#contemporaryjazz

Personnel Abdullah Ibrahim – piano Marcus McLaurine – bass George Johnson – drums

Personnel: Ralph Towner – 12-string and classical guitar, piano Jan Garbarek – tenor and soprano saxophone, flute Eberhard Weber – bass, cello Jon Christensen – drums, percussion

AllMusic review by Craig Lytle awarded the album 4 stars and stated:”George Duke is truly a music virtuoso. From his many contributions as a producer, arranger, writer, musician, and singer, the California native has laid down one grand effort after another. On this album, first and foremost, Duke utilizes this vast platform to express his musical passions. And in his own ingenious way, he voices his indiscreet discernment on the many virtues and vices of society. This set is eclectic, and at times, audaciously eccentric. Of the 13 selections, four are instrumentals and several are tinted with a sweet R&B coating. However, every number is seasoned with Duke’s indelible jazzy melodies and interludes. The Synclavier-toting keyboardist is supported by an outstanding cast of performers, which includes the Emotions, Marvin Winans, Stanley Clarke, James Ingram, and Dianne Reeves, to name a few.”

Personnel: Antonio Sánchez – drums, keyboards, vocals Dave Binney – alto saxophone Donny McCaslin – tenor saxophone John Escreet – piano, electric piano Matt Brewer – bass, electric bass Thana Alexa – vocals

Love and Other Obsessions is a studio album by the American jazz group Spyro Gyra, released in 1995 by GRP Records. Reception “Maybe things were simpler in the ’70s, when the birth of what we now call contemporary jazz or pop instrumental really occurred. Long before anyone gave much thought to what to call it, there was one thing we could count on: the fact that a bunch of solid jazz players from Buffalo with a funny band name could dish it up and make it fun. In an industry where the latest sonic trends emerge and disappear in brief flashes of expectation and disappointment, Spyro Gyra’s constantly evolving musical vision has made them the most consistent, popular, and enduring of all contemporary jazz ensembles. ” – AllMusic. Spyro Gyra Jay Beckenstein – saxophones, arrangements Tom Schuman – keyboards, arrangements Julio Fernandez – guitars, arrangements Scott Ambush – bass, arrangements Joel Rosenblatt – drums, arrangements

Ken Freeman – synthesizer programming Cody “Peyote” Cassiero – DJ Bikki Johnson – shaker, backing vocals

“On The Way To Two is just about perfect and is a fine musical document to the memories of Kenny Wheeler and John Taylor.” – Budd Kopman/AllAboutJazz. Personnel: Kenny Wheeler – trumpet, flugelhorn John Taylor – piano

Aura was well received by music critics. AllMusic editor Thom Jurek described its music as “an amalgam of classical impressionism, European new music, jazz, rock, electronic, and other genres.” Wes Long of PopMatters called Aura “ruthlessly inventive”, an “ever-moody masterpiece”, and “quite possibly the last monumental effort” from Davis. Fred Kaplan of New York commented that the release emerged from an era of “mechanical rut” for Davis and called Aura “a jolting synthesis of jazz, rock, and Messiaen-influenced classical music that lit up a future path lamentably unfollowed.” Todd S. Jenkins of All About Jazz commented that the album “successfully blends Miles’ electric style with the feel of his earlier big-band works with Gil Evans, another of Mikkelborg’s prime inspirations.”