For years now, eminent bassist John Clayton has been pursuing what he calls a longstanding dream: asking pianists he admires to record duets in a … Read More “John Clayton with Gerald Clayton: Parlor Series”
Kris Davis clearly communicates abstract concepts, a talent that endears her work to intellectual listeners. The imagery that comes out of her piano can be … Read More “Kris Davis: Massive Threads”
In planning his first live album after dozens of studio recordings as a leader or co-leader, septuagenarian bassist Mario Pavone wanted the music to capture … Read More “Mario Pavone: Arc Trio”
Drummer Willie Jones III has put together a very idiosyncratic songbook to honor the seminal bop artist and activist Max Roach. Only two of the … Read More “The Willie Jones III Sextet: Plays the Max Roach Songbook”
Yo is both a wry and accurate title, for keyboardist Roberto Fonseca has melded a scintillating and deeply affecting collection of Afro-Cuban jazz, folk and … Read More “Roberto Fonseca: Yo”
Ted Nash knows his way around big bands. The son and nephew of working musicians, before he had exited his teens Nash had already played … Read More “Ted Nash Big Band: Chakra”
The title of bassist-composer Linda Oh’s third CD refers to the oldest remaining outdoor movie theater, located in her former home country of Australia. But … Read More “Linda Oh: Sun Pictures”
For an ensemble named Focus, Marc Cary’s trio sure does prefer a panoramic array of styles. The opening track on Four Directions, “Todi Blues,” is … Read More “Marc Cary Focus Trio: Four Directions”
The Oversoul Manual is an ambitious and intrepid vocal opus by composer Darius Jones, who forsakes his alto saxophone and all other instruments aside from … Read More “Darius Jones: The Oversoul Manual”
Gathering Call is much closer in spirit to the work of Matt Wilson’s other longstanding ensemble, the playful Arts & Crafts, than to his previous … Read More “Matt Wilson Quartet + John Medeski: Gathering Call”
Ahmad Jamal sounds like the luckiest man in the world on Saturday Morning. At 83, the pianist is able to express with magisterial power all … Read More “Ahmad Jamal: Saturday Morning”
Depending on your distance from fifth-grade humor, the wordplay in the name of Jeff Lederer’s latest band is worthy of either a snicker or a … Read More “Jeff Lederer’s Swing N’ Dix: Swing N’ Dix”
Because pianist John Escreet composes songs that are vivid and variegated in mood, tempo and complexity, he has been able to garner top-notch talent for … Read More “John Escreet: Sabotage and Celebration”
Drummer-composer Harris Eisenstadt has a beguiling way of meshing simplicity and sophistication, a characteristic that seems most arresting in the context of his September Trio. … Read More “Harris Eisenstadt September Trio: The Destructive Element”
Flutist-composer Jamie Baum’s previous albums included overt tributes to Bartók, Stravinsky, Ives and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, influences that form a nice approximation of the intricate … Read More “Jamie Baum: In This Life”
A compelling case can be made for guitarist Bill Frisell as the most desirable duet partner in jazz-and for Joey Baron, now that Paul Motian … Read More “Joey Baron: Just Listen”
Links is a musical autobiography of sorts for Luis Perdomo. The Venezuelan pianist performs compositions by his classroom teachers from his native Caracas, the Manhattan … Read More “Luis Perdomo: Links”
Trombonist Steve Turre, a man of often-brusque opinions, has never disguised his distaste for the compromising frills some artists deploy to enhance their commercial appeal. … Read More “Steve Turre: The Bones of Art”
Drummer Scott Neumann has played Sun Ra tunes and fusion, toured and recorded with newgrass banjoist Tony Trischka and compiled a sideman résumé that ranges … Read More “Scott Neumann Neu3 Trio: Blessed”
Border-Free is a companion piece and a doubling-down on Chucho Valdés’ magnificent Chucho’s Steps album from 2010. Valdés has retained most of his Afro-Cuban Messengers … Read More “Chucho Valdes & the Afro-Cuban Messengers: Border-Free”
On the strength of his membership in ensembles led by Christian McBride and Aaron Diehl and his own auspicious Mack Avenue debut in 2011, Warren … Read More “Warren Wolf: Wolfgang”
Pianist David Kikoski would have made a marvelous Jazz Messenger; his blend of block chords and stirring single-note runs are well suited for hard bop. … Read More “Kikoski/Carpenter/Novak/Sheppard: From the Hip”
No one should ever accuse David Ake of bowing to commercial dictates. Bridges is just the pianist’s third recording in 15 years, yet he doesn’t … Read More “David Ake: Bridges”
Each member of this trio has excelled at the often-delicate task of supporting quirky, headstrong vocalists. Drummer Steve Williams spent years outlining the shadows of … Read More “The Aperturistic Trio: Truth and Actuality”
Mark Gross is not a composer and hadn’t headlined an album for many years before Blackside. But the saxophonist does possess ample and esteemed experience … Read More “Mark Gross: Blackside”
Bassist Derrick Hodge was a palpable presence last year on Black Radio, Robert Glasper’s commercially successful mash-up of jazz, hip-hop and soul music. Hodge’s debut … Read More “Derrick Hodge: Live Today”
Extensive jazz scholarship can frequently result in music that is stuffy, stilted or just too precise. But in the case of Etienne Charles, it has … Read More “Etienne Charles: Creole Soul”
At 28, Bobby Avey is already an auspicious artist. He won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Composers Competition in 2011. He leveraged a Chamber Music … Read More “Bobby Avey: Be Not So Long to Speak”
On the surface, Japanese pianist Eri Yamamoto may be the most conventional artist on the intrepid AUM Fidelity label. Yet there are virtues in Yamamoto’s … Read More “Eri Yamamoto Trio: Firefly”
Stan Killian is reminiscent of Jimmy Heath in that his compositions and tenor saxophone work make each other better, and reflect a stubbornly abstruse but … Read More “Stan Killian: Evoke”