Baritone saxophonist Adam Schroeder makes a terrific debut as a band leader with A Handful Of Stars. He's recorded extensively already but this is his first project as musical captain. On it, Schroeder, guitarist Graham Dechter, bassist John Clayton, and Drummer Jeff Hamilton let fly some awesome straight-ahead jazz. Their style is steeped in musical history. It's classic and familiar, but still fresh. This band really swings...MORE
I'm totally bowled over by Shin Kawasaki's new self-titled disc. It's the most fun, intelligent, and eclectic album I've heard in oh-so-long. Kawasaki's electro-fusion experiments grabbed me from the get-go and held on until the very last tune ended. You can cut a rug to it or absorb every clever detail through a good pair of headphones, either way it'll groove you. There're soulful vocal performances, jazz improvisations, gritty guitar, and bubbly synthesizers all blended in a genre stew. It's off the wall and mixed to a T...MORE
