Articles by Carl Medsker

Play This!

Espen Berg Trio: Rue Saint-Michel

by Carl Medsker
October 4, 2026

The piano trios of Tord Gustavsen, Espen Eriksen and Espen Berg share a Norwegian terroir, but differ in expression. In a flagrant oversimplification, Gustavsen tends toward introspective rumination with classical undertones, while Eriksen revels in lyricism. Then there is Berg, who spits the difference, with added rhythmic complexity. Like three exceptional yet distinct wines from one region, each is complex and engrossing, each with its emotional pairing. Here is a taste from Entropies (Svale Records, 2026)--full-bodied, well-structured, enhanced ...

Play This!

Espen Eriksen Trio: Winter Is Coming

by Carl Medsker
September 25, 2026

An homage to Game of Thrones? A wish for the end of another excessively hot summer? Or just impatient for better ski conditions? Whatever the intention, the Espen Eriksen trio is back for another set of melodic Nordic jazz. After a pulsing, ominous start, the performance flowers into a memorable theme. The bandmates (Espen Eriksen on piano, Lars Tormod Jenset on bass and Andreas Bye on drums) breathe as one, favoring economical, lyrical invention over hearty rhythmic or harmonic improv. ...

Album Review

Alexis Marcelo: Solo Piano

Read "Solo Piano" reviewed by Carl Medsker

by Carl Medsker
September 5, 2026

"Boogieminish Bop" effusively kicks off Alexis Marcelo's first release under his own name, organically combining stride, boogie-woogie and bop into a contemporary melange. For over two decades, Marcelo has honed his chops and developed his personal language, drawing on the full history of jazz piano, his Hispanic roots, early classical training and experiences with hip hop, progressive rock and exploratory improv. He boldly chose to perform solo in his debut, something most pianists defer to later in their ...

Live Review

Chad Taylor Quartet at Solar Myth

by Carl Medsker
March 14, 2026

Chad Taylor Quartet Solar Myth Philadelphia, PA February 27, 2026 Don Cherry's and John Coltrane's trajectories intersected in the summer of 1960, an inflection point for both artists, yielding the historic The Avant-Garde (Atlantic, 1966). It was the only time they would record together. Cherry was the brass voice in Ornette Coleman's quartet from 1957 until his exit in 1961 and was fresh off the quartet's renowned, and to some, controversial run at the Five ...

Album Review

Atempo: Callejón de la Habana

Read "Callejón de la Habana" reviewed by Carl Medsker

by Carl Medsker
March 4, 2026

Atempo, an Israeli-based piano trio that calls itself a purveyor of “Mediterranean folk fusion," extends its reach to the Caribbean with “Callejón de la Habana," named after a vibrant alley in Havana devoted to Afro-Cuban visual and musical art. The song is specifically based on guaguancó, an urban form of rumba originating in the black working-class neighborhoods of Havana, blending African and Spanish influences into robust celebrations. Multiple percussionists churn out Afro-Cuban polyrhythms, propelling one or more vocalists, while two ...

Building a Jazz Library

Mal Waldron: His Journey Across 12 Albums

by Carl Medsker
February 20, 2026

Mal Waldron's life story is compelling, and to mark his 2025 centenary, this article aims to introduce his work to those less familiar with it by tracing his journey across 12 distinctive recordings. Max Roach once singled him out, along with Thelonious Monk, Herbie Nichols, Hasaan Ibn Ali and Randy Weston, as uniquely original composer-pianists. Matthew Shipp later expanded this pantheon1, adding Cecil Taylor, Andrew Hill, Sun Ra, Horace Tapscott and Ran Blake for forging personal languages and ...

Year in Review

Carl Medsker's Best Jazz Albums Of 2025

by Carl Medsker
December 30, 2025

Best of 2025? A bold claim, given the fire hose of content from which to drink. In my drafts from the torrent, I discovered many engaging, entertaining and thought-provoking releases. The ones on this list were the most often replayed throughout the year and will remain in rotation into the future. Whether energizing or calming, joyful or somber, intellectually stimulating or simply toe-tapping fun, all were a balm for troubling times. And now, 2026 is upon us, no doubt with ...

Album Review

Chad Taylor: Smoke Shifter

Read "Smoke Shifter" reviewed by Carl Medsker

by Carl Medsker
December 24, 2025

Smoke Shifter leans toward tradition, which is perhaps a bit surprising given the exploratory, cutting-edge music previously produced by everyone in this quintet. Led by master percussionist Chad Taylor, the album is a diverse program of well-crafted, contemporary songs performed by an egalitarian collective. Taylor co-founded the Chicago Underground bands with Rob Mazurek, celebrated Albert Ayler with Marc Ribot and performs with the Exploding Star Orchestra. Prominent amongst his numerous collaborations is his essential work in James Brandon ...

Play This!

Jack DeJohnette: Song for World Forgiveness

by Carl Medsker
October 29, 2025

On October 26, 2025, the highly musical master percussionist Jack DeJohnette died peacefully. During the journey from his birthplace, Chicago, to his adopted home, Woodstock, NY, he created an enduring, diverse and sonically scintillating legacy. From his early days with Charles Lloyd, through the electric Miles Davis period, to the legendary Standards Trio with Keith Jarrett and Gary Peacock, The Golden Quartet with Wadada Leo Smith and his own Special Edition and New Directions bands (and much more), he danced ...

Album Review

Nadav Remez: Summit

by Carl Medsker
October 11, 2025

Israeli-born guitarist Nadav Remez has been accruing the compositions on Summit for 20 years, sharpening them in live performances until hitting critical mass. The program, comprised of Remez originals along with rearranged traditional songs, blends jazz, indie rock and Jewish folk music into a fresh and energetic experience. The melodies are memorable, the meters and harmonies artfully varied and the playing passionate. Remez's roots extend back to the Thelma Yellin High School for the Arts, which has produced ...