Articles by Artur Moral
WDR Big Band featuring John Goldsby and Bob Mintzer: Big Band Bass
by Artur Moral
What better way to bid farewell to a long, fruitful relationship than with a mutual gift? That is the decision John Goldsby and the extraordinary WDR Big Band made after 30 years of intense collaboration. Extended partnerships are perhaps not too frequent in today's jazz landscape, even in the more conducive orchestral realm: well-known are the lengthy associations, uninterrupted and almost exclusive, of Harry Carney with Duke Ellington And His Orchestra (over 46 years!) or Freddie Green with the Count ...
Continue ReadingAntonio Faraò: Kind of...
by Artur Moral
Antonio Faraò may seem a restless spirit, always on the move--a musical entity gifted with an innate, perpetual acceleration. But for certain decisions, he clearly takes his time: over eight years ago, in an interview aptly titled Antonio Faraò, l'eklektiko, the Rome-born pianist and composer--already in his fifties-- declared his interest in tackling a solo piano album. Well, we have had to wait until he has entered his sixties, but it has been worthwhile. Kind Of... fulfills a longing that ...
Continue ReadingIgnasi Terraza: With Respect To Oscar And Niels
by Artur Moral
Exceptionalism is often presented with a spectacular surface. However, it also hides itself behind multiple layers of deep discretion. This is true with pianist, composer, educator and record producer Ignasi Terraza. His uniqueness is based on several facts: being the first blind person in Spain to earn--a mid-1980s achievement, without today's technology--a degree in Computer Engineering; combining this accomplishment with self-taught jazz piano, becoming over the years one of the few piano players on the Iberian Peninsula with international recognition, ...
Continue ReadingA Farewell to Madrid's Café Central
by Artur Moral
It happened to Chicago with The London House and The Velvet Lounge; it happened to San Francisco with the Black Hawk Club and the Keystone Corner; and, of course, it happened to New York City with Cafe Society, Sweet Basil, Village Gate and Jazz Standard. It has also happened in many other places and cities around the world. Now, it is happening in Madrid: the emblematic Café Central of the Spanish capital closes its doors on October 12, 2025, and ...
Continue ReadingThe Summer Knows (Un été 42)
by Artur Moral
Not so young, but still foolish: arduous is the path chosen by pianist, composer and singer Franck Amsallem, a lesser-known figure--outside his immediate performance circle--even among some of the jazz world's most avid and encyclopedic enthusiasts. Nevertheless, this musician's name should appear in that roster of outstanding French baby boomer keyboardists mentioned in Pierre de Bethmann: Sharing a Musical Breakfast in Lyon. There are several reasons for this unintentional and unfair ignorance: his current thematic approach, formalized in ...
Continue ReadingOrnette Coleman's and Horace Silver's "Lonely Woman" — A Disambiguation
by Artur Moral
Reality is filled with confusion and misunderstandings; some are suggestive or creative, while others are disappointing or, worse, malicious. The jazz world is no stranger to the first type: specific compositions are often confused or misidentified as if they were the same. Usually, this happens because of similar melodies or titles that are sometimes identical. This last case applies to the two themes discussed here, which are homonymous but musically quite different. The first, desolate and raw, is by Ornette ...
Continue ReadingPierre de Bethmann: Sharing a Musical Breakfast in Lyon
by Artur Moral
If interviewing a musical figure is usually a great experience, having a face-to-face conversation with one is a true privilege. Besides, it is April in Lyon, cherry trees in blossom... and the roofs of the capital of the French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes shine under a splendid spring sun. Pierre de Bethmann, winner of the 2024 Victoire du Jazz award for Best Instrumental Artist (the French equivalent of the Grammys), greets us at Ludwig Laisné's recording studio, where he is temporarily ...
Continue ReadingSergi Sirvent Smooth Trio At Jamboree
by Artur Moral
Sergi Sirvent Smooth Trio Jamboree Barcelona, Spain May 24, 2025 The media and popular impact of different musical areas and their players is often a challenging mystery to unravel. Many authors suffer from a significant imbalance between their media exposure and audience reception, compared to the intrinsic quality of their work. The case of Sergi Sirvent is particularly outrageous: one of the most fascinating musicians in Catalonia--and, by extension, in Spain and the European scene--continues ...
Continue ReadingMatthias Van den Brande: Fields of Color
by Artur Moral
A non-harmonic quartet raises unexpected questions Can an essentially orthodox musical effort accurately reflect the most unconventional art? Is a concept album more attractive than others, simply by being one? Can a written review meaningfully convey insights about a score inspired by the creations of painter Mark Rothko, whose canvases, in turn, were conceived to express the intense sensations that poetry and classical music, particularly Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, stirred in him? Indeed, we face a disc that provokes a multitude ...
Continue ReadingShai Maestro At Barcelona El Molino
by Artur Moral
Shai Maestro El Molino Barcelona, Spain May 16, 2025 The Barcelöna Concert?The intense crimson decor of El Molino, once a café-concert hall devoted to revue and cabaret, now a splendidly renovated space dedicated to all genres of music--with a special emphasis on contemporary jazz--hosted a special night with Shai Maestro. This marked his first concert in Barcelona following the release of his latest solo piano album, Solo: Miniatures & Tales (Naïve, 2025), after settling in ...
Continue Reading
