Tom Terrell

Ever since the Buena Vista Social Club won that Grammy, all kindsa folk have been fiendin’ for any CD that says “Recorded in Havana” on … Read More “Deep Rumba: A Calm In the Fire of Dances”

“Dad, are you in the Mafia?” “There’s no such thing as the Mafia.” -dialogue from HBO series The Sopranos. The other day whilst scarfing slices … Read More “Joey DeFrancesco: Joey DeFrancesco’s Goodfellas”

Back in the day when Mario Bauz, Chico O’Farrill and Dizzy were striving to link up Afro Cuban son ‘n’ clave with Afro American swing … Read More “Ray Barretto and New World Spirit plus 4: Portraits in Jazz and Clave”

In the David Sanborn-Art Porter era, contemporary jazz was on; in 1999, the stuff is stale. The difference? Those cats had played all the music … Read More “Kenny Garrett: Simply Said”

Jazz people have always slept on Charles Lloyd’s tenor saxophone/composing skills. Back in the late ’60s, the Charles Lloyd Quartet (Keith Jarrett, piano; Cecil McBee/Ron … Read More “Charles Lloyd: Just Before Sunrise”

Since he blew up back in ’84 with the Harper Brothers Quintet, great things have been expected of tenor saxophonist Don Braden. Further stints with … Read More “Don Braden: The Fire Within”

The problem with hype is that it raises your expectations too damn high. Take Cuban pianist/composer Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Big-upped by Charlie Haden, world tours, five-star … Read More “Gonzalo Rubalcaba Cuban Quartet: Antiguo”

Waaay back in the late ’60s-early ’70s, vocalist Leon Thomas was The Man, forging new inroads for jazz singers. A bluesy baritone straight outta Joe … Read More “Leon Thomas: Anthology”

For some eight years, organ power trio Medeski, Martin & Wood have made jazz-based music virtually undetected by the jazz police’s radar. It’s not hard … Read More “Medeski, Martin and Wood: Combustication”

When Herbie Hancock’s cyberspatial voyaging Sextant fell to an ungrateful earth in early ’73, he immediately put together the five-piece Headhunters band. A radical departure … Read More “The Headhunters: Return of The Headhunters”

Downtown guitarist Marc Ribot is a veritable shape-shifting sculptor of wild electrified sonics. Madly skilled in the Hendrixian arts of feedback, wack tunings, exotic scales … Read More “Marc Ribot: Shrek”

In today’s crowded field of jazz singers, Dianne Reeves is an anomaly. More of a throwback to the glory days of Dakota Staton and Terri … Read More “Dianne Reeves: That Day”

It’s hard to believe, but Ray Charles has been around for some 50 years. So ubiquitous that he’s positively ethereal, he’s been the stealth gene … Read More “Ray Charles: Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection”

Slide trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis is that rare thing-a record producer who is also a first-class player and composer. Since the mid-’80s, Berklee grad Marsalis has … Read More “Delfeayo Marsalis: Musashi”

From his early ’80s work/study tenure in the Howard University Jazz Orchestra (bandmates: Geri Allen, Wallace Roney, Steve Coleman) to his mid-’80s progressions with Brooklyn’s … Read More “Greg Osby: Further Ado”

Since the halycon days of the cool school, the West Coast jazz has been devalued musical currency. Of course, subscribing to this “truth” means leaving … Read More “B-Sharp Quintet: Tha Go ‘Round”

Way back in the late ’60s to mid-’70s, the jazz world was divided into roughly three groups: neo-traditionalist/mainstreamers, jazz-funk/rock/soul fusioners and “free” jazz acolytes. Of … Read More “Frank Lowe Trio: Vision Blue”

No question, drummer Billy Higgins is a legend. A telepathically mercurial time shifter/keeper with the ability to sweetly swing, Higgins has for over three decades … Read More “Billy Higgins: Billy Higgins Quintet”

Drummer William Hooker is a lifelong iconoclast. From the late-’70s N.Y.C. loft scene jams to his ’90s collaborations with Billy Bang, Zeena Parkins and Sonic … Read More “William Hooker: Mindfulness”

No question, Miles Davis is one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. For over decades, from his birthing of “cool” jazz through his … Read More “Miles Davis: Black Beauty: Miles Davis At Fillmore West”

Forget the media blitz, the MTV/ET hoopla, the slavishly belated critical affirmation and remember what my Pops always told me: Tony Bennett is one of … Read More “Tony Bennett: Tony Bennett On Holiday”

British trumpeter/composer Kenny Wheeler is that musical anomaly-a working musician with over seven albums for a major label (ECM) who is virtually unknown to the … Read More “Kenny Wheeler: Angel Song”

If jazz be poetry, then a jazz band led by a drummer can be a slammin’ haiku. On his latest CD True Or False, rhythm … Read More “Roy Haynes: True Or False”

The blessed resurrection of vocalist supremo Jimmy Scott continues with his newest recording, Heaven. One look at Scott’s mystical, King Ramses II/Elijah Muhammad-like visage on … Read More “Jimmy Scott: Heaven”

There are a whole lotta musicians who would kill for a resumé like that of peripatetic drummer Ginger Baker: member of Cream and Blind Faith, … Read More “Ginger Baker: Falling off the Roof”

As far as tribute recordings go, the Beatles are a no-brainer. Arguably the most covered band in pop music history, the Beatles have been extolled … Read More “Bob Belden Presents: Strawberry Fields”

Thank God for the CD boom. Not only are CDs the ideal sonic medium for jazz, but the by-product has been the re-emergence of long-out-of-print … Read More “John Jenkins and Kenny Burrell: John Jenkins with Kenny Burrell”