Jazz Articles

Janiece Jaffe: It Takes Two / Heart's Desire

by Jack Bowers
April 2, 2003

These two CDs by bright-eyed, Indiana-based songstress Janiece Jaffe were hand-delivered to me by the artist herself during a between-sessions break at the 31st conference of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) last January in Toronto. The earlier of the two, It Takes Two, dating from 1996, pairs Jaffe with bassist Tom Hildreth (eight tracks) or guitarist Marcos Cavalcante (six). Heart’s Desire, recorded in 2001-02, finds her in the company of pianist Simon Rowe, bassist John Huber and drummer ...

Luqman Hamza: When A Smile Overtakes A Frown

by Dave Nathan
October 1, 2000

Indiana's Catalyst Productions continues to provide the platform for talented but well hidden Midwest jazz artists who seem to have fallen between the recording cracks. Now comes Luqman Hamza, long time Kansas City resident and well-known piano/vocalist (in local circles), with a distinguished recorded outing. Hamza is not new to this game by any means. At the age of 19, he was sitting in with Charlie Parker and at the ripe old age of 21, played with Miles Davis. He ...

Jeanne Trevor: Love You Madly

by Dave Nathan
October 1, 2000

Jeanne Trevor has been a fixture in St. Louis entertainment and community service arenas for almost 40 years. After all those years, the Catalyst label has provided the chance to make her own album. Nowhere does that well worn phrase, “it's about time" have more meaning than here. Ms Trevor has all the vocal tools and she knows how to use them. Her refreshing use of wordless vocalizing as she moves back and forth between regular “words" and scat in ...

Janiece Jaffe: It Takes Two

by Dave Nathan
October 1, 2000

For her second album as a leader, Indiana denizen Janiece Jaffe is accompanied by just guitar and bass, each separately. Guitarist Marcos Cavalcante is on the first six cuts, while bassist Tom Hildreth holds fort on the rest. Jaffe is in good company with this approach. Sheila Jordan recorded with just bass players Arild Andersen and Harvie Swartz behind her. More recently, Chicago songstress Jackie Allen has recorded an excellent voice/bass duet album with bassist Hans Sturm. On the guitar/voice ...

Willie Akins: Alima

by Dave Nathan
October 1, 2000

A well kept secret for over 40 years, Willie Akins cut his jazz teeth in New York playing with such jazz giants as Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane at Mintons and Small's Paradise. Working out of St. Louis for the last several years, the Catalyst label has given Mr. Akins his first crack at an album of his own and he takes full advantage of it. The lessons learned during his 40 years are evident as he and his regular ...

Luqman Hamza: When A Smile Overtakes A Frown

by Jim Santella
August 1, 2000

Kansas City singer Luqman Hamza hasn’t gotten much recognition around the world. Not yet. Accurate, articulate, pleasant-sounding, and a natural phraser, he communicates with his audience. Also a fine pianist, Hamza takes the piano chair on four tracks. The straight-ahead jazz session includes solos and fours from guitar, sax, piano & drums in support of the singer’s performance. Born in Kansas City as Larry Cummings, Hamza sat in with Charlie Parker when he was 19. Two years later, he performed ...

Willie Akins Quartet: Alima

by Mike Neely
August 1, 2000

Saxophonist Willie Akins and his quartet play straight ahead jazz with plenty of heart. Their Alima is a satisfying performance by a group of musicians who display a chemistry that could only arise out of the mutual respect of attentive listening.

Akins plays a warm tenor, at times reminiscent of Hank Mobley and early John Coltrane. Drummer Montez Coleman is a shaker and mover in this band, his playing sometimes taking the form of an upbeat dialog with Akins. He ...