CD Disc-overiesAn anthology, by George; Minibar is open; and from G. with Love

By Tim Davis, Lynn Farris, Gene Hyde

George Benson -- Anthology (Warner/Rhino) This two-disc career summary begins with Benson's funky mid-60s organ-based band, a showcase for his fluid, Wes Montgomery-influenced chops. His talent was such that Miles Davis invited him to play on some sessions. Before long, however, Benson hit the big time with his pleasant Breezin' LP and its string of hits. Commercial success poised Benson on the tightrope as several divergent roles beckoned. Would he continue as an innovative guitarist who garnered critical acclaim, or would he stroll down the road of continued commercial success as a pop hitmaker? Benson chose the latter, as documented on the second disc of this set, a disappointing batch of smooth jazz vocals, far too little guitar, and some woefully overblown arrangements. If you listen hard enough, you can hear the great George Benson tucked away in the fluff of contemporary jazz trappings, but the overall impression is that an important jazz guitarist simply sold out. -- GH

Alejandro Escovedo -- A Man Under The Influence (Bloodshot)

Recorded in Chapel Hill and Kernersville, NC, by regional stalwarts Chris Stamey and Mitch Easter, A Man Under The Influence features turns by a veritable who's-who of NC musicians: Ryan Adams, Stamey, members of Hazeldine and Glory Fountain, Caitlin Cary, Chris Phillips of Squirrel Nut Zippers, Jon Wurster and Mac MacCaughan of Superchunk, Chip Robinson of the Backsliders, and more. It's still Escovedo's show, however, featuring a good deal of songs polished to a sharp edge in his live shows (Castanets, Rosalie, As I Fall), only suffering slightly from the lack of Texas-style wide-open-spaces soundscapes he purveys so effortlessly in his stripped-down live trio. As Escovedo albums go, it's more rocking than most anything he's done since Buick MacKane, and without any of the alt-rock/country posturing (though for a guy who's said to barely tip back the bottle, he sure has a lot of albums with alcohol references). Arguably his best solo record to date. -- TD

Finding Forrester Soundtrack (Columbia)

Producer/compiler extraordinaire Hal Willner (of Night Music fame) has assembled a fine sample of material from Miles Davis and Ornette Coleman's 1965-72 Columbia material. The Davis selections run the gamut from electric Bitches Brew outtakes to acoustic quintet sessions from 65, while Ornette's contributions range from fiery to orchestral. New tunes by guitarist Bill Frisell round out this package. The overall tone is pleasantly ethereal, with dreamy Miles tunes interspersed by Ornette's furious 10 minute septet number Happy House -- the sonic equivalent of an extended thunderstorm in the middle of a languorous contemplation. Willner's sequencing gives these individual tunes an added edge -- one that's sometimes soft, sometimes sharp. -- GH

Bill Frisell -- Blues Dream (Nonesuch)

Blues Dream is the most recent addition to Frisell's impressive and eclectic catalog. After a dose of Nashville, a solo effort and a trio disc, Frisell expands his band to a septet on this engaging recording. Seven instruments allow Frisell to set his guitar in a series of richly textured arrangements that feature a number of the guitarist's regular companions, including Greg Leisz on lap, pedal and National steel guitars. Also on board are Denver trumpeter Ron Miles and New York trombonist Curtis Fowlkes. The results are lush and compelling, as the septet adds a fullness to Frisell's now-familiar atmospheric musings. And, of course, the whole show's in service of Frisell's dazzling fretwork, as distinctive and intriguing as any in jazz. -- GH

G. Love & Special Sauce -- Electric Mile (Epic/OKeh)

Five (as in their fifth release) just might be the number for the funky bunch from Philly. G. & The Sauce are known for their musical mix of hip-hop meets folk meets blues meets reggae, and nothing proves their ability to pull it off better than Electric Mile. From the ska-ish/reggae fueled opening track of Unified (written by G. Love and Ras of the Long Beach Dub All-Stars) to the soulful moments of the final track, Free At Last [Reprise], G. & Co. are looser than ever (and if you know anything about G., ya know that's a good thing). Compared to their last two efforts, Yeah It's That Easy (1997) and Philadelphonic (1999), it appears as if G. & The Sauce have gone back to their roots with the new record -- back to the days of numbers like Blues Music and Garbage Man (found on their self-titled debut). The trio did recruit several guest players for the new album, including former Morphine percussionist Billy Conway and keyboard wiz John Medeski of Medeski, Martin & Wood. The blues rapper also pairs up with old friend Jasper Thomas on the infectious track Parasite. (Thomas, incidentally, also appeared on the track This Ain't Livin' off the first record.) Phat grooves, cool rhymes and some darn catchy melodies: Get you some Love. -- LF

Shirley Horn -- You're My Thrill (Verve)

Horn's use of quiet space, her dramatic sense of timing, and her deliberate phrasing impart an alluring, reflective feel to this slowly cadenced set. Her piano comping gently pushes her trio along, with Johnny Mandel's strings and guest spots by guitarist Russell Malone adding depth on several selections. A few tunes have a gentle swing, but this disc's most striking characteristic is Horn's complete mastery of time -- she stops the world repeatedly with these softly unfolding songs to the extent that, if you're not careful, your attention will wander in her romantic repose. Recommended for anyone willing to stop long enough to pay attention. -- GH

Abbey Lincoln -- Over The Years (Verve)

Fully voiced and emotionally resonant, Abbey Lincoln's latest opens and blossoms with a delicious, deliberate beauty. Time seems to stand still as the tunes roll by, beginning with the post-war celebration of When Lights Go On Again, graced by Joe Lovano's tender tenor sax, and flowing immediately into the rapid guitar intro to Blackberry Blossoms. Tempos vary and sentiments run the gamut from joy to sorrow on this engaging set of standards and Lincoln originals. One highlight is a surprising take on Michael Legrand's Windmills Of Your Mind, which showcases the skills of pianist Brandon McCune, bassist John Ormond and drummer Jaz Sawyer, as well as a blistering solo by saxophonist Lovano. Now at age 70, Abbey Lincoln is the reigning diva of jazz, and her stature grows with each mesmerizing recording. Take this one home and savor it. -- GH

Minibar -- Road Movies (Universal)

The good news: This album contains a cover of a Whiskeytown song that hasn't come out yet -- Choked Up, from the semi-legendary lost album Pneumonia. The bad news: The eponymous Whiskeytown album is slated to come out (finally!) on May 22. The good news: There's a whole lot more here to recommend it than that fact alone.

The first single, Holiday From Myself, blends a nice Matthew Sweet-ish hook with tasteful accompaniment along the lines of a Calexico or Map of Wyoming. Other highlights include the title track, Road Movies, the banality/societal indictment Sheer Volume of Traffic, and the requisite love-gone-wrong-or-just-gone-away rumblers I Know Without Asking and Lost in the Details. This is American roots music, synthesized through British sensibilities and, as is often apt, a primer to just where this kind of music can go without diluting what made you like it in the first place; it's like George Jones and Tom Jones meeting in a bar and five hours later walking out arm in arm. -- TD

Barbara Montgomery -- Dakini Land (bjazz)

While on a slow and difficult recovery from Lyme disease, vocalist Montgomery found recurring inspiration in the music of Chick Corea's Return to Forever, and this disc is a loving tribute to Corea and the unforgettable RTF vocalist Flora Purim. Montgomery and pianist Barry Sames recast and rearrange RTF tunes such as 500 Miles High and You're Everything to suit Montgomery's straightforward vocals, and the stylistic contrast between Montgomery's earthiness and Purim's lightness is fascinating. A handful of Montgomery's Buddhist-influenced originals round out the set (dakini is a Buddhist term for sky travelers). Overall, this hard-to-find CD strikes a beautiful balance of Corea/Purim tributes and well-written and arranged originals. It's worth seeking out at www.bjazz.com. -- GH

Charlie Parker: The Complete Savoy and Dial Studio Recordings -- 1944-48 (Savoy)

Between 1944-48, Charlie Yardbird Parker changed the face of jazz and issued in the genre's modern era through the beauty, power, creativity and unparalleled artistic vision of his playing. Parker collections abound, but this is the best and most important Bird set to date. Documenting over 20 recording sessions for the Dial, Savoy, Guild, Bel-Tone and Comet labels on eight CDs, this set is a Bird fan's dream come true. The poor recording and mastering that marred earlier editions has finally received the serious remastering it so justly deserved, and the accompanying booklet is comprehensive and authoritative. This is the definitive Bird collection -- eight discs of genius unfolding in the company of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, J.J. Johnson, Max Roach, Bud Powell and others. -- GH

Gil Scott-Heron It's Your World/The Mind of Gil Scott-Heron (TVT)

It's Your World, originally released in November of 1976, had its infancy in that year's Bicentennial celebration, and features Scott-Heron's then-regular backing group, the Midnight Band (so named, says Scott-Heron, after the first minute of the new day). The album is organized around five spans of a day, divided into groups called Just Before Sundown, Nightfall, Late Evening and Midnight and Morning, and the album's moods progress according to these themes. Sundown features the bluesy Possum Slim, featuring a growling Scott-Heron opining on the plight of a black man in this supposed year of celebration and country pride gone unchecked. Nightfall's New York City is more subdued, the ragged, little-known smoky rasp of Heron's voice infusing it with tenderness: It's home to both tramp and artist/ And dreamers from everywhere/ But most of all kindhearted people/ Whose stories ain't on the air. The Late Evening tracks begin with Home Is Where the Hatred Is and Bicentennial Blues, a powerful spoken-word performance also on The Mind of Gil Scott-Heron, before finally winding down with the Late Evening section, reminding us that The blues remembers everything the country forgot.

The Mind of Gil Scott-Heron is a fine collection of some of his most notable spoken-word performances, and it includes the near-legendary 1973 track H2O Gate Blues and 1974's We Beg Your Pardon (Pardon Our Analysis), a searing indictment of Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon (We beg your pardon/ Because the pardon you gave/ Was not yours to give). The Ghetto Code (Dot Dot Dit Dot Dit Dot Dot Dash), a blisteringly funny 1978 riff on conspiracy and black slang, uses the Morse code motif as a sort of mantra-like refrain. Space Shuttle, released in 1990, shows Scott-Heron's knife to have lost nothing of its bullshit-cutting edge. Highly recommended. -- TD