Immanuel Wilkins: Omega (Blue Note)
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)”
Thomas Conrad
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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Alexa Tarantino: Clarity (Posi-Tone)
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)”
Gerald Clayton: Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard (Blue Note)
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 Trio/Joe Lovano: Arctic Riff (ECM)
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 Thinks Beyond His Guitar
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: The Dead Don’t Dream (Edition)
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 Qantar: New York Paradox (Zamzama/jazz&people)
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 Edition 113: Persistence (AmFi)
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)”
Oded Tzur: Here Be Dragons (ECM)
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)”
Nick Finzer: Cast of Characters (Outside In)
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)”
Gordon Grdina: Nomad Trio (Skirl)
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)”
Live Review: Umbria Jazz Winter #27
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”
Johnny Griffin/Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis Quintet: OW! Live at the Penthouse (Reel to Real)
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)”
Live Review: 2019 Belgrade Jazz Festival (VIDEO)
When you think of the great autumn jazz festivals of Europe, cities like London, Berlin, and perhaps Milan come to mind. You don’t necessarily think … Read More “Live Review: 2019 Belgrade Jazz Festival (VIDEO)”
Barney Wilen Quartet: Live in Tokyo ’91 (Elemental)
If you are American and you know the name Barney Wilen, it is probably from two recordings of film music. When he was 20, in … Read More “Barney Wilen Quartet: Live in Tokyo ’91 (Elemental)”
Franco Ambrosetti Quintet: Long Waves (Unit)
How’s this for a jazz bio: For almost 60 years Franco Ambrosetti has been an active, respected trumpet player on the European scene. For 30 … Read More “Franco Ambrosetti Quintet: Long Waves (Unit)”
Giovanni Guidi: ‘There for the Rest of Your Life’
The most competitive instrument in jazz is piano. It is not easy for new jazz pianists to get on the radar in the United States. … Read More “Giovanni Guidi: ‘There for the Rest of Your Life’”
Avishai Cohen/Yonathan Avishai: Playing the Room (ECM)
In the 2019 DownBeat Critics Poll, Avishai Cohen did not make the top 20 on his instrument. Yet very few living trumpet players have made … Read More “Avishai Cohen/Yonathan Avishai: Playing the Room (ECM)”
John Coltrane: Blue World (Impulse!)
Our brave new digital world has laid waste to the market for physical music media, but a few niche categories are still viable. One is … Read More “John Coltrane: Blue World (Impulse!)”
Paul Jost Sings His Life
The first time you hear Paul Jost’s new album Simple Life you think, “Who is this guy?” He sings with quirky phrasing. He sometimes talks and often … Read More “Paul Jost Sings His Life“
Live Review: 46th Umbria Jazz Festival
When you have made many trips to Perugia, Italy for the Umbria Jazz Festival, you never get a sense of which years are bigger than … Read More “Live Review: 46th Umbria Jazz Festival”
Andy LaVerne: Shangri-La (SteepleChase)
The previous recording in Andy LaVerne’s large SteepleChase discography (Faith, 2017) featured trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, bassist Mike Richmond, and drummer Jason Tiemann. This new album … Read More “Andy LaVerne: Shangri-La (SteepleChase)”
Peter Beets: Our Love Is Here to Stay: Gershwin Reimagined (MBJ)
Logically, the appearance of an album focused on George Gershwin tunes should surprise no one. But in our current jazz culture, which prioritizes original composition, … Read More “Peter Beets: Our Love Is Here to Stay: Gershwin Reimagined (MBJ)”
Mark Turner/Gary Foster: Mark Turner Meets Gary Foster (Capri)
The liner notes to this two-CD set do not explain how the meeting came about or why it took 16 years to release its results. … Read More “Mark Turner/Gary Foster: Mark Turner Meets Gary Foster (Capri)”
Linda May Han Oh: Aventurine (Biophilia)
Linda May Han Oh is the current buzz on bass, employed by people like Pat Metheny and Joe Lovano. Her own fifth album is her … Read More “Linda May Han Oh: Aventurine (Biophilia)”
Mark Dresser Seven: Ain’t Nothing But a Cyber Coup & You (Clean Feed)
The Mark Dresser Seven has now made two excellent records. The first was Sedimental You, in 2016, also on Clean Feed. A septet is a … Read More “Mark Dresser Seven: Ain’t Nothing But a Cyber Coup & You (Clean Feed)”
Eric Alexander: Leap of Faith (Giant Step Arts)
Eric Alexander is a master of hard-bop tenor saxophone whose work has been well documented on over 40 records as a leader. Leap of Faith … Read More “Eric Alexander: Leap of Faith (Giant Step Arts)”
Joris Teepe: In the Spirit of Rashied Ali (Jazztribes)
A new Dutch label, Jazztribes, has hit with a splash. Its inaugural release is no ordinary tribute album; the CD comes inside a beautiful 66-page … Read More “Joris Teepe: In the Spirit of Rashied Ali (Jazztribes)”
Tobias Meinhart: Berlin People (Sunnyside)
The Berlin connections here are various. The rhythm section (pianist Ludwig Hornung, bassist Tom Berkmann, drummer Mathias Ruppnig) lives there. The leader, tenor saxophonist Tobias … Read More “Tobias Meinhart: Berlin People (Sunnyside)”
Stephan Crump’s Rosetta Trio: Outliers (Papillon Sounds)
In a perfect world, critics would always hear a band live, playing music from their new record, right before sitting down with the record to … Read More “Stephan Crump’s Rosetta Trio: Outliers (Papillon Sounds)”