Jazz Journal

Sonny Rollins Sonny Please Doxy 2006

It often happens that, as an artist initiates his own record label, the business move is symbolic of an artistic rebirth. Sonny Rollins' Doxy debut is just such an album: the stalwart jazz icon plays his burly burnished saxophone with radiant authority while Clifford ...

Pat Metheny/Brad Mehldau Metheny Mehldau Nonesuch 2006

A true synergy of exceptional musicians, Metheny Mehldau scores by demonstrating how guitarist Pat Metheny and pianist Brad Mehldau complement each other. In much the same way as the disc's cover art depicts dark colors flowing into lighter ones, the brooding hues of ...

Bobby Previte The Coalition Of The Willing Ropeadope 2006

The jazz Renaissance man's latest project is a far cry from the more esoteric and inclusive concepts with which he's often involved. The straightforwrad simplicity that powers this high-powered instrumental rock compresses and concentrates the energy of the musicians. Each of ...

Gonzalo Rubalcaba Solo Blue Note 2006

The brilliant young Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba has followed his muse in many directions, and played in a variety of formats, during his career, and he's always especially successful in a context grounded in simplicity. Little surprise then that his new solo album ranks ...

Dexter Gordon Manhattan Symphonie Legacy 2005 (1978)

Perhaps the most ambitious of Gordon's work for Columbia(this edition including two tracks not released as part of the original lp) completed upon his return from Europe, this session was recorded with the same band that accompanied Dexter in person. Little wonder the ...

McCoy Tyner Counterpoints: Live in Tokyo Milestone 2004

Recorded in Japan in 1978 at the Live Under the Sky Festival, this title could quite conceivably go directly into the must-hear category of the great pianist's discography just by dint of his collaborators: bassist Ron Carter and the late Tony Williams ...

Miguel Zenón Jibaro Marsalis Music 2005

There's an understated intricacy at work here that is a pleasure to behold. A tension-release dynamic allows and insists the musicians work together to make the changes in the compositions, then play freely in turn. Each member of the ensemble shines in his own ...

Dave Holland Big Band Overtime Dare2 Records 2005

This jubilant, colorful jazz bodes well for the success of the great bassist's own label. What distinguishes this set is what made his quintet in recent years such a joy: well-structured compositions into which the musicians breath life through crisp exchanges and ...

Brad Mehldau Trio Anything Goes Warner Bros. and... Brad Mehldau Live in Tokyo Nonesuch

Recorded in just one day, the fluid interaction of the trio creates music out of their improvisations that is arguably as memorable as the selection of standards themselves.

On his own, the ...

Groundtruther Latitude (Thirsty Ear)

The first in a series of three editions to feature the Charlie Hunter/ Bobby Previte Previte duo with a special guest gets off to a rousing, atmospheric start, as Greg Osby's sax and flute weaves in and out of an intoxicating sonic mix. In a decidedly less electronic ...

Illuminations McCoy Tyner Telarc

Nowhere near MOR, this is nevertheless one of the great pianist's more accessible works. Arranged to include Terence Blanchard on trumpet and Gary Bartz on saxophone, the horns introduce and embellish melodies to be echoed by Tyner (and crisply punctuated by Lewis Nash on drums and young lion ...

Evolution Stefon Harris Blue Note

Evolution is a stunning CD, immaculately produced, full of shifting textures with snappy exchanges between band members clearly enthused about their participation. Harris continues to distinguishes himself as one of today's elite vibraphonist's, at the same time making discernible progress as an effective bandleader. This latest effort, ...

Anything Goes The Brad Mehldau Trio (Warner Bros)

Many of the same songs played live on the trio’s winter tour are on the disc and, in the studio as on the stage, Mehldau and his band create music from the material without ever giving short shrift to it. You can recognize a ...

Damaged in Transit Steve Swallow w/Chris Potter and Adam Nussbaum (ECM) The way Swallow describes this project in his liner notes, the recording of this live disc proceeded directly from the compositions to the rehearsals to the performance. As you listen, however, you can sense the effort expended by each ...