Not new, but anywho:
Laura Nyro's "Gonna Take A Miracle" -- downloaded Amazon MP3 album, then regretted it after seeing that it looks like the CD has extensive liner notes including remembrances from Patti Labelle. Damnit, maybe I can find it used. I can't remember how I first heard Ms. Nyro (most likely KKCY), but picked up a "Best Of" on cassette back from a yuppie music shop in the Embarcadero Center back in the 80s, and her voice always stuck with me.
Lenny Pickett and the Borneo Horns -- so we were at a crappy sushi place on Saturday night, and I was mocking the background music as Kenny G, but then, oh crap, now it's David Sanborn, or wait, maybe it was all David Sanborn, and it was saccharine smooth jazz, and I had a period in the 80s when I thought David Sanborn was *it*, and now it's a little embarrassing. And well, I have to agree with this assessment of David Sanborn's playing (although I'm not familiar with his work with Butterfield, comments re: Letterman are spot-on):
I have been a fan of David Sanborn since the 60's when he was in Paul butterfield's blues band. I also saw him live at Fox Theatre in St. Louis a few years ago. His version of "Soul Serenade", accompanied by Robben Ford and Ricky Peterson was a near religious experience for me. Unfortunately, nearly all of his albums are overproduced, canned drum songs that are nearly indistinguishable from each other. Remember a few years ago when he would appear on The David Letterman Show? He teamed with Paul Shaffer's group to do versions of older tunes such as "Heartbreak Hotel", "Pretty woman", and assorted James Brown songs. This, in my opinion, was David Sanborn at his best. I think he is the finest alto sax player alive. I just fervently wish that he would make just one album of old soul and rock songs with a small. live group. Can you imagine Sanborn's versions of songs such as"Heartbreak Hotel", "Natural Woman"(Aretha Franklin), "Shotgun", and "What Does It Take?"(Jr. Walker). I do believe such an effort would be a tremendous artistic and commercial success. Are you listening David?
http://www.amazon.com/review/RQHCVIYAXF2Y3/ref=cm_cr_dp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B000002MUY&nodeID=5174&tag=&linkCode=All this led me to Lenny Pickett, and a CD that I coulda shoulda bought when it was released (I *loved* the tidbits of Lenny's playing that I used to hear on Saturday Night Live going in and coming out of commercials, yes, even when he was with that ham G.E. Smith.) Anyhow, looking for less "smooth" sax playing, I dug around and saw that the Borneo Horns album was going for freaking $35+ used on Amazon, and wasn't available at all for legitimate download. Ok, I think that qualifies as a viable excuse for finding a torrent, which showed up near the top of the Google results anyways.
ANYWAYs, it's a solid solid effort. A touch experimental, but never annoying. Wow, what a lame review. Ah well.
