Bill Milkowski
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.
















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