CD Review: "Duke at the Roadhouse Live in Santa Fe" with Eddie Daniels and Roger Kellaway

Roger Kellaway

Eddie Daniels

Eddie Daniels and Roger Kellaway are each true major league Jazz masters in their own right, but when you record the two together, it produces musical magic!  "Duke at the Roadhouse Live in Santa Fe" is their third CD duet and it's as good as Jazz can get. These two brilliant musicians have selected five of Ellington's most recognized compositions and two more that are closely associated with the "Duke".  Daniels and Kellaway each contributed one original song for this CD that were dedicated to Duke.  Trying to reduce orchestral works into a duo format is most difficult in itself but then Daniels and Kellaway added a third voice into the mix on four pieces, Cellist James Holland.

This album was recorded live at the benefit concert in New Mexico for a group called "Santa Fe Center for Therapeutic Riding" which utilizes horses to help young people with disabilities. Daniels focuses primarily on the clarinet but also utilizes the sweet sounds of his Tenor perfectly. Roger Kellaway's piano work on this CD is simply brilliant! The virtuosity of both Daniels and Kellaway is simply astonishing and the listener can sense that the members of the audience lucky enough to attend this concert were held captive by the music of Ellington as performed by these two Jazz giants.

This CD was released a few months ago in June of 2013, and I never got a chance to do a review but this CD has kept calling me and I needed to share it with my readers. This CD presents a marvelous Jazz interpretation of the genius of the writing of Duke Ellington that offers the listener a new understanding of the brilliance of his composing.

Roger Kellaway- Piano

Eddie Daniels- Clarinet and Tenor Saxophone

James Holland- Cello

                                  Musical Program

I'm Beginning To See The Light

Creole Love Cal

Perdido

Duke At The Roadhouse

In A Mellow Tone

In A Sentimental Mood

Sophisticated Lady

Duke in Ojai

Mood Indigo

It Don't Mean A Thing



    

Linda Tate: CD Review: Geography

I was at Backstreet Bistro a couple of weeks ago and I had the pleasure of listening to the wonderful voice of Linda Tate who sat in to sing a couple of standards with the group that was performing.  Before I left, Linda gave me a copy of her CD, "Geography". Linda loves to sing and she loves to travel just as much. So it seemed natural that Linda who is also an accomplished songwriter, should write some songs inspired by the actual places she has experienced.  All music, lyrics and arrangements on this CD were written by Linda Tate. In writing these songs, Linda quickly realized that "Wherever you go, you find things common to all cultures. And I realized that "Geography" is a much broader concept than landscapes, rivers, and mountains. It can apply to almost anything-ordinary objects: the human body:languages;the emotional terrain of relationships-they all have their own distinct geography.

Linda credits the inspiration for her own composing to elements of Folk and Jazz and personal heros like Joni Mitchell, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Fagen and Becker of the band Steely Dan (along with pathfinders of earlier generations, like Ellington and the Gershwins. Linda has produced a wonderful CD with songs that are fresh and inspiring.  She has also selected a fine group of musicians to join her on this CD:
     
        Ernie Adams: Drums and Percussion (2,3,10,14)
        Steve Eisen: Tenor Saxphone (3,7,10.14) Flute (2.6.8.11.12.13) Congos (4,6)
        Larry Gray: Double Bass (4.6.7.8.12)
        Charles Rick Heath IV: Drums and Percussion (4,6,7,8,12)
        Curtis Robinson: Acoustic and Electric guitars (2,3,4,6,7,8,10,12,13,14) Vocals (10)
        Marlene Rosenberg: Double Bass (2,3,10,11,13,14)
        Preyas Roy: Vibraphone (4,6,7,8,12)
        Bobby Schiff: Piano (1,5,9)

"Geography" is Linda's fourth album, and it's the first to feature her own compositions. The CD was released in 2013 and you can preview and buy it on Linda's site: www.lindatate.com.