DE 708 album artwork

    Byther Smith – All Night Long

    Byther Smith – All Night Long Delmark DE 708 (1997) Compact Disc Byther Smith, the former boxer, is a scrapper, a hard worker and a musician who now fights his fight from stage and studio, sweating out his rage as he dances in his corner; sparring with the audience and battling with the world. He…

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    DD 623 album artwork

      Jimmy Dawkins – Fast Fingers

      Jimmy Dawkins – Fast Fingers Delmark DD 623 (1969) Compact Disc Blues guitarist Jimmy Dawkins stands out as a solemn, thoughtful figure. With his ax cradled in his arms, staring through his shades into the crowd but not really seeing them, he seems merged with his songs on a higher realm. His voice pleads, his…

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        Jason Ajemían – The Art Of Dying

        Jason Ajemían – The Art Of Dying Delmark DE 581 (2008) Compact Disc What makes this group so important is the relationship that exists between its members. Bassist Jason Ajemian (Chicago Underground Trio, Lay All Over It, Born Heller) saxophonist Tim Haldeman, and drummer Nori Tanaka are regulars on the Chicago improv scene. Joined here…

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        DE 916

          Delmark: 60 Years Of Jazz

          Delmark: 60 Years Of Jazz Delmark DE 916 Compact Disc (2013) Perhaps best known as a blues label Delmark Records actually has issued more jazz albums than blues and was the first label to record Chicago’s AACM jazz collective. Founded in 1953 by Bob Koester, Delmark Records continues to record jazz and blues under Koester’s…

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          DE 594 album artwork

            Brad Goode – Tight Like This

            Brad Goode – Tight Like This Delmark DE 594 Compact Disc (2010) Jazz trumpeter Brad Goode is back with his fourth Delmark CD, Tight Like This (yes, the same “Tight Like This” recorded by Louis Armstrong’s Hot 5). He is accompanied by Adrean Farrugia, piano; Kelly Sill, bass; Anthony Lee, drums. A review of Goode’s…

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            DE 816 album artwork

              Sharon Lewis & Texas Fire – The Real Deal

              Sharon Lewis & Texas Fire – The Real Deal Delmark DE 816 (2011) Compact Disc Sharon Lewis made her Delmark debut in 2007 as a special guest vocalist with Dave Specter on Live in Chicago (Delmark 794, DVD 1794). “…it’s Sharon Lewis who provides the disc’s most exciting moments. Her powerful pipes inject a strong…

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              DE 5011

                Ari Brown – Groove Awakening

                Ari Brown – Groove Awakening Delmark DE 5011 Compact Disc (2013) Chicago is known as a jazz city that carries on the tough tenor tradition. The blues feeling was always an important element for the great tenor sax players like Gene Ammons, Von Freeman, Eddie Johnson, Red Holloway and now that they are all gone…

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                  Josh Berman Trio – A Dance And A Hop

                  Josh Berman Trio – A Dance And A Hop Delmark 5021 (2015) As this new album A Dance and a Hop makes clear, jazz cornetist Josh Berman’s music has grown by leaps and bounds (or hops). It’s only his third as leader–the first two, also on Delmark, were Old Idea (Delmark 2009) and There Now…

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                    Jim Galloway / Bob Barnard – What’s New

                    Jazz cornetist Bob Barnard is one of the most highly regarded jazz musicians ever to come from Australia. Bob and Jim?had worked separately with legendary Swiss jazz pianist Henry Chaix and his trio but this was the first time they had all?met together on the same stage. Recorded live on October 19, 1997 in Baden,…

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