The Jarrett group sessions re-released (with extra tracks) here are marked for excellence by the presence of top-notch sidemen (saxophonist Dewey Redman, drummer Paul Motian, … Read More “Keith Jarrett: The Impulse Years: 1973-4”
This little cigar box of four CDs of Cuban music is filled with more fire than smoke, and makes an intriguing, if only vaguely organized, … Read More “Various Artists: Cuba: I Am Time”
Forget the name, the title, the aura of legend. This is a decent little trio album by a primo rhythm section, with extra added percussion, … Read More “Ron Carter: The Bass And I”
How well jazz translates to string quartet has been demonstrated by Kronos, and precious few other such ensembles, since its inception in 1978. Kronos has … Read More “Kronos Quartet: The Complete Landmark Sessions: Music of Monk And Evans”
Whole chapters in The Book of Coltrane have been revisited of late to good effect, e.g., Harold Danko’s Quartet springboarding the momentous Ellington encounter. Dr. … Read More “Dr. Lonnie Smith: Afro Blue”
Charles Mingus and Max Roach ignited many a churning, probing rhythm section-for Diz & Bird, for Duke-but who’d have reckoned on them burning, brief but … Read More “Various Artists: The Debut Records Story”
Goodbye Mr. Evans, a trio date, has several features to recommend it: the lead piano of Lightsey, a typically elegant musical godson of Hank Jones … Read More “Kirk Lightsey: Goodbye Mr. Evans”
Hearing Nick Brignola soar on his baritone does bring to mind watching eagles and albatrosses and vultures and magnificent frigatebirds: how do they keep those … Read More “Nick Brignola: Flight of the Eagle”
Tom Chapin is developing a real persona as a musician and composer, no matter which of his horns he picks up or what setting he … Read More “Thomas Chapin Trio Plus Wings: Haywire”
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”
We’re not talking jazz here: this is Anthony Braxton’s “contemporary” or “serious” music bag, and it has little to do with his work with Circle … Read More “Anthony Braxton: Piano Music (Notated) 1968-1988, Volumes 1 and 2”
Tom Jobim, unquestionably one of the great songwriters of our century, fused lyric and melody inseparably, as did Cole Porter. He sang well, with supreme … Read More “Antonio Carlos Jobim: Composer”
Breathe in, breathe out, breathe out. When Liebs’ sweetly purling soprano saxophone infiltrates the Mick ‘n Wolfie guitar duo, what seemed a perfectly natural process … Read More “Mick Goodrick/Dave Leibman/Woflgang Muthspiel: In the Same Breath”
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”