Is Jazz Good for Your Health?
“When I started my career,” Dee Dee Bridgewater says, “thinking about wellness was not a thing.” Don’t get the award-winning vocalist wrong; she has long … Read More “Is Jazz Good for Your Health?”
John Murph
John Murph is a Washington, D.C.-based music journalist and DJ. He’s written for numerous outlets that include JazzTimes, DownBeat, NPR Jazz, JazzWise, The Root, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic Monthly. He hosts a weekly radio program at Eaton Hotel DC.
John Murph on social media
James Francies: Cleared for Takeoff
James Francies appeared humbled and startled to see a full house for his gig at New York’s Jazz Standard. It was a chilly Friday evening … Read More “James Francies: Cleared for Takeoff”
Jazz in the Display Case
A replica of Parliament-Funkadelic’s mid-1970s Mothership tour spacecraft, one of James Brown’s ’70s black wool jumpsuits with the word “sex” in sequined beads around the … Read More “Jazz in the Display Case”
Pete Escovedo: Rhythms of Life
My Life in the Key of E: A Memoir – the new self-released book from famed Latin-jazz percussionist Pete Escovedo – is a case study in … Read More “Pete Escovedo: Rhythms of Life”
Gilles Peterson: The Jazz Tastemaker
Even at 52, Gilles Peterson still exudes childlike glee when he plays records. Watching him host his weekly program at BBC Radio 6 Music in … Read More “Gilles Peterson: The Jazz Tastemaker”
Steve Nelson: The Center of the Music
Despite his stature as one of today’s most revered jazz vibraphonists, Steve Nelson ‘s discography as a leader is criminally small. Still, it’s a potent … Read More “Steve Nelson: The Center of the Music”
Thundercat: Drinking Songs
In less than a decade, Thundercat has progressed from being an in-demand bassist for the likes of Erykah Badu, Snoop Dogg, Flying Lotus and the … Read More “Thundercat: Drinking Songs”
The Producers
This piece originally appeared as a sidebar to our April issue feature on BadBadNotGood. Karriem Riggins Erykah Badu once called this Detroit native the “clean … Read More “The Producers”
Before & After: Tarus Mateen
For 17 years and counting, bassist and composer Tarus Mateen has anchored Jason Moran’s acclaimed trio, the Bandwagon. And while Mateen has also played with … Read More “Before & After: Tarus Mateen”
Donny McCaslin: The Gig of a Lifetime
Donny McCaslin’s latest disc, Beyond Now (Motéma), contains colossal emotional weight. The tenor saxophonist composed the album’s original music in the summer of 2015, several … Read More “Donny McCaslin: The Gig of a Lifetime”
A Conversation With Theo Croker
Enlightening, enthusiastic groove-jazz for troubling times
Rīgas Ritmi Festival Reviewed
Jazz meets Latvian folk song, and more
Logan Richardson’s Big Summation Statement
Saxophonist unites Metheny and Moran with his Blue Note debut
Renee Rosnes: Written in the Rocks
Veteran pianist and composer Renee Rosnes delivers conceptual heft, suspenseful compositions and mesmerizing performances on her first album for the Smoke Sessions label. Evolutionary science, … Read More “Renee Rosnes: Written in the Rocks”
Michael Formanek Ensemble Kolossus: The Distance
Bassist Michael Formanek certainly goes the distance on this grand endeavor, on which he fronts Ensemble Kolossus, an 18-piece band that leans heavily toward a … Read More “Michael Formanek Ensemble Kolossus: The Distance”
Essential Albums at the Intersection of Jazz and Soul
Rhythm & blues & swing & …
James Brandon Lewis: Groove Continuum
Connecting classic hip-hop to timeless trio interplay
Lakecia Benjamin: Rising Soul
Saxophonist-and natural-born bandleader- readies a follow-up to powerhouse debut
Review: Durham, North Carolina’s Art of Cool Fest
Robert Glasper, Kenny Garrett, Roy Ayers and more highlight sophomore year
Philadelphia’s OutBeat Festival Celebrates Jazz’s LGBT Legacy
Humble beginnings, full of heart
Jane Bunnett and Maqueque: Jane Bunnett and Maqueque
Canadian soprano saxophonist and flutist Jane Bunnett continues to let her love affair with Afro-Latin music guide her. Here she fronts an all-female sextet and … Read More “Jane Bunnett and Maqueque: Jane Bunnett and Maqueque”
Bob Stewart: Brass Tact
A tuba master pushes toward center stage
Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band: Life In the Bubble
Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band returns with its winning combination of impeccable musicianship and pop savvy. Goodwin’s long history of working in the film industry … Read More “Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band: Life In the Bubble”
Alex Garcia’s Afromantra: This Side of Mestizaje
Drummer extraordinaire Alex Garcia deftly balances finesse and fire on this delightful modern-jazz outing. From the very start of the opening cut, “Believe,” it’s obvious … Read More “Alex Garcia’s Afromantra: This Side of Mestizaje”
John Escreet: Sound, Space and Structures
U.K.-born pianist and composer John Escreet has always demonstrated a knack for the adventurous: When he arrived on the New York City jazz scene in … Read More “John Escreet: Sound, Space and Structures”
Jacob Young: Forever Young
Norwegian guitarist Jacob Young continues mapping out his own exquisite path on his third ECM outing. This time, he teams up with the Poland-based Marcin … Read More “Jacob Young: Forever Young”
Bernie Worrell: Going It Alone
P-Funk’s keyboard legend cuts his first solo piano album
The Max Roach Collection at the Library of Congress
New insights into a musical and political hero
Mimi Jones: True Moments
Struggle and survival inform bassist and singer’s latest
Rudy Royston: A Trusted Sideman Turns Bandleader
“Be what you feel,” says the drummer