Looking Back at 2020 Part 2

For my second post of 2021, I am looking back at a selection of outstanding recordings and books that I posted about this past year. I am selecting one item from each month. This is not a list of best recordings, but ones that I wish to highlight again, particularly since in some months I could have chosen others. I have linked the full blog post for each item.

I did the first half of 2020 yesterday.

July 2020 

Omer Kringel
Okan Project

"Musically, this release is a multi-cultural, multi-lingual street party with irresistible, high energy grooves, punchy horn lines, and exuberant vocals. A brief instrumental intro leads into the Afro-Cuban "Pacto del Alma," with a compelling groove, and the weaving of instrumental voices with the varied singers. 'Sembrar Amor" maintains the tropical musical flavor with shifting vocal and instrumental textures (including Heryberto Bonilla Granja's marvelous marimba). "Freedom Key," one of two selections in English. It brings forth an almost frenetic klezmer wedding rhythm as J. Hoard sings, "The key to our freedom is right here/ key to our freedom is right here/ key to our freedom is here within us." This is only a hint of the diverseness of the music here such a Moorish-Sephardic flavor to "Blossom," the flamenco-rooted "Descalços," and the lovely, thoughtful "Shekhinah." The result is a jubilant, superbly recorded and performed digital-only release."

Here is a link to the full review. https://inabluemood.blogspot.com/2020/07/omer-kringel-okan-project.html.

August 2020

Jimmy Heath
Love Letter
Verve

Gary Giddins relates in the liner notes for "Love Letter," its origin arose from a query, friend, and photographer, Carol Friedman, who asked if Jimmy Heath would record an album of ballads. The answer is this recording, which Giddins scribes as "Heath's stunningly elegant last testament." On this, his final recordings, Heath is supported by a fabulous backing band of pianist Kenny Barron, guitarist Russell Malone, vibraphonist Monte Croft, bassist David Wong, and drummer Lewis Nash. Augmenting the group on separate tracks are vocalists Gregory Porter and Cécile McLorin Salvant, and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.

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The album closes with Heath's poignant performance of "Don't Explain," a song that Barron, Croft, and Nash recorded with Heath, later overdubbing a solo of considerable beauty and feeling. As Carol Friedman stated about Heath, "His mastery is such that you could swear that the rhythm section—Kenny in particular—is following Jimmy's lead." It is the coda of a remarkable recording, and career belies the fact that Jimmy Heath was 93 at the time. There is nothing in the robustness of his playing and impeccable pitch and timing that suggested any diminishment of his talent. Gary Giddins closes his liner notes, "Farewell, Jimmy, and welcome back. Consider this the second *rebirth*, because people are going to be talking about you all over again." Indeed, with this outstanding recording, people will be talking about Jimmy Heath for many more years.

Here is a link to the full review. https://inabluemood.blogspot.com/2020/08/jimmy-heath-love-letter.html 

September 2020

Bettye Lavette
Blackbirds
Verve

"Blackbirds" is the latest recording from the great Bettye Lavette. This recording is Lavette's celebration of some iconic black women artists by performing songs associated with these women. It is produced by Steve Jordan, who produced Lavette's Grammy-nominated "Things Have Changed." Musically it has the clean, austere setting providing a backdrop for her sharp, at times, acidic delivery. The personnel includes guitarist Smokey Hormel, keyboardist Leon Pendarvis, drummer Steve Jordan, and bassist Tom Barney.

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With Hormel's spare guitar anchoring the backing, Lavette closes this recording with her interpretation of The Beatles' "Blackbird," again displaying how she can impart so much emotion in a song. One suspects that this outstanding release will garner Bettye LaVette more Grammy nominations. She is an American classic artist.

Here is a link to the full review. https://inabluemood.blogspot.com/2020/09/bettye-lavette-blackbirds.html

October 2020

Chick Corea
Plays
Concord Jazz

On this compilation of mostly solo piano performances, Chick Corea engages audiences with a program that includes surprising pairings of his favorite influences as well as spontaneous improvisations, and his own compositions. Corea, these performances engage with a wide swath of musical history before enthusiastic audiences in concert halls across Europe and the U.S. The performances here are from concerts in Clearwater, Florida; Paris, and Berlin. 

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The album closes with Corea revisiting some of the Children's Songs he composed in the 1970s. It continues the exploratory and playful character of these performances. "Plays" is another recording that displays Chick Corea's virtuosity and musical brilliance. 

Here is a link to the full review. https://inabluemood.blogspot.com/2020/10/chick-corea-plays.html

November 2020

Nora Jean Wallace
BluesWoman
Severn Records

Music lovers have reason to celebrate the return of Nora Jean Wallace with a new CD, "BluesWoman." It has been 16 years since Severn issued her acclaimed "Going Back to Mississippi." She left the music scene to take care of her ailing mother, but now she returns with this release. About that earlier album, I wrote that she "has shown herself as among those who will carry on and follow Koko Taylor and keep 'this great music alive and vital.'" Taylor was a major influence on her, and like Taylor, she has a deep, husky voice with an authoritative, no-nonsense attack. 

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Dance With Me" is a solidly performed and enjoyable, if lightweight, track. The album closes with the strong, moody "I Don't Have to Beg You to Love Me," with another assured, passionate vocal. It is the finale on Nora Jean Wallace's most welcome return. On the outstanding "BluesWoman," Nora Jean Wallace shows that she is still a vibrant, superb singer and backed by an excellent studio band. 

Here is a link to the full review.  https://inabluemood.blogspot.com/2020/11/nora-jean-wallace-blueswoman.html

December 2020

Henry Gray & Bob Corritore
Henry Gray & Bob Corritore Sessions Vol. 2: Cold Chills
SWMAF Records/ Vizztone

This is the second volume of performances the late Henry Gray made with Bob Corritore, the Phoenix blues promoter, harmonica player, and record producer. It collects 14 performances (and one phone message) recorded over the span of a couple of decades. Gray was a mainstay of Howlin' Wolf's band for over a decade before relocating to Louisiana. He passed away in January 2020 at the age of 95. I wrote about the previous volume, "This is a solid and delightful collection of classic Chicago blues with a touch Louisiana swamp blues mixed in. Given that this is labeled Vol. 1, one looks forward to a further release of Henry Gray's blues sessions with Bob Corritore." That further release has arrived.

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Gray provides a robust vocal to "Mother-in-Law Blues" with a choice Robert Lockwood Jr. guitar solo in addition to Gray's choruses. The is plenty of energy in Gray's rendition of J.B. Lenoir's "The Mojo," and even an unusual cover of Hank Ballard's "The Twist." This number was from Gray's last Phoenix session with Corritore. This collection of Henry Gray performances closes with a robust rendition of "Going Down Slow," with outstanding guitar from Johnny Rapp. The performances here are consistently enjoyable with several exceptional ones. As I said about the earlier release, this is a delightful collection of Chicago blues with a touch of Louisiana swamp blues. 

Here is a link to the full review. https://inabluemood.blogspot.com/2020/12/henry-gray-bob-corritore-sessions-vol-2.html