GEORGE KAHN: Midnight Brew

George Kahn

Midnight Brew

© 2002 George Kahn (602977050721)

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Re-creating the feel and vibe of late '50's and early '60's with a contemporary edge and the finest in recording technology, the George Kahn Quintet delivers a variety of jazz styles that have one thing in common - it all GROOVES.

tracks

1 Swiss Cheese
2 Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing
3 A Bop For Billy
4 Heard It Through the Grapevive
5 Otro Tu
6 Midnight Brew
7 Out of Time
8 Night Shadows
9 Some Other Time
10 Open House
11 Night and Day
12 12 Short Years

notes

NEW! BUY TWO OTHER GEORGE KAHN CDs, AND GET MIDNIGHT BREW FOR $5.00!

Jazz lost it's way when people stopped dancing to it. Back in the 40's, Jazz was America's pop music. Then musicians got too hip, the playing got too far out, and the music left the groin and moved to the cerebrum. Big mistake. This CD covers a wide spectrum of jazz, from bebop to standards to funk to latin to "smooth" jazz. The idea that holds it all together is that the groove comes first, last and always. The melody supports the groove. The solos stay in the groove. This music grooves - and you can groove with it.

In the "old days" of vinyl, this would have been a "double album," but with digital technology this one Cd can hold over 73 minutes of music, and it does! The album really ends with Justo's burning rendition of "Night and Day," but due to popular demand there is a "bonus" track: 12 Short Years, a tune dedicated to John Coltrane and his Quartet.
Enjoy the "brew."

THE GEORGE KAHN QUINTET IS:
ERIC MARIENTHAL: SAX
BOBBY RODRIGUEZ: TRUMPET
GEORGE KAHN: PIANO
KARL VINCENT: BASS
M. B. GORDY: DRUMS
with special guests:
TIERNEY SUTTON (vocals on Out Of Time)
JUSTO ALMARIO (Flute on Night Shadows, Sax on Night and Day)
LARRY KOONSE (Guitar on Grapevine and Some Other Time)
KEVIN RICARD (Percussion)
Song List
1. SWISS CHEESE
2. DON'T YOU WORRY 'BOUT A THING
3. A BOP FOR BILLY (for Billy Higgins)
4. I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
5. OTRO TU
6. MIDNIGHT BREW (for Dave Brubeck)
7. OUT OF TIME (feat. Tierney Sutton on vocals)
8. NIGHT SHADOWS
9. SOME OTHER TIME
10. OPEN HOUSE
11. NIGHT AND DAY (feat. Justo Almario)
12. 12 SHORT YEARS

For bookings and information, contact:

George Kahn Playing Records 310.390.1971
Beth Wernick Imaginary Friends 310.281.7812

reviews

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  • A lot to like
    author: Kevin Jolly

    I'd already bought FREEDOM VESSEL by George Kahn, so I didn't need any urging to buy this groover.

  • Cooking Red Hot With Heart & Soul
    author: Beverly Praiswater

    If you love piano with some sass and soul and a touch of sincerity then you are about to fall in love with the talent of George Kahn! He works his musical magic on this cd with the help of equally super-talented musicians Eric Marienthal, Bobby Rodriquez, Karl Vincent, and M. B. Gordy. This is a very well-produced jazz experience. Wait until you hear Steve Wonder's "Don't You Worry "Bout A Thing". It will blow the top off of your head! "A Bop For Billy" cooks. Each musician is highlighted in this song. Feast your ears to the soulful tribute for Marvin Gaye with "I Heard It Through The Grapevine." Larry Koonse on guitar is so funky! Marvin would have been blown away! "Otro Tu#" is complexly gratifying...one of the finest compositions I have experienced! One listen will simply wow you. The number dedicated to Dave Brubeck "Midnight Brew" must have thrilled him. Tierney Sutton sings a gorgeous vocal on a special song "Out Of Time". Justo Almario adds jazzy variety with the flute on "Night Shadows". The finale (bonus track) is a swingin' tribute to John Coltrane called "12 Short Years". This cd has everything from bop to soul to Latin sounds to smooth jazz. The sounds of each song flow sweetly into the next. If you can't experience George Kahn live, then this cd is a recommended treat. And a musical journey you will want over and over!

  • Midnight Brew's got it!
    author: Craig Phelps

    I donated to the San Diego CC jazz station and received a bonus (Midnight Brew CD) I loved the cd and enjoyed reading you comments about jazz. I kind of feel the same as I started listening to fusion in the 70's (my friends thought I was wierd) and followed that into modern commecial jazz. I started listening to straight up jazz about five years ago as I wanted to see where the inspiration came from. I learned a lot and enjoy "old school" if you will. But I always listen for the "groove", and it always hooks me. Midnight Brew's got it. Thanks Craig Phelps

  • it really grooves as promised
    author: Tjobbe

    Bought this as part of the 5$ sale and I was not disappointed. There are some great melodies on this disc and I can recommend it to those who enjoy music. Its is a very good piece of music....

  • keep jazz alive, have some fun
    author: ben tolly

    Because George Kahn's cd's were on special I bought this; Eric Marienthal and Bobby Rodriguez I knew about...Fact is these guys all play really well and enjoy playing..Deserve to have more listeners...and exposure...

  • Thanks for standing up in a world of musical puppets
    author: Paul Sequence Ferguson

    Thanks for standing up in a world of musical puppets, keep on my friend thank you for having the insight to do this.

  • Groooovy, Babeee!
    author: Siddharth Dasqupta

    Grooovy Baybee!   George Kahn's webpage contains this delightful piece of insight - "Jazz lost its way when people stopped dancing to it.. when the music left the groin and moved to the cerebrum. My music covers a wide spectrum of jazz, from bebop to standards to funk to Latin to smooth jazz. The idea that holds it all together is that the groove comes first, last and always." Amen to that.   To jazz laymen like you and I, pieces dripping with the intricacies and technicalities of the medium might, unfortunately, not succeed in holding our attention for too long. The ones which more than likely will, will show a definite desire to "rock out" - a quality which can hardly be restricted to any specific genre. And 'Swiss Cheese' rocks out with some abandon. Freeflowing and freestyling its way through a picture postcard of the Golden Days of Jazz, when all the women were beautiful and all the men had the disconcerting tendency of looking just like Frank Sinatra. This is music that calls for pin-striped suits and floral dresses, for leading with the groin.   Kahn's group, the "Party of Four", really come to the party about a minute-and-a-half into the song. Led by the excellent Bobby Rodriguez on trumpet, they don't leave till party's end. Rodriguez is, for lack of a better word, majestic with his instrument. Holding it back coaxingly at times, but mostly just letting it run riot. Eric Marienthal (sax) and he make for a dynamic duo of sorts, vibing nicely with the expert rhythm unit of bassist Karl Vincent and drummer M. B. Gordy. Kahn himself is delectable at times on his piano.   While not a shadow on the group's earlier acid jazz classic 'Freedom Vessel', Swiss Cheese contains the right amounts of grace with sass to keep the early birds from nodding off and the night owls from breaking some windows.

  • Scores 8 out of 10 - it grooves!
    author: Greg McGlaughlin

    By: Greg McLaughlin Email: gontheroad@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ “Midnight Brew”, California-based George Kahn’s fourth CD release, stands as a good reminder that Jazz, in spite of all its abstract phases and technological advances, is dance music at its core. Spanning 73 minutes and a multitude of flavors (ranging from Bebop to Latin), “Midnight Brew” attempts to capture the essence of several Jazz movements over the past 50 years and combine them into a strong selection of songs as suited to the dance floor as it is to your home.   To tackle such an ambitious goal Kahn enlisted the help of several first-class musicians diverse in their talent and experience. The main ensemble --saxophonist Eric Marienthal, Grammy-nominated trumpeter Bobby Rodriguez, bassist Karl Vincent, and mainstay percussionist M.B. Gordy—plays together with an amazing synergy while allowing any one member to shine during the moments best suited to his experience.   Ironically what seems to hold “Midnight Brew” together is the fact that, for the many different influences on its individual tracks, the overall concept rarely strays entirely from the Bebop-with-a-dash-of-funk formula. When the album does completely change direction as it does with the romantic, vocal-infused “Out of Time”, the transition back to a funkier sound is smooth and natural. Kahn’s remake of “I Heard it through the Grapevine” forsakes the melancholy of the Marvin Gaye original in favor of a more lounge-like atmosphere, while the piano and flute driven "Night Shadows" pays homage to pianist Dave Brubeck. The bulk of experimentation is saved for the playful closing track, “12 short years”, which features among other things a fantastic 2 minute drum solo by Gordy.   “Midnight Brew” works as a concept because it draws on many influences while remaining uniform in its approach. While it could be argued that the album as a whole could take more risks in its exploration, the trade-off would likely be the smooth flow that gives “Midnight Brew” nearly infinite replay value, from start to finish. Recommended listening for all Jazz enthusiasts.

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