Mimi Fox - "Kicks" (1999) @m4a

Mimi Fox displays her appealing tone and ample chops on this 1999 studio session. She's ably backed by two different core groups: one with Yellowjackets Russell Ferrante (acoustic piano) and Will Kennedy (drums) teamed with John Witala (bass), and one with Kennedy and Joey DeFrancesco (organ). There's also a duet with Charlie Hunter on "Willow Weep for Me", and Angela Bofill contributes an effective vocal on Torme-Wells "Born to Be Blue". Mimi's song selection includes two originals, five jazz standards, two contemporary pop songs and one traditional folk song. She deserves credit for expanding her repertoire beyond the usual standards, although her originals, the attractively lilting "Vita's Lullaby" and the swinging "Mr. White's Blues", are actually more intriguing. Her version of "Cherokee" is also a highlight, with her blazing opening volley followed by brief piano, drum, and bass spotlights.

A seasoned player, Mimi Fox has performed with fellow guitarists Charlie Byrd, Charlie Hunter, Stanley Jordan and Kenny Burrell, as well as with Grammy award winners saxophonist David Sanchez and The Manhattan Transfer's Janis Siegel, saxophonist Don Lanphere, Hammond B3 organ virtuosos Barbara Dennerlien and Dr. Lonnie Smith, and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington. Fox has shared the bill with a wide array of artists including Diana Krall, Stevie Wonder and John Sebastian. She has performed her original scores as guest soloist with several orchestras, including Orchestra Sonoma, has composed music for theater, film and dance, and has appeared on numerous television shows such as BET on Jazz.

Fox maintains a whirlwind touring schedule, playing major jazz clubs and festivals from New York to Tokyo, including tours of the Caribbean, Japan, Thailand and Australia. She has performed at The Village Gate, Merkin Concert Hall and Sweet Rhythm in New York City, Blues Alley in Washington D.C., Jazz Alley in Seattle, Regattabar in Boston, The Ark in Ann Arbor, and Yoshi's, the Great American Music Hall and Kimball's East in the San Francisco area. She is a favorite at jazz and music festivals such as the Kennedy Center Women in Jazz Festival, the Guinness Cork Ireland Jazz Festival, the Britt Festival, the Dominican Republic Jazz Festival, the San Francisco & San Jose Jazz Festivals, the Perth International Jazz Festival, Bumbershoot, Port Townsend and Monterey Jazz Festivals. Phil Elwood, dean of the San Francisco music critics, singled her out: "Outstanding performer. From the galaxy of stars at the JazzFest, guitarist Mimi Fox came across as the brightest."



Fox has received glowing accolades for two previous releases. In its 4-star review, Down Beat said "She's The Woman is everything jazz guitar is supposed to be." Guitar Player magazine said "Fox is a prodigious talent who has not only mastered the traditional forms, but has managed to reinvigorate them." In Cadence magazine, writer Jim Josselyn said of 2001's Standards, "This may be the finest solo jazz guitar playing I have ever heard." Her prior release, 1999's Kicks quickly rose to fifth place on jazz radio charts and number 20 on Billboard Magazine jazz charts. Kicks includes an all star line up of supporting musicians, with Hammond B3 monster Joey DeFrancesco, guitarist Charlie Hunter and Yellowjackets bandmates Russell Ferrante on piano and Will Kennedy on drums. Allaboutjazz.com awarded Kicks four stars out of four in its rave review, stating, "This is a strongly melodic collection, and one that swings out stylishly... Mimi Fox is a major talent... strongly recommended."

Born in New York City, Fox started playing drums at nine, and then guitar when she was ten. She was inspired by the wide variety of music enjoyed by her family - show tunes, classical, Dixieland, Motown - and her own youthful inclination toward pop, folk, and R&B. When she was fourteen, she bought her first jazz album "because it was on sale." The one she chose had no guitarist, but she was "blown away" by it. That album, John Coltrane's classic "Giant Steps," changed the course of her musical life. She began touring right out of high school and eventually moved to San Francisco in 1979, where she became a sought-after musician. She is Chair of the Guitar Department at the innovative Jazz School in Berkeley, California and adjunct professor at New York University. Mimi has appeared as guest clinician at the University of Southern California, Musician's Institute of Technology, CalArts, University of Connecticut, University of Oregon, the Britt Music Festival, and many others. She has written a book on jazz guitar studies published by Mel Bay Publications and recently completed an interactive CD-Rom for True Fire Music entitled Jazz Anatomy.

Mimi Fox

Track listing:

01 Cherokee
02 Loves Me Like A Rock
03 Poor Wayfarin' Stranger
04 Born To Be Blue
05 In A Sentimental Mood
06 A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square
07 Kicks
08 Willow Weep For Me
09 Vita's Lullaby
10 Mr. White's Blues.

Personnel:

Mimi Fox: electric and acoustic guitar
Russell Ferrante: piano
Joey DeFrancesco: organ
Charlie Hunter: guitar
John Wiitala, Mark VanWageningen: bass
Will Kennedy: drums
Angel Bofill: vocal on "Born To Be Blue"
Marquinho Brasil: percussion.

Enjoy!
Link in comment: