Aria ~ Aria

Steve Berrios and Son Bacheche - First World, Disc NM, Case NM, Format: Music CD, Milestone Records. Jazz music CD release from Steve Berrios and Son Bacheche with the album First World. Released on the label Milestone Records. Jazz music CD. This hard to find pre-owned music CD is fully guaranteed.

Sacred System is the recording ensemble of sonic heavyweights Bill Laswell, Graham Haynes, Nicky Skopelitis, Bernie Worrell, Jah Wobble, and Bill Buchen. Too trance to be classified as world music and too exotic to be accurately called dance, <I>Nagual Site</I> is the group's mélange of dub, electronica, and African percussion. It's an interesting listen: the percussion of "X-Zibit-i" gradually gets more furious and loses its worldly roots in a sea of drum & bass and synth sounds, "Driftwork" gets a polyrhythmic vocal and bass treatment, and "Aab Yaad Kar Tu" adds an Eastern vocal style to the mix. Unfortunately, the acid jazz that creeps into smooth jazz on "Derive" is indicative of the whole disc. The styles may cross over, but ultimately the sum total of the parts isn't that interesting. <I>--Jason Verlinde</I>

Without question, high-octane swing was the rock & roll of the 1930s. Listening to these radio shots recorded live by Goodman's 1937-1938 orchestra (his best) and small group (also his best), one is immediately struck by the lighthearted urgency of the players as well as the animated response of the crowd. At this stage in jazz's development, the interaction between audience and artist was vital (only later to be cooled by bebop), and Goodman's band consistently delights and electrifies the crowds. With Gene Krupa providing the heavy backbeats and the band turning up the heat behind Goodman, the music here has a vigorous "rock" quality that goes beyond mere dance music: it almost seems at times that the band is purposely trying to incite and inspire, very "rock-oriented" goals. And the trio and quartet? Simply incredible, mischievous and mirthful, yet absolutely flawless. This two-CD set (complete with a few rarities) is a thrilling snapshot of Goodman's bands in action, energizing and entertaining, more concerned with execution than innovation. Considering Goodman's reputation as a meticulous perfectionist and the bands' acute familiarity with most of these tunes, the spontaneity and spark of these cuts are amazing. Both Goodman and his fast-rising trumpeter Harry James never fail to take things to the next level either. <I>--Marc Greilsamer</I>

Australian Only Release.

Various - Irish Ceili

Herb Alpert Whipped Cream & Other Delights UK vinyl LP