Cousin Mary 7/21/2018 A Library, CD
This is the debut CD from the Reverbivores, an instrumental band from the San Francisco East Bay. All original compositions except for one David Bowie song – excellent playing, interesting arrangements. A couple of nice slow tunes, others have good energy. Hurray for another fine surf band in NorCal!
Cousin Mary 7/18/2018 A Library, CD
This Santa Cruz surf band just gets better and better. This EP, released in anticipation of an epic summer performing at the Surfer Joe Festival in Italy and the Surf Guitar 101 Convention in Los Angeles, has five lush well played tracks. Tracks 1,2, and 3 have fast energy – 4 and 5 are slow and lovely. Track 5 was written in honor of their drummer (and former KFJC DJ) Stretch Riedle, after his heart attack.
Cousin Mary 7/14/2018 A Library, CD
Surfer Joe – aka Lorenzo Valdambrini – is known as the International Ambassador of Surf Music and puts on the Surfer Joe Summer Music Festival every year in Livorno, Italy. This album shows his talent and hard work as a musician and a composer. Perky, fun melodies give a nod to his Italian nationality and to his recent tours of Japan. All original compositions. As Lorenzo says, “stay stoked”.
Cousin Mary 7/14/2018 A Library, CD
This Danish surf band gives us twang, power, and resonant bass. Note the cover of Kraftwerk’s Das Model on track 6. Nice complexity. Some vocals on Cool Cigs. Their 2018 August USA tour is eagerly anticipated.
Cousin Mary 5/10/2018 CD, Jazz
Oakland musician and Outsound New Music Summit organizer Rent Romus takes his sax and flute to Helsinki, Finland where he is joined by excellent Finnish musicians to make this remarkable live 2017 album. Very weird but very beautiful and listenable. Sound is terrific, lovely tones from all instruments. The tracks do not remind me of anything I have heard before and that’s a good thing. (A kantele is a traditional Finnish zither.)
Cousin Mary 5/10/2018 A Library, CD
Guitarist Todd Novak (Cowlicks) is known for his country blue grass music but this band plays surf music. The EP is all instrumental and features drummer Martyn Jones (Mermen), bass Johnnie Hamilton (Mach IV, Berzerkers), with keyboard work that adds a nice difference from Scott Theakston. Definitely surf but with an edge.
Cousin Mary 5/10/2018 CD, Jazz
Hard bop meets avant garde in this outstanding session from 1963. Original recording and remastering were both done by Rudy Van Gelder. Excellent piano from leader Andrew Hill, stunning “side men” include Joe Henderson on sax, Richard Davis on bass, Roy Haynes on drums. Does it get any better than that? Edgy and marvelous.
Cousin Mary 4/28/2018 A Library, CD
An eagerly anticipated new album from this fine San Francisco Bay Area modern surf band. Ranging from hard rocking to pop to Spaghetti western, most songs are original compositions. The first 16 tracks are instrumental, then there are 4 vocal (gasp!) versions of previous songs. Great fun, good energy, well executed – beautifully produced by Slacktone drummer Dusty Watson.
Cousin Mary 4/20/2018 A Library, CD
Kenny Ahearn plays all instruments, including the bagpipes, of these surf classics and one of his own composition. He has posted many videos online where he looks very natty in his kilt. Great fun, surf Scotland!!
Cousin Mary 4/19/2018 CD, International
Boom Pam is a band from Tel Aviv, Israel. They mix Balkan, Jewish, Greek and Mediterranean sound with rock. They are frequently called a surf band – certainly the instrumental tracks on this album would fit in a surf show – but one ponders a chicken and egg question after considering the strong influence of middle Eastern songs such as Miserlou on American surf. Really good musicians, very fun energetic tunes including the ones with vocals. Instruments include a TUBA!
Cousin Mary 4/11/2018 CD, Soundtrack
Matti Bye composes “soundtracks” for silent movies. The Phantom Carriage is a Swedish film from 1921 that concerns a Salvation Army slum sister and is considered by many to be a masterpiece. The music is playful, lyrical, and reminds me of the cabaret works of Kurt Weill and the piano works of Erik Satie. Very nicely played on piano, strings, percussion, brass and harp. Really lovely, recommended!!
Cousin Mary 4/11/2018 A Library, CD
Italian composer Luca Francesconi was invited to a festival in Helsinki in 2001. “Wanderer” had been composed in 1998, “Cobalt, Scarlet” was inspired by a sunrise in Oslo in 2000. Both are performed by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. On the difficult side of modern classical music, but it might seem cinematic because of a possible similarity to Gyorgy Ligeti’s works.
Cousin Mary 4/4/2018 A Library, CD
Michael Hersch’s composition is based on writings by W. G. Sebald (see liner notes for a track by track description) and is played on cello and horn (by the composer’s brother Jamie). Contemporary classical music that is dramatic and mostly somber, moving from difficult passages to lovely melodies. Many short tracks will play well together. Another home run for Innova Recordings.
Cousin Mary 4/4/2018 A Library, CD
Whimsical, zany, and by turns beautiful, these instruments combine to make us think. Tracks 9 onward are a suite dedicated to cellist Tom Cora using samples from his work. Tracks move smoothly from one to another, meant to be played in multiples. Photography by Heike Liss who is the wife of guitarist Fred Frith who is on faculty in the music department at Mills College.
Cousin Mary 3/24/2018 12-inch, A Library
Debut album from this New Jersey surf trio. Great energy and an original sound that sounds different from most surf. Joined by musician friends on a variety of instruments that fill out their sound.
Cousin Mary 3/21/2018 CD, Jazz
Good energy and fine playing from this trio’s inspiration from West Coast jazz. Well recorded with distinct sound for each instrument. Mysterious Eastern sounds with very interesting bass, flute and MalletKAT (a sort of electronic marimba).
Cousin Mary 2/7/2018 12-inch, A Library
Thirteen original tracks from this Seattle based instrumental surf trio are a lot of fun. Well played, it is unmistakably surf music with a modern twist. Some horror, Spanish touches with a reverb crash here and there. Good energy, danceable.
Cousin Mary 1/27/2018 7-inch, A Library
This EP from the three-piece surf band from Alameda, California has four high powered tracks. Lots of skillful playing, loud effects and melody. Excellent 3-D cover and glasses included. Nothing subtle here, thank goodness.
Cousin Mary 1/22/2018 12-inch, Jazz
If Kenny Burrell has ever sounded better, I have not heard it. Fine guitar gymnastics and lyrical interpretations of these tunes including some nice octaves, a la Wes. Excellent piano from Richard Wyands. Overall engaging, good energy, groovy.
Cousin Mary 1/17/2018 A Library, CD
Fine instrumental work from the Santa Cruz band. Excellent playing from the long established trio – Jim Thomas on guitar, Martyn Jones on drums and Jennifer Burnes on bass. Tends toward the mellow psychedelic side and causes us to ask the question – “is this surf music?” I like track 13 for its energy, some other tracks for their hypnotic trance.
KFJC 89.7FM