JazzTimes

Bill’s Contributions

02/03/12 • Albums

Ramsey, Taking Another Look
Ramsey Lewis

Bill Milkowski reviews the latest from the veteran keyboardist

02/03/12 • Undertones

Radio Silence
Neil Cowley Trio

Following the lead of the Bad Plus, British pianist Neil Cowley likes it loud, loud, loud . His trio, with bassist Richard Sadler and drummer Evan Jenkins, goes for the grandiose on such catchy, rock-fueled instrumental offerings as “Monoface” (which borrows...

02/01/12 • Undertones

In the Element
Emmet Cohen

A finalist in the 2011 Thelonious Monk Piano Competition, 21-year-old Emmet Cohen delivers with rare elegance and maturity on his auspicious debut. Accompanied by the sensitive, swinging and conversational rhythm tandem of bassist Joe Sanders and drummer...

01/30/12 • Undertones

Catch a Corner
Cinque

Organist Joey DeFrancesco and pocket maestro Steve Gadd join veterans John Johnson on saxes, Robi Botos on piano and Peter Cardinali on bass for this tasty Crusaders-meets-Stuff-inspired blend of funk, jazz and soul. The band name means “five” in Italian...

01/28/12 • Undertones

Essentially Hermeto
Erik Charlston Jazzbrazil

Vibraphonist Erik Charlston was wise to recruit native Brazilians for this tribute to the great, enigmatic composer Hermeto Pascoal. Drummer Rogerio Boccato and percussionist Café both hail from Sao Paolo, and Boccato has also worked with Pascoal; together...

01/26/12 • Undertones

Chora Baiao
Antonio Adolfo

Brazilian pianist-composer Antonio Adolfo puts a refined, jazz-infused spin on a collection of lively choros and baiaos by the highly respected but under-recognized Brazilian composers Chico Buarque and Guinga. Joined on the frontline by the fantastic guitarist...

01/24/12 • Undertones

Brasil
Yotam

Since his arrival in New York in 2005, Israeli guitarist Yotam Silberstein has made an impact on the scene with his precision bebop lines and fleet-fingered improvisations. Here he showcases his love of Brazilian music with fresh interpretations of pieces...

01/16/12 • Overdue Ovation

Junior Mance: Saved By A Cannonball

An overdue ovation for a respected piano master

01/14/12 • Albums

Threedom
Pilc/Moutin/Hoenig

This remarkably intuitive trio has the ability to collectively bend the harmonic and rhythmic content of familiar jazz standards like taffy. In their most playful mode, as they were during a recent engagement at the Blue Note, it’s like watching the Flying...

01/13/12 • Albums

Baboon Moon
Nils Petter Movaer

Bill Milkowski reviews trumpeter Nils Petter Molvær's new release

01/13/12 • Albums

Fabled States
John Stetch

With bassist Joe Martin and drummer Greg Ritchie, pianist John Stetch travels from the “Black Sea Suite,” which addresses his own Ukrainian heritage through a Brubeck-ian filter, to the frozen tundra on “Alaska Outdoor Piano Showroom,” performed presumably...

01/13/12 • Albums

Twisted Blues. Volume 1
Oz Noy

Since relocating to New York from his native Israel in 1996, guitarist Oz Noy has made an impact on the Big Apple scene with his sizzling, devilishly creative six-string work. Through his longstanding residency at the Bitter End, where he regularly plays...

01/12/12 • Albums

For the Love of Sarah
Motian Sickness

Earlier in 2011, guitarist Joel Harrison addressed the inherent melodicism of drummer Paul Motian’s singular compositions with his String Choir project. Now, D.C.-based drummer (and former JT staffer) Jeff Cosgrove has put together his own paean to Motian...

01/11/12 • Albums

Ibeji
Paul Lieberman

In keeping with the title (which means “twins” in Yoruban), saxophonist-flutist Paul Lieberman looks at Brazilian music and American jazz as twin children of Mother Africa. Consequently, he alternates rhythm tandems, using bassist Rufus Reid and drummer...

01/10/12 • Albums

Requiem For a Pit Viper
Rich Halley Quartet

A free rider from the Left Coast, tenor saxophonist-composer Rich Halley is a powerful player with one foot in the Coleman Hawkins-Don Byas camp and the other confidently striding into the edgier realms of such ferocious players as David S. Ware and, at...

01/09/12 • Albums

Junk Wagon: The Big Band Album
John Daversa

With Junk Wagon , trumpeter-composer-arranger John Daversa offers a hard-hitting big-band project that owes more to the Brecker Brothers and Jaco Pastorius’ Word of Mouth than to Ellington, Basie or Kenton. On the dynamic two-part “The Bridge,” Daversa brandishes...

About Bill Milkowski

The author of a renowned biography of Jaco Pastorius and other books, Bill has been a regular JT contributor since 1991. He has done many cover stories and profiles for the magazine. In addition, he currently writes the UnderTones column in every issue, spotlighting up and coming artists and recordings.