I’ve made no secret that I prefer Walter Becker’s two solo albums to the solo albums released by his Steely Dan partner, Donald Fagen. It’s not that Fagen’s albums are bad. Two are outstanding and the others are a good listen. However, Fagen’s albums lack the lyrical wit, snark, and edge that Becker displays in […]
Parlor Greens’ ‘In Greens We Dream’ is a riveting and funky debut album. The trio, consisting of organist Adam Scone, guitarist Jimmy James, and drummer Tia Carman, brings the sum of their heady playing experiences together to create an organ trio that leans heavily on soul, funk, and jazz. The ten originals are varied and effective. […]
Preston Frazier: Michael Leonhart is a great honor to speak with you. Your career has spanned well over thirty years. At Seventeen, you were a Grammy winner, and there are so many projects I would want to dig into with you,
I’ve been listening to Sometimes, Late at Night repeatedly. There seems to be an arc about the album in terms of relationships. So, could you talk a little bit about the theme of the album?
his is one of the most unhinged and diverse albums I’ve ever put together. It’s definitely me, trying to definitely find out who I really am, hence the songs. But I’ve done a lot of different styles of music and I’ve done a lot of different things.
Hybrids can sometimes be a rough proposition. Luckily, the album Movable Objects by the band Hybrid shows an empathetic melding of talents and styles. Hybrid, which features Adam Larson on tenor sax, Clark Sommers on bass, and John Kizilarmut on drums,
opened for Steely Dan in 2013. I did my first tour with them in 2013 with the Deep Blue Organ Trio. We had been doing various opening dates for them for a few years, at least two years prior to that. Then we landed the entire tour.
Rachel Z career as a side musician is astonishing. Her work with Regina Carter, Terri Lynne Carrington, Wayne Shorter, Al Di Meola among others, hints at her acumen as a musician.
Nick Finzer continues to further his craft with his latest Outside In Music release, ‘Legacy’. The album, a recognition of J.J. Johnson features some of the trombone legend’s original sidemen such as bassist Rufus Reid, drummer Lewis Nash, and pianist Renee Rosnes.
JD Souther, now in his late seventies, has released the best work in this career after his commercial peak. Souther, who had big hits in 1979 and 1981 ( with the songs “Your Only Lonely “ and “Her Town Too”, respectively) ,
© Copyrights 2024 Preston M. Frazier. All Rights Reserved
