Jeff Tamarkin is the former editor of Goldmine, CMJ, Relix, and Global Rhythm. As a writer he has contributed to the New York Daily News, JazzTimes, Boston Phoenix, Harp, Mojo, Newsday, Billboard, and many other publications. He is the author of the book Got a Revolution: The Turbulent Flight of Jefferson Airplane and has contributed to The Guinness Companion to Popular Music, All Music Guide, and several other encyclopedias. He has also served as a consultant to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, NARAS, National Geographic Online, and Music Club Records.
Jeff Tamarkin on social media
So many new recordings made during the year 2020 share the same backstory: With pandemic lockdowns firmly in place, musicians cut their parts at home … Read More “Troy Roberts & Tim Jago: Best Buddies (Toy Robot)”
After the initial shock subsided, Jeff Lorber must have chuckled at least a bit when his name was called as the winner of the Best … Read More “Jeff Lorber Fusion: Space-Time (Shanachie)”
Charnett Moffett takes his responsibilities as a leader—and New Love is the 17th album putting him in that position—quite literally. Approaching his fretless electric bass … Read More “Charnett Moffett: New Love (Motéma)”
Sure, why not the Grateful Dead? Jazz artists have long drawn upon the songs of the Beatles and other rockers as sources for fresh interpretation, … Read More “Dave McMurray: Grateful Deadication (Blue Note)”
Rick Laird, the Irish bassist whose work with the Mahavishnu Orchestra in the early 1970s helped to define jazz fusion, died on July 4. No … Read More “Rick Laird 1941–2021”
Jon Hassell, a trumpeter and composer who developed a hybrid he dubbed “Fourth World” music, died on June 26. A statement from the musician’s family … Read More “Trumpeter and Composer Jon Hassell Dies at 84”
Considering all of Dave Holland’s spectacular work over the past five-plus decades—from the bassist’s tenure with Miles Davis through his numerous leader and collaborator releases … Read More “Dave Holland: Another Land (Edition)”
The death of drummer Ralph Peterson Jr. on March 1 robbed jazz of one of its most inventive and prolific—and purely musical—practitioners. Peterson’s highly developed … Read More “Ralph Peterson: Raise Up Off Me (Onyx)”
“Transformation is the highest expression of change,” Ted Nash writes in the liner notes for this suite of pieces he’s composed and arranged. “[It] dictates … Read More “Ted Nash/Glenn Close: Transformation (Tiger Turn)”
In the late 1960s, the San Francisco sound was all the rage. Local rock bands like Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, Sly and the Family … Read More “Tower of Power Celebrates 50 Years Together”
You likely listen to a lot of good new music over the course of a year, but how much of it would you characterize as … Read More “Sons of Kemet: Black to the Future (Impulse!)”
The stark image on the front cover—so familiar but still so chilling—depicts the “strange fruit” of a Black man’s body swinging from a branch. Flip … Read More “Adrian Younge: The American Negro (Jazz Is Dead)”
Before he knew what he wanted to do for his debut album, Chris Pattishall was adamant about what he didn’t want to do. “I didn’t … Read More “Chris Pattishall Channels Mary Lou Williams on Debut Album”
Like most other working musicians, vocalist Sachal Vasandani and pianist Romain Collin have spent the past year replacing plans with spontaneous actions, so the New … Read More “Sachal Vasandani Featuring Romain Collin: Midnight Shelter (Edition)”
Recorded at the Philharmonie Berlin on January 24, 2017, during a series honoring duos, this live performance was guitarist Larry Coryell’s last—he passed away less … Read More “Larry Coryell & Philip Catherine: Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic XI: The Last Call (ACT)”
The Democracy! Suite attempts to answer two inextricable questions: How can you make new collaborative art during a pandemic that requires separation? And how does … Read More “Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Septet with Wynton Marsalis: The Democracy! Suite (Blue Engine)”
If nothing other than John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme had been recorded there, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.’s Van Gelder Studio would still indisputably qualify as a … Read More “Planning for the Future of Van Gelder Studio”
The Israeli-born pianist Tom Oren didn’t have to look far for inspiration: His mother, Dorly Oren-Chazon, is herself a renowned pianist and composer who has … Read More “Tom Oren: Dorly’s Song (Concord Jazz)”
Noah Haidu remembers the first time that he really “got” fellow pianist Kenny Kirkland. Haidu, still in his teens at the time, was with his … Read More “Noah Haidu Pays Homage to Kenny Kirkland”
The phenomenon of music created during the time of the coronavirus, already covered in depth by this magazine and countless other outlets, won’t be fully … Read More “Peter Bernstein: What Comes Next (Smoke Sessions)”
Keith Jarrett—whose recent announcement that he suffered two debilitating strokes in 2018 casts severe doubt on the likelihood of his performing again—is already on record … Read More “Keith Jarrett: Budapest Concert (ECM)”
When the percussionist/composer Barrett Martin offered his list of influential rhythmic tracks in a 2019 JazzTimes “Artist’s Choice” column, it ran the gamut from Benny … Read More “Barrett Martin: Scattered Diamonds (Sunyata)”
Ralph Peterson’s challenge on Onward & Upward was how to honor—as he’s done on several previous releases—his mentor Art Blakey, without simply mimicking the Jazz … Read More “Ralph Peterson & Messenger Legacy: Onward & Upward (Onyx)”
For his fourth release for Nonesuch, the Armenian pianist Tigran Hamasyan has stated that he chose to let his inner soul dictate the shape of … Read More “Tigran Hamasyan: The Call Within (Nonesuch)”
Blue Note Records has long had a predilection for herding its star players of the day into a studio and seeing what emerges. The resultant … Read More “Artemis: Artemis (Blue Note)”
Bobby Watson really wants listeners to know that Keepin’ It Real, which unveils a fresh lineup of his Horizon band (appropriately redubbed New Horizon), has … Read More “Bobby Watson: Keepin’ It Real (Smoke Sessions)”
Things changed profoundly for the Netherlands’ Tineke Postma following the 2014 release of her album Sonic Halo, a collaboration with fellow alto and soprano saxophonist/composer … Read More “Tineke Postma: Living in the Maternal World”
Aside from its unusual approach to capitalization, the title isn’t an attempt to be clever; this album is the first recording released by pianist Andy … Read More “Andy Milne & Unison: The reMission (Sunnyside)”
What comes through above all else in these three extremely different sets of duets—first with saxophonist Lenny Popkin, then pianist Connie Crothers, and finally drummer … Read More “Lennie Tristano: The Duo Sessions (Dot Time)”
Sometime last year—just a week after completing Vol. 2: Into the Flow, her second album as the leader of the New York-based sextet MAE.SUN—alto and … Read More “Hailey Niswanger: The Healing Has Begun”
