Thomas Conrad has a BA from the University of Utah and an MA from the University of Iowa (where he attended the Writers Workshop). He taught English at Central State University in Ohio, then left the academic world for the private sector. His affiliation with publications such as JazzTimes, Stereophile, The New York City Jazz Record and DownBeat has enabled him to sustain active involvement in two of his passions: music and writing.
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Jazz people and baseball fans have something in common. Both love a hot rookie who blows into town and lights up the league. Enter Cyrus … Read More “Cyrus Nabipoor: Live at the Marigny Opera House (Nabipoor)”
Sixty years ago, “third stream” music was supposed to be the next big thing in jazz. At the time, Gunther Schuller defined it as “a … Read More “Anja Lechner/François Couturier: Lontano (ECM)”
Sometimes the vitality of an art form is demonstrated not by “big” records from major figures, but by unassuming projects from people you don’t know—yet. … Read More “Ben Rosenblum Nebula Project: Kites and Strings (One Trick Dog)”
There’s a new wave of vibraphonists making noise these days. Warren Wolf, the virtuoso who came first, has been followed by fresh thinkers like Joel … Read More “Simon Moullier: Spirit Song (Outside In)”
Matt Moran says he remembers “like it was yesterday” the moment that changed his life. “It happened when I was in high school in Connecticut. … Read More “Music Means Human Connection For Matt Moran”
Christian McBride’s first two big-band albums won Grammys. The new one is grounded in specific history. Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery recorded two LPs in … Read More “Christian McBride Big Band: For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver (Mack Avenue)”
With an archival jazz release, you need the backstory. The Real to Reel label is diligent about backstories. In 1987, Neil Swainson, a first-call bassist … Read More “Neil Swainson Quintet: 49th Parallel (Real to Reel)”
Adam Kolker’s albums on the Sunnyside label, now up to four, constitute one of the great stealth saxophone discographies of new-millennium jazz. What makes Kolker … Read More “Adam Kolker: Lost (Sunnyside)”
As this review is being written, the streets of America are teeming with people of all races protesting the police killings of George Floyd and … Read More “Immanuel Wilkins: Omega (Blue Note)”
I first noticed Alexa Tarantino at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy in 2012. Ryan Truesdell had brought 26 students from the Eastman School … Read More “Alexa Tarantino: Clarity (Posi-Tone)”
If you have not heard Gerald Clayton live, especially if you have not heard him live with Charles Lloyd, you may wonder what all the … Read More “Gerald Clayton: Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard (Blue Note)”
Marcin Wasilewski, Slawomir Kurkiewicz, and Michal Miskiewicz first got noticed in 2002, when they debuted as Tomasz Stanko’s rhythm section on his ECM album Soul … Read More “Marcin Wasilewski Trio/Joe Lovano: Arctic Riff (ECM)”
Francesco Diodati is not your typical guitar-slinger. That much was clear when the Italian plectrist joined trumpeter Enrico Rava’s high-profile quartet and appeared on Rava’s … Read More “Francesco Diodati Thinks Beyond His Guitar”
Verneri Pohjola of Finland is a well-kept secret in the United States, but he is one of the most creative trumpet players in jazz. At … Read More “Verneri Pohjola: The Dead Don’t Dream (Edition)”
Omer Avital has been called the “Israeli Mingus,” and it fits. He is a prodigious bassist, a creative composer and a proactive bandleader who has … Read More “Omer Avital Qantar: New York Paradox (Zamzama/jazz&people)”
Amina Figarova’s 14 albums (beginning in 1995) constitute one of the richest bodies of work by any jazz composer in the new millennium. Her career … Read More “Amina Figarova Edition 113: Persistence (AmFi)”
Manfred Eicher of ECM is known for discovering pianists, but he finds saxophonists too. In 2017 it was Maciej Obara from Poland, with Unloved, followed … Read More “Oded Tzur: Here Be Dragons (ECM)”
For trombone enthusiasts, the second decade of the new millennium has been a rich period. The list of emerging badasses includes Gianluca Petrella, Michael Dease, … Read More “Nick Finzer: Cast of Characters (Outside In)”
One trait of avant-garde jazz is that it often dispenses with niceties and throws you right into a shitstorm. On “Wildfire,” the first track here, … Read More “Gordon Grdina: Nomad Trio (Skirl)”
Orvieto, in the dead center of the Italian peninsula, is a perfect oval hill town right out of central casting, perched majestically 1,000 feet above … Read More “Live Review: Umbria Jazz Winter #27”
In the 1960s a weekly radio show hosted by Jim Wilke was broadcast live from the Penthouse jazz club in Seattle, Washington. Over 200 performances … Read More “Johnny Griffin/Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis Quintet: OW! Live at the Penthouse (Reel to Real)”
