Mike Shanley has been a lifelong resident of Pittsburgh and gladly welcomes any visitors to the city, most likely with a cup of coffee in one hand. Over the years, he has written for several alternative weekly papers and played bass guitar in several indie rock bands. He currently writes for the bi-weekly paper Pittsburgh Current and maintains a blog at shanleyonmusic.blogspot.com.
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The songs on the second album by Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl feature improvisation, but as compositions they feel a great deal closer to art songs … Read More “Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl: Artlessly Falling (Firehouse 12)”
Billie Holiday’s Lady in Satin can provoke fierce debate. Some feel that Ray Ellis’ lush arrangements overdressed Holiday, whose voice was battered after years of … Read More “Ran Blake/Christine Correa: When Soft Rains Fall / Ran Blake/Frank Carlberg: Gray Moon (Red Piano)”
Alan Braufman settled into the New York loft scene when he moved to the city in 1973 with friends from the Berklee College of Music, … Read More “Alan Braufman: The Fire Still Burns (Valley of Search)”
In homage to Anthony Braxton, the collective of five New England Conservatory graduates called Tropos titled their debut release on Biophilia Records Axioms // 75ab. Besides … Read More “Tropos Explores the Limits of Composition”
Albums by Albert Ayler (Spiritual Unity, Spirits Rejoice) and Patty Waters (Sings, College Tour) are oft-referenced gatekeepers of the ESP-Disk’ aesthetic—you can read more about … Read More “Free Five: A Choice Quintet of ESP-Disk’ Releases”
The offices of ESP-Disk’ have moved many times over the years. A quick scan of the label’s 1960s album covers reveals the various addresses where … Read More “The History of ESP-Disk’”
Steve Cardenas’ spacious guitar sound was a key element in bands led by Paul Motian and Charlie Haden, in addition to his own albums as … Read More “Steve Cardenas: Blue Has a Range (Sunnyside)”
The Daily Biological is attributed to the Chad Taylor Trio, but the cover lists tenor saxophonist Brian Settles and pianist Neil Podgurski just beneath the … Read More “Chad Taylor Trio: The Daily Biological (Cuneiform)”
Matthew Shipp turns 60 in December, and albums—as a solo performer, leader, and sideman (with the late David S. Ware’s quartet, most notably)—have documented his … Read More “Matthew Shipp: The Piano Equation (Tao Forms)”
One summer morning when Anne Mette Iversen was out for a morning jog, she wound up in a race with a butterfly that was alternately … Read More “Anne Mette Iversen Quartet +1: Racing a Butterfly (Brooklyn Jazz Underground)”
As hard as it may be to realize that Harold Mabern is no longer walking—and playing—among us, there’s a good chance that the late pianist … Read More “Harold Mabern: Mabern Plays Mabern (Smoke Sessions)”
The strong rapport between pianist Kenny Barron and bassist Dave Holland can be felt all the way through Without Deception. Much like their previous collaboration, … Read More “Kenny Barron/Dave Holland Trio featuring Johnathan Blake: Without Deception (Dare2)”
To hear Dave Brubeck explain it, Columbia Records wasn’t too keen on releasing Time Out, his 1959 album. After several albums for the label, the … Read More “Philip Clark: Dave Brubeck: A Life in Time (Da Capo)”
Peter Brötzmann’s approach to the tenor saxophone and various other reeds doesn’t typically conjure the adjective “lyrical.” Of his many albums, though, 2003’s Never Too … Read More “Peter Brötzmann: I Surrender Dear (Trost)”
Although F4 Fake consists of just three tracks, the album feels like it contains at least twice that number of compositions due to the way … Read More “Made To Break: F4 Fake (Trost)”
Performances that pay homage to entire albums have become more common in recent times. Kind of Blue, A Love Supreme, and Freedom Suite aren’t the … Read More “Peter Lemer Quintet: Son of Local Colour (ESP-Disk’)”
The title track of Keratoconus hits the ground running. Named for a chronic eye disease from which leader/trombonist JC Sanford suffers, the 93-second piece combines … Read More “JC Sanford Quartet: Keratoconus (Shifting Paradigm)”
“We’re really going to be shaking things up,” Nicole Mitchell says. She is referring to the University of Pittsburgh’s Jazz Seminar and Concert, a 49-year … Read More “Change Comes to Pitt with Nicole Mitchell as New Jazz Chair”
Fred Rogers’ warm presence on television helped scores of viewers get hooked on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and learn valuable life lessons. But there were other … Read More “Johnny Costa: Johnny Costa Plays Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Jazz (Omnivore)”
Taylor Ho Bynum’s 2013 release Navigation consisted of four different versions of the album-length title composition. So it should come as no surprise that The … Read More “Taylor Ho Bynum 9-Tette: The Ambiguity Manifesto (Firehouse 12)”
It seems like a leap for a free improvisation group to call itself “psych-jazz,” especially when it involves Daniel Carter, a multi-instrumentalist known for wild … Read More “Telepathic Band: Electric Telepathy, Vol. 1 (577)”
Joe Fiedler wasn’t sure if he’d make it on Sesame Street. Not that he’s a resident on the kids’ show, practicing his trombone in an … Read More “The Sesame Street Songbook Gets Jazz Makeover on Open Sesame“
A quick perusal of song titles on Roxy Coss’ latest release might give the impression that she has created a concept album, beginning with “Don’t … Read More “Roxy Coss: Quintet (Outside In)”
Free improvisation reaches its apex when performers evoke the feeling of a composition. The music isn’t written in advance, but the players communicate in a … Read More “Brad Barrett/Joe Morris/Tyshawn Sorey: Cowboy Transfiguration (Fundacja Sluchaj)”
André Carvalho named The Garden of Earthly Delights after the Hieronymus Bosch painting of the same title, and the homage doesn’t end there. The intense … Read More “André Carvalho: The Garden of Earthly Delights (Outside In)”
Time Gone Out reveals how a 25-year musical friendship can inspire some involved musical conversations. Pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and violinist Mark Feldman first crossed paths … Read More “Sylvie Courvoisier/Mark Feldman: Time Gone Out (Intakt)”
Though she has a longstanding relationship with the Brooklyn Jazz Underground Ensemble and its imprint, Danish bassist Anne Mette Iversen has resided in Berlin since … Read More “Anne Mette Iversen: Invincible Nimbus (Brooklyn Jazz Underground)”
Steve Haines’ goal with his latest release was to wrap an orchestra around vocalist Becca Stevens and soprano saxophonist Chad Eby “like a warm blanket.” … Read More “Steve Haines and the Third Floor Orchestra: Steve Haines and the Third Floor Orchestra (Justin Time)”
When guitarist Jon Lundbom recalls what has fired his imagination, he frequently talks about music that “blew my mind.” Three specific examples have inspired the … Read More “Bouncy and Free Coexist in Jon Lundbom’s Big Five Chord”
An album devoted to the music of John Coltrane, by nature, comes with high expectations. A simple homage to the tenor saxophonist doesn’t necessarily add … Read More “Teodross Avery: After the Rain: A Night for Coltrane (Tompkins Square)”
