Music Reviews of World, Adult Contemporary, Jazz, Blues, Classical
Johnny Martin — Nothing Personal
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Recorded live in Portland, Oregon in late 2002, “Nothing Personal” is a jazzy upbeat number. Johnny Martin has a voice that recalls Sinatra and Tom Jones but without the Vegas sleaze. Sure as sure can be, the instrumentation is astounding as Johnny and band entertain us. You gotta laugh when on “South Of the Border”, Mr. Martin says “we were gay (not really)” to ensure the audience that he’s full on testerone. Good jazz to go to a nightclub and relax with.
- J-Sin (Link to this music review)
Kathy Yolanda Rice — After All These Years
Jazzy vocals and adult contemporary are smelted in the melting pot of “After All These Years”. Kathy Yolanda Rice has great vocal command and she’s able to reach high notes without a shudder and seemingly with no effort. Produced by Kelvin Wooten (formerly of Toni! Tony! Tone!) who has helped produce such music stars and luminaries as Erykah Badu, Earth, Wind, and Fire, The Isley Brothers, “After All These Years” is a snappy catchy R&B album with smooth jazz outliers.
- J-Sin (Link to this music review)
The Walker Avenue Gang — Live at the Parlor
Starting off the album is a tribute to Johnny Cash. You can hear the man in black’s influence throughout the rest of the originals on the album. Indeed the album was written after Dan Searles and Dave Lokos “obsessed” over Cash’s American Recordings. The music is roots rock with country, Americana, folk, and rock-n-roll intertwined like a hemp rope tipped in snake oil. The musicianship is to be complemented as is the songwriting. Good down-home music for the rustic bones in your body.
- J-Sin (Link to this music review)