Music / jazz

Hollywood Africans


Reviews (1)


DownBeat

2018 November

By

By

Andy Hermann

2018 November

"The original songs here provide most of the set's highlights. Instrumental opener "Kenner Boogie," named after Batiste's hometown, is a showcase for his skill at mixing stride, ragtime and boogie-woogie styles into a rollicking whole. "Mr. Buddy" is a beautifully simple ballad, and "Is It Over" sounds, in the best possible way, like Ray Charles covering a lost Randy Newman tune. Such moments should leave listeners longing for more Batiste originals and fewer homages".