Jazz
"Most know Al in a blues context. This recording, Red Breath, celebrates his jazz side - both as a fine cornetist with a tasty, burnished brass sound and as a vocalist. His is a fresh voice, heartfelt and confident in the words he sings. And usually they're his words. His voice is most welcome in a world where male jazz singers seem vastly outnumbered by the women...Basile's cornet sound is as singular as his voice, but rooted in the deep tradition of horn aces Louis Armstrong, Bobby Hackett, Ruby Braff and Harold 'Shorty' Baker...Standards can be a fine reference point for listeners, but too many artists use them as a crutch. Basile avoided that 'tired tune' syndrome by seeking out material by well-known writers that was either unknown or under-known." - Ken Franckling |
