CDs in Brief: October 2008
Paul Shapiro
Essen (Tzadik)
www.paulshapiromusic.com
Rating: 
Paul Shapiro’s uproarious Ribs & Brisket Revue injects vintage “borscht belt” Jewish comedy into a jumping brew of hot jazz, wailing klezmer, and down ‘n’ dirty blues. Reviving Yiddish-laced swing-era novelties from hipsters like Slim Gaillard and Cab Calloway, the band cuts loose in madcap abandon, charged by guest trumpeters Steven Bernstein and Frank London. Vocalist Babi Floyd goes miles over the top in a crazed version of “Utt-Da-Zay,” while counterpart Cilla Owens adds equal measures of class and sass to the bluesy numbers. But for pure entertainment value, the classic comedy routines in “Essen” and “Tzouris” are hard to beat.
Phil Markowitz Trio
Catalysis (Sunnyside)
www.philmarkowitzjazz.com
Rating:
Veteran pianist Markowitz brings a friendly air to eight obliquely inventive original tunes in this set, his trio seeming to smile inscrutably as it plunges into deep waters. Markowitz has a distinctive touch, sensitive but often drifting towards abstraction or ablaze with sparkling complexity. “Undercurrents” is an excellent example of the trio’s dynamic, as Markowitz floats and pirouettes through an ever-shifting series of oddly ambiguous walking grooves laid down by bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Adam Nussbaum. It’s a challenging but enjoyable ride.
The Brothers Goldman
fOnk (self-released)
www.myspace.com/thebrothersgoldman
Rating:
This San Francisco party quartet mixes organ-led instrumental burners with Dr. John inspired New Orleans grooves. But while jams like “Downhome Funk” and “Outta My Pocket” show promise, something important is missing: a balls-out, take-no-prisoners singer who can kick these tunes into orbit and seal the deal. Instead they ride along with Bill Phillippe, who keeps things hopping on guitar but is less convincing behind the mic, too often defusing the bomb just when it should explode.
blink.
The Epidemic of Ideas (Thirsty Ear)
www.myspace.com/blinkchicago
Rating:
Avant-garde sax, rock beats and enigmatic electronics collide in this eclectic postmodern quartet from Chicago. The pieces are varied and unusual, with a careful balance of composition and improvisation. But they also seem sterile, content to rest as curiosities rather than reaching out to engage the listener. An exception is “Glass,” which evolves gradually from a strange, clockwork rhythm to searing, paranoid tension. But even this eventually drifts back into the emotional distance, as if the group has suddenly lost interest.
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