Martin Johnson has written about jazz, food, sports, and more for The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, and many other publications.
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The sound of The Circle is modernistically spare, but the Doxas Brothers quartet—led by saxophonist Chet and drummer Jim—came to it the old-fashioned way, by … Read More “The Doxas Brothers: The Circle (Justin Time)”
At a quick glance, the Royal Bopsters’ new recording, Party of Four (Motéma), appears to be a straightforward continuation of their 2015 debut, The Royal Bopsters Project. The … Read More “The Royal Bopsters Keep Their Group Identity Alive”
On his fourth recording, saxophonist Mike Casey traffics in classic styles to create music that bristles with contemporary topicality. Casey, who plays tenor, helms trios and … Read More “Mike Casey: Law of Attraction (Mike Casey)”
Pedal steel guitarist Susan Alcorn has expanded her instrument’s domain well beyond the familiar sounds native to Hawaii, Nashville, or Bakersfield. She’s influenced by those traditions, … Read More “Susan Alcorn Quintet: Pedernal (Relative Pitch)”
With their shared passion for austere lyricism and melodic invention, piano masters Angelica Sanchez and Marilyn Crispell are ideal duet partners. Their meeting of like minds … Read More “Angelica Sanchez & Marilyn Crispell: How to Turn the Moon (Pyroclastic)”
For a lot of people, the distinctive style of composer and multi-instrumentalist Anthony Braxton is obscured either by the geometric diagrams that he uses to … Read More “Thumbscrew: The Anthony Braxton Project (Cuneiform)”
When the novel coronavirus pandemic swept Europe, Brad Mehldau and his family sheltered in place at his home in the Netherlands. A month of lockdown later, … Read More “Brad Mehldau: Suite: April 2020 (Nonesuch)”
Given the onslaught of jazz recordings that integrate elements of hip-hop and spoken word, it was only a matter of time before Archie Shepp’s name … Read More “Archie Shepp/Raw Poetic/Damu the Fudgemunk: Ocean Bridges (Redefinition)”
It’s one of the most surprising jazz trends in the 21st century: the emergence of big bands as something more than an anomaly or a … Read More “Webber/Morris Big Band: Both Are True (Greenleaf)”
The title of the new Thundercat recording is less a paean to contemporary proverbs than a bold statement of personal equilibrium. His previous recordings wrestled with … Read More “Thundercat: It Is What It Is (Brainfeeder)”
Bright, lean, and crisp, Embrace, the new recording from vibraphonist Chris Dingman, contrasts strikingly with its predecessors, The Subliminal and the Sublime from 2015 and Waking … Read More “Chris Dingman: Embrace (Inner Arts)”
When I called Jacob Collier one fall morning, it seemed entirely appropriate that he was in his room in his parents’ home in London—the same … Read More “Jacob Collier: Live from His Room”
Few records embody the spirit of jazz in 2019 as well as the new release from the Tomeka Reid Quartet. A cellist who began her … Read More “Tomeka Reid Quartet: Old New (Cuneiform)”
The unusual instrumentation of the new album from drummer Dan Weiss brings to mind Smokestack, Andrew Hill’s 1966 Blue Note classic, as both recordings employ a … Read More “Dan Weiss Trio Plus 1: Utica Box (Sunnyside)”
Trumpeter and composer Jaimie Branch pulls no punches. A raw, in-your-face sensibility runs through Fly or Die, her stunning 2017 debut, as well as the 2018 disc … Read More “Jaimie Branch: Fly or Die II: Bird Dogs of Paradise (International Anthem)”
Portland, Oregon-based composer/arranger Ezra Weiss means well with his latest recording. He leads a 17-piece big band that is joined by a nine-member choir in a … Read More “The Ezra Weiss Big Band: We Limit Not the Truth of God (Origin)”
News that rock legend Chrissie Hynde had a jazz recording in the works seemed equal parts cringeworthy and intriguing. The track record of rock stars enhancing … Read More “Chrissie Hynde: Valve Bone Woe (BMG)”
Lush orchestration, pithy, even angry solos and fiercely declaimed poetry highlight Ernest Dawkins’ new recording. Reedist Dawkins is a veteran member of Chicago’s Association for … Read More “Ernest Dawkins’ Chicago 12: Misconceptions of a Delusion, Shades of a Charade Celebrating the 35th Annivesary of the Chicago 7 Trial”
The soul-jazz record has a long history, and on his second Palmetto disc, tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson provides a randomly ordered survey of the style. … Read More “Javon Jackson: Have You Heard”
Lean, loose-limbed and deceptively powerful, the Khan Jamal Quintet recalls the sound of New York City in the early ’80s, particularly in those clubs like … Read More “Khan Jamal Quintet: Black Awareness”
For most of the early ’70s, Roy Ayers’ Ubiquity made state-of-the-art jazz-funk. The cool, mellow grooves were in stark contrast to the more aggressive fusions … Read More “Roy Ayers: Virgin Ubiquity”
In the opening seconds of Dreamtales (Adventure), the new recording by vocalist Claudia Villela and pianist Kenny Werner, she’s heard saying, “Let’s go for it.” … Read More “Hearsay: Claudia Villela”
