Customer Reviews

Dancing in the Sky

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
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I happened upon this CD when visiting New Orleans last spring and fell in love with it. The music is traditional New Orleans jazz at its finest even though many of the tracks are Dr. White's own compositions. If you love New Orleans jazz but get tired of the relative handful of standards heard on many CDs (and at Preservation Hall), buy this CD. Tracks like "Dancing in the Sky" will have you dancing wherever you are.

As a side note, Dr. White and three other displaced New Orleans musicians performed in Kentucky over the weekend, and I was privileged to see them. The concert combine great music with some fascinating jazz history lessons by Dr. White. He and the other musicians are talented, classy people. In this difficult time, they need our support--and our CD purchases--more than ever.

I suspect Dr. White's secret is that he psychically channels some of the old timers. His feel for traditional jazz may be without peer. This is one fine collection of songs, "Angel in the Daytime" with Thais Clark is a particular favorite.

Michael White just gets better and better. I've been enjoying his music for over 20 years.

At a recent performance with a stage full of amazing and talented musicians from New Orleans, this clarinetist casually strolled onto the stage and joined the escalating chorus of melodies, rhythms and improvisation. Despite being somewhat obscured, there was something noticeably extraordinary about him right away. After a few minutes, I knew I wanted to hear more so I ordered this CD, and wow....he is brilliant! His wide ranging talent with the clarinet is expertly demonstrated with lush, silky tones to screaming highs, to lazy, rolling slurs - this man can do it all. The pace moves from upbeat, toe-tapping to a mournful walk and everything in-between. The slow, thoughtful "Amazing Grace" is one of the finest I've heard in a long time. "Creole Nights" made me feel like I was one of the last people in a hot, steamy nightclub doing a slow dance to the last number before the place shuts down. Dr. White knows how to mix the traditional and contemporary sounds of New Orleans Jazz in a somewhat subtle and sophisticated manner. I'll be looking for more of Dr. White!