Avi Wisnia - Something New

Avi Wisnia - Something New
2010, Avi Wisnia/Mo Sho Publishing

Avi Wisnia invites attempts to classify him even as his music defies clear description: Elements of pop, jazz, Latin and cabaret gallivant through his songs with seeming abandon. The award-winning singer/songwriter splits his time between New York City and Philadelphia while creating music that seems to jump out and grab you. Wisnia's influences include Ben Folds, Norah Jones, Billy Joel, Jamie Cullum, John Legend and Chet Baker, and that deep musical heritage makes its presence known on Wisnia's latest album, Something New.

Wisnia opens with "New Year", a catchy, piano-driven pop song about hope. "More Than Me" shows Wisnia is a sort of post-modern Barry Manilow. "More Than Me" is catchy light pop with a nice melody that would be right at home in a Manilow set. "I Wish That I Could Stop Writing Songs About You" is melancholy and lovelorn; a song Wisnia wrote about an ex-boyfriend. Catchy and contemplative, the song has a melody that nearly sings itself. Latin rhythms find their way into "Sink", punctuating the catchy, light acoustic-pop number with a mildly danceable feel.

Wisnia's cover of The Cure's "Love Song" has a vaguely soulful feel, undercut by a melancholy sense of longing that is detached yet very much alive. "Rabbit Hole" is the most relaxed track on the album. Wisnia gets a bit sloppy on the vocal line, trying to do too much with flourish in what should be a purely entertaining track but gets smothered when Wisnia hams it up a bit too much. "Something New" is a somewhat cheesy series of vignettes in one song that borrows lines from popular songs; it's fast-paced and entertaining but seems a bit trite. "It's Only Me" could become a signature song for Wisnia; a piano ballad about the loneliness of creation when trying to reach out across a gulf to those who will listen. Wisnia closes with a cover of TLC's "No Scrubs" in pure Las Vegas fashion, hamming it up Rat Pack style. It's campy but entertaining.

Avi Wisnia has a definable pop sensibility that he weaves in and out of his pop/jazz/Latin creations. Something New seems likely to make Wisnia a host of new fans. How marketable the sound turns out to be can turn on the social whims (or winds) of the moment, but Wisnia definitely has slick pop touch that he glazes over each song. From a songwriting perspective, Something New is up and down, but when Wisnia is on his game he can be very entertaining. Vocally Wisnia is competent; his isn't a voice that will make a huge impression, but he uses it well within the context of his songs.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Avi Wisnia at http://www.aviwisnia.com/ or www.myspace.com/aviwisniapresents.  Something New is available from Amazon.com as either a CD or Download.  Digital copies are also available from iTunes.

Mike Clark - Carnival Of Soul

Mike Clark - Carnival Of Soul
2010, Owl Studios

Mike Clark is something of a legend. Coming to prominence as Herbie Hancock's drummer in the early 1970's, Clark has gone on to play with the likes of Chet Baker, Tony Bennett, Gil Evans, Brand X and a host of other names in jazz music. Clark teaches regularly at camps, colleges and music shops but still finds time to create, as vividly displayed on his latest album, Carnival Of Soul. A tribute to B-3 trios, Clark finds the freedom to let go and play with a youthful energy on Carnival Of Soul, assisted by the likes of Delbert McClinton, Rez Abbasi, Delbert Bump, Jerry Z and Jeff Pittson among others.

Carnival Of Soul opens with "T's Boogaloo", a tribute to Al Tanner where Clark and friends challenge you to sit still. It's a pure mix of boogie and funk that's absolutely irresistible. "Monk's Dream" mixes bop and blues with a modern twist while Clark provides quiet pyrotechnics on the skins. " Multiple GRAMMY winner Delbert McClinton sits in on vocals for "Cry Me A River", providing a dynamic vocal line to balance the uniquely subtle and compact arrangement cooked up here. Clark shows off his New York swing style on "Water On The Moon" and channels a bit of Max Roach on "Turok Son Of Stone". The latter is pure bop with a modern twist.

Stay tuned for Clark & company's rendition of "Angel Eyes"; a classic read with electric solo work from both Delbert Bump and Steve Homan. For the true drum aficionados out there nothing will beat "Bookin'". Clark conjures rhythms that are difficult to imagine and nearly impossible to copy, treading the sort of polyrhythmic ground tread by Buddy Rich and more recently by Neil Peart. Things take a funky turn on "Zoyd", a fun little nugget that seems a tad out of place here but sounds like it was too fun to play to leave off the album. Carnival Of Soul closes with a tribute to Sid Catlett entitled "Catlett Outta My Bag". Lenny White sits in, and the ensemble invokes thoughts of Miles Davis, Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock before the album fades away into musical aether.

Mike Clark seems to create something new every time he sits down at the drums, and there is a tremendous sense of play on Carnival Of Soul. This is not just a first class jazz/fusion/funk album; it's an album alive with the joy of the players practicing their craft at its apex. Carnival Of Soul is likely to be truly enjoyed by a narrow demographic of jazz fans, but that doesn't change the fact that at the halfway point of 2010 it's among the best new jazz albums to be released this year.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Mike Clark at http://www.mikeclarkmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/drummermikeclark.  Carnival Of Soul is available as a CD or Download from Amazon.com, as well as from iTunes.

Review: Irene And Her Latin Jazz Band - A Song Of You

Irene And Her Latin Jazz Band - A Song Of You
2009, Irene And Her Latin Jazz Band

Irene Nachreiner is a multiple-threat artist; vocalist, pianist, songwriter, dancer, screenwriter, actor, and Improv comedy all find homes on her curriculum vitae. She started singing jazz several years ago after meeting acoustic guitarist Marco Tulio (Pat Metheny, Thalia) and drummer/percussionist Cristano Novelli (Milton Nascimento, Diego Torres). Irene And Her Latin Jazz Band's sophomore CD, A Song Of You, features a mix of originals and covers and the exquisite play of her backing band. Aside from Tulio and Novelli, sitting in for this album is pianist and Berklee grad Rique Pantoja (Chet Baker, Milton Nascimento, Steps Ahead, Ricardo Silveira, Carlos Santana).

A Song Of You starts off with the seeds for success, decent original material, some classic covers and a group of A-List backing musicians. Irene Nachreiner gives each song here a technically perfect reading, yet never seems to capture the vim and vigor of her band. Nachreiner’s voice is decent but doesn’t project the sort of charisma needed to pull off songs like S’Wonderful (George & Ira Gershwin); Triste (Jobim); It’s Too Darn Hot (Cole Porter) or Bin Bom (Joao Gilberto). There are a few nice moments here; the title track is a pleasant listen and South Seas Samba has a certain charm to it. Even La Foule is interesting, although perhaps more for the courage it takes to cover such a song.

Nachreiner misses the boat on Fragillidad, the Spanish version of Sting’s Fragile. The original version is an urgent and reverent plea; here it is presented as a hip Latin/Vegas hybrid that’s almost campy. It comes across as technically perfect without the heart or sense of purpose that’s embedded in every note of the song. Likewise Change The World, the song made famous by Eric Clapton comes across like a version you might hear on one of those CDs they sell at Party Warehouse where unnamed performers sing pop hits.

Through it all the backing band is nothing short of inspired. Nachreiner is a solid vocalist with a decent voice, but just doesn’t project the performance style on CD that sells listeners on a song. A Song Of You is a pleasant listen, more appropriate for the dinner hour than serious listening. If you’re more into the instrumental side of things then there is a lot hear to dig into. Irene & Her Latin Jazz Band have created a CD that’s pleasant to listen to but just doesn’t hold the listener.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Irene And Her Latin Jazz Band at http://www.irenesings.com/. You can purchase a copy of A Song Of You at www.cdbaby.com/cd/irenesings3.