Articles by Artur Moral
Ramona Horvath: Absinthe
by Artur Moral
How could one not connect with someone who, from her debut album as a leader, Lotus Blossom (Black & Blue, 2017), demonstrated such knowledge and admiration for Billy Strayhorn's timeless compositions? Or who, in the liner notes of her new project, counts among her supporters fellow pianists of the stature of Giovanni Mirabassi, Ignasi Terraza and Pierre de Bethmann? Something old, something new, something borrowed... Certainly, a quick glance at the repertoire of this Ramona Horvath Trio's release ...
Continue ReadingMartí Mitjavila: Somebody Nobody Loves
by Artur Moral
Jack Bowers, our esteemed elder statesman, made it quite clear in his article James Danderfer: If Not Now that the clarinet, once one of jazz's signature instruments, is currently experiencing hard times. But it is not all bad news. Whether on the formerly more popular soprano clarinet or the more solemn--and experimentation-friendly--bass clarinet, luminaries like Hamiet Bluiett, John Carter, David Murray and Marty Ehrlich have carried forward its evolution. Its impact on the European scene is equally significant, ...
Continue ReadingMaria Schneider & UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra at Savoy Theater, Helsinki
by Artur Moral
Maria Schneider & UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra Savoy-teatteri Helsinki, Finland November 13, 2025 The Finnish jazz community is celebrating--and by extension, so are those of Europe and, truth be told, the entire world. The reason is no small matter: the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra marks its 50th anniversary, remaining faithful to the principles that have made it one of the most compelling European ensembles active today. Arguably the most creative, versatile and experimental--within the boundaries ...
Continue ReadingIan Torres: The Legend Of The Prince Of Darkness?
by Artur Moral
Trying to describe the nature of Ian Torres' latest work, Comprovisation (Self Produced, 2025), with a single word, it would be intriguing. Presented on November 20, 2025 at the Fulton Street Collective in Chicago, the new album mixes spontaneous creation, unwritten composition and studio work. Here, radically acoustic timbres--tenor sax, trombone, drums and his own trumpet--meet the densely electronic sonorities of various synthesizers and drum samplers, utilized from the perspective of a carefully crafted contemporary avant-garde. To be sure, the ...
Continue ReadingWDR 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 ...
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