Verrry clev-ah! Johnston’s fancy riffs and 30-second drills and hot-shot chop-shop stops-out licks all invade the senses in a dozen turn-on-a-nickel charts. It’s jumpy, quick … Read More “Phillip Johnston’s Big Trouble: Flood at the Ant Farm”
Italians play jazz the way they live life: with a certain selfless politeness, suavity and grace, a conservatism that defies chance-taking. Such a modus jocendi … Read More “Return to Zero Featuring Gary Bartz & Harvie Swartz: Stairway to Heaven”
World music in the context of large jazz ensembles seldom sounds as engrossing, jubilant, and emotional, without the weighty notions of self-importance, as the impressive … Read More “Joel Harrison Octet: Range of Motion”
Producer Bill Cosby devotes this session, recorded on various 1993 dates and previously unreleased, to the memory of his son, Ennis, whose familiar greeting before … Read More “Bill Cosby: Hello, Friend: To Ennis With Love”
Musicians who worked closely with Bill Evans tend to be profoundly influenced by his harmonic thinking. That was true of Miles Davis, Jim Hall, Cannonball … Read More “Chuck Israels/Metropole Orchestra/Claudio Roditi: Eindhoven Concert”
Diane Schuur performs with poise and panache, sparked by her trademark octave-leaping embellishments on this album dedicated to Frank Sinatra. Oddly, she sings only a … Read More “Diane Schuur: Music Is My Life”
Strangely, after years of isolation on an olive farm in a remote section of Italy, drumming legend Ginger Baker has ended up living in Denver. … Read More “Ginger Baker and the DJQ20: Coward of the County”
In the mid-1950s, Stan Kenton cajoled or pressured Capitol Records into recording some of the best of his sidemen as leaders. The few “Kenton Presents” … Read More “Bob Cooper, Bill Holman, Frank Rosolino: Kenton Presents: Bob Cooper, Bill Holman, Frank Rosolino”
A critic once advised Anita O’Day to clear her throat before singing; another characterized her sound as “strangulated.” As she candidly observed in her 1981 … Read More “Anita O’Day: The Complete Anita O’Day Verve/Clef Sessions”
City of Sounds, an octet session, is marked by tutti passages, polyphony and rhythms indigenous to the Crescent City. Jones plays a clean, take-your-time, declarative … Read More “Leroy Jones: City of Sounds”
The Sandole brothers, pianist Adolphe, who died some years ago, and guitarist Dennis, who still works in Philadelphia, were legendary teachers. Among those who studied … Read More “Dennis Sandole: Dennis Sandole Project”
Drummer Joe Ascione writes in the liner notes to My Buddy, “Positive role models are an invaluable asset enabling one to go from imitation to … Read More “Joe Ascione Octet: My Buddy: A Tribute to Buddy Rich”
Lonnie Plaxico is a tremendous bassist and session man. His eighth album as a leader spotlights his brilliance in several areas, from gently, yet substantially … Read More “Lonnie Plaxico: Rhythm and Soul”
When Rossini was asked for his opinion of Wagner, he replied, “Wagner has some beautiful moments, but many boring hours.” At first hearing Andrew Hill’s … Read More “Andrew Hill Jazzpar Octet +1: The Day the World Stood Still”
Reedist Ken Vandermark is officially the leader on only one of these four albums, but his presence is strongly felt on all. Elements of Style … Read More “The Vandermark 5: Elements of Style… Excersises in Surprise”
Cuban pianist, composer and arranger Bebo Valdes is blossoming again. After decades of near obscurity, the 87-year-old Valdes’ mus-ic and his crucial role in the … Read More “Bebo Valdes: Bebo de Cuba”
Perhaps the only musician to play with James Brown, Miles Davis, Sun Ra and Fela Kuti and on Motown sessions, drummer Steve Reid is a … Read More “Steve Reid Ensemble: Spirit Walk”
A major bandleader, a spirited singer and an exciting conguero, Poncho Sanchez can be accurately called the “hardest working man in Afro-Cuban jazz.” He and … Read More “Poncho Sanchez”
The SFJAZZ Collective is an egalitarian wonder, equally concerned with where the music has been and where it’s going. Every year, the evolving octet of … Read More “SFJazz Collective: SFJazz Collective Live 2008”
Add Joe Temperley to the list of artists who have recorded worthy tributes to Sinatra, including Tony Bennett, Carol Sloane, Joe Lovano and even Biréli … Read More “Joe Temperley: The Sinatra Songbook”
Michael Musillami has been called “a superior guitarist” (John McDonough, DownBeat), “an adroit and creative musician” (Michael J. West, JazzTimes), “a fine composer of notable … Read More “Michael Musillami”
Curtis Lundy originally from Miami, has been part of the New York jazz scene dating back to 1978. Curtis’s work in Betty Carter’s band with … Read More “Curtis Lundy”
During a freewheeling half-hour interview that serves as a bonus feature on this DVD, Miles Davis is asked a number of questions regarding the controversy … Read More “Miles Davis: That’s What Happened: Live in Germany 1987”
Pianist and composer Fred Hersch has earned a place among the foremost jazz artists in the world today. From the late 70’s onward as a … Read More “Fred Hersch”
Felipe Salles is a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, who currently lives and performs in New York City. His group, The Felipe Salles Group is … Read More “Felipe Salles”
Daniel Ian Smith has been an active performer and educator for the last 20 years. He is an Assistant Professor at the acclaimed Berklee College … Read More “Daniel Ian Smith”
Born on 6 December 1920 in Concord, California, jazz legend Dave Brubeck is equally distinguished as composer and pianist. Studies at the College of the … Read More “Dave Brubeck”
Taylor Haskins is being hailed as one of the most original new voices on the trumpet today. In a recent feature, Downbeat magazine declared him … Read More “Taylor Haskins”
Clark Tracey was born in London, England in 1961. He grew up in a jazz environment as the son of Stan Tracey, the UK’s leading … Read More “Clark Tracey”
Stan Tracey is an outstanding figure in the jazz world. His distinguished career has spanned six decades of flourishing creativity. He has been a highly … Read More “Stan Tracey”
Arjen Gorter (2 januari 1948, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) played accordeon at age 8, guitar at 12 and double bass from age 16. He is self-taught, … Read More “Arjen Gorter”
Clark Terry’s career in jazz spans more than seventy years. He is a world-class trumpeter, flugelhornist, educator, composer, writer, trumpet/flugelhorn designer, teacher and NEA Jazz … Read More “Clark Terry”
The Phil Norman Tentet is comprised of Phil Norman, tenor sax/clarinet; Christian Jacob, piano; Bruce Lett, bass; Dick Weller, drums; Brad Dutz, percussion; Yaronne Levy, … Read More “Phil Norman Tentet”
Soprano saxophonist/composer Jane Ira Bloom has been steadfastly developing her unique voice on the soprano saxophone for over 30 years. She is a pioneer in … Read More “Jane Ira Bloom”
In a jazz climate that rewards neo-conservative tributes and far-flung exercises in deconstruction, David Weiss has distinguished himself another way: through finding flexibility and innovation … Read More “David Weiss”
Jay attended Mansfield University in the fall of 1993, studying jazz improvisation with Dr. Michael Galloway for one year and jazz arranging for one semester. … Read More “Jay Vonado”
Jay attended Mansfield University in the fall of 1993, studying jazz improvisation with Dr. Michael Galloway for one year and jazz arranging for one semester. … Read More “Jay Vonada”
Arturo O’Farril, pianist, composer, educator, and founder and Artistic Director of the nonprofit Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, was born in Mexico and grew up in … Read More “Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Octet”
Don Braden Biography “One of the new young lions of the tenor saxophone.” — Roy Haynes, drummer “. . . brilliant and assured . . … Read More “Don Braden”
Features Norah Jones: Into the Deep — available 01/17/2017 John Beasley: Evidence What Does a Music Director Do? Madeleine Peyroux: Solitude & Soul — available … Read More “December 2016”
Grammy Award-winning bassist-composer-recording artist Ben Williams will serve as the first-ever DC Jazz Festival Artist-in-Residence. As part of the residency program, the Washington, D.C. native … Read More “DC Jazz Festival Names Ben Williams First Artist-in-Residence”
Note: The combined rankings by our writers was used to compile our overall top 50 list for 2016. David R. Adler New Releases 1. Esperanza … Read More “The Top 50: Writers’ Ballots”
Featuring the NEA Jazz Master and his octet
Read More “Eddie Palmieri to Celebrate 80th Birthday With Concert”
Fifteen initial titles include Jarrett, Corea, Iyer
Fellow musicians will perform to celebrate late bassist’s life
Recorded live, session features reimagined early recordings
Thirty-eight U.S.-based ensembles and presenters in all receive support
Public schools will take part in peer-to-peer education program and performance
Read More “Thelonious Monk Institute Brings High School Jazz Sextet to Boston”
Bill Frisell, Steve Winwood and others scheduled for the British event
Read More “Cheltenham Jazz Festival Booked for 1st Weekend in May”
