -- Selected Recordings Vol. 13

Music    John Abercrombie: Rarum -- Selected Recordings Vol. 14

Music