Articles by Chris Kompanek
Let Yourself Go: The Lives of Jazz Pianist Fred Hersch
by Chris Kompanek
Fred Hersch Let Yourself Go: The Lives of Fred Hersch AHA! DVD 2008Katja Duregger's intimate documentary about virtuoso pianist Fred Hersch has the personal touch of a home movie. Broken down into four sections that are viewed individually on the DVD, the film covers all aspects of his life from his work as a musician and composer to his teaching and his longtime struggle with AIDS. There are essentially ...
Continue ReadingChick Corea / John McLaughlin: Five Peace Band Live
by Chris Kompanek
From the psychedelic cover art to the expansive and innovative playing, Five Peace Band Live is a throwback to the great live albums Miles Davis made in the late-1960s-1970s, with some of the same musicians. Chick Corea and John McLaughlin actually met in 1969 during the recording sessions that would become the classic fusion albums In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew (both on Columbia). Thirty years later they play the title piece from the former on ...
Continue ReadingThelonious Monk: Thelonious Monk
by Chris Kompanek
The remastered Monk is actually two mini-sets melded into one with the first quintet consisting of the underrated trumpeter Ray Copeland, tenor saxophonist Frank Foster and bassist Curly Russell, with the legendary Art Blakey holding it all together on drums. These first four tracks (including a beautiful rendition of the Jerome Kern classic “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes") are upbeat and decidedly lighter in tone. This half ends with a masterfully syncopated solo by Blakey on the jaunty “Hackensack," named ...
Continue ReadingGarage a Trois: Power Patriot
by Chris Kompanek
The lines between jazz and rock can become blurred inside of a really good groove. That's exactly what happens on Garage a Trois' Power Patriot. In spite of its hokey title with red state overtones, the ten songs it contains are tightly constructed jams composed largely by Mike Dillon and pianist Marco Benevento, whose own trio focuses on indie-rock- based jazz. Upon opening the CD, it's clear that this is not a typical jazz album. The inside cover art is ...
Continue ReadingVijay Iyer: Historicity
by Chris Kompanek
Pianist Vijay Iyer's compositions are ferociously paced and fractured with a sense of urgency that informs each note he plays. Historicity's title track opens the record, grabbing the listener immediately with the pianist's unique touch, carrying through on other original compositions such as “Helix"--a ballad on the surface that explodes midway through with frenetic energy. This energy is also felt on his interpretations of other composers. Standouts include his 'versioning' of M.I.A.'s “Galang," which utilizes rhythmic phrases to retain the ...
Continue ReadingChet Baker's Quiet Sound Endures
by Chris Kompanek
Chet Baker Strollin' Enja 2008 Chet Baker Broken Wing Inner City 2009 John Proulx Baker's Dozen MAXJAZZ 2009 As iconic as any jazz musician, Chet Baker's gentle, understated playing and crooning ran counterpoint to his tumultuous life. Two late life recordings capture an introspective legend, voice ...
Continue ReadingNew Morning Paris Concert
by Chris Kompanek
Al Foster New Morning Paris Concert Inakustik 2009
Al Foster played with Miles Davis for several years in the '70s, appearing on Get Up With It, On The Corner, Big Fun, Dark Magus, Agharta, and reuniting with him in the '80s for The Man With The Horn, We Want Miles, Star People, Decoy and You're Under Arrest. And the drummer was one of the few people to stay in contact with him ...
Continue ReadingDave Liebman / Michael Stephans: Nomads
by Chris Kompanek
Veteran saxophonist Dave Liebman is no stranger to experimentation, cutting his teeth playing with Elvin Jones and then Miles Davis' groundbreaking fusion group in the '70s. Drummer/poet Michael Stephans has played with everyone from Pharoah Sanders and John Patitucci to classic rock legends David Bowie and The Rolling Stones. On Nomads, the duo takes on many genres and multiple instruments; the result an ambitiously eclectic album, wandering the musical gambit from originals to reharmonized standards and forgotten pieces by jazz ...
Continue ReadingBadal Roy: Keeping the Groove
by Chris Kompanek
India-born tabla player Badal Roy has spent the past four decades playing with some of jazz's greatest giants, including John McLaughlin, Miles Davis and Ornette Coleman. He has been playing with fellow On the Corner alum Michael Henderson, as part of the Miles from India tour. Backstage before a recent concert at the Iridium in New York City, he shared stories of Miles and the musicians who influenced him.All About Jazz: When did you start playing tabla?
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