Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe was the title of a 1969 Albert Ayler recording, and more than 50 years later, bassist and vocalist … Read More “Esperanza Spalding: Songwrights Apothecary Lab (Concord Jazz)”
Though Sheila Jordan’s reputation has never flagged—at 92, she’s long been venerated as a singer’s singer—the general consensus is that her best record is her … Read More “Sheila Jordan: Comes Love: Lost Session 1960 (Capri)”
Since her 2017 debut A Social Call, Jazzmeia Horn—like her fellow Dallas native Erykah Badu—has plumbed the art of vocalizing in a manner suggesting a gold … Read More “Jazzmeia Horn and Her Noble Force: Dear Love (Empress Legacy)”
Carrying a chill that could freeze a martini glass and a clipped elegance worthy of Noël Coward in a leather bar, Patricia Barber’s unique voice—and … Read More “Patricia Barber: Clique (Impex)”
Capturing the true spirit of singer, pianist, and activist Nina Simone is no easy feat, given that she was known for constantly moving boundaries both … Read More “Ledisi: Ledisi Sings Nina (Listen Back)”
Some artists attempt to obfuscate their influences, or pretend they exist in a vacuum. Not Samara Joy. The 21-year-old jazz singer freely admits she’s the … Read More “Samara Joy: Samara Joy (Whirlwind)”
God bless Roy Nathanson. At 70, the saxophonist/poet has become the de facto representative of all that oddball jazz can offer via his work as a Lounge … Read More “Nick Hakim & Roy Nathanson: Small Things (NYXO)”
Bill Kwan flew through medical school at USC, hung out a shingle as a dermatologist, then decided in middle age to go for broke, for … Read More “Bill Kwan: No Ordinary Love: The Music of Sade (Ikeda)”
On her third recording, composer, poet, and vocalist Lara Solnicki continues to map new intersections for literature and improvised music. The classically trained Toronto native works … Read More “Lara Solnicki: The One and the Other (Outside In)”
In recent years, much has been made of the steady migration of aging pop and rock stars toward jazzier pastures, with continual raids (and more … Read More “Sachal: Slow Motion Miracles”
