Belgian-born, German-based vocalist Sophie Tassignon has issued more than a half-dozen records since 2006 as a member of various ensembles and duos, as well as … Read More “Sophie Tassignon: Mysteries Unfold (RareNoise)”
Throughout his now five-album catalog for Posi-Tone, pianist Art Hirahara has often filtered his music through the emotional touchstones of his life, creating what amounts … Read More “Art Hirahara: Balance Point (Posi-Tone)”
“This from That” sounds like a flashback of Wayne Shorter writing for Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in the mid-’60s. An initially knotty opening passage straightens … Read More “Falkner Evans: Marbles (Consolidated Artists Productions)”
The narrative seems as clear-cut as an elevator pitch: Rising, still-young saxophonist felled by an illness that required extensive dialysis is now blowing with a … Read More “Dayna Stephens: Liberty (Contagious)”
Best known for his membership in the pioneering jazz-rock ensemble Tortoise—and now the elder statesman among a crew of 21st-century Chicago renegades bringing a fresh … Read More “Jeff Parker: Suite for Max Brown (Nonesuch/International Anthem)”
The serenity of Brazilian vocalist/composer Milton Nascimento is one of the most reliable virtues in all music. These two soundtracks for ballets—originally recorded early in … Read More “Milton Nascimento: Maria Maria/Ultimo Trem (Far Out)”
When you peruse the song list of Eric Alexander With Strings and notice “Lonely Woman” and “The Thrill Is Gone,” you naturally think of Ornette … Read More “Eric Alexander: Eric Alexander With Strings (HighNote)”
The evolution of New Yor-Uba, pianist Michele Rosewoman’s painstaking synthesis of modern jazz and ancient Afro-Cuban folkloric traditions, has been a journey of slow-motion magnificence. … Read More “Michele Rosewoman’s New Yor-Uba: Hallowed (Advance Dance Disques)”
French clarinetist Louis Sclavis has composed a lot of music inspired by visual art, including soundtracks for modern and silent movies and a 2003 ECM … Read More “Louis Sclavis: Characters on a Wall (ECM)”
On the final track of Maqueque’s self-titled debut five years ago, Jane Bunnett spiked the punch with her longtime collaborator Hilario Durán and a few … Read More “Jane Bunnett & Maqueque: On Firm Ground/Tierra Firme (Linus)”
True to its name, the quartet Parlour Game plays music meant to evoke informal, intimate, and innocent settings, a gently bucolic mix of vintage jazz … Read More “Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller’s Parlour Game: Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller’s Parlour Game (Royal Potato Family)”
Spaza is a South African collective with neither permanent members nor prewritten songs. Yet the seven improvised tracks on their eponymous album, recorded in 2015, … Read More “Spaza: Spaza (Mushroom Hour Half Hour)”
Guitarist Will Sellenraad has known drummer Eric McPherson since they were teens, more than 30 years ago in New York City. Back then, bassist Rene … Read More “Will Sellenraad/Eric McPherson/Rene Hart: Greene Street Vol. 1 (Deko)”
Chilean tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana invokes the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo as the inspiration for Visions, which was originally commissioned as a suite, with its … Read More “Melissa Aldana: Visions (Motéma)”
In physics, flux is the movement and flow of radiant energy across a given area. In the mind of saxophonist Quinsin Nachoff, it’s a band … Read More “Quinsin Nachoff’s Flux: Path of Totality (Whirlwind)”
Trion is frequently torrential, and aggressively virtuosic. A significant chunk of this magnanimous offering—nearly two hours of music, recorded live at the Jazz Gallery in … Read More “Johnathan Blake: Trion (Giant Step Arts)”
Through 11 records as a leader on the Criss Cross label between 2001 and 2017, the Russian trumpeter Alex Sipiagin steadily tweaked his no-compromise template … Read More “Alex Sipiagin: NoFo Skies (Blue Room)”
Pianist Marc Copland treats the compositions of bassist Gary Peacock with a respectful intimacy on this stark solo album. The two artists, who first met … Read More “Marc Copland: Gary (Illusion)”
It isn’t a coincidence that the three albums Miho Hazama has recorded with her 13-piece “m_unit,” most recently Dancer in Nowhere, convey a sense of … Read More “Miho Hazama: Dancer in Nowhere (Sunnyside)”
When Satoko Fujii was four, she was so shy that she begged to quit kindergarten. In response, her parents sent her to piano lessons. It … Read More “Satoko Fujii: Full Calendar”
It’s not a stretch to declare Atlantis Quartet the best small jazz ensemble based in Minnesota’s Twin Cities. The four members have been together since … Read More “Atlantis Quartet: Hello Human (Shifting Paradigm)”
Igbó Alákọrin feels at once like the most conservative and most daring album of David Virelles’ career. The pianist’s Afro-Cuban lineage has been an important influence … Read More “David Virelles: Igbó Alákọrin (The Singer’s Grove) Vol. I & II (Pi)”
It is profoundly satisfying to hear drummer Andrew Cyrille—who helped shepherd the tornado of Cecil Taylor through Unit Structures, among many others, more than 50 … Read More “Andrew Cyrille: Lebroba (ECM)”
The late altoist Frank Morgan performed together frequently with pianist George Cables; evidence of that includes studio recordings of duets in 1986 (Double Image) and … Read More “Frank Morgan/George Cables: Montreal Memories (HighNote)”
Trombonist/composer Michael Dease is a porkpie-hat kind of guy. On his new album, Bonafide, he strives to make fragrant both the swing and bop roots … Read More “Michael Dease: Bonafide (Posi-Tone)”
The phrase “age before beauty” does not apply to the duet partnership of tenor saxophonist Houston Person and acoustic bassist Ron Carter. Sure, Remember Love … Read More “Houston Person & Ron Carter: Remember Love (HighNote)”
Alice Coltrane departed from her corporeal form in 2007, 40 years after the passing of her more famous husband and musical partner, John Coltrane. And … Read More “Alice Coltrane: Spiritual Eternal: The Complete Warner Bros. Studio Recordings (Real Gone)”
Keyboardist Jason Lindner first gained notice leading a big band at the New York nightclub Smalls. He has a solid résumé backing singers, playing Latin … Read More “Now vs. Now: The Buffering Cocoon (Jazzland)”
The evolution of Miguel Zenón has been unpredictable and intriguing. Along with being the lone remaining charter member in the SFJazz Collective octet and the … Read More “Miguel Zenón Featuring Spektral Quartet: Yo Soy La Tradición (Miel)”
In 1876, Tchaikovsky wrote a piano piece for each month of the year and called the collection The Seasons. In homage, saxophonist/composer Ben Wendel unfurled … Read More “Ben Wendel: The Seasons (Motéma)”
