The Musical Box

dr. lonnie smith: "rise up!" (2009)

Dr. Lonnie Smith: Rise Up! - The man who has referred to himself as “The Turbinator” of B3 organ jazz, soul and funk, Smith summons a variety of moods on Rise Up!, from the warm gospel and R&B embrace of Pilgrimage and the more percussive and playful Voodoo Doll to suave covers of Beatles, Stylistics and Eurythmics gems. Guitarist Peter Bernstein (who visits Lexington next weekend as part of The Blue Note 7) and New Orleans sax man Donald Harrison flesh out the fun.

dan auerbach: "keep it hid" (2009)

Dan Auerbach: Keep It Hid - Borrowing from the broader psych-pop palette of The Black Keys’ recent Attack and Release, Keys guitarist/ singer Auerbach goes it alone on an album that mixes his band’s scorched boogie sound with lighter psychedelic folk inspirations, a la early My Morning Jacket. While it’s noticeably less primal in temperament than your average Black Keys romp, Keep it Hid still sounds gloriously unrefined.

keith tippett: "blueprint" (1972)

Keith Tippett: Blueprint - A wonderful 2004 reissue of acoustic improvisation from pianist Tippett. His early ‘70s alliances with King Crimson and Soft Machine spinoff projects hardly suggest the improvisatory delights at the heart of Blueprint. The opening Song lets Tippett reveal the colors of piano, bass and percussion that dominate the session. But by the time Blues II rolls around, the mood sounds like fractured Asian chants. A still robust and challenging recording.

raoul bjorkenheim/william parker/hamid drake: "dmg @ the stone, volume 2" (2008)

Raoul Bjorkenheim, William Parker and Hamid Drake: dmg @ the stone, vol. 2 - Born in Los Angeles, guitarist Bjorkenheim came to adulthood in his parents’ native Finland before relocating to New York. This concert document nicely blends his unfettered soloing with prog-inspired overtones and the killer rhythm section of bassist Parker and drummer Drake. The performance was presented at New York’s improvisational music room The Stone the day after Christmas 2006.

lou reed, john cale and nico: "le bataclan '72" (1972/2003)

Lou Reed, John Cale & Nico: Le Bataclan ‘72 - This Velvet Underground postscript was cut in Paris in January 1972. Heavily bootlegged for years before its official release decades later, Le Bataclan presents a few Velvets relics but mostly captures the stark beginnings of three solo careers. Nico’s Frozen Warnings is delivered with the chill of harmonium and Cale’s viola. But Reed’s Berlin, surrounded in stone cold piano, best reflects Le Bataclan’s wondrously dour sentiments.