Bob Powers

MARIETTA, OH, USA - I spent most of the 1960s living in Athens, Ohio, site of Ohio University (dubbed by some wise guys as "Harvard on the Hocking," the latter being the river that trickled through Southeastern Ohio.) I was amazingly young during those days, all our kids still lived at home, and I loved my job as news editor of the Athens Messenger, the city's daily newspaper. But there were clouds obscuring the innocent sun on many days, and thinking back, I realize that those years weren't exactly Heaven.

Despite the darkness of the times and the furious debate over sending American troops to Vietnam (things don't change much; we are always doomed to repeat our mistakes), I still have good vibes about the Athens area. Two of our six children live there, our daughter Cheri is a familiar face at the Ohio University Credit Union and namesake Bob Powers Jr. is LAN administrator for the Department of Education at OU (don't ask me what he does; that's computer stuff and I'm lucky to remember how to turn on my computer every morning.

All this nostalgia erupted because of a new CD, "Facing Beloved," (Facing East Productions). The music by this group, Facing East, will bring back pleasant memories of the eastern music that quietly but surely made an impact during the 1960s. Many avid music listeners will recall the work of Ravi Shankar, perhaps the most popular musician to come out of those times.

I recall one quiet afternoon in those times when my wife Betty and I attended a concert presented by a group that was familiar with the sounds of India. I have no recollection now of the band's name, or if they were local students or professional musicians on tour. No matter who they were or where they came from, the music they performed so expertly all those years ago burst brightly in my imagination when I listened for the first time to "Facing Beloved." A few days later, an e-mail arrived from the publicist for the band, and I answered immediately to tell her that a positive review was on my calendar.

The band's creator and leader, John Wubbenhorst, plays the flute with the fluid grace of a brilliant performer. Wubbenhorst has an impressive resume, including stints with Paul Horn, Jack DeJohnette, Larry Coryell and Paul McCandless. As the press release notes, Wubbenhorst wrote, arranged and produced all the songs, bringing together Indian's raga tonal structures and rhythm with Western harmonic concepts. The result will keep you entertained and soothed deep into the night.

If you're the type of CD buyer who shuffles through the stacks, then wanders out and home without asking the sales person for help, change your ways. If you don't find "Facing Beloved" at first try, ask someone to order it for you. If your life seems too harried, let Doctor Powers offer a prescription, one copy of a terrific CD by Facing East.

Classic Quartet

Concord Records has done a huge favor to jazz fans everywhere by released a twofer, called "The L.A. Four - Two by Four. The band, at its peak in the '70s, played the kind of jazz that would work as background goodies at your proper cocktail party, and could create enough of a fire to demand attention. The four musicians assembled so long ago were as good as one could want. Laurindo Almeida played guitar with finesse and charm, usually adding a bit of .Latin to the mix. Ray Brown would make the list, no matter who's compiling it, of the best bassists in jazz history; the man could do no wrong. Jeff Hamilton carried the sticks and sat behind the drum kit with aplomb. Finally, one of the great saxophonists in my memory, Bud Shank, played tenor saxophone and flute with creativity and skill. The resulting music seemed damned near perfection.

Dave Ellis Soars

When I received the new Dave Ellis CD, "State of Mind" (Milestone Records), I confess that I'd never heard of this tenor saxophonist. After listening to the album for at least a dozen spins, I can state with assurance that I have not only heard of Ellis, but must be counted amongst his avid fans. Ellis, whose shaved dome looks quite attractive, plays with aplomb and confidence, acting easily as leader on an assemblage that's quiet effective throughout this pulse-shattering concoction.

Surprisingly, Ellis contributes just two originals. The remaining tunes are deftly chosen and include such winners as pianist Mulgrew Miller's excellent "Soul-Leo" and Ellington's wonderful "Something to Live For." The Gershwins' classic, "Summertime" attains new strength and flair. Dave Ellis, you're a keeper.

Gregory's Smooth Stuff

Guitarist Lloyd Gregory has built a following in recent years. His fourth CD, "Free Fallin'" (Integy Entertainment), should find his avid fans willing to acquire the new album. A Cleveland native, Gregory plays what only can be dubbed smooth jazz. But while I've gone on record as not caring much for that smooth junk, "Free Failin'" has going for it the fact that Gregory is a good performer. This album won't cause you to throw away any of your "real" jazz collection. Give it a try.

Previte Bumps

There's no arguing that drummer Bobby Previte and his band Bump have made an impact on the New York City jazz scene. There might be an argument about the worth of the music they've made, but big name critics have seemingly knocked down that complaint through a number of awards, including "Hot Jazz Artist" from Rolling Stone and Jazziz's inclusion of Bump in its list of "150 Who Moved Jazz." Combining jazz and rock makes sense and if done well, it can be almost charming. Previte utilizes electronic drumming, which I personally find a bit much, but there's no doubting that Bump can be quite a load at times, and that's a compliment. Steve Swallow plays bass and Marty Ehrlich sits in on tenor sax. The reliable Curtis Fowlkes handles the trombone with aplomb and Wayne Horvitz plays a strong piano.


Bob Powers always is interested in hearing from record distributors who deal in jazz, rock, folk, and anything that's good. For instructions on getting your album reviewed, contact him at oldbob@localnet.com.

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