Category Archives: Reviews

CD Review: Amy Denio’s solo album… her fearless exploration of music on her own terms!!

a3418242945_2Artist: Amy Denio
Title: Prodigal Light
Label: Spoot Music
Genre: nu singer-song writer

CD Review by Dawoud Kringle

“Amame” opens Amy Denio’s latest CD release Prodigal Light. An electric guitar figure lays down a foundation for Denio and the others to fill the air with lush vocal harmonies. The song has a very “old world folkish” feel that lures the listener into its peaceful and contemplative world. Flutes and a rubbery bass part work their way into the hypnotic song. It ends without warning.

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Concert Review: Mem Nahadr..there seems nothing she can’t sing. At times delicate and soft, and other times powerful and indomitable. And always beautiful.

Date: December 5, 2013
Venue: Silvana (NY)

Silvana, a new venue in Harlem owned by the same people who own The Shrine is becoming the new scene for fine music in Harlem.  One can hear some marvelous music every night. One such night happened when Mem Nahadr and her band performed.

Mem Nahadr – (also known as M. Nahadr, “Madwoman” and simply “M”. The name NAHADR meaning “Divine LIght’) – is an internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, performance artist  film composer, author,  independent filmmaker and multidisciplinary video/sonic visionary. Some of her work includes the performance of Butterfly (by Yoko Kanno and Chris Mosdell) for the soundtrack to Cowboy Bebop , a musical compilation entitled: Eclectic Is M, her Off-Broadway performance art piece  Madwoman: A Contemporary Opera, and her new Modern Opera entitled: Femme Fractale: An Opera of Reflection.

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Concert Review: Underground Horns’ performance exuded superlative musical skill

The Underground HornsVenue: Drom (NY)
Date: December 28, 2013

Review by Dawoud Kringle

On an unseasonably warm winter night, in the subterranean comfort of Drom, the Underground Horns (describing themselves as “a 6-piece brass band playing afro funk bhangra new Orleans Latin grooves and beyond”) came out swinging with a heavy fisted, heavy grooving rendering of Mingus’ “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.” The arrangement was so unlike the original that one may have been taken aback, had it not been so skilfully executed and utterly enjoyable to listen to.

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Concert Review: Lauren Lee Jazz Project – a boundary-pushing ensemble led by Lauren Lee, a highly skilled and very imaginative pianist and singer

Venue: Silvana (Harlem, NY)
Date: November 13, 2013

Review by Dawoud Kringle

avatars-000046321890-hsrjob-t200x200Silvana has been bringing in some interesting musical groups. On a cold mid-November night, Lauren Lee (piano/vocals), Jimmy Lopez (electronic percussion), and Charley Sabatino (bass) hit the stage.

Lee set the tone with a vocal melody of jazzy, mellow feel, which was answered on piano by a reharmonized chord melody. The song started to take on a bossa nova jazz; but insisted upon inverting itself like a Möbius strip. What was interesting was how the two diametrically opposed structures, classic jazz and free jazz existed side by side; distinct and separate, yet fitting comfortably with each other.

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CD Review: Magnetic Ear – a pocket brass band from New Orleans led by Martin Krusche (Germany)

albumArtist: Magnetic Ear
Title: Alien of Extraordinary Ability
Label: self released
Genre: New Orleans style second line and funk, Eastern European brass band music and African music

CD Review by Dawoud Kringle

Magnetic Ear is part of the new scene of music coming from New Orleans. An ensemble led by Martin Krusche. Born in Germany, and currently living in New Orleans, Krusche is in addition to being an accomplished musician/composer/band leader, he is also respected saxophone repair man.

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