Photo by Scott J. Foreman
Venue: Shapeshifter (NY)
Date: April 27, 2014
Review by Dawoud Kringle
Spring was in the air in New York. I ventured to Brooklyn, to the side street where Shapeshifter Lab is located to hear Marbin perform as part of their recent tour.
Artist: Alex Garcia’s Afromantra
Title: This Side of Mestizaje
Label: self produced
Genre: Latin jazz
Review by Dawoud Kringle
In New York City, in the autumn of 1997, a Chilean – Cuban drummer and composer Alejandro “Alex” Garcia formed a group he called Afromantra. Using the rhythms of North and Latin America as a foundation, they built their jazz inspired compositions and explorations with elements from several Latin traditions. They’ve performed throughout the bets venues in NYC (a sample: Izzy Bar, Studio 54, Nell’s, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Jazz Gallery, etc.) as well as festivals throughout the US. They’ve also been immortalized in the book Caliente, Una Historia del Jazz Latino” by Luc Delannoy.
Artist: Shoukichi Kina / Pascal Plantinga
Title: Washinnayo
Label: Ata Tak Rec (Germany)
Genre: Okinawa electronica
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
When Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi (DooBeeDoo’s editor, publisher, and founder) handed me some CDs to review, one of them was an elaborate, ornate folder containing two vinyl 45s and a mini CD. It definitely stood out from the usual CD packaging that one sees. But, as we all know, packaging is not everything.
Artist: The Tiptons Saxophone Quartet & Drums
Title: Tiny Lower Case
Label: Spoot Music
Genre: genres from micro-big band, gospel, bluegrass, and Balkan to whimsical jazz and nocturnal funk
Review by Dawoud Kringle
What happens when you draw inspiration from micro-big band, gospel, bluegrass, Balkan, whimsical jazz, nocturnal funk, New Orleans “second – line,” Afro-Cuban, Balkan, Klezmer and beyond? The Tiptons Saxophone Quartet & Drums! Hailing from New York, Seattle, and Eau Claire, the band has been composing and performing their music in the US and Europe since their beginnings in 1993.
Artist: Ou
Title: Pisces Crisis
Label: Spoot Music
Genre: nu jazz/Balkan/nu folk/progessive rock
Review by Matt Cole
Pisces Crisis is an eclectic and energetic effort from Italian band Ou, produced by Amy Denio, known for her work in Kultur Shock and The Tiptons Sax Quartet. The band consists of three from Sardinia: Martina Fadda on lead vocals; Ersilia Prosperi on trumpet, flugelhorn, and ukulele; Sabrina Coda on alto and soprano sax; and Romans Luca Venitucci on various keyboards; Claudio Mosconi on bass, and Cristiano de Fabritiis on drums and percussion; all of the instrumentalists contribute backing vocals. Producer Denio contributes vocals and alto sax on several tracks as well; her wide vocal range and musical creativity fit right in with the band.
