“Nobody can do this but you.” Those were the words of encouragement received by Jacques Schwarz-Bart when he first brought his compositions mixing jazz and … Read More “Jacques Schwarz-Bart Continues His Guadeloupean Odyssey”
In 2016, the Colorado-based tenor saxophonist Dominic Lalli stood onstage at Lollapalooza, playing thick, funky lines with his electronic-music act Big Gigantic. Red Hot Chili … Read More “Dominic Lalli Explores his Acoustic Side”
About 15 minutes into our phone interview, the Brooklyn-based guitarist Joel Harrison stops me. “Do me a favor,” he says. “Tell me, even if you … Read More “Chops: Joel Harrison and Thematic Albums”
At New York’s Café Carlyle in May, the “punk-vaudeville” band Nancy And Beth thought broadly. In addition to touching on jazz, country, soul, and gospel, … Read More “Nancy And Beth: Cabaret Gone Crazy”
Some use visual art; others look to poetry. But the muse for Erik Friedlander’s latest album, Artemisia, is absinthe, the famously hallucination-inducing alcoholic drink that … Read More “Erik Friedlander and Throw a Glass See Green”
Despite his important work as part of groups like Rudresh Mahanthappa’s Indo-Pak Coalition and Adam Rudolph’s Go: Organic Guitar Orchestra, the New York-based guitarist Rez … Read More “Rez Abbasi: All Trails Lead to Jim Hall”
Many musicians have worked in a wide range of genres, but few have collaborated with the top names in each of those styles like Bill … Read More “Before & After: Bill Laswell”
Unlike most musicians, Eric Wyatt was born into the jazz life. The tenorman’s father, the late Charles Wyatt, was also a tenor player, and Eric … Read More “Eric Wyatt: The Brooklyn Sound”
On a pair of 2017 releases for Blue Note, a resolute EP called A Tribute to Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and a radiant … Read More “Tony Allen: A Night in Lagos”
In both his technique and the way he organizes his music, trumpeter Marquis Hill, 30, strikes a balance between merriment and determination. On his most … Read More “Before & After: Marquis Hill”
You can get a lot accomplished in two and a half months. For instance, that’s how long it took legendary New York jazz-rock guitarist Mike … Read More “Mike Stern: Playing Through the Pain”
“I would say that every obstacle you could probably have as an African-American cellist in jazz, I had,” Akua Dixon said this past spring, over … Read More “Akua Dixon: Living the Dream”
In the Whitney Museum of American Art’s 2017 Biennial show, on view in New York through June 11, there is a small blue room. Inside … Read More “Kamasi Washington: An Opinion of Difference”
On April 9, the Philadelphia-based pianist Orrin Evans tweeted, “I have so much to say but I’ll wait until tomorrow :)!!” What was he about … Read More “Orrin Evans on Joining the Bad Plus”
On Notes Over Poetry, Philippe Baden Powell shares two sides of himself: able bandleader and enthusiastic sideman. The agile pianist—he picked a different instrument than … Read More “Philippe Baden Powell: Notes Over Poetry (Far Out)”
There is no dance music on Swiss pianist Colin Vallon’s Danse. At no point while listening would anyone really think, “This is danceable.” Perhaps he … Read More “Colin Vallon: Danse (ECM)”
Dayna Stephens’ saxophone playing, and the music he makes on Gratitude, is elemental. His big, warm lines are full of notes and intent but also … Read More “Dayna Stephens: Gratitude (Contagious)”
Marco Benevento is not, at this time, a jazz musician. But he was. On his way to becoming the singing rock pianist he is today, … Read More “Before & After: Marco Benevento”
Listening wide, from A to Zappa
Veteran jazz fans probably do not often listen to A Love Supreme, saxophonist John Coltrane’s unfathomably important 1965 album of passionate, spiritual jazz. They internalized … Read More “John Coltrane: A Love Supreme: The Complete Masters”
A picture is worth a thousand notes
At peace, but never at rest
Let the Bells Ring On, the vigorous first album from seven-string guitarist Charlie Hunter’s trio with drummer Bobby Previte and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes, is, on … Read More “Charlie Hunter Trio: Let the Bells Ring On”
DRKWAV, the trio of keyboardist John Medeski, drummer Adam Deitch and saxophonist Skerik, is a vibe band. There is little in the way of harmony, … Read More “DRKWAV: The Purge”
On soprano saxophonist Sam Newsome’s The Straight Horn of Africa: A Path to Liberation, the second entry in his The Art of the Soprano series, … Read More “Sam Newsome: The Straight Horn of Africa: A Path to Liberation”
Marc Cary’s Rhodes Ahead Vol. 2 will do things to you. This is not a record that lives in a separate world from the listener. … Read More “Marc Cary: Rhodes Ahead, Vol. 2”
Saxophonist goes for broke with his new three-disc release
Near the end of In the Beginning, the stunning new two-CD (or three-LP) set comprising early music from guitarist Wes Montgomery, tenor saxophonist Alonzo “Pookie” … Read More “Wes Montgomery: In the Beginning”
The Song Is My Story, a gorgeous solo-piano album from the veteran South African musician Abdullah Ibrahim, is 17 tracks long. By jazz standards, it … Read More “Abdullah Ibrahim: The Song is My Story”
A rare chat with the bassist-producer
