Music Reviews
Songs of Freedom
—Bob Marley (Tuff Gong/Island)
This four-disc set is a mixed blessing. There's too much generic stuff from the Wailers' early years, none of which hints at the genius that seems to spontaneously manifest in 1970 with the birth of the Wailers band. The middle two discs are solid, a basic greatest hits collection, but the last disc is spotty, padded out with dubs, remixes and rarities. The liner notes, comments on individual tracks and photos don't justify the price ($49); fans already have most of this and those interested in Marley's legacy will be better served by a CD of Burnin' or Natty Dread.
- j. poet
As Serenity Approaches
—Marcus Roberts (RCA/Novus)
Stride-piano is a style most often associated with the likes of Scott Joplin and Fats Waller. However, jazz pianist Marcus Roberts has decided to revisit stride playing here in the '90s for its rhythmic verve and ability to captivate an audience. Roberts, formerly of Wynton Marsalis' band, is a gifted young pianist - blind since the age of 4 - who continues his respectful archeological studies of this centuries' piano masters. Reaching into material from Waller, Jelly Roll Morton, and Duke Ellington - as well as several of his own cuts - Roberts continues to assimilate and freshly interpret a rich palette of styles. Duets include Morton's "King Porter Stomp" (w/ Wynton Marsalis on trumpet), Waller's "The Jitterbug Waltz" (w/ Ellis Marsalis on piano), and Ellington's "Creole Blues" (w/ Ronald Westray on trombone). Of his own creation - check out Robert's touching "Angel."
The Pahinui Brothers —The Pahinui Brothers (Private Music)
If you've ever been to Hawaii, and were lucky enough to get away from the tourist traps; away from Waikiki and away from the ABC stores, away from top 40 radio in your rent-a-car and happened to tune to KCCN-AM - you may have heard the music that Don Ho will never represent. Traditional Hawaiian slack-key guitar is a rare thing, and one of the best at it was the late Gabby "Pops" Pahinui. Now, more than 15 years since recording with their dad on The Gabby Pahinui Band album - the sons of Gabby have joined together to create a heartfelt new effort, with help from such luminaries as Ry Cooder, Jim Keltner, David Lindley and Dwight Yoakam. Highlights include a duet between rhythm guitarist Bla and Yoakam on the country-flavored "Do You Love Me?" and a swinging reggaefied cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy" - warmly sung by bassist Martin and accompanied by the inimitably grin-inducing slide-guitar playing of Cooder's.
