New & Noteworthy

August 2007

by Glenn Astarita
August 29, 2007

Antonio SanchezMigrationCam Jazz2007

Drummer Antonio Sanchez lets his hair down on this vibrant modern jazz outing with guests pianist Chick Corea and guitarist Pat Metheny. The twin saxophone attack of Chris Potter and David Sanchez (no relation) enhances the band's bravura, especially on Joe Henderson's classic “Inner Urge, given a snappy and complex reading. The drummer smothers his kit with crisp break-outs and polyrhythmic flurries on some of his own pieces plus tunes by ...

July 2007

by Glenn Astarita
August 4, 2007

Daniel SmithThe Swingin' BassoonGuild Music2007

Bassoonist Daniel Smith switch hits from classical to swing to hard bop on this rewarding studio set. Other than some choice solos by pianist Martin Bejerano, the quartet stays in the background, providing support to Smith's amazingly fluid lines, which shine forth through a set of jazz standards. You can just imagine saxophonist Charlie Parker on bassoon during the band's take on “Scrapple From The Apple. Here ...

June 2007

by Glenn Astarita
June 23, 2007

Kiko LoureiroUniverso InversoIndependent2007

Brazilian jazz-fusion guitarist Kiko Loureiro's scorching, plugged-in guitar licks create a compelling contrast here with Yaniel Matos' acoustic piano work. Loureiro is a precocious young chops-meister who favors climax-driven solos colored by sustain and distortion effects--plus an occasional nod towards Allan Holdsworth during some of the more legato-based passages. Less frenetic than some of his American peers, Loureiro's clean licks and advanced grasp of dynamics offer a knockout blow. ...

May 2007

by Glenn Astarita
May 20, 2007

Adam Lane/Ken Vandermark/Magnus Broo/Paal Nilssen-Love4 CornersClean Feed2007

Here's an early contender for my 2007 best-of list, in which Adam Lane continues his progress towards the top echelon of modern jazz bassists/improvisers. The band combines turbo-mode power and semi-structured pieces--and rattles the senses. At times, Lane amps up his double bass and the quartet's blistering, groove-oriented persona glows in mottled fashion. Lane and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love's dual polyrhythmic attack creates a massive but pliant undercurrent ...

April 2007

by Glenn Astarita
April 18, 2007

DimliteThis Is EmbracingSonar Kollektiv2006

Dimitri Grimm (Dimlite) revs up a party atmosphere with synth-based layers, quirky noises and quaint melodies on this his third release. Vocalists are featured on some tracks, and trippy textures are coupled with old fashioned space-rock. However, Grimm's solid beats include a modern upgrade. On “Hungeryears & Advanced Communication, he stirs the pot with madcap background banter, and elsewhere adds urban rap to the mix. But Grimm varies the sound ...

March 2007

by Glenn Astarita
March 21, 2007

Age Of NemesisTerra IncognitaMagna Carta2006

This Hungarian progressive-metal band excels in the composition department. There's a plot which involves a girl who connects with an angel to visit the afterlife, and the album's overall theme mines the phantasmagorical seam so often favoured by prog-metal outfits. That aside, the quintet conveys a flair for dynamics. Herculean crunch chords convey a feeling of triumph, before segueing into melodically-tinged choruses--it's a massive wall of sound, full of ...

February 2007

by Glenn Astarita
February 14, 2007

John Carter/Bobby Bradford QuartetSeekingHatology2006

Recorded in Los Angeles back in 1969, this reissue is good enough to be classified as desert-island fare. Originally part of the co-operative New Art Jazz Ensemble, the late multi-woodwind musician/composer John Carter and trumpeter Bobby Bradford present a hip and ultra-modern vision of West Coast jazz. It's timeless, progressive music that holds its weight in glistening, up-tempo style nearly four decades after the fact. The horn players engage in ...

January 2007

by Glenn Astarita
January 12, 2007

Walter BeasleyReady For LoveHeads Up2006

Saxophonist/composer Walter Beasley is one of the real superstars of contemporary or smooth jazz. With several producers and a tight accompanying ensemble, he offers sounds of romance and in-the-pocket grooves. As an alto and soprano technician, Beasley sports a sweet-toned and silky-smooth delivery atop savory synth treatments spiced with funk and soul. He rekindles memories of classic Motown with soothing vocals heard on “Miss You, and glides through softly ...

December 2006

by Glenn Astarita
December 14, 2006

Richard Pinhas Metatron Cuneiform 2006French guitarist and electronics wiz Richard Pinhas' soars to lofty heights on his latest album, a double-disc fiesta. He sports a blazingly fuzzed-out sound, marked by scorching single note runs and inventive sound manipulation and distortion. Pulsating, asymmetrical rhythms play a key role in the music too. Pinhas and his band-mates inject rich chemistry into their space-rock loops, with sweeping violins and other laptop-basd effects. As an added ...

November 2006

by Glenn Astarita
November 3, 2006

Joan SanmartiScandal?Satchmo Jazz2006

Veteran Spanish jazz guitarist Joan Sanmarti and his quintet venture towards classic, hard-bop, swing and excursions into the free zone during this rather jaunty session. With Frederic Carlquist and Victor de Diego providing a dual-core saxophone attack, the leader's fluent lines and solid compositional acumen intimate arching angles and elements of suspense. Sanmarti chooses his notes wisely amid a sequence of briskly articulated single note flurries and intricate progressions. On “Block ...