Ron Welburn

Normalology contains unrecorded music sopranoist Phillip Johnston composed in the ’80s for the Microscopic Septet. You may recall that band’s combination of good musical taste, … Read More “Phillip Johnston: Normalology”

Trumpeter Rob Blakeslee leads his Oregon-based band through a series of labyrinthine excursions on Last Minute Gifts. Rooted in freer forms of early ’60s jazz, … Read More “Rob Blakeslee Quartet: Last Minute Gifts”

On Throptics ESP Disk alumnus Greene stretches into the tongue-in-cheek: his craggy performance of “Mississippi Clarence” has two-fisted humor. “Tilo Akandita Brikama” is for Johnny … Read More “Burton Greene Trio: Throptics”

Lou Grassi performs the collectivist drummer’s dynamics and polyrhythms on Atmospheels, exploiting an energy school occasion with trombonist Swell’s trio that includes reedist Will Connell, … Read More “Steve Swell Trio: Atmospheels”

Bassist Little joins reedist Borgmann, drummer Denis Charles (one of his last recordings), and guest Peter Brotzmann for the two-part Stalker Songs, each part over … Read More “Thomas Borgmann Trio/Peter Brotzmann: Stalker Songs”

Moderate pacing typifies the Glenn Spearman-Dominic Duvall duets and the trio with Duvall, Joe McPhee and Jay Rosen. Spearman tried gravitating from the Frank Wright … Read More “Glenn Spearman/Dominic Duval: Working With the Elements”

Duvall shows on The Watermelon Suite just how big his skills are, executing simultaneous upper and bottom register arco work on the “Suite” and, in … Read More “Joe McPhee/Dominic Duval/Jay Rosen: The Watermelon Suite”

Tag debuts pianist Yuko Fujiyama, accompanied by cellist Tomas Ulrich and violinist Mark Feldman. Several pieces appear at least partly to have been scored and, … Read More “Yuko Fujiyama String Ensemble: Tag”

Tiny Bell Trio is an apt name for this collective of trumpeter Dave Douglas, guitarist Brad Schoeppach, and drummer-percussionist Jim Black. Their forte is less … Read More “Dave Douglas/Tiny Bell Trio: Live in Europe”

For Tight, producer Bob Porter and Hank Crawford decided on the expanded background offered by two trumpets, tenor and baritone. The relaxed settings for Crawford’s … Read More “Hank Crawford: Tight”