David Whiteis

New CD from Vijay Iyer Trio takes on Stevie Wonder, Leonard Bernstein, M.I.A., Julius Hemphill & Andrew Hill. And Vijay Iyer.

It’s a tribute to the inspiration that fueled this performance that “Autumn Leaves,” normally the most labored outing in a Ritual Trio performance, here achieves … Read More “Kahil El’zabar’s Ritual Trio Featuring Pharoah Sanders: Ooh Live!”

Here bassist Avery Sharpe invokes the musical spirit of three living masters, but rather than imitate, he pays tribute in his own voice. In doing … Read More “Avery Sharpe: Legends & Mentors: The Music of McCoy Tyner, Archie Shepp, and Yusef Lateef”

Tenor saxophonist Fred Anderson and percussionist Hamid Drake have worked often with guitarist Greg Parker and bassists Harrison Bankhead and Josh Abrams at Anderson’s Velvet … Read More “Fred Anderson & Hamid Drake: From the River to the Ocean”

Jason Ajemian’s opening bass solo sets the tone: Built primarily around a densely packed series of fierce double-stops with a few single-string flails thrown in, … Read More “Chicago Underground Trio: Chronicle”

“Ya can’t shut the funk up,” New Orleans’ redoubtable Dr. John has instructed us. But on this disk Chico Freeman sounds determined to do just … Read More “The Chico Freeman Project: Out of Many Comes the One”

The fabled Marsalis technical dexterity is on full display here, as is the characteristic meld of pop-culture accessibility and high-art aspiration (“Brer Rabbit” was the … Read More “Delfeayo Marsalis: Minions’ Dominion”