Jazz Articles

Andy Snitzer: Traveler

by Jeff Winbush
June 22, 2011

Even without uttering a single word, music can convey many moods, and Traveler, Andy Snitzer's first album in a decade, finds the saxophonist in a reflective mood. The degree of restraint and reserve in Snitzer's playing runs counter to many of his contemporaries, where loud and long soloing is standard operating procedure.If overplaying can be excessive, underplaying is not always a virtue. Snitzer occasionally takes a few moments in the spotlight, but opts to be one of the ...

East West Quintet: Vast

by Lyn Horton
September 1, 2009

Apparent in the Brooklyn-based East West Quintet's Vast is the way the music teeters between colors, tunes, dynamics, rhythms and abstractions. Varying degrees of crescendos and decrescendos transform the mixtures of melodic temperament from peaceful to anthem-like, from quickly paced to mellifluously slow. That the band members play a multiplicity of different instruments is crucial; they take turns weaving solos throughout the pieces to grow textures that have highs, lows and indisputable middle ground. Except for trumpeter Phil Rodriguez, featured ...

East West Quintet: Vast

by Glenn Astarita
June 25, 2009

Enthusiastic youth coupled with solid musicianship and strong compositions offer the winning edge by this Brooklyn, New York-based ensemble that started in 2003 as a bop unit inspired by Cannonball Adderley. Time marches on and now this quintet delves into that opaque line that teeters between jazz-rock and jazz-fusion. Recorded to two-inch tape, the band projects a massive wall of sound, especially during the driving and rhythmically forceful pieces. It's a judicious representation of the artists' distinct stylizations that casts ...

Josh Nelson: Let It Go

by Jakob Baekgaard
December 9, 2007

A man is standing in the middle of the city while the traffic passes by. Eyes half closed. Tie blowing in the air. Later there's a change of scene. The man is now inside an apartment and he is standing in front of a window. Eyes totally closed.

The man is the young jazz pianist and composer Josh Nelson and the scenes described are the cover photographs for his debut, Let It Go.

Andy Snitzer: Some Quiet Place

by Jeff Winbush
September 29, 2006

The art of listening to music depends as much upon when you listen to it as what type of music you hear. Sitting in a church while the choir sings is probably not the best time to expect to hear Metallica's “Enter Sandman" or Gwen Stefani's “Hollaback Girl," to name two examples from popular music. However, Sunday morning is the perfect time to listen to saxophonist Andy Snitzer's Some Quiet Place. The album was originally released in 1999 but is ...

Adam Niewood: Introducing Adam Niewood

by Mark F. Turner
June 16, 2006

Though Adam Niewood's 2004 debut recording may have been late in coming, it showcases the immense voice of this little-known but rising musician. The New York saxophonist is the son of musical parents, jazz saxophonist Gerry Niewood and classical pianist Gurly Niewood. But he may be better known for his expertise as a woodwind mouthpiece refinisher, restoring the life of worn and battered mouthpieces to rejuvenated quality. That craftsmanship and attention to detail is also evident in ...

Turning Point: Matador

by Woodrow Wilkins
November 3, 2005

Turning Point is a small group with a big sound. By throwing in a little funk, a little salsa, and lots of sizzle on Matador, this quartet, assisted by two guest musicians, blends a variety of cultures in creating its own brand of rock-jazz.

One of the nice things about a group like this is that its music can fit into a variety of genres--rock, R&B, smooth jazz, or fusion. Naturally, these players have opened for a diverse array of ...

Sara Gazarek: Yours

by Woodrow Wilkins
October 28, 2005

It's commonplace for young vocalists to do an album of standards when debuting on the jazz scene. What sets them apart is how they present these songs, which have been done many times over by both veterans and newcomers. Some who have succeeded are Jane Monheit, Michael Bublé, and Renee Olstead. Sara Gazarek, 23, has joined their ranks. Early indications are she will succeed--provided she doesn't just do covers, but present them in a way that sets her apart from ...

Turning Point: Matador

by John Kelman
August 12, 2005

While smooth jazz has evolved into a kind of horrifying “S word for a lot of jazz fans, it grew out of a kind of contemporary post-fusion sensibility that, at least in its earliest days, still valued strong playing and enough diversity to keep things interesting. Matador--Phoenix-based Turning Point's sixth release and first for the Native Language imprint--harkens back to a time when it was more than programmed grooves and saccharine solos, when groups like the Crusaders and guitarists like ...

Jeff Kashiwa: Peace Of Mind

by Mark Sabbatini
September 4, 2004

Somebody's missing the point here. I'm almost hoping it's me.

There's clearly a decent market for albums like Peace Of Mind, the fifth solo album by former Rippingtons saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa, since so many of these smooth jazz soundalikes are occupying bin space at music stores. And a small part of me was rooting for this to stand out in the crowd, largely because he's one of a relative handful of players who dabbles at times with a ...