John Ellis: Words and Tones
On Valentine’s Day weekend in Manhattan, a few weeks before the rampant spread of COVID-19 squashed the pleasure quotient of macabre entertainment, the Jazz Gallery … Read More “John Ellis: Words and Tones”
Ted Panken
Ted Panken writes extensively about jazz and creative music for various publications, and programmed jazz and creative music on WKCR-FM in New York City from 1985 through 2008. He won the 2007 ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for his article “Smalls Universe,” published by DownBeat, and earned the Jazz Journalists’ Association 2016 Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Journalism award. His blog, Today Is The Question, contains over 260 of his articles and verbatim interviews.
Ted Panken on social media
Overdue Ovation: Hank Roberts Is Back in the Game
Cellist Hank Roberts’ recent Newvelle Records release, Congeries of Ethereal Phenomena, his tenth as a leader, springs from his decision in the summer of 2015—after the … Read More “Overdue Ovation: Hank Roberts Is Back in the Game”
Artistry, Inc.: Jazzmeia Horn’s Personal Creativity Corporation
That the modifier “rising” should no longer be applied to “star” when describing the remarkable vocalist Jazzmeia Horn is apparent throughout her sophomore release, Love … Read More “Artistry, Inc.: Jazzmeia Horn’s Personal Creativity Corporation”
Theo Croker Steps Out
Midway through June, trumpeter Theo Croker worked four nights at Manhattan’s Jazz Standard behind Star People Nation, his third release on DDB, Dee Dee Bridgewater’s Sony-licensed … Read More “Theo Croker Steps Out”
Lionel Loueke’s Winding Journey
In early October, just after concluding two concerts in Kuwait City with Herbie Hancock and two weeks before embarking on a month of European one-nighters … Read More “Lionel Loueke’s Winding Journey“
Michael Mwenso & the Shakes
On Sept. 30 at the New York Hot Jazz Festival, Michael Mwenso & the Shakes presented The Joint Is Jumpin’, a Fats Waller revue the … Read More “Michael Mwenso & the Shakes”
Walter Smith III: Playing It Straight
Walter Smith III’s fifth recording as a leader, TWIO (Whirlwind), is a nine-tune date featuring drummer Eric Harland, four tracks apiece with bassists Christian McBride … Read More “Walter Smith III: Playing It Straight”
Mike Clark: The Double-Edged Sword Called Funk
It is both a blessing and a curse to drum master Mike Clark that his fan base remains interested in the contributions he made to … Read More “Mike Clark: The Double-Edged Sword Called Funk”
Message to Our Folks: The Art Ensemble of Chicago by Paul Steinbeck
With its multifaceted radicalism, the Art Ensemble of Chicago occupies a singular niche in the American music timeline. That creative audacity could be found in … Read More “Message to Our Folks: The Art Ensemble of Chicago by Paul Steinbeck”
The Ballad of Roxy Coss
After playing the second tune at her CD-release party in early April, at Smalls in the West Village, Roxy Coss put her tenor saxophone down. … Read More “The Ballad of Roxy Coss”
Overdue Ovation: John Lindberg
The booklet for Born in an Urban Ruin, the more recently recorded of John Lindberg’s two concurrent, self-produced releases on Clean Feed, includes a photo … Read More “Overdue Ovation: John Lindberg”
An Overdue Ovation for Carl Allen
Back with a vengeance, though he hardly left
An Overdue Ovation for Dave Stryker
Lessons from Mister T & Mr. McDuff
Overdue Ovation for George Lewis
An artistic academic, a soulful technologist
Overdue Ovation for George Cables
Owner of an identity, with hints of Herbie
Overdue Ovation for Ray Anderson
Absolute resolve, in life & art
Joel Harrison: Work & Progress
“I believe that my music is an American story”
Overdue Ovation for Curtis Fowlkes
Jazz Passenger, genre-hopping journeyman
Michael Blake Captures the Old-School Tenor-Sax Spirit
“Let the good stuff happen”
Arrows Into Infinity: The New Charles Lloyd Documentary Reviewed
His life, music and philosophies
Guitarist Diego Barber: The Running Man
Drawing inspiration from a hobby and bridging the classical-jazz gap
Clifford Jordan: The Complete Clifford Jordan Strata-East Sessions
Tenor saxophone grandmaster Clifford Jordan, who produced the seven dates that comprise The Complete Clifford Jordan Strata-East Sessions (Mosaic), performs on only three of the … Read More “Clifford Jordan: The Complete Clifford Jordan Strata-East Sessions”
Alex Sipiagin: Going for It 100 Percent
A Russian-born trumpeter steps out with three recent albums
The Amazing Bud Powell: Black Genius, Jazz History, and the Challenge of Bebop by Guthrie P. Ramsey Jr.
In his introduction to The Amazing Bud Powell: Black Genius, Jazz History, and the Challenge of Bebop, Guthrie P. Ramsey Jr. states that it is … Read More “The Amazing Bud Powell: Black Genius, Jazz History, and the Challenge of Bebop by Guthrie P. Ramsey Jr.”
Earl Hines: Classic Earl Hines Sessions 1928-1945
Mosaic’s Classic Earl Hines Sessions: 1928-1945 begins with four solo performances-“Caution Blues,” “A Monday Date,” “I Ain’t Got Nobody” and “57 Varieties”-that set the template … Read More “Earl Hines: Classic Earl Hines Sessions 1928-1945”
Brooklyn’s ShapeShifter Lab
How an artist-run performance space remains intimate while expanding
Billy Martin: Beyond MMW
The celebrated drummer unleashes his artistic vision via several new projects
Overdue Ovation: Doug Hammond
A little-known lodestar
Cassandra Wilson: Country Strong
The beloved vocalist steps out of her comfort zone
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band at 35
Bringing the real NOLA funk