Articles by Andrew Rowan

Roni Ben-Hur: Keepin' It Open

by Andrew Rowan
July 9, 2007

Guitarist Roni Ben-Hur has assembled an impressive cast for Keepin' It Open: trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, pianist Ronnie Mathews, bassist Santi Debriano, drummer Lewis Nash and percussionist Steve Kroon--a who's who of contemporary mainstream jazz exploring a beautifully varied selection of tunes. The proceedings open with Ben-Hur in the time-honored guitar trio setting, offering a fleet yet relaxed reading of “Can't We Be Friends. Also included on this session are thoughtful treatments of familiar material like “Indian Summer ...

Kevin Hays: Piano Works III: Open Range

by Andrew Rowan
March 21, 2007

Pianist Kevin Hays came to prominence in New York in the '80s, eventually working with such luminaries as Sonny Rollins, Benny Golson, Roy Haynes, Joe Henderson, Art Farmer and John Scofield, among others. In the '90s, he recorded a well-received series of sessions for Blue Note, including '94's Seventh Sense (one of the New York Times' “Top 40 Jazz Releases of the Year ) and '96's Andalucia (which featured Ron Carter and Jack DeJohnette). Now, relocated to Santa Fe, New ...

Freddy Cole: Because of You: Freddy Cole Sings Tony Bennett

by Andrew Rowan
December 10, 2006

Confession, they say, is good for the soul. So this reviewer must confess to only a recent realization of Freddy Cole's extraordinary talent. Simply put, he knows how to do it; this tribute to another singer who gets it--Tony Bennett--is touching. Cole's relaxed, bluesy approach, enhanced by those cracks in his voice, is perfect for “I Got Lost in Her Arms." And although Billie Holiday comes to mind first for “Getting Some Fun out of Life," there ...

Sathima Bea Benjamin: SongSpirit

by Andrew Rowan
November 1, 2006

Legions of jazz singers are out there these days with good chops and solid work. What is often missing, however, is that individual spark, those personal qualities that set the singer apart from the rest. Sathima Bea Benjamin possesses that spark, with a unique, aching quality in her voice that meshes well with the spirituality that informs her song readings. She can seamlessly move from mournful expression to joyous near exultation, and the SongSpirit compendium brims with these gifts.

This ...

James Moody: Hey! It's James Moody

by Andrew Rowan
August 12, 2006

There is nothing earth-shattering on this collection, which was originally issued as two LPs: Flute'n The Blues (1956) and Hey! It's James Moody (1959). What remains remarkable, though, is how fresh James Moody sounds, even when some of the arrangements show their age and some of the ensemble passages lack precise intonation. Indeed, some of these tracks have passed into jazz lore, including “Last Train from Overbrook (the salute to Moody's return to the scene) with Eddie Jefferson's ebullient vocal, ...

Shirley Horn: Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz

by Andrew Rowan
May 22, 2006

An appearance on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz radio broadcast often sheds light on unexplored aspects of an artist's career as the host conducts her intrepid, conversational interviews. Here, we have both illuminating conversation and Shirley Horn's musical essence: heartfelt ballad singing at crawling tempos, spot-on piano accompaniment, and deep-in-the-keys swing. Unless she knew you well, Horn could be a reluctant conversationalist. In this setting, though, she sheds some light on her career and musical philosophy, saying that ...

Spirit Song; Cityscape

by Andrew Rowan
April 16, 2006

Ernie Watts Spirit Song Flying Dolphin 2006

Ernie Watts radiates such warmth and lyricism throughout Spirit Song that even a fast-paced, angular tune like “ASFEW ('A Song for Ernie Watts'), where his keening upper register is on display, ends up singing. While he's an ebullient, energetic player, Watts does not sound hurried or frenetic. It would be remiss not to mention that the spirit of John Coltrane hovers around this date, ...

Mark Murphy: Once To Every Heart

by Andrew Rowan
February 20, 2006

Mark Murphy just gets better and better, to steal a phrase, like an elegant wine. And he is fearless. In his distinguished career, he's covered it all: blues, Latin, contemporary pop, songbooks (most notably Cole Porter, Joe Williams, Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields). And he still remains one of the foremost interpreters of the Great American Songbook. The ballads-only session Once to Every Heart, his first offering on Verve, finds him at the top of his art. ...

Tony Bennett: The Complete Improv Recordings

by Andrew Rowan
February 3, 2006

Once upon a time the line between jazz singing and jazz-tinged popular singing was blurred. Singers like Mabel Mercer, Sylvia Syms and Bobby Short roamed the borders between jazz, pop and cabaret, and the world was better for it. On the jazz side, singers like Billie Holiday, Joe Williams, Carmen McRae and Shirley Horn looked across that artificial divide and admired the intimacy and storytelling prowess of their cabaret contemporaries. Concord's release of The Complete Improv Recordings blurs that line ...

Shirley Horn: But Beautiful: The Best of Shirley Horn

by Andrew Rowan
December 7, 2005

Dear Shirley Horn was laid to rest on November 3, 2005. A distinctive, emotional singer as well as brilliant pianist, Horn crafted an instantly recognizable style and a body of work that was often moving beyond words. While she's hailed far and wide as one of the finest ballads singers ever, this accolade alone misses the point. Horn was a complete musician. Few could swing harder, dig deeper, mine the blues so truly and, of course, live ...